Most Worshipful Brother Bryce B. Hildreth
Grand Master of Masons in Iowa
Brother Bryce is a lifelong resident of Ankeny Iowa. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa on December 1, 1971 to Billy Joe and Darlene Hildreth. He graduated from Ankeny High School and attended Iowa State University. Iowa FFA honored Brother Bryce with the Iowa Farmer Degree in 1989. He is retired from farming the family’s century farm and was instrumental in its sale and development. Brother Bryce is employed by the United States Postal Service as a Rural Carrier. He also is involved in several venture capital and investment enterprises. He serves as a Trustee of the Hildreth Family Charitable Trust and of the Bryce B. Hildreth Trust. He is a member of the Ankeny Church of the Brethren. His life is made more special by his lady Natalie Mercer. When time permits he plays golf and enjoys travel and fine dining.
Brother Bryce has attended Grand Lodge of Iowa communications since 1976, but only as a Mason since 1990, having been raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason on April 7, 1990 in Logic Lodge No. 636 at Ankeny. He is a dual member with Capital Lodge No. 110 at Des Moines. He served as Worshipful Master of Capital Lodge No. 110 in 1995 and Logic Lodge No. 636 in 1996. He is a past president of the South Central MI and DL Club and is a member of the Polk Jasper Study Club. He served for many years as Chairman of the Central Iowa Masons Jerry Marsengill Christmas Day Dinner.
The purple of the fraternity rested on Brother Hildreth’s shoulders first in 1993-94 as Grand Tyler, then in 2000-01 as Deputy Grand Master and in 2003-04 as Junior Grand Warden. He has served the Grand Lodge of Iowa on the Lodge Service Committee 1995-2000; as Treasurer of the Masonic Charitable Education Corporation 2007-2011; Chairman of the ad hoc Long Range Planning Committee 2011; and on the Division and Reference Committee 2001-02 and as its Chairman 2011-12. He proudly holds District Lecturer Certificate number 3028.
Brother Hildreth is active in many aspects of Masonry. He has served as the leader of all three bodies of the Downtown Des Moines York Rite. He is a dual member with the York Rite Bodies of Ames. He was Grand Chaplain of the Grand Chapter R.A.M. of Iowa 2011-12. He serves as an Inspector and on the Board of Instruction for the Grand Commandery K.T. of Iowa, where he served as Grand Commander in 2009-10. He is the recipient of the Knight Templar Cross of Honor and the Knight Commander of the Temple awards from the Grand Encampment Knights Templar of the U.S.A. where he also serves as Chairman of the Public Relations Committee and a member of the Editorial Review Board of the Knight Templar Magazine.
The Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction A.A.S.R. honored Brother Hildreth in 2007 with the 33rd Degree. He is a permanent member of the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction Foundation and is honored in the House of the Temple in Washington D.C. His membership is in the Des Moines Valley where he serves as Commander of the Council of Kadosh. He is a Director of the Iowa Scottish Rite Masonic Foundation and a member of the Heritage Society.
Brother Bryce is a member of Za Ga Zig Shrine A.A.O.N.M.S. in Altoona where he serves on the Ritual Staff and is a past President of the Past Masters Club. In 2010-11 he served as Sovereign of St. Bartholomew Conclave Red Cross of Constantine. In 2001 he served as Prior of Charles Clyde Hunt Priory No. 42 KYCH and serves Convent General KYCH as Personal Representative of the Grand Master General for Region 11. In 2004 he served as Governor of Iowa York Rite College No. 37, receiving the Order of the Purple Cross in 2008. He serves as Registrar of Last Supper Tabernacle No XVIII Holy Royal Ach Knight Templar Priests. He is a member of the High Council of Iowa College SRICF. He is a member of Polaris Council No. 449 AMD; Order of the Scarlet Cord; Order of Corks; Grand College of Rites; Knights Preceptor; Green Degrees Council No. 93, Knight Masons; he served in 2010 as Excellent Chief of Great Chief’s Council No. 0 of the World, Knight Masons.
Brother Bryce enjoys traveling around the country and world. He frequently travels to Europe and has been invited into several Masonic and non Masonic orders based in Europe. He is a member of Bryn Athyn Quarry Assemblage of The Operatives, and has received the Great Corner Stone Award from the Grand Assemblage of the Operatives in England. He serves as Provincial Grand Tiler, member of the national degree team, and Screening Committee Chairman for Iowa for The Provincial Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland of the United States of America. He is the Provincial Senior Grand Warden of the Provincial Grand Court of the United States of America for The Masonic Order of Athelstan in England, Wales and its Provinces Overseas. He is a member of Mayflower Conclave order of Pilgrim Preceptors; The August Order of Light and HOM. He has been invited into the Freedom of the City of London and the Order of St. John.
Brother Bryce is a proud senior DeMolay, past president of Iowa DeMolay Preceptory, and has received the DeMolay Legion of Honor. He is a member of National Sojourners. He is a member of Ankeny New Hope Chapter OES.