SCORE Rhode Island Assists More Small Businesses in Fiscal Year 2018 Entrepreneurs Trust SCORE “Mentors to America’s Small Business”

PROVIDENCE, RI – More small business owners and entrepreneurs in Rhode Island are turning to SCORE for mentoring and advice on how to start and grow their businesses.  SCORE Rhode Island (RI) provided free services to almost 2,300 local entrepreneurs in fiscal year 2018, an increase of more than 4.5% over the previous year.  During that same period, RI SCORE provided business advice to over 60 area business owners through mentoring sessions and trained more than 1,000 new and existing small business owners at 51 workshops around the state.  Clients mentored increased by almost 11% over the prior year.

SCORE RI counselors have direct experience in business start-ups, manufacturing, insurance, retail operations, franchising, public relations, taxes, financing, sales & marketing, exporting and specialty retailing, acquisitions, turnarounds, and divestitures.  With counseling locations in Providence, Lincoln, North Kingstown, Warren, Newport, and Warwick, SCORE RI is ready and able to assist start-ups and existing small businesses throughout the state.  “SCORE continues to expand its role as a trusted mentor to the Rhode Island small business community,” said Chapter Chair Ray Gorman.  “Our volunteers donated over 1,470 hours in fiscal year 2018 to help their clients with their small business needs, an increase of almost 16% over the previous year.”   SCORE RI grew its new volunteer ranks by 37.5% and continues its efforts to achieve diversity of its volunteer corps and clients.

“Our SCORE chapter here in Rhode Island has always been a valued resource partner,” said Mark S. Hayward, SBA District Director.  “It is truly remarkable how many Rhode Island entrepreneurs SCORE reaches each year and how many small businesses have benefitted from SCORE’s expertise,” he added.

SCORE RI’s new leadership team for fiscal year 2019 is: Ray Gorman of North Kingstown, Chapter Chair; Tony Mercurio of Smithfield, Vice Chair; Mark Devine of Bristol, Treasurer; and Ray Keller of Portsmouth, Secretary.

 About SCORE
SCORE is the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, with approximately 10,000 volunteers in 300 chapters nationwide. Since its founding in 1964 as a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE has helped more than 11 million current and aspiring entrepreneurs through mentoring, workshops and educational services. In 2017 alone, SCORE helped to create 54,506 new businesses and add 61,534 new, non-owner jobs to the American economy.

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