Profile of a Mason

Ryan Hurley Driber, 32° KCCH

Ryan Hurley Driber was born in Florida. At age 4, his family moved to Tennessee where he remains today. He is a graduate of Father Ryan, a private Catholic high school. While attending Middle Tennessee State University his intellectual curiosity led him to a broad spectrum of curricula. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy in 2017. He claims his search for the deeper questions of life were stimulated when he became a Mason in 2003 in Hiram Lodge #7. He has since transferred his membership to West Nashville Phoenix Lodge #131 where he is active in lodge activities.

Ryan joined the Scottish Rite in 2004. He became active in the 17th°, initially as the Orator, and conferred the degree as Venerable Master in 2011. That degree is recognized as the first of the philosophical Scottish Rite degrees, exactly in tune with Ryan’s interest and education. He says he uses that degree to entice Scottish Rite members who share his intellectual attraction to the search for knowledge.

Stimulated by the dogma taught in his Catholic high school, and the rationalism of philosophy, he feels that Freemasonry offers more insight to the meaning of life by using both faith and reason together as complementary concepts. He feels he has developed a unique perspective on many ideas found within the Lodge. He has become very active in Masonic education as a founding member of the Society of Masonic Orators and Litterateurs, a group attracted to the esoteric Masonic teachings.

Ryan feels that the logic taught by philosophy made him a natural to become an IT professional. His duties with his employer include Systems Administrator, Desktop Engineering, and IT Procurement. He is employed by Vardiman Black, an enterprise that specializes in dental applications.

Ryan Driber is an example of the attraction Masonry offers to society today. Even though times have changed, or as some may say, “things are different today “, Masonry continues to be a beacon of reason to the challenges of daily life. We are proud to have him as a member and free-thinker of our fraternity.