The North Carolina Mason

S ometimes, a lunch isn't just a lunch. For Joseph Kirkman Transou, a third-generation Mason known statewide for his dedication to the Craft and his philanthropic barbecue skills, a recent lunch became so much more than a quick meal. Then-Deputy Grand Master Kevan Frazier called out of the blue one day to ask Transou – better known to his brethren as "Joey" – to join him for lunch to talk about Frazier's plans for Masonic charities during his upcoming year in the East. "About 45 minutes into the lunch," Transou said, "I thought we had hashed out all the concerns and ideas we had, when he said, 'There's one more question I'd like you to consider.'" And with that, he asked Transou to accept appointment to the Grand Line as Junior Grand Steward. After he recovered from the shock, "I began to list all the reasons why my selection would be a bad idea," he said with a laugh. He asked for some time to streamline his schedule and plans, then accepted with humility. Generally, junior Grand Line Officers are more involved in travel and attendance at functions these days than they were years ago. The position is entirely voluntary and unpaid. They do the work for the love of the Craft. As officers move up in the line, responsibilities increase. Transou was raised in 1982 by his father, Billy, at West Bend #434. He is now an endowed lifetime member there and at Hiram #40 where he affiliated after graduating from North Carolina State University with a bachelor of science in computer science. He was master at Hiram in 1989. He is also a member of Salem #289. After graduation, he worked for EMC Corp. as a software developer and manager for operating system software development supporting hardware platforms until 2003. He moved back to his hometown of Winston-Salem in 2003 and joined his father in real estate brokerage. The elder Transou died in 2011, and Joey continues to operate Transou Realty. He was instrumental with introducing computer technology to numerous projects supporting Masonic projects. He has served on numerous Masonic board and committees, including the board of directors at the Masonic Home for Children and WhiteStone: A Masonic and Eastern Star Community. He has been a major successful fundraiser for both charities and for his church. "There's an element of fellowship and camaraderie that you don't have in some other kinds of fundraising. Barbecuing takes a long time. It affords an opportunity to have deep, fun, nice conversations around the pit," he said. It also helps when kids get involved. Learning to barbecue pays things forward, he says. The time and effort it takes can help form their adult lives. Transou Appointed to Grand Line 18 | T H E M A S O N M AGA Z I N E

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