SCORE Chapter 574; a History of Excellence

Northern Illinois Chapter 574 was originally established as a satellite desk of the Chicago Chapter #4 and was then organized into an independent chapter by Ted Cowen, Founding Chair.  Chapter 574 received it's Charter in 1988. The chapter operating territory was established as  Northern Illinois from the Mississippi River on the west, Wisconsin border on the north, Highway US 80 on the south, and the eastern edge of Boone County on the east.  See locations.

In its early days, the new chapter created satellite desks in Belvidere, Freeport and Sterling for counseling assistance to local businesses, and start-up clients. The fledgling chapter soon developed an aggressive program of public relations, seminars, and workshops on a variety of business subjects.  Approximately 18 to 20 six-hour sessions were held per year. Guest presenters included professionals from local community development offices, attorney's offices, CPA offices, marketing offices, patent attorney offices, Internal Revenue Service, and the Illinois Department of Revenue.

On the public relations forefront, SCORE members appeared regularly on all four of the local television stations as often as once a week. They also appeared regularly on local radio stations to promote SCORE. News releases were used on many local newspapers to announce chapter's activities, particularly the workshops.  SCORE members spoke at meetings of the various service clubs and lectured at the Small Business Community Development start-up classes.

Through a generous gift, the Chapter invested in its' first computer in 1996.  The computer was quickly applied to streamlining record keeping, and members were soon indoctrinated on its' uses.  In approximately 1998, Howard Cannon was able to secure the Chapter's first web site as a "piggyback" on another site. In 2001 Art Pulford developed the chapter's third generation web site and the first stand-alone hosted site.  Art was able to obtain volunteer services with professional experience.  Steve Gaussback gave the web site a professional look and organization.

Bill Bryan started the chapter's first Ask SCORE newspaper columns in the Rockford Register Star in about 1997 and continued through 2001 when he retired. (Ask SCORE is an advisory type column written in question and answer format on topics highly relevant to small businesses). After a short lapse, beginning in 2003 the Ask SCORE articles were again published in the Rockford Register Star and the Belvidere Daily Republican through the efforts of a small group,  That small group included Duncan Brown, Ted Cowen, Marion Wilke, Bob Schmitt, and Jim Dehler.  Duncan Brown also lectured on interviewing discipline and techniques for the unemployable.

Northern Illinois Chapter 574 has enjoyed a unique position in that it is believed to be the only midsize chapter of SCORE that  has received both SCORE's highest chapter honor and highest individual honor.  In addition, two of its members have been elected to the National SCORE board of directors. 

Ted Cowen, founding chapter chair, was completing his fourth year as lllinois SCORE District Director when he was elected to the national board of directors in 1998. Cowen was succeeded as District Director by Duncan Brown, fourth northern Illinois chair, who also was elected to the national board in 2000.

Duncan Brown served two terms on the national board. In his final year (2006) he became only the eighth winner of the Walter H. Channing award.  The Channing award is SCORE's highest individual honor named for the first national SCORE President Walter H. Channing.  Brown's award was for his role in launching the SCORE Foundation, an organization that raises funds in the private sector to supplement the small stipend SCORE receives from Small Business Administration.  The SCORE Foundation has been and continues to be a major contributor allowing SCORE to continue counseling and workshops nationally for small businesses.

The chapter was named National Chapter of the Year in 1996. That same year it also became the first to win the Illinois Chapter of the Year which it has repeated three times, the latest in 2008. Only one other Illinois chapter has won the national award!