New England Scot of the Year Sponsor interview with Arthur Mabbett
Arthur Mabbett
Arthur N. Mabbett is the Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Mabbett & Associates, Inc. (Mabbett®, www.mabbett.com) an award-winning consulting and engineering firm, and President of Veterans Business Supply, Inc. (www.vbs.vet) an online retailer of office, commercial, and tactical products. In 1996, he established Mabbett & Associates Ltd, Glasgow, U.K. where he served as Founder and Chairman until he successfully sold the firm in 2021. At the time of sale, Mabbett Ltd (www.mabbett.eu) was the largest privately owned environmental consulting and engineering firm in Scotland, North of England, and Northern Ireland. Arthur has served as a Global Scot per appointment by the First Minister of Scotland and was the recipient of the British American Business Council of New England’s (BABCNE), U.K. Consul General’s Award in 2018. Arthur has also served as a Director, Vice President, and President of the BABCNE.
Q: Please share a brief overview of your current business.
A: I currently own and manage two primary businesses, a professional consulting and engineering firm, Mabbett & Associates, Inc. (www.mabbett.com, Mabbett®) and an online retail business, Veterans Business Supply, Inc. (www.vbs.vet, www.vts.vet, VBS™/VTS™). Mabbett provides professional environmental, health and safety, and architectural-engineering consulting and engineering services on a national basis to primarily Federal, and state agencies, private sector manufacturing companies, and health care institutions. VBS is an online national and international retailer of commercial, institutional, and office products and related supplies, and tactical gear for the U.S. military and law enforcement agencies.
Q: What is your connection to Scotland?
A: In 1996, after conducting an extensive assessment of three countries, Scotland, Germany, and the Republic of Ireland, I decided to open an international consulting and engineering firm in Scotland, headquartered in Glasgow. I grew the firm from scratch to approximately 65 staff and sold the firm in 2021. At the time of its sale, Mabbett & Associates Ltd (www.mabbett.eu) had become the largest privately held environmental consulting and engineering firm in Scotland, the North of England, and Northern Ireland. I also have some Scottish-English DNA in my personal make-up.
Q: The one thing you admire most about the Scots.
A: I admire a myriad of Scottish traits, but I most admire Scottish persistence. Scots are a proud, welcoming, hard-working, problem-solving people who achieve success via their personal and community persistence. As U.S. President Calvin Coolidge once said, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent”.
Q: Why have you decided to support the New England Scot of the Year Awards?
A: Scotland and its people have been very good to me, my family, and colleagues. Our experiences in Scotland have been exceptional. It’s now time to give back for all the support, advice, counsel, and friendship that we’ve received over the past almost 30 years. Thus, we’re proud to be supporters of the organization and awards program.
Note of Thanks:
Scots in New England thank Arthur Mabbett for becoming a key sponsor of the New England Scot of the Year 2023 Awards.
