Getting to Know Each Other

Somebody had to be first. Thanks Kurt for the bio. j
Kurt M. Hoffmann

Kurt Hoffmann was born in April of 1979 in Des Moines, Iowa. The oldest of three children, he spent much of his youth active in the Boy Scouts, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout; Tae Kwon Do, attaining the rank of second degree black belt; and soccer.

He graduated fro Urbandale High School in 1997, having spent many of his summers in Western Europe, learning both German and Spanish. Upon high school graduation, we matriculated to Grand View College, were he was to study Criminal Justice. After one year at Grand View College in Des Moines, he transferred to Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. There he majored in both Criminal Justice and Spanish, and minored in Management. His studies there led him to time abroad in Mexico and throughout Western Europe. After completing his Bachelor of Arts at Simpson in 2000, Kurt again traveled to Western Europe studying International Economics and Currencies through a program with People to People International in conjunction with the University of Missouri Kansas City.

Upon his return from Europe, Kurt married his high school sweetheart, Lyssa. The newly-wed couple moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, were Lyssa attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and Kurt attended Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. There, he received his Master of Business Administration degree in 2002.

Having both been in Washington, DC on September 11, 2001; Kurt and Lyssa decided that they would return to the Des Moines area upon completing their studies. Once back in Des Moines, Kurt spent three years working for the Mid-Iowa Council, Boy Scouts of America. He started his own company, Exploding Light Bulb, LLC in 2007.

Kurt's Masonic career actually began with a paper he wrote while attending Grand View College. However, he did not seek the Masonic Degrees until much later. He was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason in June of 2007 at Gnemeth Lodge 577 in West Des Moines. Later that fall, he joined the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and the York Rite. He serves as an officer in Gnemeth Lodge, and the Downtown York Rite bodies.. He was honored to join the York Rite College in January of 2008.

Kurt and Lyssa are blessed with two children, Jakob and Abrielle.