Hal Finkelstein (left) and Martin Kahn at the South Palm Beach SCORE office in Boca Raton.
Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Jay Waitkus
Martin Kahn says he likes “to see the good side of people, and see them make it.”
Kahn means it, too: The 85-year-old Highland Beach resident has a personal case file with the names of nearly 2,000 clients whose lives he has touched over the past two decades.
As vice chairman of South Palm Beach SCORE, the Boca Raton-based chapter of a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring opportunities and other resources to businesses throughout the United States, Kahn — like his fellow counselors — is deeply committed to assisting those in the business community.
“It’s altruistic and based on people who have great business experience who care about helping other people,” he said.
The chapter’s chairman, Hal Finkelstein, agrees.
“Our mission is to help small businesses succeed and grow,” said Finkelstein, 72, a resident of Boca Raton.
Based in Herndon, Virginia, SCORE was founded in 1964 as the Service Corps of Retired Executives, before shortening its name to the acronym it is more commonly known by today.
With 11,000 volunteers from the business world, the organization, which includes more than 320 chapters nationwide, has provided assistance to more than 10 million clients during the past 50 years.
“There are a lot of good people in this country who believe in giving back to the community and helping others,” said Kahn.
Like the national organization, the South Palm Beach branch, at 7999 N. Federal Highway, Suite 201, in Boca Raton, has a lengthy history of service.
Founded in 1977, the chapter was based in Delray Beach before moving to Boca in 2003.
An active branch, the chapter has twice been named SCORE’s National Chapter of the Year — first in 1999, and again under Finkelstein’s leadership in 2012.
Its roster of counselors, more than 30 in all, includes former CEOs, CFOs, division managers and business owners.
Most, said Finkelstein, are still involved in the business world in some capacity.
Along with regular hours of operation, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to Thursday, assistance from the chapter is available on weekday afternoons and Saturdays upon request, Finkelstein said.
The services the group provides include business coaching, consulting and workshops.
Finkelstein said individual mentoring sessions are conducted in person, by Skype and email, with volunteers from the chapter willing to travel to a business’ location if such help is needed.
Finkelstein said the group has provided services to 17,000 businesses with more than 50,000 employees between them during the last two years.
Kahn said the chapter has helped people from across the state and the nation, adding that his own clients have come from as far away as Alaska and Honolulu.
All of the chapter’s mentoring services are free, although the group charges fees of $39-$99 for workshops and solicits donations to raise money for its expenses.
The group’s showcase event is its annual conference at Lynn University, a gathering attended by businesses from all over the state. The next conference is May 9, 2015.
As chairman of the local chapter, Finkelstein said the best part of his time with SCORE is twofold: One is helping others make their businesses successful; the other is preventing those who have ended up in a difficult position from doing irreparable harm to their finances.
Finkelstein’s background in business is diverse.
A former resident of New Jersey, Finkelstein owned a New York-based construction company for approximately 30 years. He also served as a member of New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller’s construction task force and as a lead engineer for the Apollo missions for ground tracking stations.
In addition, Finkelstein hosted a number of radio programs and wrote 15 engineering books focusing on the construction industry. He has also been involved in the world of online business.
After moving to Florida in the late 1990s, Finkelstein wanted to give something back to the business community in a way that would allow him to draw on his extensive background.
He joined South Palm Beach SCORE in 2007, and was elected chairman two years later.
Like Finkelstein, Kahn has been very successful. For more than 40 years, he owned his own interior design business in New York.
Retiring in 1992, Kahn has been with SCORE since 1993, when his wife, Caryl, saw a public service announcement about the group.
Since moving to South Florida in 2005, Kahn’s work on behalf of the organization has continued in earnest.
“It’s a very time-consuming job,” he said, “but it’s very rewarding, because sometimes you meet that one client and they’re able to succeed and you’ve helped them to attain their life’s dream.”
One of the chapter’s success stories is that of the Boca-based Custom Artisan Cabinetry, which designs, manufactures and installs custom cabinetry.
Jose Barni, 27, the company’s owner/manager, said the family-owned business has been involved with SCORE since 1999, receiving help in such areas as networking, accounting, marketing and Web development.
Barni, who has attended several of SCORE’s roundtable discussions, said the main thing the group has provided his business with is insight.
“Any time we have some sort of tough decision to make or an idea to bounce off the counselors, they’re always available,” he said. SCORE’s assistance, he added, has been “invaluable” to his company.
Barni said South Palm Beach SCORE is the best chapter in the nation, crediting leaders such as Finkelstein, Kahn and the group’s treasurer, Mike Lupo, for maintaining the chapter’s high quality of service.
“I think my business would never be headed in the direction it’s headed in now without their help,” he said.
Barni said he is planning on becoming a mentor to other entrepreneurs when he retires.
Kahn advocates such a call to service, adding that anyone who has been successful has skill, knowledge and wisdom that could be passed on.
“If you enjoy helping others and have had an interesting, worthwhile career, there are people who can benefit from your expertise, and SCORE would be a wonderful place to bring your skills,” he said.
Finkelstein emphasized the impact the group has on people’s lives.
“SCORE helps save a lot of jobs by helping a lot of businesses grow and succeed,” he said. “I think we add greatly to the economy, both nationally and here in Florida.”
For more information about South Palm Beach SCORE, visit the group’s website at
www.scoresouthflorida.net or call 981-5180.
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