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.