“Helping small business and nonprofit clients to achieve success has been a very rewarding experience,” Baker said. COURTESY OF DICK STARK

Dec. 21.  Charlotte SCORE presented its prestigious Dick O’Brien Award for 2015 to William Baker of Denver for his exemplary volunteer services since joining Charlotte SCORE more than 11 years ago.

The award is named for former Chapter Chair Dick O’Brien, who died in 2005.

Charlotte SCORE was formed in 1965 to provide free mentoring to small businesses and nonprofit organizations.  It currently has more than 75 volunteers.  The national SCORE Association, a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, has 300 chapters.

Baker joined the Charlotte chapter in 2004.  In addition to mentoring clients, he has served as executive vice president and president and as an instructor for the chapter’s “Simple Steps for Starting Your Business” workshop series.

Baker has also been active in the Charlotte entrepreneurial community.  He helped bring a Grameen America branch to Charlotte.  Founded by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus, Grameen America helps women who live in poverty build small businesses to create better lives for their families.

Baker worked for the IBM Corporation for more 32 years in a variety of executive and staff positions, most recently as senior consultant in IBM’s Global Government Revenue and Fiscal Management practice.

After retiring from IBM, Baker joined the Rotary Club and led initiatives to establish microfinance organizations in Uganda and Kenya.  He has also served on the board of directors of Lincoln Ready to Work and the Episcopal Foundation of Western Carolina.

Baker earned a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University in 1966 and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1968.