Robert W. Cockerham of Missouri was installed Grand Master at the 89th Annual Session in Kansas City, Missouri on June 20, 2009.

Brother Cockerham is a PMC-MSA and currently Chairman of George L. Walters Chapter, where he has served as Chapter Dad or other advisor for over 30 years; and a Past State Master Councilor of Missouri DeMolay. He is an Active Member and serves as Executive Officer for Missouri DeMolay. He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for DeMolay International and has held membership and leadership positions in numerous DeMolay International Committees.

As an advisor, Dad Cockerham has been honored with the Legion of Honor, Cross of Honor, Guild of the Leather Apron and multiple Advisor’s Honor Keys. He has been honored with six separate Grand Master’s Eagle Awards, and the General Grand Council Cryptic Masons Adult Leadership Medal. Dad Cockerham is a Frank S. Land Fellow I and Fellow II of DeMolay International. He has served on over 25 DeMolay Leadership Training Conferences, and as the Director.

While an active DeMolay, he earned the Degree of Chevalier, Distinguished Service Award, multiple Blue Honor Keys, FMA, RD, LCC and Scribe’s Efficiency Certificate. He is twice a Past Master of Clayton Lodge No. 601, a multiple member of Polar Star-Rose Hill Lodge No. 79, and has served as a District Deputy Grand Master and on numerous Committees of the Grand Lodge of Missouri. He is a 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and serves as the Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the Scottish Rite for the Orient of Missouri. He also serves on the Masonic Youth Committees of both the Scottish Rite Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of America and The Imperial Shrine of North America. He is a member and past officer of several York Rite Bodies, Moolah Shrine, the Grotto, the Eastern Star and numerous other Masonic Organizations.

Brother Cockerham is a trial lawyer by profession and is married to Mom Stacy Cockerham. They have seven children, including three DeMolays.

Wesley D. Thornton of New Mexico was installed Grand Senior Councilor at the 89th Annual Session in Kansas City, Missouri on June 20, 2009.

Wesley D. Thornton was born in Levelland, Texas in 1951. His family moved to Farmington, New Mexico in early 1952 where he lived until after graduating from Farmington High School. Brother Thornton began his DeMolay experience in Farmington Chapter (Now James H. Gibson Chapter) in 1968, Farmington, New Mexico. He was initiated in the New Mexico Knighthood Priory in 1969 and held the offices of Master Councilor and Illustrious Knight Commander simultaneously. His DeMolay Honors include PMC-MSA, Blue Honor Key, Representative DeMolay, Chevalier, Legion of Honor and Zerrubabel Key. Dad Thornton was elected as a Deputy Member of the Supreme Council at the 75th Anniversary in 1994, and Active Membership in 1998. He has served the New Mexico DeMolay Association as Director of Finance and Information and as Chairman of the Advisory Council of two different Chapters. He has served two consecutive terms on the Board of Directors of DeMolay International as the Region VII Representative and was elected Grand Junior Councilor June 21, 2008.

Dad Thornton served in the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged as an E-5, Staff Sergeant. After the Air Force, he return to college and graduated with a Bachelor of Accountancy from New Mexico State University. He met and married Robin Graham while attending college. They have two sons, Andrew and Brian, both of whom are Past State Master Councilor's of the New Mexico DeMolay Association.

In 1986, Dad Thornton was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant and began Private Practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New Mexico Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Brother Thornton is a fourth generation Master Mason and is a twice past master. In 2002 he was appointed as the Charter Master of Edgewood Lodge No. 82 AF&AM. He is a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies of Santa Fe and the York Rite Bodies of Farmington. He is also a member of the Ballut Abyad Shrine Center in Albuquerque, where he served as Captain of the Shrine Mounted Patrol and Secretary/Treasurer. He is a Past District Deputy Grand Master, Grand Lodge of New Mexico, Past Treasurer of two Lodges and currently is serving the Grand Lodge of New Mexico as Grand Treasurer.

In December 2003 Brother Thornton received 330, and was elected Treasurer of Valley of Santa Fe Lodge of Perfection, a post he held until 2005.

He has served on the board of directors of the New Mexico Appaloosa Horse Club, and is presently serving on the DeMolay Foundation of New Mexico board of directors as Secretary Treasurer.

The Thornton's are members of Covenant United Methodist Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Weldon J. Clampitte of Texas was installed Grand Junior Councilor at the 89th Annual Session in Kansas City, Missouri on June 20, 2009.

J. Weldon Clampitte was born in Houston, Texas where has lived his entire life. He attended Houston Community College, and the University of Houston. He was employed by the Houston Police Department for 27 years during which time he served a short time in uniform then went into plain-clothes investigations. He spent his last 17 years as a Sergeant of Detectives in the Homicide Division. After retiring from the Houston Police Department in 1983, he had a second career as an Investigator for the Harris County District Attorney’s and later retired as a Senior Investigator in February of 2004.

Weldon met his wife, Laura Lee Faulkner, while both of them worked for HPD, marrying her a year and a half after he retired. They have four children and four grandchildren between them. Weldon had a son that passed away in 2006. They are members of First United Methodist Church in Houston.

Weldon completed his degrees of Craft Masonry on February 5, 1959 in Bellaire Lodge No. 1336. He later served as Worshipful Master of that Lodge in 1977-78, and of Gray Lodge No. 329 in 1992-93. He is also affiliated with J.W. Chandler Lodge No. 1452, Holland Lodge No. 1, Post Oak Island Lodge No. 181, Hubert Lodge No. 67, Park Place Lodge No. 1172, Tranquility Lodge No. 2000, and Lone Star Lodge No. 660 where he serves as its Secretary. Bellaire Lodge honored him with a Golden Trowel Award.

Weldon has served the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas in 1983 as Grand Senior Deacon, in 1987 as District Deputy Grand Master, in 1992 as Grand Marshal, and in 2006 as Grand Orator. He has also served as Regional Coordinator in Houston for the Grand Master's Conference Programs for eight different Grand Masters. He has also served as Chairman of the Grand Lodge Statistics Committee and as an Assistant State Coordinator for three other Grand Masters, Weldon served many years on and has frequently been Chairman of the Committee on Grievances and Appeals for the Grand Lodge and is on his third seven-year term.

In 2003, The Grand Lodge of Texas honored him with the prestigious William Beck Award for his many years of dedication and service to the craft.

Very Excellent Clampitte was exalted a Royal Arch Mason in Washington Chapter No. 2 on June 18, 1977. He is an endowed member and a Past High Priest (1986-87) of Washington Chapter and is its current Secretary. He has served in several Grand Royal Arch Chapter Offices and most recently as the Most Excellent Grand High Priest in 2005.

Very Illustrious Clampitte was greeted a Royal and Select Master in Houston Council No. 1 on June 18, 1977. He is an endowed member and a Past Thrice Illustrious Master (1987-88) of Houston Council and is its current Recorder. He has served in several Grand Council Offices and most recently served as the M. I. Grand Master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas in 2008-2009.

Sir Knight Clampitte was Knighted in Ruthven Commandery No. 2 on March 23, 1979. In 1983 he affiliated with Houston Commandery No. 95. In 1989 he served as Commander of Houston Commandery.

Weldon has also served as Chairman of the Public Relations Committee for the Grand Commandery of Texas 1990-1999 and also as editor of the Texas Insert for the Knight Templar Magazine for three years. In 2006 he was honored with the Knight Templar Cross of Honor (KTCH) by the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Texas.

He is a member of and a Past Prior (1998) of Thomas H. Rideout Priory No. 75, KYCH, Past Governor (1985) of Gulf Coast York Rite College No. 106, a recipient of the Order of the Purple Cross (1997), a Past Very Eminent Preceptor (2003) of Resurrection Tabernacle XXI, Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests and its current Registrar, and a Past Puissant Sovereign (2002) of the San Jacinto Conclave of the Red Cross of Constantine.

In 1965, he received his Scottish Rite Degrees in the Valley of Houston and has served as the presiding officer of three of its bodies. He is an endowed member of the Houston Valley. He received the Knight Commander of the Court of Honor (1977) and coroneted a Thirty-Third Degree Inspector General Honorary (1983) and currently serves on the 33rd Degree Conferral Team.

He is an endowed member and Past Patron (1987,) of Bluebell Chapter No. 856, Order of the Eastern Star. He is a Past Sovereign Master (2003) of Houston Council, Allied Masonic Degrees, a recipient of the Red Branch of Eri, a Past Excellent Chief (1998) of Anson Jones Council No. 47, Knight Masons, a member of the Texas College of the M.S.R.C.F., and Lone Star Chapel no. 45, St. Thomas of Acon.

Dad Clampitte served five years as Chairman of the Advisory Council of Sam B. Cantey Chapter, Order of DeMolay in the 70’s and 80’s, and was awarded the Honorary Legion of Honor (1983.) He was appointed as the Personal Representative of the Grand Master of DeMolay for the State of Texas in May of 2001, and was subsequently appointed to be the Executive Officer of DeMolay for Texas in August of 2001, where he still holds that position.

Weldon, established the Texas Masonic Youth Foundation in 2003 and a few months later he asked the Grand Lodge of Texas to fund the Foundation and be its first primary provider. The membership of Grand Lodge obliged at its 2003 Grand Annual Communication by granting the TMYF a one-dollar annual per capita donation. The TMYF is currently a 501 (c) 3 Foundation.

On June 20, 2009, Weldon was honored by the International Supreme Council of DeMolay to be elected and installed as its Grand Junior Councilor.

James C. McGee of Alabama was installed Grand Treasurer at the 89th Annual Session in Kansas City, Missouri on June 20, 2009.

Brother McGee was born on July 18, 1961 in Vernon, Alabama. Brother McGee joined the Florence Chapter DeMolay in Florence, Alabama, in 1977.

DeMolay Career

Brother McGee is a PSMC of Alabama. He has been honored with the Degree of Chevalier, the Cross of Honor, Guild of the Leather Apron and the Legion of Honor. He has held membership or leadership positions on various International Committees including the Investment and Budget and Finance Committees. Brother McGee was Grand Master of DeMolay International in 1999-200 and currently serves as Executive Officer of Alabama.

Masonic Career/Fraternal Affiliations

Brother McGee joined Florence Lodge #14 F. & A. M. in September 1982, and is a Past Master. He has served the Grand Lodge of Alabama on the Youth Organizations Committee and the Finance Committee since 1995. He currently serves the Grand Lodge as the Chairman of the Finance Committee. Brother McGee is Past Patron of the Order of the Eastern Star and a member of Fairhope Chapter #127. His other Masonic memberships include: P.H.P., Cyrus Chapter #6 R.A.M., P.I.M., Florence Council #74 R. & S.M., Florence Commandery #39, all of Florence, AL: Emrys W. Johns Sovereign York Rite College #179 of Birmingham, Alabama. In 1999 Brother McGee received the Order of the Purple Cross from the Sovereign Grand York Rite College. Brother McGee is also a member of Cahaba Shrine in Huntsville, Alabama and the Tri Cities Scottish Rite Bodies in Florence, Alabama. Brother McGee was invested a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor in 1997 and coroneted an Inspectors General Honorary, 33 in 2001. In 1991 the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls made him a Master of the Grand Cross of Color.

Brother McGee has been married to Kathy since 1990. They have three children: Allen, Julia and Kyle. Brother McGee and his family currently reside in Fairhope, Alabama. Brother McGee says,

"I continue to work with DeMolay because I truly believe that I owe a lot to DeMolay for helping me become the person I am today. So by continuing to work with DeMolay I am giving back a little to help repay what I have gained from being associated with DeMolay. If we who have gained from DeMolay do not give back a little of our time and efforts then there may not be an Order of DeMolay to help train the generations of tomorrow and help to create the leaders of tomorrow which we need so badly."

Joe A. Williams of Oklahoma was installed Grand Secretary at the 89th Annual Session in Kansas City, Missouri on June 20, 2009.

Brother Williams joined Guymon Chapter in Guymon, Oklahoma, in 1952, where he served as Master Councilor. He was awarded the Representative DeMolay (RD), Blue Honor Key, and Chevalier. He is a PSMC of Oklahoma. Williams was a Director of Conclave and a Director of Workshop for Oklahoma DeMolay. He holds a DeMolay Cross of Honor and Legion of Honor.

Williams was Executive Officer of Oklahoma from 1981-1993 and served as chairman of the Executive Officer's Conference. He was elected Grand Junior Councilor in 1992 and progressed through the elected line, serving as Grand Master from 1995-1996. He now serves as an advisor for Highland Park Chapter and is Secretary of the Oklahoma DeMolay Trust.