2011 CONFERENCE OF GRAND MASTERS OF MASONS IN NORTH AMERICA, INC. FEBRUARY 20-22, 2011 DENVER SHERATON DOWNTOWN HOTEL DENVER, COLORADO CONFERENCE OF GRAND MASTERS OF MASONS IN NORTH AMERICA Sunday through Tuesday February 20, 21, & 22, 2011 Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel Denver, Colorado “Facing Today’s Challenges” Conference Chairman Bradford A. Goebel Grand Master, Ohio Conference Vice Chairman John L. Cook, Jr. Grand Master, Minnesota 2011 Conference Committee Stephen J. Ponzillo, III, Chariman James W. Rowan Grand Master, Maryland Grand Master, Arizona Myles A. Oliver Richard L. Swaney Grand Master, Arkansas Grand Master, Illinois J. Alan Cross John V. Egan, III Grand Master, British Columbia Host Grand Master, Colorado 2011 Time and Place Committee Thomas Johnston, IV, Chairman Grand Master, Vermont David “Skip” Owen Kristjan (Kris) Goodmanson Grand Master, Idaho Grand Master, Manitoba Vincent Libone John B. Harker Grand Master, New York Grand Master, Wisconsin EXECUTIVE SECRETARY TREASURER Glenn E. Means, Past Grand Master, Missouri 2 2011GRAND MASTERS 1st Row L to R: G. Santy Loscano, WA; Kristjan (Kris) Goodmanson, Manitoba; James Rowan, AZ; John V. Egan III, CO, Host GM; John L. Cook, MN, Conference Vice Chairman; Bradford A. Goebel, OH, Conference Chairman; Stephen J Ponzillo III, MD, Planning Committee Chairman; Thomas Johnston IV, VT, Time & Place Chairman; Charles L. “Fuzzy” Cox, MS; Tracy Bloom, KS; Ed Bousquet, OR. 2nd Row L to R: W. Louis Greenier II, ME; B.J. Guillot, LA; Raymond S.J. Daniels, Ontario; John J. Mangen, MT; Gerald D.R. Waldern, Alberta; Myles A. Oliver, AR; Barry A. Rickman, SC; T.E. “Gene” Carnes, TX; Donald H. Yankey, KY; Skip Owen ID. 3rd Row L to R: Richard Stewart, MA; B. Palmer Mills, GA; Dean Behrens, SD; Craig L. Davis, IA; Glenn Almy, OK; J. Alan Cross, British Columbia & Yukon; Dennis S. Strole, York; J. Dick Martinez, FL; Ted Praria, MI. 4th Row L to R: Richard Swaney, IL; John E. Bednash, DE; Kenneth Bruns, RI; Lewis R. Ledford, NC; Kenneth E. Willis, Jr. IN; Gail Turner, MO; Gary M. Deck, NM; John Farmer, WY; John C. Liley, Jr., UT; John M. Chambliss, Jr., VA; Owen Walton, Nova Scotia; E. David Watts, NE. 5th Row L to R: Vincent Libone, NY; Ron Ackerman, AK; Rafael B. Acosta Rosario, PR; Paul M. Curran, American Canadian; Brian Burkett, ND; D.C. Ross, Quebec; Joseph B. Harker, WI; Ron Andress, AL; Jesse Villarreal, DC; Joseph Rival, NJ; Reed R. Moseley, NV; Bill Bray, CA; John A. Peyton, Newfoundland & Labrador; Thomas Boduch, TN. 3 2011 OFFICERS 1st Row, L to R: John V. Egan, III, Host Grand Master, CO ; Bradford A. Goebel, OH, Conference Chairman; John L Cook, Jr. MN, Conference Vice-Chairman. 2nd Row Lto R: Thomas Johnston, IV, VT, Time & Place Committee Chairman; Stephen J. Ponzillo, III, MD, Planning Committee Chairman; Glenn E. Means, PGM, MO, Executive Secretary/Treasurer 4 VISITING GRAND JURISDICTIONS 1st Row L to R: Abbas Satrap, GM, Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile; John V. Egan III, CO, Host Grand Master; John L. Cook, Jr. MN, Conference Vice Chairman; Bradford A. Goebel, OH, Conference Chairman; Stephen J. Ponzillo, III, MD, Planning Committee Chairman; Richard Dunlavy, Grand Chalcello, Grand Lodge of Malta. 2nd Row L to R: Hector P Meixuario c., Grand Lodge Baja California; Hamid Shooshani, Grand Marshal, Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile; Robert B. Heyat, Grand Maser, National Grand Lodge of AzerbaijanRoss Esfandiari, Grand Sword Bearer, Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile; Miguel Vega, Grand Lodge Baja California; Enrique Riveros, Grand Lodge of Baja California. 3rd Row L to R: Dr. Rafael, Aragon, Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Guatamala; Hoss Hossein-Zadeh, Jr,. Grand Warden, Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile; Hugh Ferolons, Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile; Andrey Bogdanov, Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Russia; Mario Martin Guia, Past Grand Master, Grande Lodge Legal Portugal; unidentified; Tullio Collacioppo, Grand Secretary General Foreign Affairs, Grand Orient of Brazil; Vladimir Nikitin, Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of Russia. 5 AGENDA 2011 CONFERENCE OF GRAND MASTERS Saturday, February 19, 2011 9:00a.m.-3:00p.m Registration 9:00a.m.-3:00p.m. Western Masonic Conference Meeting 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m. NMFC Meeting 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m. MRC 1:00p.m. Planning Committee Meeting 2:00.m. Nominating Committee Meeting 6:00p.m. Grand Lodge of Colorado “150th Anniversary Party” Sunday, February 20, 2011 8:30a.m.-3:00p.m. Registration 9:00a.m. Grand Secretaries’ Tour Departs 9:00a.m. Religious Observance 10:45a.m. Committee on Info for Recognition receives Correspondence 4:14p.m. Time & Place Committee Meeting GRAND MASTERS CONFERENCE OPENS 10:00a.m Call to Order and Welcome Bradford A. Goebel Grand Master, Ohio Conference Chairman Invocation Colors Presented: National Anthems Canada, Mexico, U.S. Welcome John V. Egan, III Grand Master, Colorado Response John L. Cook, Jr., Grand Master, Minnesota Vice Chairman Report of Conference Planning Committee Chairman Stephen J. Ponzillo, III, Grand Master, Maryland Committee Chairman Report of Executive Secretary/Treasurer Glenn E. Means, Past Grand Master, Missouri Executive Secretary/Treasurer Report of Nominating Committee John L. Cook, Jr., Grand Master, Minnesota Conference Vice Chairman 10:30a.m. Election of 2012 Officers 10:40a.m. National Masonic Foundation for Children Report 11:00a.m. Masonic Renewal Report 11:40a.m. Masonic Service Association Report Luncheons 12:00 Noon – 1:45p.m. Grand Masters with Ladies Deputy Grand Masters with Ladies Grand Wardens and Officers with Ladies GRAND MASTERS CONFERENCE RECONVENES 6 2:00p.m. Call To Order Bradford A. Goebel, Grand Master, Ohio Conference Chairman 2:05p.m. MasoniChip International Report 2:25p.m. George Washington National Memorial Association Report 3:15p.m. 2012 Officers Meeting 3:15p.m. BREAKOUT SESSIONS Group I The Lodge Experience Group II Strategic Plans Group III Membership/Leadership Group IV Nat. Masonic Fdtn. for Children EVENING FREE Monday, February 21, 2011 8:00a.m.-1:00p.m. Registration 9:00a.m.-4:30p.m. GRAND SECRETARIES CONFERENCE CONVENES 9:00a.m. Comm. Information for Recognition Meeting GRAND MASTERS CONFERENCE RECONVENES 9:00.m. Call to Order Bradford A. Goebel, Grand Master, Ohio Conference Chairman Invocation 9:10a.m. Introduction of all Visiting Dignitaries 10:15a.m. Welcome by Denver Mayor, Hon. Guillermo V. Vidal BREAKOUT SESSONS 10:30a.m.-11:30a.m. Group I The Lodge Experience Group II Strategic Plans Group III Social Networking Group IV Masonic communities Service Assn. 11:30a.m.-1:00p.m. LUNCH 1:00p.m. Photographs of Grand Masters 1:00p.m.–2:00p.m. Future GM’s Meeting GRAND MASTERS CONFERENCE RECONVENES 2:00p.m. Call To Order Bradford A. Goebel, Grand Master, Ohio Conference Chairman BREAKOUT SESSONS 2:30p.m.-3:30p.m. Group I Charity Revisited Group II Youth Groups Group III Social Networking Group IV MasoniChip 3:30p.m. 2012 Grand Masters Meeting 7 6:00p.m. Grand Secretaries Social Hour 7:00p.m. Grand Secretaries Banquet Tuesday, February 22, 2011 7:00a.m. Shrine DeMolay Breakfast Sponsored by Imperial Shrine Imperial Sir George Mitchell, Imperial Potentate 10:00a.m. Ladies Tour 8:30a.m. GRAND SECRETARIES CONFERENCE RECONVENES GRAND MASTERS CONFERENCE RECONVENES 9:30a.m. Call to Order Bradford A. Goebel, Grand Master, Ohio Conference Chairman 9:35a.m. Committee on Information for Recognition Report 10:00a.m. Report of Time and Place Committee BREAKOUT SESSIONS 10:30a.m.-11:00a.m. Group I Charity Revisited Group II The Lodge Experience Group III Membership/Leadership Group IV M.O.V.P.E.R. Grotto BREAKOUT SESSIONS 11:30a.m.-1:00p.m. Lunch GRAND MASTERS CONFERENCE RECONVENES 1:00p.m. Call to Order Bradford A. Goebel, Grand Master, Ohio Conference Chairman 1:10p.m. Business Session 2:10p.m. Introduction of 2011 Conference of Grand Secretaries Officers 2:15p.m. 2012 Host Committee Report 2:20p.m. Announcements and wrap up Bradford A. Goebel, Grand Master, Ohio Conference Chairman Benediction 6:00p.m. Grand Masters Social Hour 7:00p.m. Grand Masters Banquet 8 PROCEEDINGS OPENING SESSION Sunday February 20, 2011 Most Worshipful Bradford A. Goebel – Chairman Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Ohio Most Worshipful John L. Cook, Jr. – Vice Chairman Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Minnesota M.W. BRADFORD A. GOEBEL: Grand Masters, Brethren. You would have your seat. Good morning. I now call this 84th Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America to order. My name is Bradford A. Goebel, Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the great state of Ohio. Grand Masters, it is with a great deal of honor that I am allowed to serve as your Conference Chairman for this 2011 session of the Conference of Grand Masters. The theme chosen for this Conference is Facing Today's Challenges. In our rapidly changing world, Freemasonry must also change and evolve. Making those changes to keep Masonry relevant to the new generations is a task that is difficult for many to grasp and understand. We must continue to develop good leaders in our Fraternity and equip them to meet the challenges of today's and tomorrow's changing world. The Breakout Session topics were selected and planned to present ideas and guidance for our future leaders of our Fraternity, and the entire world. It is my pleasure and honor to welcome each of you here today to Denver, Colorado. I do especially welcome the ladies and visitors who are with us. I do know that everyone who participated in the Grand Lodge of Colorado's 150th Anniversary Celebration last evening had a good time. Thank you Grand Lodge of Colorado for such a wonderful time.