Press Release Details

KANSAS CITY, MO, Jan 03, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) announced today it has appointed Tom Gerke as senior vice president and general counsel. In this role he will oversee H&R Block's legal strategy and activities.

"We are fortunate to add someone of Tom's caliber to our executive team," said Bill Cobb, H&R Block president and CEO. "Tom has guided Fortune 500 companies through a variety of legal and regulatory challenges. He's also great at helping companies build on opportunities. Tom is the right choice to help us lead H&R Block into the future."

Gerke comes to H&R Block having most recently served as general counsel at YRC Worldwide, a leading trucking company. However, he is best known for his leadership positions in the telecommunications industry.

Gerke rose through the ranks in telecommunications to become CEO of Sprint spin-off Embarq, one of the nation's leading landline telephone companies, in 2007. While CEO of Embarq, he led the company through its merger with CenturyTel. Gerke then served as executive vice chairman of CenturyLink, the combined company. Prior to the CEO appointment, Gerke was Embarq's executive vice president and general counsel. Gerke's responsibilities also included Embarq's wholesale markets group during 2007 prior to his appointment as CEO.

Prior to Embarq, Gerke spent more than a decade serving in various legal and business leadership positions within Sprint, including his service as executive vice president and general counsel. While general counsel, Gerke oversaw the legal and regulatory aspects of the Sprint Nextel merger. In addition, Gerke spent nine years in private practice with a full service law firm focused primarily on strategic corporate matters.

Gerke earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Missouri in Columbia, his Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri School of Law in Kansas City, and a Master of Business Administration from Rockhurst University. Gerke is a board member of the Kansas City Local Investment Commission, an organization established to enhance neighborhood services in Kansas City, and serves on the Rockhurst University Board of Trustees.

About H&R Block H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB) has prepared more than 575 million tax returns worldwide since 1955, making it the country's largest tax services provider. In fiscal 2011, H&R Block had annual revenues of $3.8 billion and prepared more than 24.5 million tax returns worldwide, including Canada and Australia. Tax return preparation services are provided in company-owned and franchise retail tax offices by approximately 100,000 professional tax preparers, and through H&R Block At Home(TM) digital products. The H&R Block Bank provides affordable banking products and services. For more information, visit the H&R Block Online Press Center.

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SOURCE: H & R Block

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