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Bandsman of the Year!

Find out how we select a member for this prestigious award and who that member is for 2019-20!

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Jared Kichline – Sergeant at Arms

Jared Kichline  -  Sergeant at Arms 2024 - 2025

Jared Kichline ASOB Sergeant at Arms

Jared Kichline was raised a Master Mason in Pocono Lodge 780 in Cresco Pennsylvania where he served as Worshipful Master and continues to serve as Treasurer of the Temple Association.  Jared went on to join Chapter, Council, Commandery, and Consistory where he served as a presiding officer and was honored to receive the Knight York Cross of Honor, as well as the York Rite Severin College Service Award, Gold Award, the DeMolay Legion of Honor, and Carinated a 33⁰ Scottish Rite Mason. Jared served as Illustrious Potentate of Rajah Shrine as well as President of the Rajah Shrine Oriental Band, and is currently serving as First Vice President of M.A.S.O.B.A. and Sargent at Arms of A.S.O.B.

Brian Shimmons – 1st Vice President

Brian Shimmons (AL AZHAR) 2023-2024 ASOB 1st Vice-President

Brian Shimmons 1st Vice President ASOBProfessional

Brian Shimmons is 72 years young. He was born and raised in Ontario. He holds a B.E.Sc and M.E.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Western University (London, Ontario). His initial employer was Atomic Energy of Canada where he worked at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories and the Port Hawkesbury N.S. Heavy Water Plant. He moved to Fort McMurray, Alberta in 1978 to work for Syncrude Canada Limited. He held a variety of supervisory/management positions within Syncrude including General Manager of the Upgrader, the sixth largest refinery in the world, and leading the commissioning and start-up of the $7.5B Upgrader Expansion project. He retired from Syncrude in June 2007

Brian is a Professional Engineer (Life Member) registered with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).
  - served as a member and Chairman of the Joint Registration Board of APEGA from 1987 – 1990.
  - served on the American Petroleum Institute Committee on Safety and Fire Protection from 1985 – 1989.
  - served on the National Centre for Upgrading Technology Technical Advisory Committee from 1995 – 1998.

Community

Brian served as a member of the Fort McMurray Mantas Swim Club Executive.

Brian helped coordinate fund-raising efforts for Fort McMurray’s “Tools for Schools” program from 1999 to 2007. The “Tools for Schools” is a United Way “subprogram” that provides mathematical tools to financially challenged children.

He served on the “Highway 8 Action Committee” for the County of Rocky View from 2007 to 2010.

Other

Brian has served as:
  - Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta in 2009/2010
  - Potentate of Al Azhar Shriners in 2014
  - Recorder of Al Azhar Shriners from 2015-2017
  - Commander-in-Chief of the Southalta Consistory AASR
  - President of the Pacific Northwest Shrine Oriental Band Association for the last three years
  - currently serving on the Board of Directors as the Secretary-Treasurer for the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation Learning Centre for Calgary
  - Honourary Patron of the Masonic Foundation of Alberta
  - current President of the Association of Syncrude Retirees of Southern Alberta
  - will receive his 33rd Degree (AASR) and the Order of the Purple Cross (York Rite College) next summer in Ottawa and Louisville respectively
  - member of the Al Azhar Oriental Band for 10 years.

My Plan as VP

Work with the Executive Team of the ASOB to raise the profile of the ASOB, encourage the revitalization of “dark” Oriental Bands, encourage the formation of additional Oriental Bands in North America and, maybe, South America and the Philippines

 

Thomas (Tom) G. Lanier – 2nd Vice President

Thomas G. Lanier (Tom) (MOSLAH) 2023-2024 ASOB 2nd Vice-President

Tom Lanier 2nd Vice President ASOBMeet Thomas G. Lanier (Tom), a devoted Mason, passionate musician, and dedicated community leader hailing from Irving, Texas. With 13 years of unwavering commitment to Freemasonry, Tom’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable.

Born and raised in the heart of Irving, Texas, Tom began his Masonic journey in 2010 when he was raised in the esteemed Sam P. Cochran Lodge No. #1336 in Dallas, Texas. It was there that he first ventured into the world of Masonry, setting the stage for a lifelong dedication to its principles.

Tom’s journey took a musical turn when his cousin invited him to play with the Hella Drum and Bugle Corps at the Texas State Fair. With just one performance, he was hooked, and he joined the Corps, playing his heart out until they gradually folded. His passion for music and his commitment to the craft shone brightly during these formative years.

As life moved forward, Tom embarked on various academic pursuits, transitioning from high school to the Fort Worth Fire Academy and later delving into the realm of environmental science, with a focus on hazmat studies. In 2012, he found love and joy as he married the love of his life, and his family expanded with the addition of two remarkable daughters, Bailey and Ashlyn.

The journey of Masonry continued as he moved to Fort Worth, where, in 2020, he joined the Moslah Shrine. His commitment and dedication quickly became evident as he helped form the Moslah Shifters and, in 2021, assumed the role of president of the club. But he didn’t stop there; he also joined the Moslah Clown Unit in 2021 (Taco) , serving as the secretary in 2022. In 2021, he took yet another step in his Masonic journey by joining the Moslah Bedouins. His commitment to the Masonic community and his desire to contribute were further underscored when he became the Secretary for T.A.S.O.B. in 2022 and, in 2023, was elected as the 1st Vice President.

What truly sets Tom apart is not only his dedication to Masonry but also his active involvement in Moslah Shrine and its units. The reason he is a Shriner and a Bedouin is clear: the unique sense of family and togetherness. At Moslah, they are not just a group of individuals; they are a family. The level of family participation, extending to members, their children, and even their grandchildren, is a testament to the sense of unity and shared purpose that makes the unit truly special.

Whether it’s brightening the day of children in hospitals, participating in parades, or engaging in various charitable events, Toms and his fellow members are there to bring smiles to children’s faces and make a positive impact in their community. He relishes playing in the O.B. (Oriental Band) and looks forward to meeting more bands and nobles in the near future as he continues his journey of service and fellowship within the Masonic community.

John Fitzgerald

John Fitzgerald – 1st Vice President

Greetings fellow musicians of the caravan…

John FitzgeraldI am John Fitzgerald of the Al Kader Oriental band and recently elected Vice President of the ASOB. I was raised in North Bank Lodge #182 in Washougal, Washington, and was literally raised there. I’m still looking for the photo of me in a bassinet in the East when my mom was Worthy Matron of her Eastern Star Chapter. Four generations of my family have been members of our lodge, and I joined DeMolay as a teenager. A few of the brothers in my lodge were in the Oriental Band, knew I played drums, and brought me along in the late 90’s. I played with the band for five or six years, but the last decade or so has found me at many an oasis all over this little planet of ours.

My wife, Michelle, and I took up a life of teaching abroad in International Schools with me as a high school English Teacher and Michelle as a Librarian and Technology instructor. Sadly, this kept me apart from the best unit in the Al Kader Temple, but they would welcome me in with familiar arms and jesting jokes whenever I was home for Christmas or Summer holidays. However, in my travels I was able to sit in lodges in Adana, Turkey; Incirlik Air Force Base; Izmir, Turkey; Lusaka, Zambia; and Tokyo, Japan. There were also some dark years in China, Dubai, and an inability to connect with the brothers of Lithuania, but my time spent in foreign lands earning and receiving a master’s wages were some of the best I could imagine.

COVID19 and a desire to be closer to our families have brought Michelle and I back to America, and while not watered for some years, our roots and my Masonic ties are quickly growing deep and sprouting fruit. Caliph, Ralph Jubb, has been a long-time friend and mentor, and is doing all he can to help us ease back into our local Masonic Family here in Portland. As much as I love playing with the OB and traveling with the Nobles, it seems like a great opportunity to step in as 3rd Vice President of the ASOB. Michelle and I have become accustomed to travel these last 20 years, and not setting foot on a plane in over a year has us itching to get out and see new places, meet new people, and enjoy the hospitality of a friendly oasis. I look forward to meeting many new brothers and sharing the cup of camaraderie.

Cheers!

John Fitzgerald

James “Moose” Fitzgerald – Election 2022

James "Moose" Fitzgerald Running for ASOB President

Greeting fellow Nobles.

My name is James “Moose” Fitzgerald. I am a member of the El Riad Oriental Band in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I have been a member of “THE BAND” since day ONE.

I am currently serving as the 2nd Vice President for the ASOB.

I am a past President of our Oriental Band, past ASOB Mid-West Ambassador and past ASOB quartermaster.

I have had great times and memories attending Imperial Sessions and meeting so many fellow bandsmen. Some of the best have been just conversing with the past ASOB Presidents. I have met 22 (out of the last 26).

I have had multiple conversations with our 3rd Vice President about how we can move foreword. Lets GET BACK to Imperial! Charlotte N.C. 2023! The other Noble Fitzgerald is with me on this. We have a plan. That plan entails not only band competition, but possible individual performances and small group/duets. We need to set-up a booth at the market place. ADVERTISE! The Oriental Band is one of the oldest units recognized by Imperial!

I would like to do a monthly ZOOM meeting with all the Ambassadors and any Band that wants to engage. Bottom line is "What can WE do for you?"

I would like to restart the fall Executive committee meeting. Things that have come to your attention, that need to be addressed NOW.

I think that the Mid Winter meeting is essential. That we meet face-to-face and HASH things out that effect the overall good of the association.

Something that I will always remember talking to a past President:
“Flying into an airport for Imperial .. You can always pick out the guy that's an Oriental Bandsman. There is a bounce to his step and an air about him!”

I would like for you to take into consideration my name as the next ASOB President.

James “Moose” Fitzgerald
moose@bmtc.net

Message From James “Moose” Fitzgerald

Greetings fellow Nobles and Bandsmen!

Let me introduce myself. I am James “Moose” Fitzgerald. I currently am the 2nd Vice President of the A.S.O.B.

I grew up in Beresford, South Dakota where I currently reside. I left for the U.S. Navy upon graduation from Beresford High School. I served 20 year on active duty (mostly in the Pacific). I retired as a Chief Petty Officer. I returned back to my hometown upon retirement.

In 2009 I was raised a Master Mason. One month later I was initiated as a Shriner with the El Riad Shrine in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The following weekend I marched in my first parade. I was hooked, and I still am.

I have attended many Imperial Sessions where I have met many fellow OBer's. Attending these events I have the great fortune to have met and conversed with every past ASOB President back to the 1997-1998 ASOB President Paul Pante (Sahib), with the exceptions of Charles Duffin (Al Azhar), Len Turner (Karnak), Bob Johnson (Beni Kedem), and Peter Lawn (Gizeh).

I was an aide to Lonnie Merriman (El Riad) and assisted at Imperial for Richard “BIG” Thompson (El Hasa), Vince Bobrosky (Acca), and David McCarthy (Mosla).

I plan is to retire from my current employment at the close of this year and commit to bringing back those bands that have “fallen by the wayside “ over the years.

Remember our Vision “A HEALTHY ORIENTAL BAND COMUMITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN

Remember our Mission “TO PROVIDE THE TOOLS FOR FUN, MUSIC, RECRUITMENT AND FUNDRAISING FOR THE ORIENTAL BAND COMMUNITY”

I know this pandemic put a strain on many bands and moving forward we will regain our strength as an association and gather for competition and fellowship.

I hope to see many of my friends, and make new ones in the upcoming year.

James “Moose” Fitzgerald
e-mail moose@bmtc.net

John Fitzgerald – Election 2022

John Fitzgerald - Running for ASOB First Vice President

Greetings Nobles,

My name is John Fitzgerald, the Director of the Al Kader Oriental Band in Portland, Oregon. I have been in the Shrine since 1996, and part of the Masonic family for four generations in my home lodge, North Bank #182, in Washougal, WA.

Some of my greatest moments with the Oriental Band, and in Shrine in general, have been in working with the hospital in Portland, or visiting other hospitals in Hawaii, Houston, and Spokane to name a few. And of course, some of the most fun times have been in competing at Imperial Session, having jam sessions, helping the boys from Montana clean up the hospitality room one glass at a time.

Because of these great times in the past, and the hope I have for the future, I am putting forth my name to be considered for the position of First Vice President for the next year. The other Noble Fitzgerald and I have had a number of conversations about what we can do for the next couple of years to help build our organization. A shared goal we have is to bring our annual competition back in line with Imperial Session, and to develop a program to draw individual Oriental Bandsmen to come to our events during the Imperial Session. I would like to restructure our competition in a way to draw more bands, soloists, and small group participation. Furthermore, ensuring one or more Jam Sessions to bring in the bandsmen who may be attending with another unit or part of a Divan will be something to advertise.

Speaking of advertisement and communication, my goal for 2022-2023 will be to contact every Shrine center in North America and establish communications with them, as well as take an inventory to help our quartermaster create the database we all want to see on our website. With 5 phone calls per week over 52 weeks, we reckon we can accomplish this goal in one year. Inshallah!

The Al Kader Oriental Band has given so much to me, that I am excited to return what I can for both our band and the national organization.

In the Faith,

John Fitzgerald

2022 Jamboree Cancelled

2022 Jamboree Cancelled

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the ASOB Jamboree scheduled for May 5th to May 7th 2022 in Wichita, Kansas has bee cancelled. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Bill Bailey, ASOB President via email at: avenger@cox.net.
 

President’s Message

Bill Bailey ASOB President

Presidents Message

As your new 2021-2022 President I, like all of you, are hoping the Covid thing is behind us and we can go back to life as close to normal as possible. The Ladder of Smiles did better than expected this last year because Units knew even in bad times the Children are our main reason for being Shriners. I have a modest good of 45,000 for my year and know it only takes a hundred dollar a member to reach that goal.

What we need back in the shrine and the OB is fun. Somewhere along the line some of us got old, now I am not saying everyone but you know who you are and should step up and be proud we have lived this long. A number of our good friends haven’t been so lucky. What we need to try to do is look back when we were more active and try to get that feeling back. People go where they can have a good time and many is the time I and most of you have been sitting around talking the ole times and the fun we had back then. We can’t party like we did in our 20’s for sure but for an hour or two we should be almost as good as we were.

In order for the sweetest music this side of heaven to continue we need of course new members. Look around you again with fresh eyes and see who might make a good bandsman. Check in with your son and your grandson and see if a legacy member is right for you. Call that member who hasn’t been around in a few years and see if you can get him back.

I like the Jamboree format and have enjoyed going these last few years. Let me say this next years will be different. You will be playing music pretty much every day. You will be playing to a large group of people besides our wives and girlfriends. Come to Wichita KS in May and have something to talk about again.

If you have any suggestion on how to make it better my personal email is avenger@cox.net. I am proud to be a Shriner and do the work we do.

Bill Bailey

 

Second Vice President 2020-21 – Grady R. Vandiver, Jr.

Second Vice President 2020-21 – Grady R. Vandiver, Jr.

That is me in the picture located nearby, the new Second Vice President of ASOB International.  Being brought to you by the modern miracles and mysteries of the internet, the new way of doing almost everything.  Hopefully, it will be in person sometime during the ensuing year.

My story started on June 14, 1944, in Lake Charles, LA.  During the next 23 years, I lived in just about every state West of the Mississippi and a few on the Eastside.  Texas and later Oklahoma was considered home base.  In 1967 I mover with wife and daughter to Sand Springs, Oklahoma and this has been home base ever since.  I finished my formal education while living in Sand Springs, OK (near Tulsa) where I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tulsa.

Sand Springs is where I was raised a Master Mason in 1986 and joined the Tulsa Scottish Rite, Akdar Shrine, and the Akdar Shrine Oriental Band shortly thereafter. Through the years I have served as the secretary, treasurer, president, music director, and other positions in the band and have played most of the instruments.

In 2015 I was nominated and elected as the 4th Vice President of CSASOB and just recently became a past President of that organization. Through the years as a member of Akdar Shrine Oriental Band, we won many awards at the Central States meetings including first place in all categories at various times and myself as “Best Director, Small Bands” in 2003.

At the 2019 ASOB Jamboree in Nashville, TN, my second ever Jamboree, myself, and the main drummer for Akdar Shrine Oriental Band managed to win First Place in the Small Band category. Later in the year at the CSSA meeting in Sioux City, Iowa, Akdar joined forces with the India Shrine Oriental Band (Oklahoma City) and we managed to take home First Place in all three categories plus Best Director for medium size bands.

In the coming years, I will be working hard to meet the obligations that go with the position of 2nd Vice President and other positions in the Association of Shrine Oriental Bands.

AS you know our main duty and obligation is to help the Children.  This is primarily through the Ladder of Smiles.  The Ladder of Smiles is our, ASOB, charitable arm that contributes to the support of the main Shrine Hospitals for Children.  Our current ASOB President has set a goal of $50,000 for this year and we will need everyone’s help obtaining this goal.

The best way to keep abreast of the progress toward this goal and the happenings around the Shrine Oriental Band World is by visiting the ASOB web site (ASOB.ORG) often.  Here you will find the history of the ASOB organization and the Oriental Bands in your area and from across the World, current news about the BANDS, and a schedule of upcoming events from across the world of Shrine Oriental Bands.

If anyone out there has any questions or needs any help with/for their Band, please contact me or any of the other ASOB Officers.  We are here to help you and our organization.

Grady R. Vandiver, Jr.
2nd Vice President ASOB