WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SCORE, – www.score.org - mentors to America's small businesses, has awarded the esteemed Walter H. Channing Award to Henry (Hal) Shelton, a veteran executive, small business mentor and author from the Washington, D.C. metro area. The Walter H. Channing Award is the highest honor for volunteer service within SCORE and it has been given just nine times in the association's 50-year history. 

Mr. Shelton has volunteered with SCORE as a small business mentor since 2005 and has counseled over 1,000 clients in that time. He has also served as Chapter Chair, District Director and in numerous roles on the SCORE Board of Directors for 6 years. Highlights of his innumerable contributions to the organization include: substantially strengthening the Board governance process, working with the finance team to create a more formal budget process, developing more meaningful and concise Board reports, and implementing better monthly reporting to include cash flow projections. 

"Hal has been an outstanding and invaluable contributor to our Board, to SCORE as a whole, and to the greater small business community," said SCORE CEO Ken Yancey.

Mr. Shelton will share the knowledge and experience he has gained through counseling over 1,000 small businesses in his new book, The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan: A Pro Shares a Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Plan that Gets Results, available on January 15, 2014. Find out more at: www.secretsofbusinessplans.com

SCORE established the Walter H. Channing Award as an honor given to an organization or volunteer who has consistently provided outstanding service to the SCORE Association. Its name honors SCORE's founding President and President Emeritus Walter H. Channing of Detroit, Michigan. Mr. Channing was the first recipient of the award.

About SCORESince 1964, SCORE has helped more than 10 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE provides small business mentoring, workshops and education to more than 375,000 new and growing small businesses. More than 11,000 business experts volunteer as mentors in over 340 chapters serving local communities with entrepreneur education to help grow 1 million small businesses.

For more information about starting or operating a small business, call 1-800/634-0245 for the SCORE chapter nearest you. Visit SCORE at www.score.org. Connect with SCORE at www.facebook.com/SCOREFans and www.twitter.com/SCOREMentors.

Contact InformationAliana Marino800/634-0245media@score.org

SOURCE SCORE Association

RELATED LINKShttp://www.score.org