H&R Block Inc.

Russ Smyth was named Chief Executive Officer of H&R Block, Inc. effective Aug. 1, 2008. Smyth was previously a consultant, equity owner, or active board member for several private equity firms. Prior to that, he spent more than 20 years at McDonald’s Corp., gaining extensive worldwide management experience in Latin America, Asia, the U.S. and Europe. Most recently he served as President of McDonald’s Europe, the company’s second largest territory in the world, overseeing 6,200 restaurants in 51 countries that represented $6.7B in total revenues. Smyth also was the President of McDonald's Partner Brands, managing the portfolio of restaurant concepts the company acquired or invested in, including Boston Market, Donatos Pizzeria, Chipotle, Pret A Manger and Fazoli's. Before leading partner brands for McDonald’s, Smyth served as Senior Vice President, International Relationship Partner for Southeast and Central Asia, responsible for managing all McDonald's operations in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He also managed McDonald's business in Puerto Rico, Central America, the Caribbean, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Uruguay. Smyth started his career with McDonald’s in the financial arena serving as the European Controller and eventually the company’s International Controller. During his time at McDonald’s, Smyth received the President's Award, which is given to the company's top performing employees each year. Smyth is on the Board of Trustees for Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill. He also has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Midtronics, Inc., a Willowbrook, Ill., company focused on the development of innovative technologies for battery management solutions. Smyth started his career on the audit staff of Price Waterhouse. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and a master's degree in business administration from Northern Illinois University. Smyth and his wife, Dawn, have four children.

Kathy Barney joined H&R Block in 2003 to lead the organization of the H&R Block Bank. She serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the bank, which opened in May 2006. Barney defines the bank’s business objectives and develops strategy to incorporate new products and services that fit within H&R Block’s broader mission – to serve as each client’s tax and financial partner. She also directs and monitors day-to-day operations of the bank to ensure compliance with safe and sound banking principles and to maximize profits. Before joining H&R Block, Barney served as President of Generations Bank, where she was responsible for all strategic planning, lending, compliance, investing and marketing. She had previously served as Generations Bank’s Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Generations Bank, Barney was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Guaranty Bank & Trust. She also served as Vice President and Controller of another de novo institution, Hillcrest Bank, for which she prepared all internal and external financial reporting. Additionally, she developed and implemented the bank’s operating policies and procedures and trained bank employees on regulatory compliance issues. Barney earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baker University in Baldwin, Kan., and a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Missouri - Kansas City.

Becky Shulman was named Chief Financial Officer in March 2008, while continuing in her role as Senior Vice President and Treasurer. She was promoted to that title in September 2006, having joined H&R Block in September 2001 as Vice President and Treasurer. As CFO, Shulman is responsible for the company's Accounting, Corporate Tax, Internal Audit, and Business Planning and Analysis departments. In her continuing Treasury role, she oversees the development of strategies to meet H&R Block's financial targets including managing the balance sheet, capital planning and allocation, investing and financing activities, and managing the company’s relationships with commercial bankers, investment bankers, credit rating agencies, and issuers of and investors in the company’s debt. She also oversees the Insurance/Risk Management and Franchise Partner operations. Shulman joined H&R Block after 10 years at U.S. Central Credit Union, a $40 billion financial institution, where she had served most recently as Chief Investment Officer from September 1998 until August 2001. She earned an MBA at the University of Illinois and a BS from Eastern Illinois University.

Richard Agar joined H&R Block as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer in July 2007. He leads all strategic technology and operational initiatives that support the retail, digital, H&R Block Financial Advisors and H&R Block Bank businesses, as well as initiatives across corporate functions. Before joining H&R Block, Agar spent 23 years at General Electric in a variety of executive and operational positions. His diverse background in business operations, Six Sigma and global enterprise technology will enhance current efforts to improve quality and operational excellence at H&R Block. Agar’s previous assignments included Global Chief Information Officer of GE Insurance Solutions in Kansas City, Kan.; Global CIO of GE Silicones in Waterford, N.Y.; and Chief Technology Officer of GE Plastics in Pittsfield, Mass. Agar began his technology career in Boston as a technology architect in the banking industry. He graduated from Bentley College in Waltham, Mass., where he earned a degree in accounting. He is active in community service initiatives and served as executive sponsor for the past four United Way campaigns while at GE.

Jeffrey E. Nachbor has served as our senior vice president, financial operations and chief accounting officer since May 2008, having previously served as our senior vice president, financial operations since April 2008. From September 2005 to March 2008, Mr. Nachbor served as the senior vice president & corporate controller for H&R Block, Inc. Prior to that, Mr. Nachbor served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Sharper Image Corporation from February 2005 to August 2005 and served as senior vice president, corporate controller of Staples, Inc. from April 2003 to February 2005. Mr. Nachbor served as vice president of finance of Victoria s Secret Direct, a division of Limited Brands, Inc., from December 2000 to April 2003, and as vice president of financial planning and analysis for Limited Brands, Inc. from February 2000 to December 2000. Mr. Nachbor is a certified public accountant and holds an M.B.A. in finance and accounting from the University of Kansas and a B.S. in accounting from Old Dominion University.

Kandi Brown has been the franchise owner of H&R Block in Seward, Nebraska for the past three years. In addition to preparing taxes, she also does bookkeeping and payroll services for several clients. Kandi is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Kearney with an accounting degree. Prior to owning the H&R Block franchise, she worked at Mutual of Omaha as a Medicare Auditor and then for the finance Department in two hospitals dealing with Medicare and Medicaid issues.

Barbara is a tax advisor with H & R Block. She also has served as a long-term care financial planner. A woman of many interests and talents, she has a M.Ed. in Classic/Secondary Education from Tufts University and a certificate in Landscape Design from George Washington University.

Barbara is an Enrolled Agent and has over 20 years experience providing tax services to individuals. She is a former District Tax Office Manager and Instructor at H&R Block. Barbara also serves as the tax research leader at SBS.

Evelyn Diaz (school secretary) is the mother of a sixteen-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son. She was born in Brooklyn, then moved to Puerto Rico, where she attended elementary school. In 1982 she moved back to New York, this time to the Bronx. She started as a seventh-grade bilingual student in Bronx Letters' current building, IS 183, then transferred to JHS 149 and graduated from Morris High School in 1988. Evelyn has been a school secretary for seven years and is interested in journalism and film. She is also a certified tax preparer for H&R Block.

Jim Bernard, Enrolled Agent. Jim has many years of experience in the financial field. He has worked in real estate, insurance, financial planning and taxes. His tax experience includes positions as a tax accountant for US Bank and an office manager for H&R Block. Jim is enrolled to practice before the Internal Revenue Service.

Leslie has been a coach at Newton for more than 30 years. She is a level 3 certified coach and teaches, Synchro, Freestyle, Dance and Skills. Leslie was named coach of the year for the BC/Yukon Section in 2005. Leslie teaches three days per week at Newton and the rest the the Chilliwack Figure Skating club. She also works as a tax preparer for H&R Block and her hobbies are biking, parasailing and canoeing. You can contact Leslie for lessons at 604-202-2207.

Sheryl DeMott began working as the Administrative Assistant for the Baptist Student Foundation on Monday, September 20, 2004. Sheryl is the wife of the current Executive Director, David DeMott, and is the mother of three college children. She brings to the BSF a myriad of gifts and talents. Her past employment includes Administrative Assistant, Investment Department, Moody Bible Institute; Senior Tax Preparer at H&R Block; Senior Teller at American Savings Bank; Administrative Assistant at The Windsor of Savoy (a retirement center in Champaign); and Investment Analyst at the State Universities Retirement System of Illinois. Sheryl has studied at Word of Life Bible Institute in New York; Pensacola Christian College in Florida; and Parkland Community College in Champaign, Illinois. Join us in welcoming Sheryl to the staff and ministry of the BSF.

Mr. Bloch has served since January 2000 as President of the University Academy, an urban college preparatory charter school that he co-founded in Kansas City, Missouri and as an educator with the University Academy from August 2000 to June 2006.

Mr. Breeden was elected a Director in September 2007 and then elected Chairman of the Board in November 2007. Mr. Breeden has served since 2005 as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Breeden Capital Management LLC, the manager of a series of affiliated investment funds. He has also served since 1996 as Chairman of Richard C. Breeden & Co., LLC, a professional services firm specializing in strategic consulting, financial restructuring and corporate governance advisory services. Mr. Breeden is a former Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He currently serves as a director of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A., of Spain and as a director of Applebee's International, Inc., a casual dining restaurant chain. In September 2005 Mr. Breeden was appointed by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York to serve as its representative in monitoring KPMG LLP under the terms of a Deferred Prosecution agreement. Mr. Breeden also serves as Special Monitor of the Sun-Times Media Group Inc., formerly known as Hollinger International, Inc., as part of a Consent Order entered into by Hollinger with the SEC in January 2004. He is also the former Corporate Monitor of WorldCom, Inc. Mr. Breeden is Co-Chairman of the Finance Committee and a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee

Ms. Wood has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Z Asset Management since March 2008. For five years prior to that, Ms. Wood was the Senior Investment Officer for the Global Equity unit of the California Public Employees' Retirement System. In that capacity, she had responsibility for more than $150 billion in internally and externally managed equity investments in markets around the world. In addition to CalPERS, Ms. Wood has more than 25 years in equity and fixed income investment portfolio management. She earned a Masters of Business Administration degree in Finance from New York University's Stern Graduate School of Business and is also a graduate of Vassar College with a BA in Economics. Ms. Wood has attended the London School of Economics, and University College of the University of London. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst. Ms. Wood is a trustee of Vassar College. She serves as a member of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Standing Advisory Group, and she is a member of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) Consultative Advisory Group. She is also a member of the board of the International Corporate Governance Network.

Mr. Lewis is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lewis & Munday, a Detroit-based law firm with offices in Washington, D.C. and Seattle. He is also a director of Lewis & Thompson Agency, Inc., where he serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee. Mr. Lewis has served on the Board of Directors of Conrail, Inc., LG&E Energy Corp., M.A. Hanna, TRW, Inc., and Comerica, Inc. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oakland University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan School of Law. Mr. Lewis is Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors and a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee.

Henry F. Frigon is a private investor and business consultant. Mr. Frigon has served as the Chairman of the Board of CARSTAR, Inc., an Overland Park, Kansas, based collision repair franchise business, since July 1998. He served as Chief Executive Officer of CARSTAR from July 1998 until February 2001. Mr. Frigon retired from Hallmark Cards, Inc., Kansas City, Missouri, in 1994.

Jerry D. Choate retired from Allstate Corporation, an insurance company, at the end of 1998 where he had served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since 1995. Mr. Choate also serves as a director of Amgen, Inc. and Van Kampen Mutual Funds. He has served as a director of Valero since 1999.

Mr. Shaw has served since 2006 as Senior Managing Director of Breeden & Co., and formerly served as General Counsel of Aetna Inc. (1999 to 2003) and Chase Manhattan Bank (1983 to 1996). While with Aetna, Mr. Shaw also served as Executive Vice President and as a member of the Office of the Chairman. Mr. Shaw previously acted as independent counsel to the Board of Directors of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (January to September 2004), and also served as chief corporate officer for North America of National Westminster Bank (1996 to 1999). Prior to 1983, Mr. Shaw was a partner in a major New York law firm, and after retiring from Aetna in 2003 and prior to joining Breeden & Co., Mr. Shaw was of counsel to Gibson Dunn and Crutcher. Mr. Shaw is currently a director of Mine Safety Appliances Co. and HealthSouth Corporation. Mr. Shaw is a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Lauer has served as Executive Vice President and Group President of Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, California since December 2006. Mr. Lauer previously served as Chief Operating Officer of Sprint Nextel Corp. from August 2005, in which capacity he directed the Overland Park, Kansas-based company's operations to deliver converged media and communications products and services to consumers. Prior to the merger of Sprint and Nextel in August 2005, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Sprint Corp. from September 2003. A Sprint executive since 1998, Mr. Lauer had also been President of several Sprint units, including Sprint PCS, the Global Markets Division, Sprint Business, and the Consumer Services Group. Before joining Sprint, he served three years as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bell Atlantic in New Jersey. Mr. Lauer received a Bachelor of Science degree in managerial economics from the University of California - San Diego. Mr. Lauer is Co-Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors and a member of the Audit Committee.

Mr. Gerard is the General Partner and Investment Manager of GFP, LP, a private investment partnership. Since 2004, he has been Chairman of the management committee and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Street Communications, LLC, a licensee, developer and operator of telecommunications networks in Los Angeles and Central Florida. From 2006 to 2008, Mr. Gerard also was a Senior Advisor and member of the Investment Committee of Breeden Capital Management, LLC. Prior to that, he held senior executive positions with investment banking firms Morgan Stanley & Co., Dillon Read & Co. and Bear Stearns. Mr. Gerard served in the US Department of the Treasury from 1974 to 1977, completing his service as Assistant Secretary for Capital Markets and Debt Management. Mr.Gerard is Chairman of the Governance and Nominating Committee and a member of the Finance Committee.

"Roger Hale, 65, has been a director of Ashland since 2001. He is chairman of the Audit Committee and is also a member of the Finance Committee. Currently an independent consultant, Mr. Hale retired in 2001 as chairman and chief executive officer of LG&E Energy Corp., a position he had held since 1990. Prior to joining LG&E, he held various executive positions with BellSouth Corp. and AT&T Co. He is a director of Hospira Inc. "

Mr. Seip currently serves as managing partner of Seip Investments LP and the managing member of Way Too Much Stuff LLC and Ridgefield Farm LLC, private investment vehicles. He served as the President, Chief Executive Officer and director of Westaff, Inc., Walnut Creek, California, a temporary staffing services company, from May 2001 until January 2002. Mr. Seip was employed by Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., San Francisco, California, from January 1983 until June 1998 in various positions, including Chief Executive Officer of Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. from 1997 until June 1998 and Executive Vice President - Retail Brokerage from 1994 until 1997. Mr. Seip is also a trustee of the Neuberger Berman Mutual Funds, New York. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pennsylvania State University and participated in the Doctoral Program in Developmental Psychology at the University of Michigan. Mr. Seip is Chairman of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and a member of the Audit Committee.