Ronald G. Andress was born 13 March 1948 in Fairfield Alabama to James F. and Pauline Andress and lived in Bessemer, AL until 1959, when he moved with his family to Tuscaloosa, AL. where he has resided ever since.  He came from a Masonic family with his parents fully involved in Masonry. His father was a Mason, York Rite, Scottish Rite, Shriner and Eastern Star member. His mother was an Eastern Star, and White Shrine member.

He started his Masonic career in the DeMolays when he joined the Black warrior Chapter. He went on to become a Chevalier, Cross of Honor and Legion of Honor. He joined Von Bayer Lodge #699 in 1969 and served as its Master twice. He later took a dual membership with Rising Virtue Lodge #4 and served as its Master also. He obtained his Grand Lodge proficiency certificate in 1998 and became District Lecturer of District 28; he advanced to the Committee on Work and served as its Chairman in 2006. He was elected Junior Grand Warden in 2007 and has progressed through the line to be elected to the office of Grand Master on 10 November 2010.

He became a member of the Birmingham Valley of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction in 1988 where he has served as Venerable Master and Commander of the Court of Honor, and is presently Director of Work for the Valley. He was honored with Knight Commander Court of Honor in 1993 and received the 33rd Degree in 1999.

He is a member of the Tuscaloosa York Rite Bodies where he has served as the head of all three bodies. He is a KYCH and is presently Grand Chaplain of the Grand Chapter of the Grand York Rite of Alabama. He is also a member of Zamora Shrine, Knight Masons, Dinar Grotto, Clara Blackman Chapter Order of the Eastern Star, Jerusalem Tabernacle XXXII, Royal Order of Scotland, and is presently Sovereign of the St. Dunstan Conclave Red Cross of Constantine.

He retired from BF Goodrich in 2008 where he worked for 40 years as an electrician and Metrology Lab Administrator, and served as coordinator of the Adopt-A-School program for 15 years. He also served on the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama’s Adopt-A-School Program.

He retired from the military as a Master Sergeant after 37 ½ years service. During his career, he served in several different specialties, mostly as an engineer, with his last assignment as Operations Sergeant of 62nd Troop Command in Montgomery.

He is a member of Alberta Baptist Church.