M.·. W.·. Neal I. Bidnick

Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York

M.·.W.·. Neal I. Bidnick was raised in Bredablick Lodge No. 880 in 1975 and was Master in 1982-1983. He is also a member of Justice Lodge No. 750, Berne Lodge No., and Athelstane Lodge as well as an honorary member of many Lodges in our state. He is a member of the Scottish Rite, Royal Arch, Cryptic Rite, Shrine and the Order of Eastern Star. He is a Senior DeMolay and is a recipient of the Active Legion of Honor.

He served as District Deputy Grand Master under M.·.W.·. Brother Robert Singer in 1986-87. In 1988-90, and was the Administrator of the L.E.A.F. Campaign that raised over $5,000,000 for our Masonic Medical Research Laboratory. M.·.W.·. Neal I. Bidnick was a Director of the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory in Utica from 1990-1999, served as its’ Treasurer from 1996-1999 and was elected an emeritus director in 2000.

He served on several Grand lodge Committees in Long Range Planning and was Chairman of the Committee on Lodges and Buildings from 2000-2003. Brother Bidnick was elected Grand Treasurer in 2002-2004, served as Deputy Grand Master from 2004-2006 and was elected Grand Master in 2006.

He and his lovely wife Joyce were married in 1976 and they have one son, Brian, who is attending Binghamton University. M.·.W.·. Bidnick has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Brooklyn College, City University of New York.

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Deputy Grand Master: R.·.W.·. Edward Gilbert

R.·.W.·. Edward G. Gilbert was born and raised in Buffalo, NY and is an active member of Buffalo Lakeland Lodge No. 846. He began the road to the East in 1965 as Marshal, but was forced to withdraw due to demands of his work. As employment permitted he returned to the line and served Buffalo Lodge as Master in 1989-90 and 1993.

In his District he was an officer with the Erie County Wardens Association in 1988 and the Masonic Past Masters Association in 1997. He was appointed Moderator of the Erie County School of Instruction from 1994 to 1998, and Grand Master Stewart C. McCloud appointed him Grand Lecturer in 1999 to succeed the retiring M.·. W.·. Calvin G. Bond. M.·. W.·. Carl J. Smith, M.·. W.·. Carl J. Fitje, and M.·. W.·. Edward R. Trosin reappointed him in turn. He has served on the Grand Master’s Education Committee as well as Custodians of the Work.

R.·.W.·. Bro. Gilbert maintains memberships in Zuleika Grotto — Monarch in ‘69, and Past President of the Empire State Grotto Association — Scottish Rite, and Royal Arch Masonry.

Bro. Gilbert has been married to Helen “Babe” for fifty years and they enjoy three sons, a daughter and twin grandsons. The Deputy Grand Master is retired from General Motors (American Axle Plant), the Security Division.

Senior Grand Warden: R.·.W.·. Dennis Breheny

Brother Breheny was Raised in Carducci No. 924 in 1980. He served as Worshipful Master from 1985 to 1987 and again in 1989. He is also a member and Past Master of several other Lodges, is a member of the Eastern Star, of Scottish Rite, the Shrine, and York Rite. He has held office in a number of these organizations.

In the field of Grand Lodge work Bro. Breheny has been active since his appointment as District Deputy Grand Master for 1st Oneida in 1992. He has served on a number of committees, including as current chair of Camp Turk, and is most recently Junior Grand Warden, 2004 to 2006.

An ex-Navy man, R.·. W.·. Bro. Breheny and his wife Judy reside in New Hartford. They are the proud parents of Jennifer Muia and Erin Breheny, and grandparents of Allison Muia. He is a licensed electrician. In his spare time Brother Breheny applies himself to volunteer work in his community.

Junior Grand Warden: R.·.W.·. Stephen King

Brother King and his wife Margaret, a retired teacher, live in the Capital District, where he works for NYS as Finance Director of the New York State Office of Real Property Services. His educational background includes a BA in English Literature from the University at Albany in 1976 and a 1981 Masters in History from Albany’s College of St. Rose. He is interested in outdoor activities, especially in the Adirondack Mountains, and has been active in community theater for many years. He is a member of many volunteer organizations and serves as a Director of the Bethlehem, New York Chapter of the Lions Club International.

Masonically, Bro. King was Raised in 1981 in Wadsworth Lodge No. 417 and served as Worshipful Master in 1988. He continues active in his District associations and belongs to both the Scottish Rite and the York Rite. He was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the Albany District for 2002 to 2004; he serves in the Grand Lodge committee structure and is an enthusiastic member of the MUNY committee, shaping programs and executing them

Grand Treasurer: R.·.W.·. Joseph Quarequio

Raised in Roma Lodge No. 854 in 1962 Brother Quarequio became Master in 1970. He also served as Worshipful Master of Garibaldi No. 542 in 1994. He was Master of Archimede Roma Lodge No. 854 in 1991 and 1992. He was a Grand Steward in 1989; and Bro. Quarequio has held office in various 10th Manhattan District associations as well as Metropolitan associations. He is a Royal Arch Mason, a Scottish Rite Mason, and a Shriner, and he has many other Masonic affiliations here and abroad. R.·. W.·. Bro. Quarequio has served as Grand Tiler from 1995 to 2006. Brother Quarequio received the Grand Lodge of New York Appreciation Award as well as the DeMolay Legion of Honor.

By profession he is a registered pharmacist, with a BS degree from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy in 1961. He has also pursued a career in law enforcement. He accumulated a variety of formal and experiential training through the FBI, State Police, and the Justice Department, and completed numerous undercover drug assignments, both foreign and domestic. Brother Quarequio keeps his membership in several professional law enforcement organizations. He has received citations for his police work as well as awards, including the Chancellor Robert R Livingston Medal, for his Masonic work.

Bro. Quarequio has been married to Nina for forty-five years. Their children are Sestina, Nina, and Michael, and each has two children.

Grand Secretary: R.·. W.·. Gilbert Savitzky

R.·.W.·. Brother Savitzky’s Masonic career commenced with his Raising in John Hancock Lodge No. 70 in 1963. He became Master in 1974 and was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st Manhattan District for 1979. Bro. Savitzky has held several District offices. He holds multiple Lodge memberships, including a handful of honorary memberships.

As a Grand Lodge member he has served a variety of committees, among them, Long Range Planning. Bro. Savitzky was elected Trustee of the Masonic Hall and Fund and became its Treasurer. In 1989 the Brothers meeting in Grand Lodge elected Bro. Savitzky Grand Treasurer. And from 2004 to 2006 he held the office of Grand Secretary.

Brother Savitzky and his wife Barbara have daughters Margie and Lisa. In spare time the Grand Secretary has been involved with the Fordham and Bronx Chambers of Commerce and with different school district projects.

Bro. Savitzky earned a BS in Business Administration from the University of Buffalo in 1956, and then joined the service in Korea until 1958. He earned Citations of Merit and an Army General Commendation. His business is as a NYS-licensed realtor.

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Appointed Grand Line

Row 2 (l-r) R.·. W.·. Alfred Dais, Senior Grand Deacon; R.·. W.·. Robert S. Glace, Sr., Junior Grand Deacon; R.·. W.·. James E. Sullivan, Grand Lecturer; R.·. W.·. Melvin Eckhaus, Grand Tiler

Row 1 (l-r) R.·. W.·. Kurt Ott, Grand Marshal; R.·. W.·. Biago "Benny" Valenti, Grand Standard Bearer; R.·. W.·. Richard W. Bateman, Grand Pursuivant & Assistant Grand Secretary; R.·. W.·. Paul Barrera, Jr., Deputy Grand Standard Bearer; R.·. W.·. Robert S. Finley, Deputy Grand Marshal