Deputy Grand Master
John was born in Eugene, Oregon and raised in Pendleton, Oregon and first moved to Alaska in 1971. John started his working career as a mineral exploration geologist in 1973 and for the next couple decades worked extensively throughout Alaska and the western US, initially as a corporate geologist then as a mineral exploration consultant. From 1990 to 2006 John was a political appointee for several positions in the State of Alaska and in 2007, he was employed with the State of Alaska’s Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) as a regional manager. John retired from DOT&PF in 2019.
From 200-2006 John served as 2LT with the 1st Battalion, 49th Military Police Brigade in Alaska Defense Force (Formerly Alaska Territorial Guard), and then from 2007-2010 in the Alaska State Readiness Brigade (reserve unit).
He is a Past-President of the Juneau Golf Club, Past Director of the Alaska Miners Association, and Past-Commodore of the Juneau Sailing Club. He is a certified private pilot, Master Scuba Diver, Divemaster, and holds an Extra Class Ham Radio License. His hobbies include ham radio, hunting, trap shooting, fly fishing, sailing, rodeos, and antique sword, knife, and straight razor collecting.
John has been quite active in Masonry since he was Raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason in 2001. He is a Past Worshipful Master of Mt. Juneau-Gastineaux Lodge #21 (2005 & 2022), Past District Deputy (2022) to the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alaska, Past Grand Orator (2018, 2023) and Past Grand Lecturer (2020, 2021). He was elected to be Junior Grand Warden in 2024, Senior Grand Warden in 2025, and Deputy Grand Master in 2026. He is a member of the Anchorage York Rite Bodies, as well as a member of the Order of Eastern Star, Juneau Chapter 7. He is active with the Juneau-Douglas Shrine Club having served as their President three times. He is a 33 rd Degree Inspector General Honorary in the Scottish Rite, Valley of Juneau, and is also the current Deputy to Alaska for the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction. Additionally, Sir John was granted Knighthood from the Royal Order of Scotland in 2011 and in 2022 was appointed as the Royal Order of Scotland Screening and Selection Committee Representative for Alaska. He is an active member of Mt. Juneau-Gastineaux Lodge #21 in Juneau, Alaska and White Pass Lodge #1 in Skagway, Alaska, as well as a member of Umatilla Lodge #40 in Echo Oregon. In addition, he was President of both the Juneau Masonic Center Association and Ketchikan Masonic Building Associations in 2024 through 2026.
John has been the recipient of numerous awards during his Masonic career including Mason of the year in 2011 and Scottish Rite Mason of the Year in 2011 and again in 2012. John was a Rainbow Dad for many years, including Grand Rainbow Dad for the 2013 Alaska Grand Assembly of Rainbow Girls. In 2014 he was awarded the Grand Cross of Color by the Supreme Assembly of the International Order of Rainbow for Girls. He was also active in DeMolay as an Advisor and Chapter Dad. In 2014 he was awarded Advisor of the Year, Guild of the Leather Apron, and in 2017 was inducted into the DeMolay International
Legion of Honor. In 2026, he was awarded Honorary Companion of the Temple from the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar.
John resides in Douglas, Alaska, is twice-widowed, has two daughters and three grandchildren, a Toy Maltese dog named Ivy, and a Senegal Parrot named Kiwi. John’s Lady and partner is the lovely Diane Quinn.
