On Friday, October 27th, 2023, George L. Herbolsheimer was installed as the 83rd Grand High Priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Massachusetts.
The Grand High Priest has the responsibility to ensure that the activities of the thirty-two local Chapters and the several thousand Capitular Masons obey the Constitution and Digests of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter, that their work is performed according to tradition and that the charitable aims of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter are fulfilled.
George was raised in Peru, Illinois, a small town about 100 miles southwest of Chicago. He was educated in the public schools there, and later earned his baccalaureate and several post-graduate degrees. He worked for New York’s Citibank until he was recruited to lead a segment of the predecessor of the Bank of New England. Upon the demise of the bank, he started a boutique real estate investment bank, Winthrop Financial Advisors, LLC which specialized in cross-border real estate lease financing.
He was raised in a Masonic family, and started his Masonic career presiding at Lancer Chapter, Order of DeMolay in LaSalle, Illinois. He joined Corinthian Lodge in Concord, Massachusetts in 1988, rising to the head of the lodge in 1995. He currently serves as a Trustee of several lodges and as a Trustee of the Masonic Education and Charitable Trust for the Grand Lodge. He is a member of four other lodges inside and out of this jurisdiction.
He began his York Rite journey by joining Walden Royal Arch Chapter in Concord (now Concord Chapter) in 1994. He served as High Priest of that Chapter or its successors from 2003 to 2006 and again in 2008 to 2009. He is also a member of St. Paul’s Royal Arch Chapter and Houghton Royal Arch Chapter. He began his service to the Grand Royal Arch Chapter when he was appointed District Deputy Grand High Priest in 2011 and then served as Grand King in 2013. He is a member of the Massachusetts Convention of High Priests.
In other York Rite bodies, he has been Illustrious Master of Adoniram Council, Royal and Select Master Masons and has served the Grand Council as Visiting Officer and Deputy Grand Master. He is also a member of Boston Council. He was knighted in Boston Commandery No.2 and served as its Commander in 2002-2003. He has also served Coeur de Lion Commandery No.34 and Northampton Commandery No.30 as their Commander. He is a member of three other Commanderies. He served the Grand Commandery of Massachusetts and Rhode Island as its Grand Commander in 2019-2020.
George is a member of the Valley of Boston, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, serves as a cast member and past officer of Giles F. Yates Council, Princes of Jerusalem and is a Shriner, past Captain of the Guard, with Aleppo Temple in Wilmington, MA
George has been active in several other Masonic organizations, including Paul Revere Council No.401, Allied Masonic Degrees where he served as Sovereign Master for a number of years and Colonial Council No.19 Knight Masons where he presided as Excellent Chief. He is also a member of St. Matthew’s Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine, Massachusetts Priory No.52, KYCH, where he serves as Prelate, Mayflower York Rite College No. 105, Damascus Tabernacle No. XXVI, Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests, Royal Order of Scotland and Massachusetts College, Societas Rosicruciana.
He served as Chairman of the Advisory Board of Concord Assembly No.53, International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, for 21 years and still serves as their Treasurer. He has also served Magdalene Chapter No. 28 and Ida McKinley Chapter No.86, Order of the Eastern Star as their Worthy Patron and is a member of Billerica Chapter No. 212. He has served the Order of the Amaranth locally, as Past Royal Patron of Nashoba Valley Court #13, in Concord, MA, at the state level as Grand Royal Patron of the Grand Court of Amaranth, Commonwealth of Massachusetts twice and on the international level as the Order’s Supreme Royal Patron in 2007 to 2008. He is also a member of Lafayette Court #24, under the Grand Court of North Carolina.
In local affairs, he served as a member of the Finance Committee for the Town of Harvard, MA for seven years before he was elected to two terms on the Harvard School Committee. He has served the Congregational Church of Harvard on their Finance Committee. He serves or has served on the Boards of Directors for many community organizations.
George has four daughters, Elizabeth. Meredith, Jennifer and Stephanie by his first wife Lois who passed away in 2001. He still lives in Harvard, MA with his wife Lyn.
