Hilton Head man earns national award for his work with SCORE

Paul Kopelcheck wasn't sure what he was going to do when he retired to Hilton Head Island about 15 years ago after a corporate career that included titles such as president, CEO, executive vice president and vice president of marketing.

He found his niche when he tried volunteering with SCORE, a nonprofit organization that provides counseling and workshops for aspiring entrepreneurs and small-business owners.

"There's nothing more fun than counseling or mentoring somebody and seeing them be successful," Kopelcheck said. "I hit it off."

Since then, Kopelcheck has taken on leadership roles with SCORE on the local, state and national levels.

Today, he will receive the highest award the organization presents to its volunteers, the Walter H. Channing Award of Excellence, during a luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Resort.

Kopelcheck, a 71-year-old Hilton Head Plantation resident, was surprised to get a phone call about the award three weeks ago.

"My goodness," he recalls saying."What did I do?"

Kopelcheck says there are many people in the organization deserving the honor.

His colleagues say he has helped shape the future of the SCORE and benefited small businesses across the country.

While chairman of SCORE's board a few years ago, he helped develop and implement a strategic plan that prompted the organization to enlist support from corporate giants like Hewlett-Packard and AFLAC rather than relying purely on government funding, he said.

Also as a result of the plan, the organization's counselors -- once almost exclusively "old, white, retired men" -- are now about half women, he said.

SCORE CEO Ken Yancey, who will present the award today, praised Kopelcheck and the plan in a news release.

"Thanks to Kopelcheck's leadership, SCORE helps tens of thousands of small-business owners each year achieve success," Yancey said. "His vision of the future set the stage for the expansion of SCORE's services and upgrades in counseling methods to meet the needs of today's small businesses."

Although Kopelcheck is flattered to receive the award for what he calls "administrative junk," he said he's even happier to continue to mentor clients, work he said is particularly important given the fragile state of today's economy.

"That's worth more than any award in the world," he said.