Awards
Ephraim Kirby Award
This prestigious award serves as an opportunity for the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons International to recognize extraordinary Companions who have attained past presiding rank in their Grand York Rite bodies (Lodge, Chapter, Council, Commandery); and who have then gone on to continue their work and commitment to service far beyond the term of their office and the normal boundaries of dedication.
​2017 Carl Jackson *
2018 No Award Presented
2019 John Belanger
2020 Howard Entwistle*
2021 Mickey Duran
2022 Larry Plaisance
2023 Keith Powell
2024 Michael Laurence
2025 Eddie A. LeBouef, III
Bronze Medal
In 1951, the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons established the Distinguished Service Medal in Bronze to be awarded in recognition of the recipient’s outstanding and meritorious service to Royal Arch Masonry other than serving as a Grand Chapter Officer. The Bronze Medal corresponds to the Cryptic Mason of the Year for the General Grand Council and the Knight Templar Cross of Honor for Commandery’s Grand Encampment.
It cannot be awarded to a Past Grand High Priest or a Companion serving as one of the “progressive” elected Grand Chapter Officers. Only one award can be presented each year per Grand Chapter.
1979 Walter E. Stopkey*
1988 Charles K. Calloway*
1991 John A. Head*
1992 Billy B. West*
1995 Ray L. Durbin*
1997 Jack E. Giles*
1998 George A. Haydel*
1999 Floyd R. Holland*
2000 Jay S. Hambacher
2002 George L. Mitchell*
2003 Clayton A. Wolfe*
2004 Jules H. Tucker*
2005 Roy E. May*
2006 William E. Wallace
2007 Raymond D. Verret*
2008 Jimmy H. Leger
2009 Joseph G. Richard, Jr.#
2010 W. Sidney Felps
2011 Gilbert H Morrison, Jr.
2012 Vernon E. Dawson, Jr.
2013 W. Robert Laurents
2014 Charles R Smith
2015 Eddie A. LeBeouf, III
2016 W.A. Morris*
2017 Carlton H. Conaway, Jr.
2018 Stuart Averitt
2021 Albert Simms
2022 John Amador
Silver Medal
The General Grand Chapter Distinguished Service Medal (Silver) is presented for outstanding service for the York Rite, particularly for Royal Arch Masonry within a particular York Rite Region. Nominations may be made by any Royal Arch Mason or by a Grand Chapter, submitted through the Deputy General Grand High Priest for the York Rite Region, where the proposed recipient holds his membership.
1999 James G, Moore
Howard F. Entwistle Award
This award was established in 2017 by M:. E:. Tim Riley, Jr., M: I: William Keith Powell, Sr. and R:. E:. Ion Lazar to honor a Past Grand Presiding Officer that has worked in the quarries, mentored the incoming officers, traveled to present the York Rite throughout the State, attended the Grand Sessions, and assisted the Bodies when called upon for whatever need requested by Grand Officers.
The Most Excellent Grand High Priest, Most Illustrious Grand Master, and Right Eminent Grand Commander each nominate a recipient and then choose only one honoree from the three nominations. The Presiding Officer of the Dominate Body of the Annual Grand York Rite Session is the Chairman over the selection. The nominee must have been one year exited from being the grand head of a York Rite Body to be considered for award.
2018 Tim J. Riley, Jr.
2018 William Keith Powell, Sr.
2018 Howard F. Entwistle*
2018 Tim J. Riley, Sr.
2018 Earl J. “Mickey” Durand
2018 Vernon R. Atkinson
2018 Frank N. du Treil, Jr.
2018 Carle L. Jackson*
2018 Larry J. Plaisance
2019 Richard L. James*
2020 Steven L Jennings
2021 Michael A. Watts
2022 Gerald H. Houston*
2023 Anthony Radosti
2024 Lloyd E. Hennigan, Jr.
2025 Michael Laurence
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Unity Award Recipients
The Unity Award was created in 2010 by Companion John L Belanger, Past Grad High Priest and Past Grand Illustrious Master, for the Grand Lodge, Grand Chapter, Grand Council, Grand Commandery and the Scottish Rite Orient of Louisiana allowing the Presiding Officer of each body to recognize one brother/companion/sir knight who is a member of each body and whose exceptional service clearly and significantly improved unity and harmony in all five bodies.
2010 John H. Martin*
2011 Thomas P. Brown
2012 Kenneth Dodson
2012 John E. Vines, II
2013 Andrew H. Stevenson, Sr.*
2016 Eddie A. LeBoeuf, III
2017 Allan K. Bean
2018 Craig Caskey
2018 Camille Guidry, Jr.
2018 Tom Kussmann
2021 David Maxey
2022 Charles Bertrand
2023 Galen Berne*
2024 Mark St. John
2025 Rupert White
Sweetheart Award Reciepients
The Chapter “Sweetheart Award" is presented as a way to show appreciation for the support and encouragement the Ladies that have provided to our Craft throughout the years of a Companion's service to Capitular Masonry.
This award can be presented each year by every Chapter in our Grand Jurisdiction.
2015 Julia W. Radosti
2015 Nona Entwistle
2015 Elaine Atkinson
2017 Janie Riley
2017 Linda Riley
2017 Sharon Powell
2019 Awanda L. Hester
2020 Janet M. Plumer
2020 Carlyn Edga
2020 Laura Sharlow
2021 Sue Brown
2022 Vickie Barnes
2023 Martha Turner
2024 Natalie Giroir
2025 Barbara Ann Berne
2025 Christie Dear
2025 JoAnn Gibbs
2025 Marlene Snoddy
Grand Lady of York Recipients
The Grand Lady of York award was created in 2019 by Head Mistress Oxsana Burks to honor ladies for exceptional service to the York Rite of Freemasonry and is an official award of the General Grand Chapter, Royal Arch Masons International.
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A lady is eligible for this award if her husband (or domestic partner) has completed his term in office (or passed away in office) as either Grand High Priest, Grand Illustrious Master, Grand Commander, or Grand Master (Blue Lodge) of a jurisdiction that is a member of the General Grand Chapter, RAMI. A Grand Secretary/Recorder's or a Grand Treasurer's lady is also eligible once her husband has completed at least five consecutive years of service in his grand office.
2020 Sharon Powell
2022 Angela Averitt
2022 LuJuan Durand
2022 Brenda Guidry
2022 Sandra Hill
2022 Milie Kraemer
2023 Janet Reinschmidt