Tom Sotis Bio
INSTRUCTOR | COACH | PROFILER | SPEAKER | AUTHOR | TRAVELER
Tom Sotis has been training consistently in various fighting methods since 1969. In addition to empty hands and firearms skills, he is now well-recognized as the leading edged weapons instructor in the world.
Making other people safer in an unsafe world has been Tom’s life mission. He has taught over 1500 self-protection seminars in 25 countries and has earned world-renowned acclaim for his unique theories and coaching methods.
Tom acquired practical fighting experience through decades of working in conflict-oriented professions as a criminal investigator, undercover investigator, fugitive recovery agent, executive protector, and in nightclub security where he gained first-hand experience with criminal violence.
In 1994, Tom was the fourth American to travel deep into Russia after the wall came down and subsequently became the first American private contractor to train Russian Special Forces. He returned several times which ultimately became a pivotal point initiating his long career working for US federal agencies.
Culminating many years of study on psychology and human performance, Tom became a certified Motivation Analyst licensed to administer and interpret the Reiss Motivation Profile®, the world’s first scientifically validated and most accurate method of personality profiling and predicting behavior.
Tom is an engaging speaker with a unique background of compelling true-life experiences who shares valuable life lessons learned from his adventures while traveling, studying, teaching, and fighting in some of the world’s most dangerous places.
To date, Tom has authored “The Way of Tactics: A Manifesto of Invincibility” which reached the #1 spot on Amazon’s Sports Coaching rating, and has published eight books on “The Motivation Series”. He continues writing and in time, intends to publish more books.
Countries where tom has worked: Australia, Bashkortostan, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, England, Germany, Greece, Laos, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, and 21 of the United States.
- Cambodian Special Forces
- Danish Law Enforcement
- Hellenic (Greek) Coast Guard
- Mexican Federal Police
- Mexican Prison Guards
- New Zealand Prison Guards
- Norwegian Law Enforcement
- Russian Criminal Investigation Division
- Russian Homicide and Major Crimes
- Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs
- Russian Spetsnaz Counterterrorism
- South African Military
- South African Law Enforcement
- South African Corrections
- South African Executive Protection
- Spanish Law Enforcement
- Swedish Law Enforcement
- US Intelligence Agencies
- US Special Forces
- US Secret Service / CAT / ERT
- Internal Revenue Service / CID
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Federal US Attorney
- New England Organized Crime / Drug Enforcement Task Force
- Massachusetts State Police / SWAT
- Massachusetts State Police
- Massachusetts Defensive Tactics Instructors
- Suffolk County Sheriff’s and Corrections
- Rhode Island Sheriffs
- Boston Municipal Police Academy
- Plainville Municipal Police
- Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institute / SWAT
- Rhode Island Brotherhood of Corrections Officers
- Executive Protection
- Private Security Firms
- Companies and Businesses
- Martial arts organizations
- High-risk groups
- Community organizations
- Thousands of individuals