Our annual DACC High Noon Lunch is taking place on Wednesday, 14th February. We encourage members and non-members to attend, allowing you to network with many fantastic businesses from the region, if not further!

We welcome you to join us for a two-course meal at the Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa, Dundee, as we hear from Major Richard (Jo) McCord MBE, currently serving as Reserve Officer with Tayforth University Officer Training Corps (UOTC) where he commands A Sqn (St Andrews).

Major Richard (Jo) McCord MBE

Jo joined the British Army as a soldier in 1981. During his 39 years’ service he has served all over the globe and has deployed on multiple operational theatres including numerous tours of N Ireland, UN Cyprus, The Gulf War, Bosnia, Macedonia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He has also deployed on major exercises to Belize, Canada, Kenya, Cyprus, Norway, and the Falkland Islands, amongst many others.

Jo was promoted through every soldier rank from Private to Warrant Officer Class 1, with his final soldier appointment being that of Regimental Sergeant Major 13 Air Assault Support Regiment.  On Officer Commissioning in 2003 he was promoted to the rank of Captain and assumed a post within the walls of Edinburgh Castle with HQ 52 Infantry Brigade.  It was during this period that he was given the rare opportunity to deploy to Afghanistan as a Rifle Company Commander with 40 Commando Royal Marine operating out of FOB ROBINSON in the Upper Sangin Valley – this was a very special time during a frenetic kinetic period. On promotion to Major, he was selected for sub-unit command of a Germany based Sqn. 

Promotion to Lt Col in October 2015 saw him move back to Scotland and he assumed the responsibility of career manager (HR) for over 350 Officers, who like him, had been commissioned from the soldier ranks.

Since retiring from the Regular Army in Jan 2020, Jo has continued to serve as a Reserve Officer with Tayforth University Officer Training Corps (UOTC) where he commands A Sqn (St Andrews). Leading and inspiring those St Andrews University Students who have an interest in joining the military, Regular or Reserve, post-graduation.

Outside his Reserve Army duties Jo spends much of the summer months planning and organising Golf trips around most of Scotland’s amazing golf courses in support of high-profile visits of tourists/pro golfers. Prior to this Jo also spent a period working with the Dundee United FC football academy and as a director of an international facilities management company.

Jo lives in St Andrews and is married to Lynne with one daughter, Clare, who lives with her husband (Serving in the RAF) and has two gorgeous grandchildren. 

His main interest, nee addiction, is cycling. He will have a go at anything; however, he is renowned being a very a bad loser! 

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