Ill. Bro. David Allan Bennett, 33º
Sovereign Grand Commander
Biography
David Bennett was born in Huntsville, Ontario on March 29, 1954 where he grew up and attended Huntsville High School. He is a Graduate of the Radio/TV Program (1974) at Canadore College North Bay, Ontario. While beginning his working career with the Globe & Mail he went on to a career as an on air announcer with CFBK Radio in Huntsville followed by working with a marketing firm in the States. Dave joined CTV in 1981 as an Account Executive/Sales Manager in Timmins where he also filled in on air when the need arose. He spent time in the Ottawa Valley before moving to North Bay in 1996. He retired in 2014. Dave married Aurore (Leblond), on July 19, 1997.
Dave was initiated into Unity Lodge No. 376, Huntsville on October 10, 1978 (following in his dad’s footsteps); passed December 13, 1978; and raised March 14, 1979. He affiliated with Golden Beaver Lodge No. 528, Timmins and was installed as Master June 13, 1990 . He also affiliated with Nipissing (now North Bay Nipissing) Lodge No. 420 North Bay. In 2017 he was appointed Grand Senior Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.
Dave became a Member of the Valley of North Bay A.A.S.R. in 1991 and a Member of Hamilton Sovereign Consistory, May 7, 1992. He served as T.P.G.M. North Bay Lodge of Perfection from 2002-2003 and as M.W.S. North Bay Chapter of Rose Croix from 2006-2007. He was coroneted an Honorary Inspector-General in Halifax, September 14, 2006 and crowned Sovereign Grand Inspector-General at the Supreme Council sessions in Halifax September 13, 2014. On September 19, 2015 in Windsor, Ontario, he was installed as the Deputy for Ontario. He is pleased to serve on the Clarion, Communications and Education & Enlightenment Committees at Supreme Council. He was initiated into the Royal Order of Scotland in April 2016. Dave was elected Lieutenant Grand Commander at the Supreme Council sessions in London, Ontario September 15, 2018 and installed as Sovereign Grand Commander in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan September 17, 2022.
Dave is a Member of Rameses Shriners No. 33 & Rorab Shrine Club North Bay (current Chaplain) as well as a Member of the 183 Club (President 2006), Member of Fidelis Chapter No. 99 O.E.S. and former Secretary-Treasurer of the North Bay Masonic Temple Board Ltd.
His hobbies include curling, golf; travel and cottage life. He has held a number of executive positions in hockey, fastball, lacrosse, golf and curling. Dave also enjoyed serving terms on the Timmins & District Chamber of Commerce and Near North Crime Stoppers. Among his broadcast career hi-lights were times spent co-hosting several Easter Seals and Children’s Christmas Telethons. He is often called on as Master of Ceremonies for various events. He was the Co-Chair of the 2015 Canadian National Mixed Curling Championship, pleased to serve on the 2016 Men’s Northern Ontario Provincial Men’s Curling Championship Committee and Vice-Chair for the 2018 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship held in North Bay. Dave was honoured to receive the John Toswell Award from the North Bay Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions to Curling & along with his Vice-Chairs named North Bay Kiwanis Club’s Citizen of the Year for 2018.
Tableau of Officers 2022 - 2026
September 14, 2024
David A. Bennett, 33° - Sovereign Grand Commander
Thomas A. Wills, 33° - Lieutenant Grand Commander
Brian W. Gilkinson, 33° - Grand Chancellor
Robert D. Brethour, 33° - Deputy for Ontario
Ronald J. Taylor, 33° - Deputy for Ontario
Jeffrey R. Dickson, 33° - Deputy for Ontario
Richard E. Jones, 33° - Deputy for Ontario
Fayez Oustwani, 33° - Deputy for Quebec
Graham A. Fraser, 33° - Deputy for New Brunswick
Owen T. Devereaux, 33° - Deputy for Nova Scotia, P.E.I., Newfoundland and Labrador
Gordon L. Greasley, 33° - Deputy for Manitoba and Nunavut Territory
Douglas G. Easton, 33° - Deputy for British Columbia and Yukon Territory
Allan L. Long, 33° - Deputy for Alberta and Northwest Territories
William C. Fitzsimmons, 33° - Deputy for Saskatchewan
Terry A. McLean, 33° - Grand Secretary-General
Alan J. Stoddart, 33° - Grand Treasurer-General
Gordon R. Maitland, 33° - Grand Prior
Errol A. Stewart, 33° - Grand Master of Ceremonies
Paul E. Frank, 33° - Grand Marshal
N. Kent Clarke, 33° - Grand Standard Bearer
Bruce M. Jardine, 33° - Grand Captain of the Guard
John L. Barr, 33° - Grand Sword Bearer
Special Appointments of the Sovereign Grand Commander
Gareth R. Taylor, 33° - Grand Historian
Steven E. Warren , 33° - Chief Operating Officer ( Executive Secretary )
Past Sovereign Grand Commanders Since 1874
ROBERT S. WHITMORE
Sept. 15, 2018 to Sept. 17, 2022
TERRY A. McLEAN
Sept. 19, 2015 to Sept. 15, 2018
RICHARD A. H. BROWN
Sept. 15, 2012 to Sept. 19, 2015
MATTHEW F. TODD
Sept. 19, 2009 to Sept. 15, 2012
C. ROBERT TOWNSHEND
Sept. 16, 2006 to Sept. 19, 2009
Died 14th, May, 2015
ORLAN J. WEBER
Sept. 13, 2003 to Sept. 16, 2006
NORMAN E. BYRNE
Sept. 16, 2000 to Sept. 13, 2003
Died 13th, September, 2005
GLENN M. MARTIN
Sept. 13 1997 to Sept. 16, 2000
Died 8th, April, 2015
HAROLD EDWARD CROSBY
Sept. 10th, 1994 to Sept. 13, 1997
JOHN VINCENT LAWER
Sept. 14th, 1991 to Sept. 10th, 1994
Died 29th, March, 2016
JOHN ALLAN BOURNE
Sept. 10th, 1988 to Sept. 14th, 1991
Died 10th, November, 2000
GORDON LOCKHART BENNETT
Sept. 14th, 1985 to Sept. 10th, 1988
Died 2nd, November, 2000
LYLE HERBERT BERGSTROM
Sept. 11th, 1982 to Sept. 14th, 1985
Died 8th, August, 1992
WALTER HENRY MORTLOCK
Sept. 15th, 1979 to Sept. 11th, 1982
Died 17th, January, 1998
WALTER CLIFTON McDONALD
Sept. 11th, 1976 to Sept. 15th, 1979
Died 7th, November, 1999
HARVEY ROY DOANE
Sept. 8th, 1973 to Sept. 11th, 1976
Died 10th, June, 1989
HOWARD BROWN MOORE
1970 Honorary
Died 6th, June, 1978
DONALD LLOYD WITTER
Sept. 12th, 1969 to Sept. 8th, 1973
Died 21st, June, 1992
CHARLES HERBERT CUNNINGHAM
Sept. 13th, 1967 to Sept. 12th, 1969
Died 12, September, 1969
GEORGE CLEVELAND DERBY
Sept. 9th, 1964 to Sept. 13th, 1967
Died 5th, January, 1971
RICHARD COULTON BERKINSHAW
Sept. 7th, 1961 to Sept 9th, 1964
Died 4th, May, 1970
JAMES ALEXANDER SIMPSON
Sept. 11th, 1958 to Sept. 7th, 1961
Died 6th, July, 1963
THOMAS KINGSMILL WADE
Sept. 21st, 1955 to Sept. 11th, 1958
Died 20th, January, 1965
CLARENCE MacLEOD PITTS
Oct. 15th, 1952 to Sept. 21st, 1955
Died 10th, April, 1965
DOUBLAS FRASER
Feb. 14th, 1950 to Oct. 15th, 1952
Died 26th, August, 1968
GEORGE HENRY ROSS
Feb. 2nd, 1948 to Feb. 14th, 1950
Died 14th, February, 1950
DOUGLAS GORDON McILWRAITH
Oct. 7th, 1942 to Feb. 2nd, 1948
Died 2nd, February, 1948
JOHN ALBERT ROWLAND
Oct 2nd, 1940 to April 18th, 1942
Died 18th, April, 1942
WILLIAM HUGH WARDROPE
Oct. 3rd, 1934 to Oct. 2nd, 1940
April 18th, 1942 to Oct. 7th, 1942
Died 27th, June, 1947
ALFRED FREDERICK WEBSTER
Oct. 8th, 1925 to Oct. 3rd, 1934
Died 7th, May, 1938
JOHN ALEXANDER CAMERON
Oct. 23, 1919 to Oct. 26, 1922
Oct. 25, 1923 to Oct. 8, 1925
Died 16th, December, 1931
BENJAMIN ALLEN
Oct. 23, 1913 to Oct. 23, 1919
Died 10th, April, 1920
SIR JOHN MORISON GIBSON
Oct. 27, 1904 to Oct. 23, 1913
Oct. 26, 1922 to Oct. 25, 1923
Died 3rd, June, 1929
ISAAC HENRY STEARNS
Oct. 26, 1898 to Oct. 27, 1904
Died 15th, February, 1921
JOHN WALTER MURTON
Oct. 27, 1892 to Oct. 23, 1898
Died 23rd, October, 1898
JOHN VALENTINE ELLIS
Oct. 21, 1886 to Oct. 27, 1892
Died 10th, July, 1913
WILLIAM HENRY HUTTON
Jan. 13, 1882 to Oct. 21, 1886
Died 9th, October, 1893
THOMAS DOUGLAS HARINGTON
Oct. 16, 1874 to Jan. 13, 1882
Died 13th January, 1882