AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --EZCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ: EZPW), a leading provider of instant cash solutions for consumers, announced today that Rick Bluntzer has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs. Bluntzer brings to EZCORP over 25 years of experience managing public affairs, governmental relations and communications.
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Paul Rothamel, EZCORP's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: "We are delighted to welcome Rick as a senior executive reporting directly to me. Rick will be responsible for leading our communications and public affairs functions, including strategic messaging, public relations and governmental affairs, and we are excited about the expertise, wealth of experience and focus that Rick brings to the company."
Prior to joining EZCORP, Bluntzer served as Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Government Affairs for NRG Energy, a Fortune 500 company, where he was responsible for managing the company's multi-state and national regulatory and governmental affairs relationships. Bluntzer also served as a Managing Director of Public Strategies (now Hill + Knowlton Strategies), overseeing public affairs activities at both a large electric utility and a large telecommunications company, and also served in a variety of leadership positions at the Lower Colorado River Authority, ultimately becoming Assistant General Manager and Chief Administrative Officer.
Bluntzer began his career in the Texas Legislature in 1984 and earned his degree at the University of Texas at Austin.
About EZCORP
EZCORP is a leading provider of instant cash solutions for consumers, employing approximately 7,200 teammates and operating over 1,350 Company-owned pawn, buy/sell and personal financial services locations in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. We provide a variety of instant cash solutions, including pawn loans, consumer loans, and fee-based credit services to customers seeking loans. At our pawn and buy/sell stores, we also sell merchandise, primarily collateral forfeited from pawn lending operations and used merchandise purchased from customers.
EZCORP owns controlling interests in Prestaciones Finmart, S.A.P.I. de C.V., SOFOM, E.N.R. (doing business under the name "Crediamigo"), a leading provider of payroll deduction loans in Mexico; in Artiste Holding Limited (doing business under the name "Cash Genie"), a leading provider of online loans in the U.K.; and in Renueva Commercial, S.A.P.I. de C.V., an operator of buy/sell stores in Mexico under the name "TUYO." The Company also has significant investments in Albemarle & Bond Holdings PLC (ABM.L), one of the U.K.'s largest pawnbroking businesses with over 180 full-line stores offering pawnbroking, jewelry retailing, gold buying and financial services; and in Cash Converters International Limited (CCV.ASX), which franchises and operates a worldwide network of almost 700 stores that provide personal financial services and sell pre-owned merchandise.
EZCORP Investor Relations
(512) 314-2220
Investor_Relations@ezcorp.com
www.ezcorp.com
SOURCE EZCORP, Inc.
