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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°

Commander Wheeler began his journey as a member of Grand Rapids Chapter, Order of DeMolay in 1970. He served as Master Councilor in 1973 and District Master Councilor of District #4 in 1974. He is a holder of the degree of Chevalier, as well as the DeMolay Legion of Honor. In 2012 he was inducted into the Michigan DeMolay Hall of Fame. He is an Active member of the DeMolay International Supreme Council. He is also a recipient of the Grand Cross of Honor from International Order of Rainbow for Girls and the Grand Triangle of Honor from Job’s Daughters International.

Commander Wheeler 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 served the Grand Lodge of Michigan as Grand Master from 2006-2007 and Grand Treasurer from 2007-2010. He holds Honorary Membership in 25 Michigan Lodges. He is an Honorary Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey. Commander Wheeler served as the Executive Director/CEO for the Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation from 2009-2020.

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. Commander Wheeler was made an Active Member of the Supreme Council in Boston in 2009.

Learn more about Commander Wheeler and our newest leadership at our blog. 

    • 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. Gregory L. Clark, 33°

      Ill. Gregory L. Clark, 33°

      Deputy for Illinois

    • Ill. Paul C. St Pierre, 33°

      Ill. Paul C. St Pierre, 33°

      Deputy for Indiana

    • Ill. Jeffry A. Simonton, 33°

      Ill. Jeffry A. Simonton, 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. Steven E. Smith, 33°

      Ill. Steven E. Smith, 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 J. Bateman, 33°

      Ill. Robert J. Bateman, 33°

      Deputy for Pennsylvania

    • Ill. Ricky L. Swalm, 33°

      Ill. Ricky L. Swalm, 33°

      Delaware

    • Ill. David E. Barnes, 33°

      Ill. David E. Barnes, 33°

      New York

    • Ill. Robert J. Bateman, 33°

      Ill. Robert J. Bateman, 33°

      Pennsylvania

    • Ill. Elbridge H. Brewer, 33°

      Ill. Elbridge H. Brewer, 33°

      Ohio

    • Ill. Jeffrey L. Bryden, 33°

      Ill. Jeffrey L. Bryden, 33°

      Wisconsin

    • Ill. Gregory L. Clark, 33°

      Ill. Gregory L. Clark, 33°

      Illinois

    • Ill. Kenneth A. Clay, Jr., 33°

      Ill. Kenneth A. Clay, Jr., 33°

      New Hampshire

    • Ill. Anthony R. Cracco, 33°

      Ill. Anthony R. Cracco, 33°

      Illinois

    • Ill. Michael A. DeWolf, 33°

      Ill. Michael A. DeWolf, 33°

      Wisconsin

    • Ill. Donald G. Duquette, 33°

      Ill. Donald G. Duquette, 33°

      Vermont

    • 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. Philip R. Elliott, Jr., 33°

      Ill. Philip R. Elliott, Jr., 33°

      Ohio

    • Ill. Stephen Gardner, 33°

      Ill. Stephen Gardner, 33°

      Pennsylvania

    • Ill. G. Nicholas Graff, 33°

      Ill. G. Nicholas Graff, 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. J. Brian McNaughton, 33°

      Ill. J. Brian McNaughton, 33°

      Indiana

    • 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. John R. Patterson, Jr., 33°

      Ill. John R. Patterson, Jr., 33°

      New York

    • Ill. Eric S. Pittman, 33°

      Ill. Eric S. Pittman, 33°

      Indiana

    • Ill. Larry S Plaskett, 33°

      Ill. Larry S Plaskett, 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. Albert J. Ross, 33°

      Ill. Albert J. 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. 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. Henry A. Haisch, Jr., 33°

      Ill. Henry A. Haisch, Jr., 33°

      Illinois

    • Ill. Walter F. Wheeler, 33°

      Ill. Walter F. Wheeler, 33°

      At-Large

    • Ill. Bruce T. Work, 33°

      Ill. Bruce T. Work, 33°

      Connecticut

    • Ill. Roger S. VanGorden, 33°

      Ill. Roger S. VanGorden, 33°

      Indiana

    • Ill. Richard D. Tonda, 33°

      Ill. Richard D. Tonda, 33°

      Michigan

    • Mark A. Haines, 33°

      Mark A. Haines, 33°

      Pennsylvania