Excellence in industry: Jackson Hewitt Inc. technology center.

When Jackson Hewitt Inc. relocated its technology center from Virginia Beach to Sarasota, it found "great talent" for its full-time and seasonal employment needs. "Sarasota provides us a well-educated and trained workforce to draw from," says president and COO Mike Lister.

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Part of a skyrocketing local technology sector, the Jackson Hewitt Technology Headquarters Center relocated to the Interstate 75 corridor just off Fruitville Road in March 2002, representing a capital investment of $3 million. In 2003, the company employed 138 full-time and 65 seasonal employees in Sarasota.

The Committee for Economic Development assisted Jackson Hewitt Inc. (JHI) with the relocation, providing vital information during the company's relocation, analysis and assisting with workforce and training resources.

The Jackson Hewitt Inc. Technology Center is responsible for system-wide support of the JHI business, including developing and maintaining the company's proprietary software, applications, support of its world-wide network and communications systems, creation of tax education materials and resources, as well as providing a help desk for tax and technology support for all Jackson Hewitt Tax Service locations.

A division of Cendant Corp., Jackson Hewitt Inc. is the fastest-growing national tax preparation service company and the nation's second largest company in this category with 4,200 Jackson Hewitt Tax Service locations in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Entrepreneur named it the top tax preparation firm on its list of Top 500 Franchises. Most Jackson Hewitt Tax Service locations are independently owned and operated, and offer customers related tax preparation services such as accelerated check refunds, assisted direct deposit of refund checks, refund anticipation loans and free electronic filing with paid tax preparation.