John William McNaughton

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John William McNaughton (1950—)

Sovereign Grand Commander, 2006—Present

A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sovereign Grand Commander McNaughton graduated from Indiana University with a degree in forensic studies, and spent the next ten years as a detective with the Fort Wayne Police Department. He then joined his father — Illustrious John Willard McNaughton, 33°, an Active Emeritus member of the Supreme Council — in operating the All Rite Distributing Company, Inc.

He and his wife, Judy, have been married since 1971. They have two children, Michelle Marie Sellars, and Illustrious Brother John Brian McNaughton, 33°. A Freemason since 1974, Illustrious Brother McNaughton served as Worshipful Master of Maumee Lodge No. 725, Fort Wayne, Indiana. In the Scottish Rite Valley of Fort Wayne, he presided as Thrice Potent Master of Fort Wayne Lodge of Perfection beginning in 1996. He became an Active Member of Supreme Council in 1998. He is a member of the York Rite in Fort Wayne and Mizpah Shrine. Sovereign Grand Commander McNaughton rose rapidly through the ranks of the Scottish Rite. He received the 33° in 1997; became an Active Member for Indiana in 1998; served on several key committees within the Supreme Council; became Grand Lieutenant Commander, and as such, due to the debilitating illness of Sovereign Grand Commander Webber, conducted the Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2005. On August 28, 2006, Past Sovereign Grand Commander, Illustrious Robert O. Ralston, 33°, installed into office duly elected Sovereign Grand Commander, Illustrious John William McNaughton, 33°.

During his tenure, he has displayed his business and managerial acumen by establishing a sound financial footing for the 32° Masonic Learning Centers for Children, now the Children’s Dyslexia Centers, and the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library. Grand Commander McNaughton has been very attentive to fiscal responsibility during the challenges of the nation’s economic recession during his first triennial term. He has also streamlined ceremonies; begun work on degree revisions; overseen production of a video presentation of the new 4° and others; insisted that Scottish Rite events be inspirational, convenient and enjoyable; focused the charitable endeavors of the Scottish Rite to benefit Brothers in need of assistance, and increased the use of teleconferencing for Supreme Council business to conserve our fraternity’s administration costs. As Grand Commander McNaughton has been keenly aware of membership, and the costs associated with the needs of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, he has set his sights on continuing growth and change in coming years.

It is worth noting that fraternal relations with our sister Supreme Councils around the world are at the strongest levels in recent years. This is particularly true of the increased communication, respect and esprit de corps shared with the Supreme Council, 33°, Southern Jurisdiction. Its current Sovereign Grand Commander, Illustrious Ronald A. Seale, 33°, and our late Past Sovereign Grand Commander, Illustrious Walter E. Webber, 33°, enjoyed a particularly close fraternal and personal relationship which has continued with Grand Commander McNaughton as evidenced by the historic joint annual meeting held in Washington, DC in 2007.