Two years after Chicago Scots President and CEO, Gus Noble, was named an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, he received the honor at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Accompanied by his mother, wife and eldest son, Gus attended his Investiture earlier today.
This honor was awarded in recognition of Gus’s 17-years of service to Scottish culture in the United States of America as well as his incredible leadership of Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care during the COVID-19 crisis. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to public service, the arts and sciences and charitable organizations .Established in 1917 by King George V., awards are conferred twice yearly on The Queen’s Official Birthday and on New Year’s Day. Gus’s award is included in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List which was recently published by the Gazette, the official newspaper of the Crown. You can find Gus listed on page B25.
Gus’s formal receipt of the award was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then postponed due to his father’s health. Gus was hoping his father would be able to witness the occasion but sadly he passed away less than a month ago. Gus’s father, Robert Noble, accepted his MBE as part of the 2002 New Year’s List for service in Agriculture in Scotland and it is bittersweet for Gus to receive his OBE just days before his father’s memorial.
After the announcement of the award in 2021, Alan Gogbashian, the British Consul General in Chicago, said, “I offer my warmest congratulations to Gus Noble on this receipt of this well-deserved honour. Gus is a champion of Scottish culture across Chicago and the Midwest and this honour reflects the high-level of his decades of contributions. Chicago Scots is the oldest registered charity in Illinois, celebrating its 175th anniversary this year, and his promotion of both traditional and modern Scottish culture across the Midwest have further strengthened our Scottish-American ties and cooperation. Additionally, Gus showed tremendous leadership and resolve at Caledonia Senior Living through the COVID-19 pandemic, where exceptional and effective measures were taken to protect residents from the pandemic.”
Please join us in congratulating Gus for this incredible community. The Chicago Scots community is so very proud of him.