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Leadership

The Supreme Council
Headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts, the Supreme Council is the governing body for Scottish Rite Freemasonry, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction (NMJ).

The NMJ oversees 15 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Vermont.

The role of chief executive officer for the Scottish Rite, NMJ is performed by the Sovereign Grand Commander. The Supreme Council is comprised of 56 trustees. They are known as Active Members.

The Supreme Council meets on an annual basis, at which time the business of the fraternity is done and the honorary 33° is conferred bi-annually on those who have been elected to receive this honor.

State Leadership
Each of the 15 states within the NMJ has an Active Member designated as a Deputy. The Deputy serves as the executive officer for Scottish Rite Freemasonry within his state. He is supported by the remaining Active Members of the state. There is at least one Active Member in addition to the Deputy in each state. Some states have as many as five Active Members.

State and Local Bodies
State organizations in the NMJ are known as Councils of Deliberation. Local bodies are organized into what are known as Valleys. Degrees from the 4°-32° are conferred in the Valleys.

Walt Wheeler SGC

Sovereign Grand Commander
Ill. Walter F. Wheeler, 33°

Sovereign Grand Commander Walter F. Wheeler leads the Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. He began his journey as a member of Grand Rapids Chapter, Order of DeMolay in 1970. He was raised a Master Mason in Grand River Lodge #34 (now Grand Rapids Lodge #34) in 1977 and served as Worshipful Master in 1985. 

He has been a Scottish Rite Mason since 1980 and is a member of the Valley of Michigan. He was coroneted a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33°, Honorary member of the Supreme Council in 1997 in Grand Rapids. He served as Sovereign Prince of Cyrus Council Princes of Jerusalem in 1994-95, Commander-In-Chief of DeWitt Clinton Consistory in 2001-2002 and in 2009, was Thrice Potent Master in Moriah Lodge of Perfection. He twice served as President of the Board of Trustees of the Valley of Grand Rapids. He is a Past President of the Grand Rapids Scottish Rite Club, and a holder of the Valley’s Thespian Award for distinguished service in the degree work of the Valley.

Commander Wheeler was made an Active Member of the Supreme Council in Boston in 2009. From 2011-2020 he served on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Dyslexia Centers.  He served as Deputy for Michigan from 2016 to 2023 and as Grand Treasurer General of the Supreme Council from 2018 to 2023. He is an Honorary Member of the Southern Jurisdiction Supreme Council, as well as the Supreme Councils of Mexico, Bolivia, Spain and Austria. Commander Wheeler was named Sovereign Grand Commander in 2023.

Read Commander Wheeler's full biography here. 

Learn more about Commander Wheeler's Masonic journey and his vision for the future of Freemasonry in his video series.

Leadership Team

    • Ill. Steven E. Smith, 33°

      Ill. Steven E. Smith, 33°

      Grand Lieutenant Commander

    • Ill. Laurel “Arby” Humphrey, 33°

      Ill. Laurel “Arby” Humphrey, 33°

      Grand Minister of State

    • Ill. G. Michael Morris, 33°

      Ill. G. Michael Morris, 33°

      Grand Treasurer General

    • Ill. Douglas R. Policastro, 33°

      Ill. Douglas R. Policastro, 33°

      Grand Secretary General

    • Ill. Kevin J. Hecht, 33°

      Ill. Kevin J. Hecht, 33°

      Deputy for Connecticut

    • Ill. Ricky L. Swalm, 33°

      Ill. Ricky L. Swalm, 33°

      Deputy for Delaware

    • Ill. Nick Graff, 33°

      Ill. Nick Graff, 33°

      Deputy for Illinois

    • Ill. Paul C. St Pierre, 33°

      Ill. Paul C. St Pierre, 33°

      Deputy for Indiana

    • Ill. A. James Ross, 33°

      Ill. A. James Ross, 33°

      Deputy for Maine

    • Ill. Scott D. Inglis, 33°

      Ill. Scott D. Inglis, 33°

      Deputy for Massachusetts

    • Ill. Timothey S. Marshbanks, 33°, MSA

      Ill. Timothey S. Marshbanks, 33°, MSA

      Deputy for Michigan

    • Ill. Kenneth A. Clay, Jr., 33°

      Ill. Kenneth A. Clay, Jr., 33°

      Deputy for New Hampshire

    • Ill. Douglas R. Policastro, 33°

      Ill. Douglas R. Policastro, 33°

      Deputy for New Jersey

    • Ill. G. Michael Morris, 33°

      Ill. G. Michael Morris, 33°

      Deputy for New York

    • Ill. Donald R. Heldman, 33°

      Ill. Donald R. Heldman, 33°

      Deputy for Ohio

    • Ill. Keith E. Parkinson, 33°

      Ill. Keith E. Parkinson, 33°

      Deputy for Pennsylvania

    • lll. Kenneth F. Poyton, 33°

      lll. Kenneth F. Poyton, 33°

      Deputy for Rhode Island

    • Ill. William Karstens, IV, 33°

      Ill. William Karstens, IV, 33°

      Deputy for Vermont

    • Ill. Jeffrey L. Bryden, 33°

      Ill. Jeffrey L. Bryden, 33°

      Deputy for Wisconsin

    • Ill. Robert O. Bach, 33°, MSA

      Ill. Robert O. Bach, 33°, MSA

      Vermont

    • Ill. David E. Barnes, 33°

      Ill. David E. Barnes, 33°

      New York

    • Ill. Daniel E Bartlett, 33°

      Ill. Daniel E Bartlett, 33°

      Maine

    • Ill. Elbridge H. Brewer, 33°

      Ill. Elbridge H. Brewer, 33°

      Ohio

    • Ill. Jeffrey L. Bryden, 33°

      Ill. Jeffrey L. Bryden, 33°

      Wisconsin

    • Ill. Gary L Burke, 33°, MSA

      Ill. Gary L Burke, 33°, MSA

      New York

    • Ill. William M. Carter III, 33°

      Ill. William M. Carter III, 33°

      Ohio

    • Ill. Kenneth A. Clay, Jr., 33°

      Ill. Kenneth A. Clay, Jr., 33°

      New Hampshire

    • Ill. Michael A. DeWolf, 33°

      Ill. Michael A. DeWolf, 33°

      Wisconsin

    • Ill. James F. Easterling, Jr. 33°

      Ill. James F. Easterling, Jr. 33°

      Ohio

    • Ill. Richard W. Elliot, 33°

      Ill. Richard W. Elliot, 33°

      New Hampshire

    • Ill. Stephen Gardner, 33°

      Ill. Stephen Gardner, 33°

      Pennsylvania

    • Ill. G. Nicholas Graff, 33°

      Ill. G. Nicholas Graff, 33°

      Illinois

    • Ill. Mark A. Haines, 33°

      Ill. Mark A. Haines, 33°

      Pennsylvania

    • Ill. Henry A. Haisch, Jr., 33°

      Ill. Henry A. Haisch, Jr., 33°

      Illinois

    • Ill. George F. Hamilton, 33°

      Ill. George F. Hamilton, 33°

      Massachusetts

    • Ill. Jacob E. Hayrynen, 33°

      Ill. Jacob E. Hayrynen, 33°

      Michigan

    • Ill. Alan R. Heath, 33°

      Ill. Alan R. Heath, 33°

      Maine

    • Ill. Kevin J. Hecht, 33°

      Ill. Kevin J. Hecht, 33°

      Connecticut

    • Ill. Donald R. Heldman, 33°

      Ill. Donald R. Heldman, 33°

      Ohio

    • Ill. Laurel A. Humphrey, 33°

      Ill. Laurel A. Humphrey, 33°

      Wisconsin

    • Ill. Scott D. Inglis, 33°

      Ill. Scott D. Inglis, 33°

      Massachusetts

    • Ill. Gregory N. Jordan, 33°

      Ill. Gregory N. Jordan, 33°

      Indiana

    • Ill. William Karstens, IV, 33°

      Ill. William Karstens, IV, 33°

      Vermont

    • Ill. Douglas N. Kaylor, 33°

      Ill. Douglas N. Kaylor, 33°

      Ohio

    • Ill. Craig A. Kennedy, 33°

      Ill. Craig A. Kennedy, 33°

      Illinois

    • Ill. Thomas R. Labagh, 33°

      Ill. Thomas R. Labagh, 33°

      Pennsylvania

    • Ill. Timothey S. Marshbanks, 33°

      Ill. Timothey S. Marshbanks, 33°

      Michigan

    • Ill. Stephen J. McCarthy, 33°

      Ill. Stephen J. McCarthy, 33°

      Delaware

    • Ill. M. Todd McIntosh, 33°

      Ill. M. Todd McIntosh, 33°

      Ohio

    • Ill. John Wm. McNaughton, 33°

      Ill. John Wm. McNaughton, 33°

      At-Large

    • Ill. Donald M. Moran, 33°

      Ill. Donald M. Moran, 33°

      Massachusetts

    • Ill. G. Michael Morris, 33°

      Ill. G. Michael Morris, 33°

      New York

    • Ill. Keith E. Parkinson, 33°

      Ill. Keith E. Parkinson, 33°

      Pennsylvania

    • Ill. Eric S. Pittman, 33°

      Ill. Eric S. Pittman, 33°

      Indiana

    • Ill. Larry S Plasket, 33°

      Ill. Larry S Plasket, 33°

      New Jersey

    • Ill. Douglas R. Policastro, 33°

      Ill. Douglas R. Policastro, 33°

      New Jersey

    • Ill. Richard J. Powell, 33°

      Ill. Richard J. Powell, 33°

      New York

    • Ill. Kenneth F. Poyton, 33°

      Ill. Kenneth F. Poyton, 33°

      Rhode Island

    • Ill. A. James Ross, 33°

      Ill. A. James Ross, 33°

      Maine

    • Ill. Paul J. Roup, 33°

      Ill. Paul J. Roup, 33°

      Pennsylvania

    • Ill. Peter J. Samiec, 33°

      Ill. Peter J. Samiec, 33°

      At-Large

    • Ill. Randolph L Seipel, 33°, MSA

      Ill. Randolph L Seipel, 33°, MSA

      Indiana

    • Ill. Jeffry A. Simonton, 33°

      Ill. Jeffry A. Simonton, 33°

      Maine

    • Ill. Steven E. Smith, 33°

      Ill. Steven E. Smith, 33°

      Rhode Island

    • Ill. Paul C. St. Pierre, 33°

      Ill. Paul C. St. Pierre, 33°

      Indiana

    • Ill. Steven C. Stefanakos, 33°

      Ill. Steven C. Stefanakos, 33°

      New York

    • Ill. Henry J. Stein, 33°

      Ill. Henry J. Stein, 33°

      New Jersey

    • Ill. Ricky L. Swalm, 33°

      Ill. Ricky L. Swalm, 33°

      Delaware

    • Ill. William E. Tienken, 33°

      Ill. William E. Tienken, 33°

      Illinois

    • Ill. Richard D. Tonda, 33°

      Ill. Richard D. Tonda, 33°

      Michigan

    • Ill. Robert T. Trefzger, 33°

      Ill. Robert T. Trefzger, 33°

      Illinois

    • Ill. Howard D. Turner, 33°, MSA

      Ill. Howard D. Turner, 33°, MSA

      Connecticut

    • Ill. Roger S. VanGorden, 33°

      Ill. Roger S. VanGorden, 33°

      Indiana

    • Ill. Walter F. Wheeler, 33°

      Ill. Walter F. Wheeler, 33°

      At-Large

    • Ill. Bruce T. Work, 33°

      Ill. Bruce T. Work, 33°

      Connecticut

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