Jeffrey L. Sowder
Imperial Outer Guard
Shriners International Imperial Guard
Jeffrey L. Sowder is currently serving his first year as a member of the Boards of Directors for Shriners International and Shriners Hospitals for Children. He was elected during the Shriners’ 2009 annual international convention – or Imperial Council Session – held in San Antonio July 5-9. He is serving as Imperial Outer Guard, part of the 13-member body that helps govern the Shriners fraternity.
Sowder was born and raised on a ranch near Toronto, Kan., and still lives there today. He operates four separate agricultural related corporations, including a 450-head cow/calf operation; retail feed business serving ranchers throughout the Flint Hills of Kansas; wholesale cattle mineral business with distribution in four states; and a multi-faceted agricultural wholesale/retail business in Wichita, Kan.
Sowder was raised as a Master Mason in 1975 in Woodson Lodge #121 in Toronto, Kan. He served as Master of his lodge in 1981, 1983, 1991 and 1992. After many Grand Lodge appointments, including District Deputy Grand Master, Area Deputy Grand Master, Chairman of the Grand Lodge Membership Committee and serving as an appointive Grand Officer on three separate occasions, he was elected Grand Junior Warden in 1994 and served as Grand Master of Kansas in 1997.
In 1999, he served as Captain of the Guard for Midian Shriners in Wichita, Kan., and in 2000 he was elected Oriental Guide. He served as Potentate of Midian Shriners in 2004. He is the personal representative for the Wichita Scottish Rite Valley in Wichita, Kan., and is the President of the Kansas Masonic Foundation.
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