Proceedings COGMNA 2020
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE 107TH CONFERENCE OF GRAND MASTERS OF MASONS IN NORTH AMERICA, INC. Proceedings Opening session Sunday, February 16, 2020 – Tuesday, February 18, 2020 Louisville Marriott Conference Chairman: Most Worshipful Keith Newton, Grand Master of Ohio Vice Chairman: Most Worshipful Robert Strader, Grand Master of Wisconsin Executive Secretary/Treasurer: Most Worshipful Michael DeWolf, Past Grand Master and Grand Secretary of Wisconsin Grand Masters of North America Top: Ken Cheel-AB, Dale Morrow-KS, Paul Underwood-TX, Kenneth Clay-NH, Ethan Seaberg-MN, Clay Hamblen-UT, Kenneth Roy, Jr.-IN, Lowell Domier-ND, Steven S.A. Pence-LA, Stuart Corso-VT, Mark Manning – MI, P. Shaun Bradshaw, NC, David Bradley-AK, David Holt-WV, Douglas Jones-VA, Louis Castle-NV, Norman Lyons-MB, Jan Savarino-ACGL. Middle: Bob Peters-OK, Stanton Brown II-MO, Robert Reed-TN, David Cameron-ON, Ron Stites-NE, Kenneth Poyton-RI, Walter Disher,II-SC, John Westerman-FL, Michael Nicholas-DC, Thomas Hamm,II-WY, Charles Wood-WA, Marc David-QC, Joaquin Vega-York Mexico, John Michael Taylor-AL, Johnie Garmon- GA, William Crawford-IA, David Coberly-CO, Michael A. DeWolf-Executive Secretary. Front: William Sardone-NY, Richard Maggio-MA, Gregory Scott-NJ, Harold Ireland-SD, Norman Gutcher- AL, Evan Moody-DE, Ian Murray NL, Geary Laird-KY, Keith Newton-OH & Conference President, Bob Strader-WI, Steven Hall-ID, John Trauner-CA, Lewie Fletcher-MT, Ralph Easley-NM, Stephen Oakley-IL 2 Conference Officers Top: Ian Murray-NL – Chairman Planning, Lowell Domier-SD, Chairman Time & Place, Lewie Fletcher-MT- T&P, Stephen Hall-ID-T&P. Front: Robert Strader-WI-Vice Chairman, Geary Laird-KY, Keith Newton-Ohio-Conference Chairman, Michael A. DeWolf-WI – Executive Secretary 3 Visiting Foreign Delegations Top: Pasha Behzadi-GLI, Ross Esfandiari-GLI, George Issaians-GLI, Unknown, Igor Krstic RGLS, Mario Perez di Alva-Baja California Mexico, Alexandre Cleven-RGLBelgium, Christian Flores-GO Parana Brazil, Avron Jacobsan-GL South Africa, Dragos Sprinceana-RGL Romania, Jose Humberto Bahia-GO Minas Gerais, Enderson Couto Miranda-GO Minas Gerais, Wallace Paiva Lima-Rio De Janerio. Middle: Mario Sergio Nunes Costa-GO Brazil, Gerard Icart -GLNF, Miguel Palermo-GL Simbolica Paraguay, Hamid Shooshani-GLI, Mario Antonio Villaraus Villegas-Valle de Mexico, Tahir Hasanovic-RGL Serbia, Oliveira Edilson-GL Minas Gerais, Santos Filho Wilson,GL Minas Gerais, Gelson Menegatti Filho- GO Mato Grosso, Cassiano Lhopes Morend-GO Da Bahia, Phelippe Ayslan Fonseca Menegatti-GO Mato Grosso,Farhad Yousefi-GLI, Armindo Azevedo-GL Portugal, Michael A. DeWolf-Executive Secretary. Front: Geary Laird-KY, Piro Dode-Albania, Samuel King-CA Prince Hall, Renalo Parsekian Martins-GO Paulista, Eduardo Dedoff-GL Symbolica Paraguay, Gilberto Lima da Silva-GO de Bahi, Bob Strader-WI, Keith Newton-Ohio-Conference Chairman, Edgar Sanchex-GL Symbolica Paraguay, Fernando Fernandes- GO Paulista, Lukas Rasulic-RGL Serbia, Nikolov-UGLB, Razvan Buzatu-NGL of Romania. 4 Senior DeMolays Top: David Coberly-CO, Ronald Eggers, OR, Craig Davis-IA, Michael A. DeWolf – WI, Bruce Bellmore-CT, Richard Schulz-NY, Alan Gordon-DC Middle: John Whitaker-DeMolay, Mark Langis-NH, Wallace Pava Lima-Rio De Janeiro, Renalo Martins – G.O. Pauliste, Wilson Santos Filho-Minas Gerais, Edgar Sanches-Paraguay, Anthony Cucci-MMRI, Allan Casalou-CA Front: Kenneth Poyton-RI, Clay Hamblen-UT, Kenneth Clay-NH, Tyler Moyer-PA, Jared Replogle-DeMolay, Keith Newton-Oh, William Sardone-NY, Norman Gutcher-AK 5 Sunday 16 February, 2020, Louisville, Kentucky M.W. KEITH NEWTON: Most Worshipful brethren, distinguished Masons, ladies, friends, guests one and all. Good morning. (Good morning.) This is a great day for Freemasonry in Kentucky and for North America. Isn't it great to be here today? (Applause.) My name is Keith Newton, I am currently the Grand Master of the state of Ohio. I am honored to be have the opportunity to serve as your Conference Chairman for the 2020 session of the Conference of Grand Masters of North America. At this time, I would like to officially call this 107th Annual Conference of Grand Masters of Masons North America to Order. We welcome our various delegates and Masonic leaders who have gathered Canada, United States and Mexico. We also acknowledge and welcome the multiple foreign jurisdictions from around the world who have traveled to attend our conference in brotherly love and friendship. While the values of Freemasonry never change, the ways of embodying and sharing them are constantly being adapted and shaped for the world and the time for which we live. As leaders of this great fraternity, we are afforded this conference platform to renew old friendships and to make new ones. To share our successes and challenges from our own jurisdictions. To learn from each other and see how Freemasonry is being adapted and shaped for the world in which we live today. May your attendance here at this 107th Grand Master's Conference be instructive, productive and enjoyable. Thanks to the work of our Executive Secretary/Treasurer, Most Worshipful Brother Michael DeWolf, and our Planning Committee, you see a full agenda of planning for the next few days. Take full advantage of the agenda items, breakout sessions and social time to make the most of your visit. These breakout topics were developed from feedback from our 6 previous conferences and their attendees. They are intended to provide another tool or two for your work in your jurisdiction. It is my pleasure to welcome you to Louisville, Kentucky. How about that gala last night for everyone able to attend, (Applause.) We certainly thank our leadership from Kentucky for sharing their great Commonwealth with us. One last note here. Anybody that may need assistance at all during the conference, please see myself or any one of the officers, or stop by the registration table and we will be glad to try to help whatever we can, whatever the problem is for you. A couple of housekeeping items. This year all attendees must wear their registration badges at all times. They serve as your registration badge, your security badge and tickets for all of your events. You will be scanned to get into all of the events. Please do not be offended if you are questioned about not having a badge. To assist our reporter, Miss Jill Fry, when you wish to speak, please go to the nearest microphone and state your name and your Grand Jurisdiction. Any committee making a report must present the word copy to Ms. Fry and the Secretary-Treasurer. Only Grand Masters or duly authorized representatives of the member Grand Lodges, as described in Article 3, Section 1 of the bylaws shall be authorized to speak. At this time I would like to call upon Right Worshipful Brother Archie Smallwood, the Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky to offer our opening prayer. (Prayer.) M.W. KEITH NEWTON: At this time, I would like you to please join me in thanking Ms. Amber Martin for her participation. (Applause.) ---------- (Presentation of Colors and Pledge of Allegiance, National Anthems.) 7 ---------- I would also like to introduce our Sir Knights that presented or colors this morning. Sir Knight Martin ^^ Grand Commander. Sir Knight ^^ Ron Dawson, Division V Commander. Sir Knight ^^ James William Reed, Past Grand Commander. Sir Knight Larry ^^ Heron, John Johnson, and Greg Rocky. (Applause.) At this time it is my pleasure to call upon our host, Most Worshipful Brother Geary Laird, Grand Master of Kentucky for his welcome and special introductions. M.W. GEARY LAIRD: Most Worshipful Grand Masters, Right Worshipful Grand Lodge Officers, distinguished guests, my brethren all. Good morning. (Good morning.) My name is Geary Laird, Grand Master of Masons in Kentucky. We welcome you to Kentucky, the Blue Grass State. On behalf of the Masons of Kentucky, I would like to welcome our esteemed guests and respective members to Louisville, Kentucky for the 2020 Conference of Grand Masters in North America. The Grand Lodge of Kentucky is honored to host this important conference, enabling us to discuss the many issues facing our great fraternity. With your presence and participation, we can be assured a successful Conference. I would like to ask all of the members here today that if your travel itinerary changes, please let us know as soon as possible. We hope that you enjoy your time with us here in Louisville, Kentucky. Thank you so. (Applause.) M.W. KEITH NEWTON: At this time I would like to introduce to you our keynote speaker, Brother Mike Berry, Secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Tourism, Art and Heritage, and the former CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival and member of the DeMolay Hall of Fame. Brother Mike Berry. 8 (Applause.) BROTHER MIKE BERRY: Good morning everybody. (Good morning.) I am going to do this from down here if you don't mind. Also, yesterday I spent my day with a group you may have run into since you got into town called the National Farm Machinery Show, and I was handing out trophies at the Championship Tractor Pull. I want that kind of enthusiasm from this crowd please, that they had yesterday. I know it is a little earlier than they were having to deal with but, again, welcome to Louisville, welcome to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Thank you all for being here and being a part of this celebration. I would say, protocol having been established, I will just say to all of you welcome. I was asked to do this presentation by one of our Past Grand Masters, our current Grand Treasurer of Kentucky and good friend of mine, Keith Dreier. I sent him a text back after he asked and I said, "Yes." After I told him that he was being really needy, I asked him, I said, "Well, what do you want me to talk about?" Because I can't do this justice, I am going to read his text to you.