Leadership

Garrett S. Chan

Grand Master of Grand Lodge of California

It’s no exaggeration to say Garrett Chan has spent a lifetime in Masonry, from his time as an active member of the youth orders all the way through his service to multiple blue lodges, the Grand Lodge, and several other Masonic organizations.

A third-generation Mason, Bro. Chan followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, Ralph Leo, his father, Hendry Chan, and his brother, Stephen Chan, all of whom were Masons. Additionally, his grandmother was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and his sister, Lauren Chan-Welch, is past honored queen of Bethel No. 37 of Job’s Daughters.

Bro. Chan’s Masonic career began at 13 years old, when he was initiated into San Francisco Chapter of the Order of DeMolay in 1976. There, he became deeply involved in DeMolay, serving as chapter master councilor and later as master councilor of the Pacific Division and senior councilor for Northern California. He was later invested with the DeMolay Chevalier and the DeMolay Legion of Honor awards.

In 1984, he followed his brother into Masonry in United No. 374 (now Pacific-Starr King No. 136). Garrett Chan was raised there in 1985 and was elected master of the lodge in 1992. Shortly thereafter, he was elected president of the Chinese Acacia Club, the venerable San Francisco Chinese American Masonic organization, and still serves as its director of ritual. In 2000, he affiliated with California No. 1, where he has served as a trustee for the past several years. He is also a charter member of Columbia Historic Lodge.

Since then, Bro. Chan has frequently been tapped by the Grand Lodge to serve on various boards and committees. His service includes sitting on the board of the Nob Hill Masonic Center since 2009 (where he was chairman and president from 2015-18), as well as the boards of the Masonic Homes (since 2014), California Masonic Memorial Temple (since 2022), Acacia Creek (since 2024), and the California Masonic Foundation. He’s also served on the Grand Lodge Executive Committee since 2022, the Grand Lodge Activities Committee, the Temple Properties and Taxation Committee, and the Credentials Committee. In 2018, he was appointed grand bible bearer and in 2022 was elected to the grand line, beginning as junior grand warden. In 2024, he was elected deputy grand master.

In addition to his work for the Grand Lodge, Bro. Chan is keenly involved in many other Masonic bodies, including the Scottish Rite, York Rite, Shrine, and Red Cross of Constantine. He’s also served as director of the DeMolay Foundation of California and previously served as chapter advisor for DeMolay’s San Francisco Chapter.

A lifelong San Franciscan, Bro. Chan graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in business administration and worked for 38 years in new construction real estate sales as vice president of sales and marketing for Pacific Marketing Associates and Lennar, a national homebuilder firm. He was also active in his children’s schools as chairman of their marketing and fundraising committees, sitting on the school’s board, and serving as president of the parents’ association for several years.

He and his wife, JoMay, still live in San Francisco and have two adult sons, both of whom are now senior DeMolays.