Scots’ Charitable Society Welcomes New President – Scott McKenzie

“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible”

– Jonathan Swift

Meet the president

Scott Patrick McKenzie discovered the Scots’ Charitable Society while attending the New Hampshire Highland Games and would become a member in January 1982. In the late 1980s he became the regional representative of the Clan MacKenzie Society and in the early 2000s he would join the Scots’ Charitable Society MarCom Committee, working his way up until eventually becoming the chair of the committee. In 2018, Scott McKenzie was elected vice-president of the Society, where he held the position until January 25, 2024 when he was elected president. McKenzie lives by his family Motto, “Luceo Non Uro” (I shine but do not burn) in everything he does and as president he intends to shine the light of the Society to all who share a common Scottish heritage.

McKenzie’s favorite adage is, “Vision is the art of seeing things invisible” (Jonathan
Swift) which is evident in his efforts increasing the society’s membership, restoring the Tartan Ball, modernizing the society, growing investments, and extending the reach of the Society. His desire is to maintain an “open door” style of leadership for members to bring their ideas to the forefront. Attending Scottish cultural events allows McKenzie to share information regarding the Society by personally approaching various Scottish organizations and individuals. He said, “In this capacity, I can
make certain every organization, whether it’s a clan society, Scottish organization, or
vendor, and any participant is made well aware of the Society’s history, mission and our current efforts.”

McKenzie is a seventh generation Scot born in the Boston area. He moved to suburban Philadelphia for his elementary school years before returning back to Massachusetts. He attended Shawsheen Valley Technical High School as an exchange student where he would wrestle, play football, and was captain of the varsity lacrosse team. He would go on to earn two B.S. degrees from Boston College and an M.S. degree from New Hampshire College (now known as Southern New Hampshire University). After college, McKenzie pursued a career as director of global alliances, which allowed him to travel extensively. As a young adult he would enjoy surfing and sailing when he spent his summers on Cape Cod. McKenzie is also the founder and commissioner emeritus of the Olde New England Lacrosse League (ONELL.org) where he played for almost 20 years, retiring in 2021.

Today, McKenzie resides in Nashua, New Hampshire with his wife, Susan, and three Shetland
Sheepdogs. Their son, Alex, is an air traffic controller and their daughter, Cara, is a team
leader at SNHU. One of his greatest joys is spending time with his grandson, Ian, and
granddaughter, Isla. In his spare time, he enjoys making plaques made from wine corks in
the shape of different states, restoring wooden furniture, reading and hiking. He is a fan
of Boston College and SNHU sports, and is a big fan of Boston sports teams especially
the Boston Bruins.

It is with honor and sincere appreciation to be the society’s new president. For me, to hold this position has been 42 years in the making.

My goal is to continue the esteemed tradition of “Scots Helping Scots,” by reaching out to all who are involved in the Scottish community and are proud of their Scottish heritage. As an organization, we are to be ever vigilant in reimagining the society’s direction and growth through collaboration with other Scottish organizations. As a collective body, I ask that we be open to new and refreshing ways for the society to conduct business, and facilitate growth and outreach to those who share our common heritage.

From my perspective, there are over 367 years of Scots Charitable Society history looking down on us, and we must ask, “How do we intend to make a difference where both history and tradition will be proud of us?” To this, I say, that collaboration is our most powerful tool. I humbly ask for each of you to share your ideas, as every idea has merit when closely examined. To this point, I have been compiling a list of ideas and encourage you to share your ideas so that they may be compiled, shared, and discussed.

As president, I will work to make the society more visible, grow membership, increase our investments, and elevate the presence of the society through traditional and social media approaches. To attain this, we need to be more proactive in educating the Scottish community about what the society is about and what it stands for, scholarship, relief, and supporting Scottish culture. From my conversations with representatives of various Scottish organizations and clan societies, I have learned almost everyone has heard of our society, but very few know what we do. The time has come for us to change this and be more assertive about sharing our society’s rich history and fostering efforts that will encourage membership.

We all joined the Scots’ Charitable Society for a reason – What is your reason? I joined because I was enamored with the society’s rich history and the role it played in helping indentured servants. Today, I see it as a beacon of hope to those in need, a supporting hand for college-bound students, and a benefactor for the Scottish culture.

I humbly ask that you please consider offering your talents and skills by joining one of our committees (Events, MarCom, Relief, Scholarship, Membership, Finance, Internship, or work with our Historian, Trustee of Graves, or the Treasurer). If each committee gained just one more person, we could accelerate our efforts – “Teamwork makes the dream work!”

Open door leadership – You are encouraged and invited to contact me to share your ideas, thoughts, and concerns.

I will end this letter with a prayer.

Dear Lord, we come to you this day asking for your guidance. Please open our eyes and hearts to the direction you want us to take. Help us to make wise decisions that will benefit our society and those whom we serve. Give us the strength and courage to persevere in the face of challenges. Lead us with your truth and faith, so that our efforts will bring glory to your name. We humbly thank you for your guidance and protection. Amen.

Scott P. McKenzie, President