Serving Medina, Portage,
Summit, and Wayne Counties

More than 35,000 clients have benefited from SCORE business counseling since 1965.  SCORE is sponsored by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and volunteers offer their expertise free of charge.  Client relationships can last for one session or a number of years if both parties feel it is productive.  Today, counseling covers the basics of not only how to start a new small business but also extends to counseling existing businesses to help meet challenges or expand horizons.

The SCORE office operates on a Monday-through- Thursday schedule.  Counselors are flexible when it comes to helping a client outside of regular hours if they determine the clients are dedicated and have the “right stuff’ to succeed. Requests for SCORE counseling have remained relatively constant over the years, spiking during downturns in the economy when people give more thought to going into business for themselves.  Akron SCORE’s cadre of experienced counselors cover virtually every key business discipline, including production, sales, marketing, advertising, human resources, public relations, management, finance, engineering and inventory control.

SCORE strives to build relationships in each of the counties in which it serves. This is an ongoing process of building market connections, obtaining referrals and serving more clients by aligning SCORE with organizations that have knowledge of business clients that would benefit from SCORE’s services.

Some of the many organizations with whom SCORE partners in our four-county service area include:

Summit County Economic Development,     City of Akron Economic Development,     Medina County Economic Development,     Portage County Economic Development,     Wayne County Economic Development,     Greater Akron Area Chamber of Commerce,     Wooster Chamber of Commerce,     Brunswick Economic Development,     Kent State University,     The University of Akron,     Wayne College,     Global Business Accelerator,     Small Business Development Center of Ohio,     University Park Alliance,     Portage Lakes Career Center,     Hudson Library,     Wayne County Library,     Wayne County Careers Center,     and Brunswick Midpoint Campus Center.

SCORE’s funding sources include,     in addition to the SBA:

James L. and John S. Knight Foundation,     GAR Foundation,     Burton D. Morgan Foundation,     Kenneth L. Calhoun Charitable Trust,     and the Joseph G. and Sally A. Miller Foundation.

Paul Stouthamer became the chapter's third chair in 1989 when Carl Vobbe elected to retire. The former Firestone Tire & Rubber Company International executive brought a new interest in helping entrepreneurs navigate in the world of global trade, either as importers or exporters. During Stouthamer's tenure, satellite offices were opened in Canton, Wooster and Medina to make SCORE services readily available and convenient in those areas.

Stouthamer retired in 1994 and moved to the West Coast. He was succeeded in 1995 by Charles Ashcroft, who joined the chapter in 1988 following a career in carbon black sales with the Cabot Company. In 1997, he was appointed SCORE District Director for Northeast Ohio.

Arthur Charlton, a veteran counselor with 16 years experience with the chapter, succeeded Ashcroft as chair. He drew from his experience as an engineer and manager at the Norton Company. Under his direction, the chapter began a more intensive training of new counselors and staged a very successful "Workshop In A Box," an innovative all-day Saturday business education program for entrepreneurs.

Frank Swain assumed the chair position in 2000. With an extensive background in human resources gained from his long career with Ohio Bell and AT&T, he made that important facet of business a priority. Office procedures became better organized for increased efficiency and more emphasis was placed on business workshops.

Swain was succeeded in 2003 by Joseph (Joe) Freedman, former executive vice president with Sterling, Inc. Once again the chapter benefited from a new perspective. He aggressively and successfully pursued grants to make the chapter more financially self-reliant.

Chairs from 2006 through 2009 were Gary Sutherland and Ron Stallings, retired Goodyear executives, who brought strong finance and management skills to Akron SCORE. Rick Stupp, former Firestone executive, became chair in 2010 and was succeeded by the first woman chair, Diana Bennett, in 2011. Bennett had a long career with Roadway Express (now YTR).

Requests for SCORE counseling have remained relatively constant over the years, spiking during downturns in the economy when people give more thought to going into business for themselves. Akron SCORE's cadre of experienced counselors cover virtually every key business discipline, including production, sales, marketing, advertising, human resources, public relations, management, finance, engineering and inventory control.