History:
Matt’s Creative Solutions, formerly “Plewes Center”. Plewes Center began as a sole proprietorship founded by Matt Plewes in 2001. Matt started as a certified ESL teacher opening English Schools around Shizuoka, Japan. As the business grew, Matt formed partnerships and eventually expanded the organization to a team of several employees.
Matt’s English School’s Website (Click here)
With this growth, Plewes Center diversified its services to better serve both the local and international community. What began with English schools, later expanded into self-defense schools, an English-speaking Tiki Bar & Grill, translation and interpretation services, website design and development, wedding officiant services, and counseling programs.
Matt Plewes also brought extensive training and practical experience in security, private investigations, and loss prevention from America. He received training and State certification and gained professional experience in Virginia, USA, before relocating to Japan.
Drawing on this background, Matt established CAPS (Chuntian Academy Protection Services) in Shizuoka, Japan. CAPS initially provided security services for live music houses and entertainment venues before expanding into event security, loss prevention, personal and property protection, security training, and related services.
The expansion of CAPS reflected the broader mission of Plewes Center: combining Matt’s diverse professional experience with practical services designed to meet the needs of the community in Japan.
Below: Matt’s Chuntian Academy Japan (Real World Self Defense)
Self Defense School Website (Click here)
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Below: CAPS Security Agency
CAPS Security/Loss Prevention (Click Here)
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Below: Matt’s Shizuoka Tiki Bar
Tiki Bar Page (Click here)
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Below: Matt officiated weddings and counseled over 900 couples.
Wedding Minister Website (Click here)
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Matthew Plewes personally trained, studied, and earned certifications related to the various services offered through the organization.
Beyond business activities, Matt established and supported a children’s charity in Indonesia, regularly traveling there and spending several weeks each year assisting with charitable projects and community outreach.
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Below: Plewes Center – Indonesia
Below: Matt Financed The Children’s Outreach 100% from Wedding Services.
Matt’s Children Charity (Click here)
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After more than two decades living and working in Japan, In 2023, Matt closed the physical locations and returned to Virginia, USA.
Building upon the experience, knowledge, and community-focused spirit of Plewes Center, the organization evolved into Matt’s Creative Solutions.
Today, Matt’s Creative Solutions continues its mission of helping individuals and communities grow and improve themselves. Services include self-defense instruction, wellness and personal development programs, promotional and creative services, English language instruction, and online translation support for students and professionals learning English as a second language.
With decades of experience in education, martial arts, counseling, translation, security and community service, Matt’s Creative Solutions remains dedicated to helping people achieve their personal and professional goals successfully and safely.
Matthew Plewes – Professional Biography
Matthew Plewes is a multidisciplinary business professional, educator, photographer, technology specialist, security professional, and martial arts master with extensive experience spanning the United States and Japan. Throughout his diverse career, he has established and managed businesses and educational organizations across multiple industries, including education, security, technology, promotions, and community services. His professional background includes organizational leadership, operations management, program development, staff training, and serving a diverse international clientele.
Matt began his professional career in emergency medical services as an Emergency Medical Technician–Ambulance (EMT-A) and first responder while pursuing college studies in Industrial Management. He later transitioned into industrial manufacturing, advancing into supervisory and leadership positions with Brown Jordan Company and International Paper, where he accumulated more than a decade of experience in manufacturing operations, personnel management, and production coordination.
Building upon this foundation, Matt spent 22 years in Japan developing and managing businesses, providing educational services, and working with international clients. His experience encompasses business administration, security and loss prevention, professional training, technology services, and cross-cultural communication.
Today, Matt works in supply chain and transportation operations at a major distribution center, supporting import logistics, yard management, and shipping and receiving coordination. Alongside his primary career, he remains active in website design and administration, business promotions, online English language education, and martial arts instruction.
With a professional background combining hands-on operational experience, management, entrepreneurship, and international business, Matt brings a practical, adaptable, and multidisciplinary perspective to his work. His career reflects a longstanding commitment to professional development, effective leadership, education, and service to others.
Leadership & Entrepreneurship
During his two decades in Japan, Matthew founded, owned, and managed multiple successful organizations, including:
- Owner & Principal, Liberty English Schools
- Owner & Manager, Honyaku Pro (Translation Services, Bilingual Websites)
- Owner & Head Teacher, Chuntian Academy of Martial Arts
- Director / Chief Investigator, CAPS Security /Loss Prevention Services – CCTV installation
- Owner / Operator, Shizuoka Wedding Pro
- Owner / Manager, Shizuoka Tiki Bar & Grill
- —> And Before Japan in America:
- Crew Leader, Investigator – International Paper
- Private Investigator, Waldron Corporation
- Department Lead / New Product Development Coordinator, Brown Jordan Company
- EMT-in-Charge – Nansemond Suffolk Rescue Squad
Through the Plewes Center of Japan, he oversaw a diverse portfolio of businesses and professional services with several employees.
Martial Arts & Wellness
An 8th Degree Black Belt training continuously since childhood, with years of training, teaching, and research in Asia. His specialties include practical self-defense, Karate, traditional Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Qigong, meditation, and personal development.
Technology, Design & Education
Matthew combines technical and creative expertise in website administration, digital design, online education, media production, and cross-cultural communication. His academic studies have included business management, network security, computer technologies, industrial engineering technology, loss prevention management and private investigations.
Career Highlights
- Built, developed, and managed multiple businesses and educational organizations in Japan over a 22-year period.
- Directed operations across education, security, wellness, technology, consulting, and professional services.
- Served as an EMT-A, Ambulance Attendant-in-Charge, and Emergency Dispatcher with the Nansemond-Suffolk Rescue Squad, participating in more than 3,000 emergency calls.
- Officiated more than 950 weddings in both English and Japanese.
- In America, held supervisory and leadership positions in industrial manufacturing, inventory control, warehousing, and sustainability initiatives.
- Delivered professional training, instruction, and consulting services to individuals and organizations across North America and Asia.
Born and raised in Suffolk, Virginia, Matthew Plewes has built a unique international career defined by leadership, entrepreneurship, operational excellence, education, and service, successfully bridging Eastern and Western cultures through business, training, technology, and community engagement.
Business Vision: The next few years.
Security, Loss Prevention & Operations Aspirations:
Matt brings a diverse background in security, loss prevention, investigations, management, and distribution center operations. His experience includes working in security and loss prevention at a major distribution center before transitioning into transportation and logistics operations.
His distribution experience includes import operations, transportation support, yard management, inbound and outbound documentation, carrier and driver communication, and general transportation clerical and operational responsibilities.
This combination of security and logistics experience provides him with a practical understanding of how asset protection, transportation, personnel, and operational efficiency work together within a distribution environment.
Because of his accumulative experience, Matt is particularly interested in opportunities in Distribution Center – Security Management, Loss Prevention, Asset Protection, where he can apply and share his professional experience, training, and expertise to help organizations protect their people and assets, reduce loss, improve procedures, and strengthen day-to-day operations.
Side Ventures: Our company, now much smaller, is to intentionally remain small, personal, and community-focused. We strive to build a respected kung fu and real-world self-defense teacher training club, work with a select group of influencers, models, entrepreneurs, and small businesses through professional website development, branding, and promotional services, and create lasting relationships rather than high-volume business.
Education
Forest Glen High School (Graduate)
Paul D. Camp Community College (Industrial Management, Industrial Technologies with a minor in Computer Technology, CAD, Drafting and Design).
Emergency Medical Services of Virginia (EMT-A, Vehicle Extrication, EVOC)
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (Private Investigator, Private Security Officer)
Union Camp Corporation – (Virginia State Occupational Safety and Health Administration – OSHA Trained, Firefighter Trained – Safety Team and Fire Brigade Member).
Tokoha University (Annex School) (International Business, ESL Teacher Certification)
Relias Academy (Loss Prevention Management)
Alison School (Supply Chain Management and Capacity Planning, Network Security, Comprehensive Supply Chain Management, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt)
AIGPE – Six Sigma – QFD Black Belt (Quality Functional Deployment)