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As president of Langtry, which maintains extensive land and vineyard holdings in Lake and Napa counties, Matz will oversee grape growing, production, marketing and sales for the Langtry and Guenoc wine brands, and carry the role of director of California operations overseeing Langtry’s expansion into outdoor pursuits.
Matz joins Langtry after four years as president of Jackson Wine Estates International where he was responsible for the operations, sales, marketing and finance for all of Kendall Jackson Wine Estates International business globally.
He was previously vice president and general manager for Beringer Blass Wine Estates (imports and Canada) from 2002 to 2004, and he was president (Americas) of Southcorp Wines prior to its acquisition by Beringer Blass.
Earlier in his career, Matz worked for Brown-Forman in various sales, marketing, and business development roles.
He brings more than 26 years of business experience, with 21 years of experience in wine and spirits industry management, and he holds an MBA from the University of Kentucky. He co-edited and authored a wine industry book titled, “Wine, A Global Business.”
“Tim is an experienced leader with proven results in management, sales, marketing and operations. He has a very strong track record in brand growth,” said Manson. “We’re delighted to have Tim’s leadership driving the future expansion of our wine brands and diversification of our agricultural business model. He will be instrumental in directing the growth of the company and in overseeing the many exciting initiatives we have planned.”
Langtry Estate and Vineyards has extensive vineyard holdings in Lake County with smaller holdings in Napa and is the largest winegrower in the region. The picturesque estate consists of 21,000 acres and straddles Lake and Napa counties. Vineyards are limited to 400 prime acres in both Lake and Napa counties. Langtry and Guenoc wines are distributed nationally.
Additional information on the winery is available at www.langtryestate.com or by calling 707-987-2385.
Langtry Estate and Vineyards is located at 21000 Butts Canyon Road.
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“H&R Block incorrectly tells its customers that a tax refund can be obtained within two days – these payments are loans, not legitimate tax refunds,” Brown warned. “Consumers should know that such quick payments result in high interest rates and heavy fees.”
It takes between eight and 15 days for the Internal Revenue Service to send refunds to individuals who use direct deposit and 21 and 28 days to obtain a refund by mail.
H&R Block, however, told customers that they could get their refunds within two days. These payments were actually loans offered by H&R Block that has annual percentage rates, including fees, of 80 percent or higher. According to publicly filed documents, millions of Californians have received these loans since 2001.
California law and the Internal Revenue Service require that tax preparers distinguish between tax refunds and “refund anticipation loans” that are based upon the expected tax refund amount.
According to California Business and Professions Code Section 22253.1 (a), “any tax preparer who advertises the availability of a refund anticipation loan shall not directly or indirectly represent the loan as a client’s actual refund.”
At a hearing Friday afternoon, the attorney general asked the San Francisco Superior Court to issue a preliminary injunction prohibiting H&R Block from continuing to represent its loans as tax refunds. The court has scheduled a hearing to decide the matter on April 3.
Investigators in the Attorney General’s Office called H&R Block offices throughout California, requesting information about how long it would take to get tax refunds. Two-thirds of the H&R Block representatives told investigators that refunds can be sent to taxpayers within two days, without disclosing the fact that it was actually a loan.
Most of the people who get the loans receive the Earned Income Tax Credit. People who earn this credit typically make between $10,000 and $35,000 and have several dependents, making them especially vulnerable to high-interest loans.
“For years, H&R Block has not disclosed the fact that a two-day return is a loan, not a true tax refund,” said Brown. “It is shocking that the company still continues this unlawful business practice and fails to properly train its employees.”
Friday’s request for an injunction is part of an ongoing lawsuit against H&R Block, filed in 2006, alleging that the company engaged in false or deceptive advertising in its marketing of high-cost loans to low-income families.
California’s lawsuit alleges that H&R Block violated IRS rules prohibiting the company from directly providing loans. According to the lawsuit, the company provided customers with the loan applications, filled out the applications, and sent the applications to the banks. H&R Block also provided customer’s loan money on an “Emerald” ATM card that came with heavy fees and costs.
Defendants in the case include H&R Block Services, Inc.; H&R Block Enterprises, Inc.; H&R Block Tax Services Inc.; and Block Financial Corp. Last year, H&R Block’s total revenues exceeded $4 billion.
For more information on California's lawsuit against H&R Block, visit: http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1261&year=2006&month=2.
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