Akron SCORE volunteers are now offering their decades of business experience in a new, more visible location — offices inside the county’s Ohio Building on Main Street downtown.The county is essentially donating the space to SCORE, the nonprofit, volunteer group that annually provides thousands of hours of free workshops and one-on-one counseling to existing and prospective small-business owners. The official deal — a five-year lease — calls for SCORE to pay the county $1 a year.Summit County Executive Russ Pry told those at an open house at the new SCORE offices Thursday that SCORE’s move helps respond to those who ask: “You’ve helped Goodyear … You’ve helped Bridgestone. What are you going to do for the small businesses?”Pry was referring to the county’s work with the city of Akron and the state to secure financing that led to Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. deciding to build its new world headquarters in Akron and Bridgestone Americas to build its new technical center in the city.Many people still refer to Akron SCORE, with 70 volunteers and part of a nationwide network, as the Service Corps of Retired Executives.However, the organization locally and nationwide has dropped that name because many of its volunteers remain in the work force.Akron SCORE moved to the county building from space on the 17th floor of the One Cascade Plaza building downtown. The Greater Akron Chamber at One Cascade Plaza, provided this space for free and wanted to downsize its office space, said Jason Dodson, chief of staff for Pry.At the county’s Ohio Building at 175 S. Main St., SCORE occupies 1,250 square feet — about the same space it had at One Cascade Plaza.Officials noted that the move gives SCORE a presence directly on Main Street, next to the county’s economic development offices, where staffers work with programs, including those that help small businesses.Diana Bennett, Akron SCORE’s chair, said, the new location “gives us an opportunity to work closer with the county on economic development, creating jobs and helping small businesses grow and people thinking about going into business.”Among the volunteer SCORE counselors at Thursday’s gathering were Russ Vernon, who retired from Akron’s West Point Market in 2006. Also on hand was Howard Tolley, a 20-year volunteer who retired from Goodyear in 1991 as director of public relations services.Akron SCORE’s treasurer, Ron Stallings, a retired Goodyear engineer, valued the in-kind support received for the move at $28,000. Goodyear donated office furniture, and the Greater Akron Chamber, Summit County, Akron city and Chemstress Consultant Co. donated services.Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.