Grand Master Douglas L. “Doug” Wilkinson was born and raised in Belleville, Kansas. Doug spent most of his early years with his maternal grandparents. Doug says his interests from a young age centered around raising cattle (farming) and building things; he had little interest in school and found it incredibly boring. While other students were participating in band class, Doug was developing his first manufacturing and distribution concepts. As he continued through school, his thoughts and actions were not often focused on his studies but on small business-like concepts to improve processes, training others, or to hustle up some extra money for himself.

With a local teacher vouching for him, Doug received a books and tuition scholarship to play football at Dodge City Community College. Following Dodge City, he was offered a football scholarship at Valparaiso University in Indiana, which he turned down because his girlfriend’s father wouldn’t let her transfer from Emporia State Teacher’s College to travel with him. Doug ended up accepting a scholarship from Emporia State to stay close to his girlfriend. College life at Emporia lasted 4 hours, and Doug took a job at a local manufacturing plant as a general laborer. In June 1978, his girlfriend, Kayleen, became his wife. 

By age 26, Doug was vice president of manufacturing and, ultimately, vice president of industrial operations for a company that owned several facilities in the United States and Canada. He studied at Kansas State and holds several professional certifications. In 1989, he moved back home to Belleville, kept honing his skills, and helped develop adult and youth education programs ranging from reading comprehension to trade skill development.

In 2000, Doug began working at Reinke Manufacturing Company, currently the world’s largest privately held irrigation company. Reinke had only one small manufacturing plant in Deshler, Nebraska, with limited distribution when he started. He helped the company grow and expand its reach across America and the world. He is currently the Director of Manufacturing/Operations, overseeing all global manufacturing and distribution operations. While still headquartered in Deshler, Nebraska, Doug oversees four manufacturing facilities, including those in China and South Africa; he also oversees three domestic and multiple worldwide distribution centers.

Our one hundred fifty-fourth Grand Master of Kansas joined the Craft in February of 1980 and, having memorized and proven up on the required work, became a Master Mason on March 20, 1980. In 1995, he tested and received his Ritualist and Ritualist First Class (A & B card) proficiency ranking. He is currently working on the Senior Deacon part of the Fellow Craft degree and hopes to test for his Senior Ritualist (M-card) in the near future. He is a Past Master of Belleville Lodge No. 129 and Narka Lodge No. 349 and a plural member of Marysville Lodge No. 91. He served the Kansas Craft as a District Deputy Grand Master in 1997, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Besides his passion for Freemasonry, our Grand Master’s other hobby and passion is a small Angus cow herd he has developed over the years. Doug and Kayleen have now been married for 45 years, have three adult children, and still live in Belleville.