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Liberty Tax Service Ceo John Hewitt Is The Ifa's Entrepreneur Of The Year

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA., (Monday, February 27, 2006) - The International Franchise Association (IFA) has named Liberty Tax Service Founder and CEO John Hewitt as Entrepreneur of the Year. This honor is presented to an "individual currently building a successful business venture who exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit that franchising represents." Hewitt's entrepreneurial award honors a lifetime of achievements and contributions to the franchising and tax industry. Hewitt has 37 years of experience in the income tax industry, starting with H&R Block as a tax preparer. Taxes fascinated him so much he decided to embrace emerging technology and write his own tax preparation software. His vision for what the personal computer could do for the tax industry led him to start his own retail tax preparation company. Jackson Hewitt was founded in 1982 and quickly became the #2 company in the industry under John's leadership. In 1997, the company was sold for $483,000,000.

"John's contagious drive, vision and leadership has created an avenue of success for over 2,000 franchisees in the two companies he founded. Hewitt is a tough competitor whose passion for winning has escalated Liberty Tax to a national brand name in less than ten years," said Martha O'Gorman, Vice President of Marketing for Liberty Tax Service, and a founding member of the Liberty management team.

Liberty Tax Service began operations in Canada and quickly moved into the United States, operating just five offices in the first tax season. Today the company has 2,000 offices in the United States and Canada, making it the fastest growing retail tax preparation firm ever. Entrepreneur magazine ranks Liberty Tax Service #10 overall in the January 2006 Franchise 500. Hewitt is the only person who has founded two companies in this year's top 10; Liberty Tax Service and Jackson Hewitt Tax Service.

John Hewitt's business success has enabled him to make a difference in the war against world hunger. In 1998, Hewitt co-founded Stop Hunger Now ( http://www.stophungernow.com) a non-profit international relief organization that coordinates immediate distribution of food and life saving aid on a global basis. Last year, he made a substantial personal financial contribution to the tsunami relief effort through Stop Hunger Now. Liberty Tax Service, company-wide, offered free tax return preparation to those who made a donation of $100 or more for tsunami relief through Stop Hunger Now. The company launched this initiative in immediate response to a tax change that allowed those who donated through approved non-profit organizations to claim a charitable contribution on a 2004 tax return.

ABOUT LIBERTY

Liberty Tax Service ( http://www.libertytax.com) is an international retail tax preparation company specializing in computerized tax preparation and electronic filing of tax returns. The company operates 2,000 offices in the United States and Canada. Liberty Tax Service is a franchise organization with over 1200 franchisees operating within the system.

SOURCE Liberty Tax Service

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