Anniversary Lodge of Research No. 175
Free and Accepted Masons
Grand Lodge of New Hampshire
About the Worshipful Master
Masonic History
Paul Michael Patrick Kelley began his sojourn in Masonry in November 2000, in his Mother Lodge, Saint James No. 102 in Hampton, New Hampshire, at the age of 43, and was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in February 2001. For 2002, Worshipful Master Brother Bob Schreier asked him to join his line of officers as the Junior Steward. It was a ‘lean’ year for officers and in 2003, Brother Kelley assumed the Junior Warden’s Chair, in 2004 the Senior Warden's, and finally in 2005 the Oriental Chair in the East. Brother Kelley was the youngest Mason, in Masonic years, from Saint James Lodge to reach the East, since he was a Mason but 4 years when he became Master of his Lodge. He was mentored along his journey to the East by Brother Andrew F. Hirst, a Past Master of both Saint James and Anniversary Lodge of Research. A strong friendship developed and to this day Brother Hirst encourages Brother Kelley to continue to learn history and ritual.
In 2006, Brother Kelley was the recipient of the Major General John Sullivan Medal in Bronze. It was presented to him by then Most Worshipful Grand Master David J. Lamprey, Sr.
Brother Kelley had a yearning for further light in Masonry and became a 32° Scottish Rite Mason. He has played minor roles in some of the degrees and is currently the Junior Warden of John Christie Council, Princes of Jerusalem, Valley of Portsmouth-Dover. In 2003, Brother Kelley joined the New Hampshire Police Square Club, and in 2006 served as its president. He is also an active member and past president of the East Gate Club, of the Greater Seacoast Area. He is also an honorary life member of the National Sojourners, Portsmouth Chapter No. 386, and a Shriner of Bektash Temple in Concord, N.H.
Professional
Brother Kelley earned the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (magna cum laude) from New Hampshire College (now the University of Southern New Hampshire) in 1993.
He is employed by the State of New Hampshire as the Director of the Racing and Charitable Gaming Commission. In his capacity as Director, a position he has held since 1995, he is responsible for over-seeing all legalized gambling (except the lottery) in New Hampshire. Currently he is responsible for administering this agency that regulates over $300,000,000 in sales per year. Brother Kelley started with the Commission on September 2, 1987, previous to which he worked at several pari-mutuel facilities both within and outside the state of New Hampshire.
Brother Kelley is involved in civic affairs as the current chairman of the Seabrook Housing Authority, overseeing 80 units of elderly housing, serving the Town of Seabrook as Town Moderator and School Moderator, and as Vice Chairman of the Seabrook Library Trustees. He was instrumental in the building of the modern Seabrook Town Library.
Personal
Brother Kelley was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts in December 1956, living with his parents in North Andover, Massachusetts, and summering in Seabrook Beach since 1962. In 1974 he became a year-round resident of Seabrook Beach where he still lives today. Brother Kelley is a confirmed bachelor. In his spare time, he loves to travel and does so frequently. He has sailed the Nile in Egypt and gone on several safaris in South Africa. He has traveled several times through the British West Indies, and visited Venezuela in South America. Brother Kelley has toured Italy extensively, having a love of the city of Venice. He has traveled throughout Ireland, the homeland of his grandparents.