Supreme Council
The Supreme Council, 33°, for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction is the governing body for Scottish Rite Freemasonry. With its headquarters in Lexington, Massachusetts, the Supreme Council is a board of directors comprised of some fifty 33° Masons, called "Active Members." The chief executive officer's title is Sovereign Grand Commander.
Each of the 15 states within the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction has an Active Member designated as a "Deputy," who is the executive officer for the Rite within his state. He is supported by the remaining Active Members of the state. There is at least one Active Member in addition to the Deputy in each state. Some states have as many as five Active Members. The purposes of the Supreme Council are clearly defined in its Declaration of Principles.
The Northern Masonic Jurisdiction oversees the bodies in 15 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Vermont. In the Northern Jurisdiction the Supreme Council consists of no more than 66 members.
The Supreme Council meets on an annual basis, at which time the business of the Rite is transacted and the 33° is conferred on those who have been elected to receive this honor. From a membership of more than 200,000 32° Masons, less than 3,500 have been elevated to the 33°, for which they have been given the title of "Honorary Member." Within each state are local Valleys, where degrees from the 4° - 32° are conferred.