Henry W. Bloch (1922- )

Entrepreneurial Visions and Success

With high expectations, Henry Bloch began the United Business Company in Kansas City in 1946 with his older brother, Leon. They supplied services such as bookkeeping and tax assistance to small and struggling businesses. The company got off to a disappointing start, however, and Leon left the company for law school. Henry's younger brother Richard took Leon's place. In 1955, with the business still struggling, brothers Henry and Richard Bloch were on the verge of closing their tax accounting service because of its meager profits, but were convinced by a business partner who worked for the Kansas City Star to promote it with a newspaper advertisement. Business profits exploded and today Henry and Richard head H and R Block, the largest tax accounting company in the world.