UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): October 18, 2004
| H&R BLOCK, INC. | |
|---|---|
| (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter) |
| 4400 Main Street, Kansas City, MO | 64111 |
|---|---|
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
| (816) 753-6900 |
|---|
| (Registrant's telephone number, including area code) |
| Not Applicable |
|---|
| (Former name or former address, if changed since last report) |
ITEM 5.02. DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR PRINCIPAL OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF PRINCIPAL OFFICERS
Effective October 18, 2004, the Board of Directors of H&R Block, Inc. (the "Company") elected David Baker Lewis to the Company's
Board of Directors. Mr. Lewis is not party to any arrangement or understanding with any person pursuant to which he was selected as
a director; nor is Mr. Lewis a party to any transaction, or series of transactions, required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a)
of Regulation S-K. Mr. Lewis was elected as a Class I director and has been appointed to serve on the Audit Committee of the Board
of Directors. A copy of the press release issued by the Company announcing the election of Mr. Lewis is attached herewith as Exhibit
99.1.
ITEM 9.01. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
(C) The following exhibits are filed with this report:
| Exhibit Number Description |
| 99.1 Press Release dated October 19, 2004 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| H&R BLOCK, INC. BY: /S/ Bret G. Wilson —————————————— Bret G. Wilson Vice President and Secretary |
Date: October 19, 2004
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit 99.1 Press Release issued by H&R Block, Inc. on October 19, 2004.
News Release
For Further
Information:
Cyd Slayton, Media
Relations, 816-932-932-8470
Pam Kearney, Investor Relations, 816-932-1967
H&R BLOCK NAMES DAVID LEWIS TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FOR RELEASE OCT. 19, 2004
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB) today announced that David Baker Lewis has been named to the company’s board of directors effective Oct. 18. Mr. Lewis’ appointment brings the total number of H&R Block board members to 10.
Mr. Lewis serves as chairman of the board of directors of Lewis & Munday, a Detroit-based legal firm where he also chairs the firm’s Corporate Services Practice Group. Mr. Lewis is a former member of the board of directors of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and is former chairman of the National Association of Securities Professionals. He has served on the boards of numerous professional and civic organizations, and is currently on the board of The Kroger Company. He is a former director of Comerica Inc., Consolidated Rail Corp. (Conrail), LG&E Energy Corp., TRW Inc., and M.A. Hanna Company.
Mr. Lewis received his law degree from the University of Michigan, an MBA degree from the University of Chicago Graduate School Of Business, and a bachelor’s degree from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich.
“We are pleased to add David Lewis to the board. He is an outstanding leader and brings a range of experience that will help guide H&R Block’s development across all of our lines of business,” said G. Kenneth Baum, chair of H&R Block’s governance and nominating committee.
Eight of the 10 directors are independent based on the board’s 2004 determination. Mark Ernst, H&R Block chairman and chief executive officer, is the only employee director.
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About H&R Block:
H&R Block Inc. (www.hrblock.com) is a diversified company with subsidiaries that deliver tax services and financial advice, investment and mortgage services, and business accounting and consulting services. H&R Block empowers clients to make tax and financial decisions by providing a unique combination of tax services, financial information and advice, and related products and services. The company’s mission is to help clients achieve their tax and financial objectives by serving as their tax and financial partner.
As the world’s largest tax services company, in 2004 H&R Block served more than 21 million clients in the U.S. and 12 countries. H&R Block Financial Advisors Inc. offers investment services and securities products. With approximately 1,000 financial advisors serving clients at approximately 360 branch offices, H&R Block Financial Advisors Inc. is a member NYSE, SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and investment advisor. H&R Block Inc. is not a registered broker-dealer and is not a registered investment advisor. H&R Block Mortgage Corp. offers a full range of retail mortgage services. Option One Mortgage Corp. provides mortgage services and offers wholesale mortgages through large financial institutions and a network of 24,000 independent mortgage brokers. RSM McGladrey Business Services Inc. and its subsidiaries serve mid-sized businesses and their owners with tax, accounting and business consulting services, as well as personal wealth management services.