Bio:

Born and raised in Iowa, Mark graduated from Allegheny College, Meadville, PA with a B.A. in European History in 1986. He received his M.A. in American History and Museum Studies at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA in 1996. For over 25 years he has worked in museums in Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Lexington, MA. In 2005, while the curator at the Scottish Rite Museum and Library he wrote “American Freemasons: Three Centuries of Building Communities.”

In 2006 he moved to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, VA. For eighteen years Mark served as the Director of Collections and oversaw the library, archives and museum. In 2011 he published “Museum and Memorial: Ten Years of Masonic Writings” and with Prof. William D. Moore, “Secret Societies in America: Foundational Studies of Fraternalism.” In 2017 he published “George Washington’s Rule for Freemasons in Life and Lodge” (Macoy 2017) and 2022 he published both “‘A Deserving Brother’: George Washington and Freemasonry” (UVA Press) and “The Almanac of American Freemasonry, 1730-1799, 2 Vols.” (Macoy)

As a Freemason, Mark was raised in Des Moines Lodge No.1, Burlington, IA in 1998 is currently serving as its Junior Warden. He is a Past Master of Mystic Valley Lodge, Arlington, MA and the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 1776, Washington DC. He is a full member of Quatour Coronati Lodge 2076, London, a member of the Society of Blue Friars, and holds honorary memberships in several American lodges of research. He has received the York Rite degrees and orders and is a 33º in the Scottish Rite (NMJ) of Freemasonry. He is a past president of the Masonic Library and Museum Association, a Fellow and past board member of The Masonic Society, and retired secretary of the Masonic Restoration Foundation.

Prepared topics:

Mark is willing to present talks on a wide variety of subjects related to American history and Freemasonry and fraternalism, museum and library preservation.

Travel Information – Mark is happy to give presentations via ZOOM or other media. He is also willing to travel most any where in the world, all travel expenses must be covered.

Websites:

The MAGI Podcast – https://www.magipodcast.com

Support the MAGI Podcast – https://www.patreon.com/c/MAGIAcademics/home