Business, Corporate and Individual Achievements to be Honored
WASHINGTON, -- SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" announces the winners of the first-ever SCORE Awards, which recognize and celebrate excellence in and support of America's small businesses.
SCORE CEO Ken Yancey says, "The SCORE Awards will be equal parts inspiration, celebration and recognition honoring our nation's most exciting small businesses, together with leading corporate and government small business advocates." Yancey adds, "The success of small business is the stimulus that will propel our nation through the current economy."
For 2009, the following SCORE honorees will be recognized at the inaugural SCORE Awards and black-tie gala, which will be held at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, September 17:
- Outstanding Socially Progressive Business Award-sponsored by the Office Depot Foundation: East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO), Charleston, S.C.
- Outstanding Woman-owned Business Award-sponsored by Constant Contact: Zakeez, Houston, Texas
- Outstanding Minority-owned Business Award-sponsored by HP: Haas Media LLC, Jersey City, N.J.
- Outstanding Veteran-owned Business Award-sponsored by Administaff: Killer Peaks, Port Royal, S.C.
In addition, SCORE Awards will be given to key small business advocates in the following categories:
- Corporate Small Business Supporter of the Year: American Express OPEN
- Corporate Small Business Advocate of the Year: Ernst and Young
- Congressional Supporters of Small Business: Senator Olympia Snowe
- Lou Campanelli Award: Barbara Kasoff, president and co-founder of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP)
Each year, SCORE recognizes outstanding volunteerism on behalf of both SCORE and the small business community through its Lou Campanelli Award. The SCORE Foundation is pleased to present the 2009 Lou Campanelli Award to Barbara Kasoff, president and co-founder of WIPP, a national bipartisan public policy organization that advocates for and on behalf of women and minorities in business.
The SCORE Foundation Executive Director Mark Dobosz says, "SCORE is proud to launch an event that will recognize and celebrate the people and businesses that fuel affirmative and meaningful economic and social progress. We intend that it serve as a catalyst for other small businesses to emulate our honoree's success stories."
About SCORE: Since 1964, SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" has helped more than 8.4 million aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners through counseling and business workshops. More than 11,200 volunteer business counselors in 370 chapters serve their communities through entrepreneur education dedicated to the formation, growth and success of small businesses.
For more information about starting or operating a small business, call 1-800/634-0245 for the SCORE chapter nearest you. Visit SCORE on the Web at www.score.org.
About The SCORE Foundation: The mission of The SCORE Foundation is to support and leverage the work of SCORE by soliciting, investing and managing resources for the benefit of SCORE. Learn more about The SCORE Foundation at www.scorefoundation.org.