The Davidson Companies are blessed with a diversity of professional talent and engaging personalities, none more so than Ms. Ashley Wood. At a power-packed, diminutive 5’1”, Ms. Wood has achieved a level of athletic prowess, well beyond her easy-going, outward countenance. Ashley takes on all challenges, whether to exceed the needs and expectations of her discerning clients or to reign over all of her taekwondo competitors. Yes, you heard right – Ms. Wood is an accomplished taekwondo martial-arts specialist – having just achieved her Red Belt/Black Stripe status.

Remarkably, Ashley only began the sport just two and a half short-years ago, based on a few, brief training sessions as a young teenager.  She rapidly achieved various levels of success, launching her to the threshold of the ultimate achievement – the next step, her Black Belt. Ashley knows the value of pairing with a life-mentor and she attributes her rise in the sport to one, very special coach – Ms. Shari Torregrosa, a 3rd Degree Black Belt National Champion who will attain her Master’s Black Belt this year. Through a teaching-learning partnership with Ms. Torregrosa at the North Florida Martial Arts “dojang”, Ashley sped through the rankings, earning her White Belt, Yellow Belt, Orange Belt, Orange Belt/Green Stripe, Green Belt, Green Belt/Blue Stripe, Blue Belt, Blue Belt/Red Stripe, Red Belt and now her Red Belt/Black Stripe. Along the way, her quest has resulted in many local, regional, state and national trophies, including the prestigious Amateur Athletic Union of the USA, Inc., (AAU) Sparring and Forms Gold Medals in 2009 and 2010. This year, Ms. Wood is ranked to compete in the 2011 AAU Florida State Championship in Orlando on April 30th and the 2011 AAU National Championship in Austin, Texas, June 27th thru July 2nd. Without a doubt, Ashley Wood has tapped her passion to compete and to excel, enabling her to become a recognized force in the sport. (more…)