Waukegan tech firm owner helps kids with martial arts, pizza
Jonathan Kness of Waukegan just opened a pizzeria in Gurnee. He also owns a martial arts school in Gurnee and a technology company in Waukegan.
While that sounds like an eclectic mix, it does have a central focus. It's all about helping young people become stronger and more confident, he said.
"This is all about helping to teach kids how to talk with people and make them feel special," said Kness, 37. "It's not about the product. It's about the people."
Kness founded Wiilcom about 12 years in Waukegan. The technology company helps businesses to establish secure networks, computers, telephones and security camera systems. While this is his main job, it funds his other two businesses, so he can "give back to the community," he said.
The money he made in technology helped him last year to open a martial arts studio called Kuk Sool Won. He offers free lessons to about 20 children who are now enrolled. Those lessons may provide specific moves kick and punching moves, but it also helps the students learn about discipline, respect and etiquette, he said.
"Martial arts builds a huge amount of confidence," Kness said.
It also comes in handy during a time when bullying has been a major concern among school officials and parents.
Kness himself said he learned about martial arts when he was about 6, and he wants to pass those lessons on to other children in the community.
"I want to teach them that they are important and they can dictate how things go," he said. "And I always want to make sure they can go home safely."
The martial arts studio provides the lessons for free because the operation is funded by Kness himself.
In addition, Kness recently opened Joe's Pizzaria in Gurnee, which was named in honor of a former boss, Joe Vitale, owner of Joe's Trattoria in Aledo, Illinois. Kness said he learned about business while working with Vitale and wanted to honor him with this local pizza restaurant.
"It may be about the food, but it's mostly about the people," Kness said. "I want to give young people the opportunity to learn and watch them grow, like I did."
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