Paul Berndt is the new Captain of the Guard of the Divan.
Paul has been living in the Sioux Falls area since 2006. Before that Aberdeen and Dell Rapids. Paul has been in the technology field for most of his career, graduating from Southeast Technical Institute with degrees in Network and Systems Administration, working for a local computer store and now for the last 17 years as a Network Administrator for Aberdeen and Brandon Valley school districts.
Paul is a father to a son, Robert, who lives in Bloomington, MN and works for a commercial electrical installer and will be finishing his internship/journeyman’s this spring.
In 2012, Paul was raised as a Master Mason in Unity Lodge. Paul joined El Riad in the fall of 2012. He joined the Directors Staff where he has served as President (2017) and Temple Director (2018-2019). A few years later he joined the Hillbillies Outhouse where he currently serves as their Keeper of the Still. Paul has also served as a Potes Aide from 2014 to 2018 and as Chief Potes Aide for Illustrious Sir John Whitelock in 2019. Paul was honored to receive the In-Town Shriner of the Year award in the Fall of 2019. In 2020 Paul served as Chaplain for Illustrious Sir Al Zahn.
Paul’s journey thru the sands started when his son was playing hockey for a local Sioux Falls team and he met fellow hockey dads – Nobels Ron Knott and Scott Denney, who convinced him that after his son’s high school graduation he wouldn’t have anything else to do – so he might as well learn a new craft and help serve Shriners Hospitals for Children. Since then, Paul has benefited from many of the friendships of his brothers, their families, and from the endless opportunities to give back to the children in our community.