Richard Stupp to take helm of SCORE Oct. 1
By Jim Mackinnon
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Monday, Sep 21, 2009
Richard Stupp is hoping his organization will offer more free help in upcoming months to people who want to start a small business or to keep one going in today's tough economy.
Stupp on Oct. 1 begins a two-year term as chairman of the Akron chapter of the Service Corps of Retired Executives, or SCORE, coinciding with the start of the organization's fiscal year. He will succeed Gary Sutherland, who becomes the organization's secretary.
Stupp, a former Bridgestone Americas and Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. executive, said the local organization has more specific goals going into 2010.
The group wants to expand its services into the surrounding counties of Wayne, Medina and Portage, he said.
SCORE, a nationwide organization, is made up of active and retired executives who volunteer to counsel small businesses and entrepreneurs. Services are offered at no charge, although there could be small fees at some workshops to help pay for use of facilities.
The Akron-based group holds workshops on the basics of how to start a business and workshops for people in business who need help with management, marketing and financial management.
''We have something for each category of our clients,'' Stupp said
Stupp's 42-year background with Firestone and Bridgestone is in accounting, including 13 years as controller and then heading the sales group for 12 years at the Firestone polymer subsidiary. He retired in 2006 and shortly afterward joined SCORE.
''It just seemed to fit some of my skill sets,'' Stupp said. He became the chapter treasure and increasingly was involved in the chapter's administration, he said.
The national SCORE organization, affiliated with the Small Business Administration, has a goal of helping start 1 million new businesses over the next seven years, Stupp said.
The Akron chapter is doing its part to help that goal, he said. The chapter as of last month had provided 1,978 client services so far this year, up 20 percent from 2008.
''We'll just continue what we're doing, because it has been successful,'' Stupp said. ''We do plan to be more aggressive in the outlying counties. We do feel we have a good process that's developed here in Summit County.''
The Akron chapter is looking to increase the number of counselors in particular for Wayne County and parts of Medina County, he said.
''We feel there's more need in the counties than we're supplying right now,'' he said.
The group is also seeking to add more women and minorities to its counseling ranks, he said.
SCORE looks for volunteers with diverse backgrounds and skill sets, he said.
Those skills and backgrounds currently range from such areas as human resources to manufacturing, finance and sales — ''people with a business background that want to give back to the community,'' Stupp said.
The Akron SCORE chapter started the year with 66 counselors and now has 82, he said.
''We have really increased our ability to serve the client,'' he said. ''We're going to start 2010 with a good array of experience.''
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com.
