S. K. Stephen Piner Grand Commissioner of Appeal 1 Year

Grand Royal Patron 2004 - 2005

Honored Ladies and Sir Knights, I want to thank you for having the confidence in me to elect me to the position of Grand Commissioner of Appeal.

I am 70 years of age, and was initiated into the Amaranth in Connecticut  in 1976, the same year that I married the love of my life, Honored Lady Mary Ann. I subsequently served as Royal Patron (twice) of Chapman Court #10 in Manchester, Connecticut. After moving to Florida in 1990, I affiliated with Crown Court #33 and served as Royal Patron in 1996. I affiliated with Heritage Court #57 in 2000, serving as Royal Patron in 2002 - 2003, and affiliated with Silver Sands Court #69 as a Dual Member in 2006 and as a full member in 2008. I have served as Royal Patron in Silver Sands Court twice.

I have served the Grand Court of Connecticut as Grand Representative (several times, including once to Florida), Assistant Grand Lecturer, Grand Lecturer, and Grand Sword Bearer (twice). I have previously served the Grand Court of Florida as Grand Representative, Deputy Grand Royal Patron, Grand Historian, Grand Commissioner of Appeal, Grand Associate Patron and Grand Royal Patron. I have also served as Webmaster since 2000, and as Supreme Webmaster since September of 2002.

I have been actively involved in many other Masonic bodies, having served as presiding officer in all four York Rite Bodies, two Scottish Rite (NMJ) Valleys, the Grotto, three Tall Cedar Forests, the Allied Masonic Degrees, York Rite College, and several others. I have served as Tall Cedar Foundation Trustee, District Deputy Supreme Tall Cedar, Associate Grand Marshal in the Grand Lodge of Connecticut, Grand High Priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Connecticut, and Chairman of the Council of Associate Regents of the York Rite Sovereign College of North America. I hold the DeMolay Cross of Honor, the Order of the Purple Cross, the Knight York Grand Cross of Honor, the Knight Commander Court of Honour (Scottish Rite), Inspector General Honorary 33°, Scottish Rite Double Eagle Award with white ribbon, and the Red Branch of Eire. I am a member of the Royal Order of Scotland, and have served as President of the Maxwell Clan, a social body of the Royal Order of Scotland; a member of Suncoast Forest #165, Tall Cedars of Lebanon; presently serving as Eminent Prior in Florida Priory, Knights of the York Cross of Honor; Past Commander of Kadosh, Valley of Tampa, AASRSJ; Past Sovereign Master of the Prince of Jerusalem in Hartford and Norwich, Connecticut (AASRNMJ); Past Commander of the Scottish Rite Guard in Tampa; Past Puissant Sovereign of Labarum Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine.

I hope to continue to serve the Grand Court of Florida with dignity and honor, and once again thank you all for the privilege.