Illustrious James D. Cole, 33°
Sovereign Grand Commander
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry
Southern Masonic Jurisdiction


Grand Commander Cole was raised a Master Mason in 1983 in Craighill Lodge No. 160 and served as Worshipful Master in 1987. He was DDGM, District Educational Officer and served as Chairman of the Grand Lodge Committee on Finance. On 14 November 2000, he was elected and installed as the 156th Grand Master of Masons in Virginia.

His Masonic membership includes: membership in the Valley of Roanoke, AASR, and was coroneted a 33° in 2001.

A member of Blacksburg Royal Arch Chapter No. 65, Blacksburg Commandery No. 32, Fort Lee-Richmond Camp No. 72 of the National Sojourners, Kazim Temple AAONMS, St. Thomas Conclave - Knights of the Red Cross, Wilderness Road - York Rite College, The Masonic Societas Rosicruciana.

Grand Commander Cole was appointed as Deputy of the Supreme Council in Virginia in 2003, crowned an active member of the Supreme Council, AASR, SMJ, that year, then appointed Grand Treasurer General of the Supreme Council in 2006, and finally elected Lieutenant Grand Commander in August 2013.

Grand Commander Cole was born in Asheville, North Carolina and in 1969, moved to Shawsville, Virginia, where he and his wife, Mary Ann, now reside.