FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2016
Contact Information
Kali Orkin, Marketing Manager, korkin@irised.com 541-343-4747 ext 114
IRIS Educational Media Receives National Recognition as American Small Business Champion from SCORE and Sam’s Club
Eugene, OR─ Local business IRIS Educational Media (irisED) has been chosen as a winner of The American Small Business Championship hosted by SCORE and supported by Sam’s Club. The Championship awarded 103 small businesses for their dedication to their businesses. Each winner receives a $1,000 Sam's Club gift card, an all-expense-paid trip to a regional training event, SCORE mentoring for one year and publicity throughout the year.
Contestants submitted an online application answering the question “What dream would you be able to achieve if you were to win this Championship?” Nominations which garnered at least 100 votes were then presented to a judging panel of small business experts that determined the winners.
“IrisEd is thrilled to be recognized by SCORE and receive encouragement for our curriculum Padres Preparados, which helps Spanish speaking families work with Head Start teachers to solve family challenges and establish early literacy,” said Nell Caraway, CEO. “If we go on to win the championship we will be able to host a training session for Head Start teachers to learn the new curriculum.”
“We are honored to work with Sam’s Club for the second year in a row to recognize these Champions’ efforts,” said Ken Yancey, CEO of SCORE. “Our hope is that winning the American Small Business Championship will help them envision and achieve the next dream for their companies. These Champions embody the passion, determination and drive of America’s small business owners.”
Tracey Brown, Senior Vice President and Chief Member Officer for Sam’s Club, said, “Sam’s Club is committed to helping small business owners overcome obstacles by providing resources and helping them save money and time. We look forward to seeing all of the Champions take their business to the next level so they can grow and realize their dreams.”
IrisEd is also eligible to win an additional $25,000 grand prize by being named Grand Champion. A judging panel of small business experts will select one Grand Champion from the group of Small Business Champions this summer. Selection is based on how effectively Champions utilize the Sam’s Club gift card and the SCORE regional training events to grow business revenue, as well as how effectively the winners promoted the Championship in the media and social media.
To learn more about The American Small Business Championship and to view the complete list of Champions, visit www.championship.score.org.
About SCORE
Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 10 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE’s 10,000+ volunteer business experts provide free and low-cost small business mentoring, workshops and education to 500,000+ clients in more than 300 chapters.
About IRIS Educational Media
Based in Eugene, Oregon, IRIS Educational Media is a behavioral research and development firm whose mission is to provide engaging, interactive educational resources that inspire confidence and make a positive difference in people’s lives. IRIS uses a unique style that blends educational science with innovative technology to develop interactive training that teachers, students, and families enjoy.