Commander: Chev. John W Neill, KLJ, MMLJ, MPhil, MRTPI, FRHSC(Hon)

Originally from Dublin, Ireland, John joined the Order in 2006 on the invitation of the late Graham Anderson KCLJ GOMLJ, then Vice-Bailiff for British Columbia and Cowichan Herald at the Canadian Heraldic Authority, after moving to British Columbia the previous year. At the time, the then Grand Bailiwick of BC was primarily involved with raising money for palliative care initiatives at hospitals in Saanich and Duncan, on Vancouver Island. A chartered town planner by occupation and a herald of arms by inclination, John served as the Grand Bailiwick’s Judge d’Arms after the demise of Chev. Anderson and, subsequent to British Columbia’s readmittance to the Grand Priory of Canada, holds the position of Vice-Commander for Vancouver Island and serves as the Grand Priory’s Deputy Principal Armorist.
John’s other interests include the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada, where he served as the BC/Yukon Branch President for six years and currently edits the Society’s newsletter Gonfanon as well as the Branch newsletter The Blazon. He is honorary Shenachie to the Fort Victoria Garrison, 78th Fraser Highlanders; a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, to whose Journal he has contributed on heraldic matters. For his services to heraldry at the Provincial level, John was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and was elected an honorary Fellow of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada in 2017.

Vice Commander (Vancouver Island): Chev. David E. Hjalmarson, CD, KCLJ, CMLJ

David, born in Victoria, BC is from a family which has a long history of military service. He served the Canadian Forces as an Airborne Electronic Systems Operator (Anti-submarine warfare) till 1984. While training in Cornwallis, NS in the late 60's, he took up playing the pipes with the RCAF Rockcliffe Band, and later took up fencing and won the men's novice Fencing Tournament in Ottawa in 1971. Retired from the air force with the title of Pipe Major and rank of Master Warrant Office in July 1997, he returned to his parents ranch and indulged his hobby of training horses. His other activities include Guard Commander for the 78th Fraser Highlanders, had escroted HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York on an inspection of the Honourable Guard of the Highland Frasers at the Victoria Highland Games in 2013. Dave was invested into the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem in Kitchener, ON in 1989 and elected as Commander for the BC Commandery in 2011.

Vice Commander (Mainland): Chev. Klaus Priebe, KCLJ, CMLJ

Mr Priebe graduated from T.L. Kennedy High School in Mississauga, Ontario, The University of the Virgin Islands, St Thomas, U.S.V.I. and Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Ontario. He is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia and practiced corporate, commercial and real estate law for 25 years as a partner with Richards, Buell Sutton, Vancouver, B.C. He is a director and officer of many offshore companies and trusts and has a variety of business interests. He is also the Honorary Consul General for Luxembourg in Barbados. He is involved with three international charity organizations, including the Order of St Lazarus. His main hobby is boats.

Secretary: Vincent Pierre Reynolds, MLJ, MMLJ

As one of the Grand Priory’s youngest members, Vincent has been an excellent ambassador for our Order being active locally in his adopted community of Hope BC as a volunteer home support worker, serving as Hon. Secretary to the BC Commandery and representing the Order in the Small Acts of Kindness programme, the results being posted to the Grand Priory’s Facebook page. Vincent is also involved as a first aid responder at his place of work and hold the appropriate qualification from the Justice Institute of BC.

Treasurer: Connor W. Massey, CLJ

The youngest member of the BC Commandery, Connor has been involved in various aspects of community service in British Columbia including the Air Cadets of Canada, Variety - the Children’s Charity and, though his involvement with freemasonry, the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children, Canada. A member of the Union Club of British Columbia (located in his hometown of Victoria) and a former kilt-maker, he is currently involved in the film industry and is an Associate Member of the Director’s Guild of Canada.

Hospitaller: Dr. W. Paul Loofs, CD, KCLJ(J), KMLJ

Wolfgang Paul Loofs was born in Germany in 1929 and lived through the Third Reich period and World War Two. He escaped from the then Soviet occupation zone right after graduating in Leipzig in 1947. After four more years in Europe, he emigrated to Canada and had two careers: twenty years in the mining industry in British Columbia, during which he also made three solo trips around the world in his 1955 Volkswagen Beetle (documented in a half-hour film by Volkswagen Canada – Once More the story of VIN903847), and another twenty years with the federal government in Ottawa as a translator and revisor. Paul has been a life-long blood donor and later volunteer director with the Canadian Red Cross, served for many years with the Canadian Army Reserves and the St. John Ambulance Brigade and was the foster parent to several Central American children. In later years he resumed his studies and earned a PhD at the age of 68. He was invested into the Order of St. Lazarus in 1999 and served mostly as BC Hospitaller. For the last thirty-five years, Paul has volunteered for over one hundred medical missions to Latin America, the last one at age ninety.

Chaplain and Ecumenism: Rev. Stephen Hollander, AChLJ

Fr. Stephen was ordained to the priesthood in 2002. In conjunction with his clerical formation, he pursued a course of studies in palliative care, receiving a post-diploma certificate from Algonquin College, Ontario. Since his ordination, he has served as a volunteer chaplain in hospitals in British Columbia. In his earlier years, Fr. Stephen was a forensic accountant in independent practice, and in his spare time, he pursues assorted topics related to the mythology of the Ancient Near East and to the thaumaturgic practices of Medieval Europe. Fr. Stephen, who is now semi-retired, serves as pastor of a small community in the Lower Mainland of B.C.