COSTA MESA, Calif. - March 19, 2003 - RSM EquiCo, a leading global investment banking firm for the private middle market and a wholly owned subsidiary of H&R Block, announced today the appointment of Gregg Schwenk as Director of Market Research & Analysis.

In this capacity, Mr. Schwenk will direct and coordinate all aspects of corporate analysis, business intelligence and market research. He will supervise the detailed market and industry research conducted on behalf of RSM EquiCo's clients, and develop the company's knowledge management initiatives.

Mr. Schwenk has more than 10 years' experience performing and supervising mergers and acquisitions for both buyers and sellers. Before joining RSM EquiCo, he was vice president of boutique M&A advisory firm, Strategic Mergers Group. His previous experience includes nine years at a subsidiary of SalomonSmithBarney, where he assisted companies in identifying the right growth opportunities and finding the best strategic acquirers. He also served as a senior manager in that same subsidiary's Business Intelligence unit, specializing in strategic analysis of the high-tech, aerospace, pharmaceutical and entertainment industries. He has been a frequent speaker on M&A-related issues and has chaired conferences on business intelligence and strategy for senior executives of Fortune 1000 companies.

"Gregg's extensive understanding of the M&A marketplace, combined with his experience in several diverse and emerging industries, provides him with a unique perspective that will be valuable to RSM EquiCo clients and colleagues," said David Walker, president of the Professional Services Group of RSM EquiCo.

Active in his community, Schwenk is currently the executive director of the Newport Beach Film Festival. He also is a director for the British American Chamber of Commerce and the Protocol Foundation in Orange County, and serves on the Economic Development Committee for the city of Newport Beach, where he advises on marketing, business retention and relocation.

Mr. Schwenk was a Presidential Fellow at the University of California at Berkeley, where he received a bachelor's degree in Political Economy with high honors. He has completed the Advanced Management Development Program at the University of Southern California.

RSM EquiCo, Inc. is a leading global investment banking firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and corporate finance for private middle-market businesses. RSM EquiCo has approximately 270 professionals and support personnel in the United States, with additional staff and resources in London. The firm is based in Costa Mesa, California.