Alex Blenman, State Master Councilor of Maryland

I will be graduating from the Baltimore School of the Arts. I’m an alumni of the Maryland State Boychoir who were named the “Goodwill Ambassadors of Maryland” by Senior DeMolay and former Governor Of Maryland, the late William Donald Schaefer.

My DeMolay journey began in the fall of 2013. As I look back on my career as a DeMolay, the Brothers I’ve met and have gotten to know, have made me a better person. I’m always on the quest to learn and to understand the world around me.

As a DeMolay, I want to continue sharing the good work this organization has to offer to young men of today. My goal is to see this organization grow, not only in numbers but in an “Artistic Revolution.” I want to give the young men the courage to use whatever art form they hail from by promoting their love of this organization through painting, music, dance, and theater; as well as sports. As a classically trained singer, I’ve learned to be courageous. I want the same for my Brothers.

I also believe that regions should communicate. By opening communications, our international regions will strengthen. By creating an ambassador program between the regions, it 5would prove beneficial to all Brothers by sharing our common interest as well as our Seven Cardinal Virtues. We could use today’s technology to break barriers.

Brett Grimm, Junior Past Jurisdictional Master Councilor of Northern California

My name is Brett Grimm, and it is my honor to be running for the office of International Master Councilor.

The past few months have been entirely unpredictable. We have seen our brothers across the globe come together and form bonds that go beyond our chapter rooms and jurisdictions. If elected as your 54th International Master Councilor, I will continue to ensure that our brotherhood is growing and adapting to our modern age.

As Jurisdictional Master Councilor of Northern California I implemented new ideas to promote friendship and brotherhood across the jurisdiction, and as your International Master Councilor I would like to implement new ideas with our Congress committees to continue the amazing growth and passion we have seen during the past few months. I want to see the DeMolay Congress revolutionize the way that we approach membership, outreach, and brotherhood in the twenty-first century, and we now have the opportunity to use this current situation as a stepping stone for our future. We can now reevaluate the way that we, as an order, deal with the changing world around us, while still respecting the traditions of our order that has held hope through the Great Depression, World War II, and many other events that have shaped the world around us.

Richard Ables, Region 6 Master Councilor from Missouri

I am honored to announce my candidacy for International Master Councilor. By serving as MC, IKC, Jurisdictional Officer, and State Master Councilor of the second largest Jurisdiction in the world - I understand the effort required to be a leader in many capacities. As a recipient of the PMC-MSA, CPIKC-MSA, multiple Blue Honor Keys, multiple Distinguished Service Awards, Degree of Chevalier, and selection as an International DeMolay of the Year finalist - I understand the importance of absolute dedication to the DeMolay movement.

During my tenure as a Jurisdictional Officer, I have assisted in creating a DeMolay Passport program to encourage visitation, improved communications through engaging social strategies, and provided philanthropic support to various entities through innovative means.

Serving on various committees at the local, jurisdictional, and international level, I have learned we must focus our efforts on the single most important aspect of our fraternity - our members. The second century of the DeMolay movement will be fueled by their efforts; we must harness their interests to ensure our organization remains viable in today’s ever-changing landscape.

If elected to serve in this capacity, our Congress will improve upon the strong foundation laid by our predecessors by enacting a plan leveraging three primary pillars: Communication, Resource Expansion, and Membership Development. Through the development of these pillars by engaging a wide array of our membership, we will improve the member experience and community relations.

Let's take the next step together in securing the DeMolay movement for centuries to come.

Austin Altman, State Master Councilor of New York

As we enter into the unknown, we must work together to strengthen, to change, and to build a prosperous path forward.

The key to our success is communication, collaboration, and successful programs. I saw that first hand serving alongside brothers in Knickerbocker Chapter, serving as a State Officer in New York, and serving on my Congress Committees.  On the International level, we need to increase our ability to communicate ideas, share successes, and strategize over obstacles. If elected to serve you as International Congress Secretary, I would work to develop a cohesive social media strategy, expand and enhance our platforms, and work to improve our content. We need to use videos to share our stories. Each of our jurisdictions has outstanding programs that other jurisdictions can benefit from and vice versa. I would work in collaboration with the International Master Councilor and the Jurisdictional Officers to examine the programs of the Congress to ensure they are yielding us the best results possible.

Dad Newberry founded the DeMolay Congress because he knew we had to look to the future of DeMolay. We need to find ways to make DeMolay accessible and fun to the DeMolays of today, as well as tomorrow.

In order to be a truly international brotherhood, we must continuously grow and develop deeper connections in our chapters, our jurisdictions, our regions, and internationally. COVID19 has shown us how truly connected we all are. Together, we can make the flame of DeMolay shine even brighter.

Dalton Williss, State Master Councilor of Oklahoma

Hello! My name is Dalton Williss. I am the current State Master Councilor of Oklahoma DeMolay. I'll be running for ICS with the same passion I have put into this order when I became State Master Councilor. During my 8 years as a DeMolay I have been awarded the PMCMSA, BHK, RD, LCC, as well as numerous accolades for ritual competitions. The most impactful trait that Oklahoma DeMolay has instilled in me was excellence, to always strive to be better than before and to never be complacent. Under my leadership as SMC, Oklahoma DeMolay was number one in the entire world for new members and continues to grow. With the current pandemic Oklahoma DeMolay has stayed connected through the virtual world. Whether this current situation is the new normal or merely a roadblock in the way of the goal for DeMolay, I still believe that through hard work and dedication, this next year will be just as successful.

Kyle McGee, Junior Past State Master Councilor of Alabama

Hello, my name is Kyle McGee and I am seeking the office of the International Congress Secretary for the 54th International DeMolay Congress.

I was born in Florence, Alabama the youngest of three siblings. When I am not at college I live in Fairhope, Alabama. I graduated from Fairhope High School in May of 2019 as a member of the National Honor Society. I am currently attending the University of Alabama in Huntsville working toward a degree in Mechanical Engineering as an upcoming sophomore. I was initiated into Mobile Chapter on February 27, 2013 and rose to the position of Master Councilor in 2016.

I was installed as State Master Councilor in July, 2018 and attended the 2018 & 2019 International DeMolay Congress Sessions as a delegate. I have received the Founders Membership Award, Representative DeMolay, completed the Leadership Correspondence Course, and honored with the Degree of Chevalier. During my term as State Master Councilor, my theme was “We Are All One Family”, because strengthening our bonds and working with our huge Masonic family is how we can all continue to grow and learn from each other for many years to come.

Seaghan Ennis, State Master Councilor of Colorado

Greeting brothers and friends! My name is Seaghan Ennis and it is my pleasure to be able to run for the office of International Congress Secretary this year. I hail from the beautiful state of Colorado where I have just served my term as State Master Councilor and finished our 13th year of consecutive positive membership growth. My plan of action for this office is simple - Continuity and Iteration. The DeMolay Congress requires stronger transitions between years and leaders, so that we may improve upon on the past and learn, rather than being doomed to repeat our mistakes. The Congress Committees are vital to create foundations upon which the continued success of DeMolay depends. My goal is to organize the DeMolay Congress, so that future Congresses and DeMolays may can take the stairs, we have already built, upwards. To do this, I plan to draw from my experiences working on International committees over the past few years and institute recurring committees to ensure upwards trends in membership, retention, and resources. We must step into a more digitalalized organization to keep pace with the world around us. We must be willing to plant trees whose shade we will never enjoy, so the next generation of DeMolays can enjoy the result of our labor. To quote our founder, “DeMolay must go on” – Dad Frank S. Land.