Valley of Newport News Scottish Rite

Sovereign Grand Commander and
sgig in Virginia Biographies

James D. Cole, 33°, was installed as the nineteenth Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council, 33°, Southern Jurisdiction, USA on August 19, 2019.

A Mason since 1983, he served as Worshipful Master of Craighill Lodge No. 160, Elliston, Virginia, in 1987 and as Virginia's Grand Master in 2001. Coroneted a 330 Inspector General Honorary on October 3, 2001, on January 1, 2003, he was appointed Deputy of the Supreme Council in Virginia; on October 7, 2003, he was crowned as an Active Member, later serving as Grand Treasurer General and Lieutenant Grand Commander.

He is a Royal Arch Mason, a Knight Templar, a National Sojourner, a Shriner, a member of the York Rite College, a life member of the Royal Order of Scotland, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, a life member of the Scottish Rite Research Society, a Past Puissant Sovereign of the Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine, a Past Sovereign Master of the Allied Masonic Degrees. He holds 9th Grade membership in the Masonic Societas Rosicruciana and remains active in the Grand Lodge of Virginia, serving as Grand Representative to the Grand Lodge of England and as a member of the Code Commission.

His honors include: honorary membership in eleven lodges; the Legion of Honor from DeMolay International and honorary membership on the International Supreme Council; the Grand Cross of Color from the Rainbow for Girls; the Pierpont Edwards Medal from the Grand Lodge of Connecticut for outstanding Masonic Service; the Grand Lodge of Virginia's highest award, the George Washington Distinguished Service Medal; commission as an honorary Kentucky Colonel; the Odie R. Howell Leadership Award from the Virginia DeMolay Foundation; the Albert Mackey Medal from the Grand Lodge of South Carolina; and Honorary membership in the Conference of Grand Secretaries of North America.

Born in Asheville North Carolina in 1958, he moved to Virginia in 1969, where he and his wife Mary Ann reside; they have two children and five grandchildren. Formerly employed as CEO of the Masonic Home of Virginia, Brother Cole is a CPA whose previous professional experience includes practice with an international accounting firm and almost twenty years in a variety of positions at Virginia Tech, a large public university. He holds both a Bachelor's and a Master’s degree from Virginia Tech. Both an author and consultant, he has served numerous companies, universities, and non-profit organizations, including Masonic groups, throughout the country and has been a frequent speaker at business conferences.

Brother Cole has been active in community and church service, including more than twenty-five years teaching an Adult Bible Class and serving as an active lay speaker since age fifteen. He has been a high school basketball referee, a baseball umpire, a youth basketball and baseball coach, and a high school football announcer. In his spare time, he enjoys playing with his grandchildren, reading, and golf.

Scottish Rite Journal * November/December 2019

Photography by Dupont Photographers, Inc., Washington, D.C.

Alan Wayne Adkins was born in Stuart, Virginia, on January 30, 1948. He graduated from Stuart High School, received an AA Degree in Business Administration from Ferrum College and a BS Degree in Accounting from Virginia Commonwealth University. Until elected Grand Secretary on November 11, 1997, he had been employed continuously by the R. J. Reynolds-Patrick County Memorial Hospital since January 1973. He served as its Assistant Administrator-Chief Financial Officer until 1991, at which time he was named Administrator. He is a veteran of the United States Army.

                Brother Adkins was initiated an Entered Apprentice in Mountain Home Lodge No. 263 on June 28, 1971; passed to the Degree of Fellowcraft on August 6, 1971; and raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 11, 1971. He served as its Worshipful Master in 1977 and as Secretary from 1978 to 1991, and is also a 50-Year Masonic Veteran, Life Member in Perpetuity and Honorary member. He was District Deputy Grand Master of Masonic District No. 39 in 1982. He was Grand Purveyor in 1987 and is currently the Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of California, near Virginia. He served as Grand Master of Masons in Virginia in 1997and has served continuously as Grand Secretary since November 1997. He has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Masonic Home of Virginia for twenty-seven years and was its President for twelve years.

                Brother Adkins is a Life Member in Perpetuity and holds honorary membership in Westhampton Lodge No. 302, where he is currently serving as Secretary, and is a Life Member in Perpetuity in Pound Lodge No. 59, George Washington Research Lodge No. 1732 and Virginia Research Lodge No. 1777. In addition, he holds honorary membership in Pound Lodge No. 59, Clinton Lodge No. 73, Andrew Jackson Lodge No. 120, Piedmont Lodge No. 152, Ashland Lodge No. 168, Rocky Mount Lodge No. 201, Ivanhoe Lodge No. 235, and Campbell Lodge No. 316.  He is a member of the Valleys of Danville and Richmond, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and was invested Knight Commander Court of Honour in 1995, coroneted a 33° Inspector General Honorary in 1999, and awarded the Grand Cross in 2011. In 2019, he was appointed Deputy of the Supreme Council in Virginia and in 2021 was crowned an active member of the Supreme Council, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A.  He is a member of Lynchburg Royal Arch Chapter No. 10, Bayard Commandery No. 15, and Past Governor, Commonwealth York Rite College No. 50. He is a Past Sovereign Master of William T. Buckner Council No. 130, Allied Masonic Degrees; Past Chief of King Darius Council No. 17, Knight Masons; and Past Puissant Sovereign of Saint Polycarp Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine and Past Intendant General, Division of Virginia, Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine. He is a Past Celebrant of Virginia College Societas Rosicrucian and holds membership in Kazim Shrine Center; Roanoke Court No. 59, Royal Order of Jesters; Royal Order of Scotland, Fort Lee-Richmond Chapter No. 72, National Sojourners, and James Monroe Camp, Heroes of ‘76. He is also a Past Patron of Stuart Chapter No. 25, Order of Eastern Star and has served on various committees for the Grand Chapter of Virginia, Order of Eastern Star. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the George Washington Masonic Memorial Association. Brother Adkins received the Legion of Honor from the International Order of DeMolay, the Odie R. Howell Leadership Award from the Virginia DeMolay Foundation, the Order of the Purple Cross from the York Rite Sovereign College of North America, the Christopher Champlin Medal from the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations for outstanding Masonic achievement, the Phillip C. Tucker Medal from the Grand Lodge of Vermont, the George Washington Distinguished Service Medal and the John Blair, Jr. Medal from the Grand Lodge of Virginia.

                Prior to relocating to the Richmond area, Brother Adkins was active in his community where he served on the local Advisory Board of SunTrust Bank. He is a Past President of the Stuart Rotary Club, and within Patrick County, he is a Past President of the Unit of the American Heart Association, Jaycees, Chamber of Commerce and the United Way. He has recognized by Ferrum College as a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award for Service to Community and by the Patrick County Jaycees with a life membership in the Virginia Jaycees. He is an active member, Deacon and Moderator of Mechanicsville Baptist Church.

                Brother Adkins was married to the former Gerri Stone (now deceased) for almost thirty-nine years. They have a daughter, Amanda, who lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia, with her husband, Ryan, and daughter, Lacey; and a son, Robert, who lives in Henrico, Virginia, with his wife, Linsey, and daughters, Brooklyn and Camille.

This information courtesy of Scottish Rite Journal * November/December 2019

Photography by Dupont Photographers, Inc., Washington, D.C.