Divan 2023
The Divan is the board of directors or executive council of the Philae Shriners and serves as the management team for fraternal and business activities. Its 2023 members are:
Illustrious Sir David Lewis
potentate
David R. Lewis, of Halifax, NS is serving his fourth year as a member of the Divan of Philae Shriners. He was elected as the 2023 Potentate, part of the 8-person body that helps govern the Philae Shriners fraternity, during its Election Meeting held on December 10, 2022 in Halifax, NS.
Fraternities and Philanthropy
- Current
- Shriners
- Potentate 2023, Philae Shriners, Halifax, NS (affiliated 2018)
- Freemasons and Concordant bodies
- Masons
- Member, Fairview Lodge #126, GLNS, Halifax, NS (affiliated 2018)
- Fellow, College of Freemasonry, Ontario
- Royal Arch Masons
- Member, Royal Union #1, GCRAMNS, Halifax, NS
- Scottish Rite
- 32nd degree, Life Member – Hamilton Valley, ON
- Current
- Potentate 2023, Philae Shriners, Halifax, NS (affiliated 2018)
- Member, Fairview Lodge #126, Halifax, NS (affiliated 2018)
- Fellow, College of Freemasonry, Ontario
- Member, Royal Union #1, Royal Arch Masons, Halifax, NS
- 32nd degree, Life Member, Scottish Rite, Hamilton Valley, ON
- Previous*
- Member, Rameses Shriners, Toronto, ON (2001-2018)
- Member, Gizeh Shriners, Vancouver, BC (1995-2001)
- President 2013 and Secretary 2014, Oakville Shrine Club, Oakville, ON
- Senior Warden, Oakville Lodge #400, Oakville, ON, 2012-2017
- Worshipful Master, Mt. Hermon Lodge #7, Vancouver, BC, 1998-2000
- Master Mason, Burlington Lodge #165, Burlington, ON, 1993-1994
- 3rd Principal, Joppa Chapter #31, Vancouver, BC, 1994-1999
- Knight Templar, Columbia Preceptory #34, Vancouver, BC, 1995-1999
- Masons
- Shriners
*Demits were taken from these previous bodies because of work postings from Toronto to Vancouver and back to Toronto
Committees
Lewis served as Director on the Finance Committees of GLBC&Y and GCRAMBC 1998-1999; he was also Director of the Masonic Foundation of Ontario 2015-2017.
Education
He earned his CPA designation while with PwC in Toronto in 1974 and has a Bachelor in Engineering (Metallurgy) degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS in 1969.
Professional and personal
Lewis retired in 2007 after a successful financing career from 1994-2007 as Chief Financial Officer of a number of High-Tech and Junior Exploration and Development companies based in Toronto and Vancouver. Previous to that, in Toronto, he co-owned an Apple Value Added Retailer and, prior to that, he held senior financial positions in 2 major Toronto hospitals.
He married Jacqueline Walls in 1994 and was widowed in Oakville in 2016. Lewis has one child – James (Marie) – and he is the proud grandfather of Zachary (8), Calum (6), and Zoe (2); James and family live in Atlanta, GA. After Lewis moved back to Halifax, NS in 2017, he met and is engaged to Lady Lina Fraser. In their spare time, David and Lina enjoy gardening, wine collecting, entertaining, and travel.
Illustrious Sir Shawn Buchan
Past Potentate
David Skinner
High Priest and Prophet
(200-300 words)
Greg Gillespie
Oriental Guide
Family
Greg and Lady Gayle hail from small town Nova Scotia…Greg from Kentville and Gayle from Amherst Head.
They have four adult children, two living in Nova Scotia, one in New Brunswick and one in Saskatchewan. And, four grandchildren here in the Maritimes.
The Gillespies recently moved back to Nova Scotia after working and living in rural Saskatchewan for the past seven years.
Masonic & Shrine Journey
Greg was raised to Master Mason in Masonic Lodge No. 7 A.F. & A.M. (Saskatchewan) in 2016, and later that year joined WaWa Shriners #123 (Moosomin, SK). Greg held the office of Junior Warden in that Lodge, and was WaWa Shrine Club’s President for the past four years. Being a small rural Club (20 registered Nobles – but only 12 active), all Nobles had to be very involved in keeping the Club alive and relevant. Besides his role as Club President, Greg was very active in Fundraising Committee work (Shrine concerts and Rose Day), and assumed a lead role in the Lodge’s building upkeep.
Career
Greg enjoyed a successful career in the business world, starting many moons ago in Marketing. Over the years, his responsibilities expanded to include Sales and Operations. For the past 16 years, Greg has held Divisional Leadership positions, with overall responsibility for Operations and Profitability. Greg has worked in a variety of companies and industries; his longest stint with the Shaw Group Limited in Halifax (20 years)
Community
Outside of the Masonic Lodge and Shriners, Greg has been an active volunteer for 40 years, including Board positions with the AVR Hospital Foundation (Kentville), VON, and Red Cross (Halifax) and active involvement in Big Brothers and Junior Achievers (Halifax). Greg recently took on a senior volunteer position with the North American Indigenous Games (Halifax) – the largest sporting event ever held in Atlantic Canada.
Also elected to the 2023 Executive were:
Illustrious Sir John Phillips
Noble Carson Jackson
Noble Fred Carpenter
Philae Shriners Ceremonial Divan
The Ceremonial Divan performs the ritualistic work of the Shrine for our Ceremonials, thus relieving the Divan officers of that responsibility, in order for the Divan to concentrate on their administrative duties and to better to serve our Nobles of Philae Shriners.
Ceremonial Potentate
Ceremonial Chief Rabban
Ceremonial Assistant Rabban
Ceremonial High Priest and Prophet
Ceremonial Oriental Guide
Previous Divans
Potentate: Illustrious Sir Shawn Buchan
Past Potentate: Illustrious Sir Kenneth Conrod
Chief Rabban: Noble David Lewis
Assistant Rabban: Noble Aaron Verge
High Priest and Prophet: Noble …
Oriental Guide: Vacant
Treasurer: Illustrious Sir Mike Schmid
Recorder: Illustrious Sir Ed Corbett
Potentate: Illustrious Sir Kenneth Conrod
Past Potentate: Illustrious Sir Shane Buchan
Chief Rabban: Noble Shawn Buchan
Assistant Rabban: Noble John Cody
High Priest and Prophet: Noble David Lewis
Oriental Guide: Vacant
Treasurer: Illustrious Sir Mike Schmid
Recorder: Illustrious Sir Ed Corbett
Potentate: Illustrious Sir Shane Buchan
Assistant Rabban: Noble Robert Stein
Chief Rabban: Noble Kenneth Conrod
High Priest & Prophet: Noble John Cody
Oriental Guide: Noble David Lewis
Recorder: Illustrious Sir Ed Corbett
Treasurer: Illustrious Sir Mike Schmid
Potentate: Illustrious Sir Ken Wheelans
Chief Rabban: Illustrious Sir Shane Buchan
Assistant Rabban: Noble Helgi Stefansson
High Priest and Prophet: Noble Gino Thibeault
Oriental Guide: Noble Robert Stein
Treasurer: Illustrious Sir Mike Schmid
Recorder: Noble David Penney
Potentate:Illustrious Sir Ed Corbett
Chief Rabban: Noble Ken Wheelans
Assistant Rabban: Illustrious Sir Shane Buchan
High Priest & Prophet: Noble Ron Clowes
Oriental Guide: Noble Gino Thibeault
Recorder: Noble David Penney
Treasurer: Illustrious Sir Doug Morton