DENNIS MARK HAAS
Email: pgc2023@vatemplars.com
Grand Commander
2023-2024
Dennis Mark Haas was born on December 29, 1961, in Winchester, Virginia, located in the Northern Shenandoah Valley area in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He is the youngest of four children born of the late Thomas Elbert Haas, Sr., and Joan Patricia Pingley. He grew up in the Winchester, VA area and attended Frederick County Public Schools until his Junior year where he transferred to the Shenandoah Valley Christian Academy. He graduated with an Advanced Academic Diploma in 1980.
Dennis began his career as a Law Enforcement Officer in 1982 with the Winchester, Virginia Police Department as a Patrol Officer. He accepted a position as Deputy Sheriff with the Frederick County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office in 1985 and worked there until 1996. He was President of a private security service business licensed to provide executive protection and security services in multiple states employing over one-hundred armed security agents, officers, and support staff. He accepted a position as Facilities Manager with the National Wildlife Federation until 2002. After the attacks on 9/11 he began his career as a Federal Agent with the United States Federal government.
Mr. Haas currently serves as the Chief, National Continuity Readiness Center, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Office of National Continuity Programs, and has served in this capacity since 2012. His responsibilities are to develop plans, coordinate, synchronize, and execute contingency operations, analyze and report on all indicators watch and warning systems to ensure the continuation of Primary Mission Essential Functions of United States Federal Executive Branch in the event of a national crisis or catastrophic event.
Prior to current assignment he served as the Deputy Chief Security Officer and Chief Security Officer (Acting) for the United States Department of Homeland Security (USDHS), Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Mr. Haas began his federal service career with the United States Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service (USDOJ, INS) in January 2002. Serving as Supervisory Special Agent-In-Charge, he was responsible for developing, implementing, and executing Protective Operations and Intelligence Program for the Commissioner of the INS. He later absorbed similar missions for the USDHS Under Secretary for Boarder and Transportation Security, the USDHS Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the USDHS Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Mr. Haas served in various law enforcement positions with the Winchester, VA Police Department, and the Frederick County, VA Sheriff’s Office dating back to 1982. His assignments included Patrol Officer, Deputy Sheriff, Criminal Intelligence and Investigations, UC Narcotics, K-9, Special Weapons and Tactics, Field Training and Evaluation, Firearms Instructor, and Driver Training Instructor. He retired from law enforcement as a Lieutenant in 1996 to pursue a private sector security service including Armed Officers, Private Investigations, Executive Protection Services, and instructor for the Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program (ATAP) with the United States Department of State, Diplomatic Security Services as an Advance Driver Training Instructor with BSR, Inc. in Summit Point, WV.
As a result of the terrorist’s attacks on September 11, 2001, he deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the CJTF-76 and is a recipient of the United States Department of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Award for Excellence.
Dennis began his masonic career in 2010 and was initiated, passed, and raised in Unity Lodge No. 146 in Front Royal, VA. He served as Commander of Luray Commandery No. 19 (renamed Jeffrey Glen Burcham Commandery in 2024) in 2015. District Deputy Grand Commander in 2016 and 2018. He was nominated as Grand Warder in 2018 and served as Grand Commander in 2023. He was designated as Knight Commander of the Temple in 2019 and still serves as Treasurer in Jeffrey Glen Burcham Commandery No. 19.
Dennis was recognized and awarded Grand Masters Award of Excellence, Outstanding Worshipful Master in 2013, Grand Masters Award of Excellence, Outstanding District Deputy Grand Master in 2019, Grand High Priest Award of Excellence, Outstanding District Deputy Grand High Priest in 2015, and Grand Commandery Charles Augustus Grice Meritorious Service Award in 2017.
He currently serves on the Grand Lodge, A.F & A.M., of Virginia Committee on Masonic Trials and is Chairman, Committee on Communications (formerly Public Relations, 2025), Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons in Virginia, Chairman, Committee on York Rite Unity and a member of the Public Relations Committee. Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Virginia, Chairman, Committee on the Knight Templar Museum and York Rite Building. Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, USA, Chairman, Committee on Membership and serves on the Committee on Preserving Templary.
He has been recognized and the recipient of numerous honors and awards to include the Order of the Purple Cross in August 2018, Knight Commander of the Temple in January 2019, Ish Sodi Award in November 2020, and in May 2023 he was awarded the Knight of York Grand Cross of Honor. In September 2023, he was invested Knight Commander Court of Honor 32° K.C.C.H. Orient of West Virginia, Valley of Martinsburg, the, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. Dennis was elected to receive the DeMolay Honorary Legion of Honor – DeMolay International and was invested on July 20, 2025, in Richmond, Virginia.
He was appointed and installed on August 3, 2024, as Deputy Grand Governor, York Rite Sovereign College of North America, Virginia Jurisdiction.
