ASF was founded in 1973 by Grand Master Richard Reed, a martial arts expert, entrepreneur, and co-founder of ATA (formerly the American TaeKwonDo Association). To stay ahead of the competition, Reed realized that he needed a more comprehensive and effective billing software for his martial arts studios, but he couldn’t find the right solution.
Ever the innovator, Reed founded ASF (formerly American Service Finance) Payment Solutions in order to build a billing and loan software solution for martial arts schools in the United States. Then, in 1981, Reed purchased the Marina Fitness Club in San Francisco, where he tested and launched the first EFT and credit card payment option. In 1982, ASF introduced the first DOS-based check-in system on a standalone computer to track member attendance. By the 1990s, ASF had launched the first Windows-based membership management software and created the first internet-based member portal.