Pre-Paid founder is regional Master Entrepreneur of Year

June 20, 2002
Ada Evening News

ADA - Harland C. Stonecipher, chairman, CEO and founder of Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc., has been named regional Master Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.

As a regional winner, Stonecipher will represent the area of North Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma at Ernst & Young International Conference in November where the National Entrepreneur of the Year winner will be announced.

The regional awards banquet was held recently in Dallas at the Great Hall in the International Apparel Mart. The award honors entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, hard work and perseverance have created and sustained successful, growing business ventures.

Stonecipher's selection as the region's Master Entrepreneur climaxed an evening that also recognized the achievement of entrepreneurs in the financial services, manufacturing, real estate, retail/consumer products, and technology categories.

"Ernst & Young is pleased to have the opportunity to recognize Mr. Stonechiper's 30-year crusade to make legal assistance accessible for every American," said David Alexander, Ernst & Young's vice chairman and Southwest Area managing partner. "Mr. Stonecipher's passion for his cause and perseverance to grow Pre-Paid Legal Services to the thriving enterprise it is today makes him a perfect representative of our award program."

Stonecipher founded Pre-Paid Legal Services in 1972 with a vision to make legal protection available to middle-income families for a low cost. Now, 30 years later, Pre-Paid Legal has become the clear leader in the development and marketing of legal service plans across North America, serving more than 1.3 million families.

"This award, while bearing my name, is really a reflection of the efforts of our sales force, provider law firms and home office staff," said Stonecipher. "I'm honored to have the opportunity to accept it on their behalf. It's an honor to have been selected, considering the quality and deservedness of the other regional finalists."

My goal - our goal - is to continue to make access to the legal system more commonplace than it has ever been before, by providing top-quality law firms to the millions of families that see the need to have a legal services plan in place."

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards program was created and is produced by Ernst & Young and sponsored nationally by USA Today, CNN, The Nasdaq Stock Market, and the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.