Grand Junior Deacon

John Nicolas Malliarakis was born on August 21, 1958 in Newport News, Virginia, the son of Captain (and Brother) Nicolas and Julia Malliarakis. Brother Malliarakis grew up in Newport News where he graduated from high school in 1976. He attended the Calhoon School of Marine Engineering in Baltimore, graduating in 1980, and began his career as a shipboard engineer sailing worldwide on various American Flag merchant ships for 20 years. He eventually rose from 3^rd Assistant Engineer to Chief Engineer of Steam, Motor and Gas Turbine Vessels of any horsepower. In 2000, he transitioned to Port Engineer overseeing, and managing, the maintenance and repair of numerous large deep-sea merchant ships which included all aspects of policy implementation, ship repair, and writing the specifications for leading and managing multi-million-dollar dry dock availabilities. He retired from the maritime industry in 2021 after forty years of service.

Following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather, and great grandfather, Brother Malliarakis was Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on May 10, 1990, in Warwick Lodge No. 336 where he is a Legacy Member in Perpetuity and current serves as Trustee. He served this Lodge as Worshipful Master in 2013 and 2019 and was the Lodge Instructor of Work in 2017 and Chaplain in 2022. Brother Malliarakis was appointed to serve as District Deputy Grand Master of Masonic District 14B in 2018 and was awarded the Grand Master’s Award of Excellence by Most Worshipful Gary Wallace Taylor. Brother Malliarakis was appointed as the MAHOVA Ambassador for the 14^th Masonic District and served in that capacity for four years. Brother Malliarakis was appointed to serve as Grand Pursuivant by Most Worshipful Donald Ellis Strehle in 2023 and was elected to the office of Grand Junior Deacon in November of 2024.

Brother Malliarakis is a member of the Valley of Newport News, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Warwick Royal Arch Chapter No. 80, and Hampton Commandery No. 17, where he served as Commander in 1997 and 2001, the Hampton Roads York Rite College No. 95, Emerald Isle Council, Knight Masons, the Khedive Shrine Center and the Peninsula Shrine Club, and in 2023 was appointed to serve as Virginia’s representative to the Masonic Renewal Committee of North America.

Brother Malliarakis and his wife, the former Deborah Kay Rust, were married on August 25, 1984, and are active members of the Saints Constentine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Newport News where Brother Malliarakis served on the Parish Council for two years and where Deborah continues to be involved with several church-oriented lady’s organizations. John and Debbie have one daughter, Evangeline, and her husband Tore DeBella of Alexandria, Virginia, and one son, Nicolas, and his wife Lauren of Reston, Virginia, who blessed John and Debbie with their grandson, John.