The "Wallace Award®", presented by the American-Scottish Foundation® is the single most prestigious event in the American-Scottish community calendar, celebrates outstanding achievement, primarily of American-Scots, in a field of endeavor and/or contribution to American-Scottish relations. The Award is named for Sir William Wallace ("Braveheart"), one of Scotland's greatest heroes, who led the Scots to victory over the English army over 700 years ago.

This year's Wallace Award® was presented to The Rt. Hon. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, KT, GCMG, FRSA, FRSE, PC.

Lord (George Islay MacNeill) Robertson is Deputy Chairman of TNK-BP, and Senior International Adviser to Cable and Wireless plc. He was NATO Secretary General from 1999-2003 and UK Defence Secretary from 1997-1999. He was Member of Parliament for Hamilton and Hamilton South from 1978-1999.

He was born in Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Scotland and educated at Dunoon Grammar School and the University of Dundee.

From 1979-1993 he held senior Opposition roles including 11 years on Foreign Affairs and in particular Europe. In 1993 he was elected to the Shadow Cabinet and served as Principal Opposition Spokesman on Scotland.

He was Chairman of the Scottish Labour Party in 1977, served on the Board of the Scottish Development Agency, the Board of Governors of the Scottish Police College, as Vice Chairman of the British Council and Deputy Chairman of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

He was appointed the United Kingdom Defence Secretary in 1997. In October 1999 he was appointed 10th Secretary General of NATO and elevated to the House of Lords. Among other segment events, his time at NATO coincided with the 11 September attacks on the US, the first invoking of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.

Lord Robertson was appointed to Her Majesty's Privy Council in 1997, appointed by the Queen as a Knight of the Thistle (KT), and awarded the GCMG (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George) in 2004. He was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2003, and has been awarded the highest national honours from many countries and has been recognized by many leading academic institution with the Award of Honorary Doctorate.

He is Honorary Regimental Colonel of the London Scottish (Volunteers).