VWBro Prof Den Wilson was appointed and installed as Deputy Provincial Grand Master on 4th September 2008

He was made a Mason on 14th June 1973 in Palatine Lodge No 97. He was Master of that Lodge in 1982, of Sunderland Lodge No 4114 in 1998, and of Wear Lecture Lodge No 7248 in 2004

His first appointment in Provincial Grand Lodge was to the office of Past Provincial Senior Grand Deacon in 1991.  Promoted to Past Provincial Grand Registrar in 1997 and then to Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 2002, he was Provincial Senior Grand Warden in 2005 until his appointment as Assistant Provincial Grand Master on 5th May 2006 when he had responsibly for the east area

In Grand Lodge he was invested as Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in 2003, promoted to Past Senior Grand Deacon in 2006 and to Past Grand Sword Bearer in 2009

Den was born in Norfolk in 1943 while his father was serving there in the RAF, moving as a baby to the families’ home town of Sunderland after the 2nd world war and where he still lives with his wife Dorothy

In employment Den initially followed his father’s interest in flying machines, training as an engineer in the aircraft industry.  He later transferred his skills to the electronics industry, manufacturing resistors for “Electrosil”, a subsidiary of Corning

Whilst at Corning he trained in management and was responsible for all production operations, in due course becoming a lecturer in management at the then Sunderland Polytechnic business school.  By the 1980’s he was Director of the Business School and played a major role in the development of the St Peters Campus of the University of Sunderland.  In 1993 the University conferred a Professorship on him, his specialist areas being Quality and Management Development

Since his retirement from the University in 1995 he has run his own training and education company which has enabled him to continue his interest in management development.  In 1998 the University honoured him with the conferment of an Emeritus Professorship in respect of his “Distinguished service to Higher Education and the University”

Away from work and Freemasonry he is a keen golfer and committed grandfather.  The latter duty involves extensive travel as 2 of his 3 daughters live away in Wales and Guernsey.  His youngest daughter has followed him into education and is a head teacher in Washington.  She is also an accomplished singer and emulating her fathers support of charity has released a CD in support of cancer research

As Deputy Provincial Grand Master his duty is to generally support and deputise for the Provincial Grand Master with specific oversight of the Provincial office and administrative function including being Chair of the finance committee.  He is an ex-officio member of all committees and working groups in the province

VWBro Wilson is actively involved in several other Masonic orders including the Mark Degree in which he was Deputy Provincial Grand Master for 8 years and the Royal and Select Masters as the current Deputy District Grand Master