C. Fred Kleinknecht was employed by the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States for 56 years, 18 of them as its Grand Secretary and the final 18 as Sovereign Grand Commander of this oldest of the world's Scottish Rite governing bodies.

Although Sovereign Grand Commanders customarily serve for life he chose to retire in the autumn of 2003 and was succeeded by Ronald A. Seale, previously the Council's active member for Louisiana.