The Scottish Coalition, USA Invites you to attend the 2024 National Tartan Day Award 

The Scottish Coalition, USA 

• American-Scottish Foundation (ASF) • Scottish Heritage, USA (SHUSA)
• The Association of Scottish Games and Festivals (ASGF) • Scottish American Military Society (SAMS)
• Council of Scottish Clans and Association (COSCA) 

Presents:

The 20th Annual National Tartan Day Award
by the Scottish Coalition, USA

Andrew Morrison, Viscount Dunrossil

Presenters
Camilla B. Hellman, MBE
President, American-Scottish Foundation and

John King Bellassai
President, Council of Scottish Clans and Associations

6:00 pm
April 9, 2024

The Lyceum
201 S Washington St. 
Alexandria, VA

The Awardee

Rt. Hon. Andrew Morrison,

Viscount Dunrossil

Andrew Morrison, Viscount Dunrossil, was born in London and educated at Eton and Oxford, where he studied the Classics.

After joining a bank (Kleinwort, Benson) he moved to the US. For the last thirty years Andrew has made his home in San Antonio, Texas, during which time he has been a principal spokesman for the consumer finance industry. He is a former chairman of the American Financial Services Association and a co-founder of the National Installment Lenders Association. Andrew retired from the Consumer Finance industry in January 2022. He is now a Director of the Equitable Growth Fund, which is dedicated to addressing the problem of unequal access to critical resources among minorities and lower income communities.

Lord Dunrossil is closely involved with various organizations dedicated to strengthening the ties between Scotland and its Diaspora. He is the US representative for the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, serves on the Advisory Board of the Council of Scottish Clans and Associations (COSCA) and is an Honorary Patron of the American-Scottish Foundation. He is also a former Chairman of the Society of Scottish Armigers, whose President is the Lord Lyon, King of Arms, and is a Director of Scottish Heritage USA.

The Tartan Day Award

As part of the National Tartan Day Washington DC celebration of Tartan Day, The Scottish Coalition, USA presents The National Tartan Day Award annually. Nominees of the award must be citizens of the United States, male or female, a member of good standing of a nominating organization or individual of standing in the community and at least 10 years of active involvement in project, or projects with nominating organizations and others.

The Scottish Coalition USA has been instrumental in establishing and maintaining a national platform for the Observance of Tartan Day in the USA – now observed in various ways from San Diego to Charlotte, to Washington DC and New York City.

The Coalition originally comprised six leading national organizations who shared the mission to further interests and common goals throughout the United States through collaboration. Current members of the coalition include: The American-Scottish Foundation®;  Scottish Heritage, USA; The Association of Scottish Games and Festivals; Scottish American Military Society (SAMS); and the Council of Scottish Clans and Association (COSCA).

 

Past Awardees

2003 – Duncan Bruce

2004 – Ellis MacDonald

2005 – Ethyl Ray

2006 – Duncan MacDonald

2007 – Bob Murdoch

2008 – Sen. Trent Lot

2009 – Royce McNeil

2010 – Dr. Phil Smith

2011 – Barbara Humphrys

2012 – Bill Wallace

2013 – John Flowers

2014 – John Toffy

2015 – Marjorie Warren

2016 – Robert McWilliam

2017 – Anne Robertson Kennedy

2018 – Alan L Bain

2019 – Rev. Dr. Douglas F Kelly, PhD

2020 – Robert “Bob” Creighton

2021 – Gus Noble

2022 – Robert Currie

2023 – Michael McIntyre and John Duncan

The Scottish Coalition

The Scottish Coalition, USA (TSCUSA) was formed in 1995 to spearhead the creation and formal recognition of April 6th each year as National Tartan Day in the United States, helping to guide its passage through both houses of the U.S. Congress.

In 1998, National Tartan Day of (April 6) was officially recognized on a permanent basis when the U.S. Senate passed Senate Resolution 155, establishing the holiday. This was followed in short order by House Resolution 41 which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on March 9, 2005.

The passage of this bill was due to the work of the National Capital Tartan Committee, Inc. and its then president James Morrison, and sponsored by Rep. John Duncan (R-TN), who went on to found and co-chair the House Friends of Scotland Caucus alongside rep. mike McIntyre (D-NC). On March 20, 1998, when Senate Resolution 155 (S. Res.155), proposed by US Senate Republican majority leader, Trent Lott, was passed unanimously.

Over the years, the Scottish Coalition, USA has been instrumental in establishing and maintaining a national platform for observance of Tartan Day in the USA – now celebrated in various ways from San Diego, CA to Charleston, SC, to Washington DC and New York City.