NZ Tax Refunds founder Entrepreneur Of The Year service winner

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NZ Tax Refunds founder Entrepreneur Of The Year service winner

Christchurch, 27 August 2012 – Christchurch-based Cilla Hegarty the founder and chief executive of NZ Tax Refunds, New Zealand’s leading online tax refund company, has been named the service category winner for this year's local Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year competition. The five category winners announced today, selected from sixteen finalists, will vie for the title of New Zealand Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012.

Mrs. Hegarty founded NZ Tax Refunds in 2008 out of a desire to make it simple for people to get money back from the IRD. She had the idea of making it easier for clients to find out if they were due a tax refund while working in her accounting business.

Ernst & Young New Zealand Entrepreneur Of The Year awards director Jon Hooper says the standard of entrepreneurs has been rising every year. “This year we moved the bar again and we have fantastic category winners.”

Chief awards judge Greg Cross, chairman of The ICEHOUSE and executive chairman of PowerbyProxi says, “All of the finalists demonstrated phenomenal passion. The judging task was really tough due to the caliber of finalists. We had to weigh everything up but like any business, it came down to the numbers. We looked at the top line, the bottom line, and the growth potential.

“Cilla was a very deserving winner of the service category. She’s built a really strong business and embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship. And on top of that she makes a fantastic contribution to the community.”

Mrs. Hegarty says, “It’s an absolute honour and to me it’s recognition of a great team effort. We’re in a neat business and we get a lot of pleasure from helping put the overpaid tax back into the pockets of thousands of Kiwis. It’s been really satisfying.”

According to Mrs. Hegarty 93% of NZ Tax Refunds’ customers have found out they’ve overpaid their tax in the past 5 years.

The New Zealand Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year winner will be announced at an awards dinner on 18 October in Auckland.

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