SENATE RESOLUTION

                             1999-8683

By Senators Rossi, B. Sheldon, Zarelli, Gardner, Haugen, Rasmussen and Spanel

     WHEREAS, SCORE (The Service Corps of Retired Executives) celebrates thirty-five years of helping small business succeed; and

     WHEREAS, SCORE is a non-profit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth, and success of small business here in the state of Washington and nationally; and

     WHEREAS, SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA); and

     WHEREAS, SCORE serves as ACOUNSELORS TO AMERICA=S SMALL BUSINESS@; and

     WHEREAS, SCORE=s working and retired executives and business owners donate their time and expertise as volunteer counselors to provide confidential counseling and mentoring to the state=s small businesses at no charge to the recipient; and

     WHEREAS, SCORE also conducts educational business workshops to assist entrepreneurs to gain skills to better understand the business world for a modest fee; and

     WHEREAS, These dedicated men and women are located in SCORE Chapters in Bellingham, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, and Vancouver; and

     WHEREAS, SCORE members travel to provide business counseling to entrepreneurs in other urban and rural locations and, last year, the two hundred eighty-four members gave a total of 32,000 volunteer hours to counsel and mentor entrepreneurs.  One-on-one, they presented workshop training and used the latest technology, via Internet e-mail to assist the state=s growing number of small businesses; and

     WHEREAS, Small business is a major part of the state=s economic engine. In 1998, nearly 180,000 small businesses generated nearly $12 billion. Washington=s small businesses employed 1.4 million people or about sixty percent of the state=s workforce; and

     WHEREAS, Our state=s SCORE members represent the spirit of volunteerism - volunteerism dedicated to helping the people of Washington State achieve the American dream;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate applauds the dedication and work of all SCORE members and their organizations.  The Senate celebrates their accomplishments over the last thirty-five years while looking forward to SCORE=s accomplishments on behalf of our state=s small businesses in the new millennium; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Gary Locke, Governor of Washington; the Governor=s cabinet officers; all statewide elected officials; Region X Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration; District Directors of U.S. Small Business Administration of Washington State; SCORE National Headquarters; SCORE Region X Director;  SCORE=s State District Management, and to each of the aforementioned SCORE Chapter Chairpersons.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1999-8683,

adopted by the Senate April 24, 1999.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate