Perry Casazza
Past State Master Councilor 1993-1994
Sr. DeMolay James A. Guest Chapter, Burlington, IA
Initiated into DeMolay 1988
DeMolay Awards
Legion of Honor, Active
Degree of Chevalier
Representative DeMolay Award
Iowa DeMolay MVP
Education
Burlington Community High School 1991
University of Alabama - BS Secondary Math Education 1999
Drake University Law School - JD 2002
Career Path
After graduating from high school, I attended Iowa State University, eventually dropping out and moving to Alabama in 1995. I enrolled at the University of Alabama with the intention of teaching high school mathematics, but during my senior year I was inspired by an attorney with the Alabama Department of Education to apply for law school and enrolled on a scholarship the following year. After graduating law school, I took a job with the then Executive Officer of Minnesota DeMolay, Tony Krall. I moved to Arizona a year later, and have been practicing law, primarily in the area of personal injury defense, since 2004.
Accomplishments in Profession
- Published in Drake Law Review; Drake University Law School 2003
Favorite DeMolay Memory
I have two favorite memories. My first was receiving a letter in the mail from Executive Officer Denny Huston informing me that I had been selected to receive the Degree of Chevalier at Conclave 1992. My second was when our Chapter swept the four big awards in the same year – Chapter of Year, Advisor of the Year, DeMolay of the Year, and M.V.P. Our Chapter was very proud of that accomplishment, and the cartoon I drew for our Chapter newsletter to commemorate it, featuring the infamous “J.A.G. Trophy Truck,” is a part of Iowa DeMolay lore.
How has DeMolay impacted your life?
DeMolay made me a better person regarding public speaking, organizational skills, and planning. But more importantly, DeMolay gave me a great role model in our Chapter Dad, Rod Cary. Because I was the son of a single mother, Dad Cary was the primary male influence for me during my formative years. He was one of the handful of people whom I have met throughout my life that I would call inherently decent. He not only demanded that we respect the bulwarks of the Order, but also demanded that we respect and honor women. I think about him every day and consciously strive to emulate his decency in my own life.
Parting Words of Wisdom
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. ~ Wayne Gretzky