Area Masons recognized by council for their leadership and service

PHILADELPHIA

During an annual session Aug. 31 in Philadelphia, the Supreme Council of Scottish Rite Freemasonry elected two area Masons to receive the Thirty-third Degree, to be conferred next August in Chicago.

James C. Kowacich Jr. of McDonald and Kevin B. Todd of New Waterford were elected to receive the degree in recognition of their active service in Masonry, especially the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, and for their outstanding leadership in the community and service to their fellow men.

Kowacich, a past master of the William Farr Lodge 673, F&AM, in Liberty Township, is a past presiding officer of the York Rite Bodies in Youngstown, and is serving as commander-in-chief of Mahoning Consistory.

A retired rigger/boilermaker at RMI, Kowacich is married to the former Vicki Cornfield and attends the First United Methodist Church in Mineral Ridge.

Todd, a past master of Allen Lodge 276, F&AM, in Columbiana, served the Grand Lodge of Ohio as a district deputy grand master, was appointed to the grand line, and is serving as a senior grand warden. A member of the York Rite Bodies in Columbiana and Youngstown, he became a member of the Valley of Youngstown in 2005.

Todd attended Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics and holds a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University and a master’s in business administration from New York Institute of Technology. He is an aerospace engineer at Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corp. in Ravenna.

Todd and his wife, the former Pamela Davies, have a son, Morgan, and a daughter, Shannon. He is a member of New Waterford Presbyterian Church, where he is an ordained elder and serves on the church session.

At this year’s council session, Timothy N. Flack of Struthers and Robert M. Brienik of Austintown received the degree.