- Biography -
January 2006

     Most Worshipful and Illustrious Brother Stovall was born and raised in Long Beach, California where he graduated from the public schools. He attended Long Beach City College until his studies were interrupted by the Korean War. After his discharge from the Air Force he returned to City College and completed his Associate Arts degree in business. He continued his education with a Bachelors Degree in Finance from Cal State University Long Beach, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from USC. He is a graduate of the Delinquency Control Institute at USC, and the FBI National Academy at Quantico, Virginia and taught in the History and Government department at Long Beach City College for nine years.

     His father was Chief of Police and Mayor for the City of Signal Hill. His son, Michael, is a retired Long Beach Police Sergeant, and is now an investigator for the Los Angeles District Attorney. His daughter, Carol, and a grand daughter, Leslie, are on the Riverside Sheriff's Department. He served 30-years with the Long Beach Police Department, retiring in 1987 as Deputy Chief of Police, and was a member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, and the FBI National Academy Associates. During those years he also served as Long Beach Assistant Fire Chief and Long Beach City Personnel Services Officer. In 1989 he was listed in Who's Who in California, and in 1990 was honored as "Chief of Police of the Year" by the International Union of Police Associations AFL-CIO.

     He was raised a Master Mason at midnight, September 16, 1967 in his father's lodge, Queen Beach #540, a daylight lodge in Long Beach. He served as Master of his lodge in 1972 and again in 1976 and was officers coach for several years. He is now a member of Long Beach Lodge #327.

     In the Grand Lodge of California, he was appointed Grand Standard Bearer for 1978, Grand Marshal for 1981, and District Inspector in 1982 where he served for 9-years, until his election as Junior Grand Warden in October 1991. He progressed through the elective offices and in October, 1994 he was elected and installed as Grand Master. While Grand Master he introduced the Masonic Model Student Assistance Training Program to California, which has been a major success in the training of public school teachers to work with children at-risk.

     He has also served the Grand Lodge of California as a Trustee of the Masonic Homes Board, the California Masonic Foundation, the California Masonic Memorial Temple, and was a Founding Director of the Nob Hill Masonic Management Corporation. He served on the Warden's Retreat Committee, and was President of the National Masonic Foundation for Children in Washington D.C., serving that foundation for 9-years. He was awarded the Medalion of MASON OF THE YEAR by the Grand Lodge of the State of Washington in 2002 for his work on the Student Assistance Program in the U.S. He is presently a member of the California Grand Lodge Policy and General Purposes Committee.

     In the Scottish Rite Valley of Long Beach, he was Venerable Master in 1981 and was coroneted with the 33rd degree Inspector General Honorary in 1983. He has been the Inspector General's Personal Representative, Vice-president and Advisor to the Long Beach Childhood Language Disorders Center, President and member of the Long Beach Cathedral Association, a Director of the California Scottish Rite Foundation, and Director of the Honors Ritual for the Orient of California, southern area for 20-years. He was appointed as Deputy of the Supreme Council for the Orient of California effective January 1, 2006 and Sovereign Grand Inspector General, Orient of California, 2007.

     A member of El Bekal Shrine Temple in Anaheim, he served on the Board of Governors of the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, Los Angeles, for 9-years and is now an emeritus member of that board.

     He was President of the Signal Hill Hi-Twelve Club and the Long Beach Masonic Service Bureau, Sovereign of St. Croix Conclave of the Red Cross of Constantine, and Sovereign Master of the St. John Chapter of Allied Masonic Degrees. He is a member of Southern California Research Lodge, the Long Beach Masonic Club, the Long Beach Past Masters Club, the Chapter, Council and Commandry of the Long Beach York Rite, the Royal Order of Scotland, the Robert The Bruce Society, the California College of the Society of Rosicrucians, the Los Alamitos Chapter of the National Sojourners, the Heros of 76, the Southern California Past Masters Association, and the San Bernardino Hi-Twelve Club.

     He is a Senior DeMolay with life membership in Long Beach Searchlight Chapter. He is an Active member of the DeMolay Legion of Honor, and is Past President of a chapter of Dream Factory, Inc.

     In his civic activities he was President of the Long Beach Downtown Optimist Club, President of the Community Rehabilitation Industries, President and Chairman of the Board of the Travelers Aid Society of Southern Los Angeles and Orange Counties, and was an officer of the Long Beach Coordinating Council. PTA. He was on the Board of Governors of the Downtown Long Beach YMCA, of Los Altos Hospital of Long Beach, and of Doctors Hospital of Lakewood. He was Vice President of the Retired Police and Fire Association of America and is a life member of American Legion Post #496. He was honored as GRADUATE OF THE YEAR in 1995 by the Long Beach Committee on Public Schools Week Celebration.