Greenville couple opens state's first Bookkeeping Express franchise

Date AddedJuly 20, 2009 02:37:43 PM

Author

Monday, July 20, 2009

Bookkeeping Express, the first U.S. franchise focused solely on bookkeeping services, has opened an office in Greenville with a franchise agreement with Joe Lee.

The office serves Pitt, Beaufort, Edgecombe, Nash and Wilson counties. The new Bookkeeping Express office is the first in North Carolina.

"Owning my own business is a dream come true for me," said Lee, who has more than 25 years of management and professional accounting experience. "I am excited about becoming an entrepreneur and part of the Bookkeeping Express family. Bookkeeping Express' proven business model will provide me with the marketing and operations support I need to help me grow my business, and in turn help others grow theirs."

Lee transitions into franchise ownership following several years in executive level positions. He was plant controller for eight years at NACCO Materials Handling Group's Greenville plant and was plant controller and general manager with Kewanee Boiler Corp. in Kewanee, Ill.

"Throughout my professional career I have always felt that the small business community was underserved when it came to professional bookkeeping services," Lee said. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring this service offering to the area and fill a niche that remains untapped."

Lee's wife, Lynda, is involved in the business as well. She also works in Pitt County's public school system as a reading recovery teacher at Pactolus Elementary School.

Bookkeeping Express offers a service to companies that are not equipped or do not wish to handle accounting responsibilities such as setting up charts of accounts and general ledgers, monthly data entry, processing and managing accounts payable and accounts receivable, producing monthly reports and tax reporting. Bookkeeping Express utilizes a Custom Flex Pricing Model based on the clients' needs instead of a one-fits-all, hourly billing approach.

The expansion into the Greenville area is part of the company's national development plans which call for more than 400 new territories, initially targeting the Mid-Atlantic region.

"The small business community is growing in Greenville and around the country, and Bookkeeping Express is expanding with it, providing qualified franchise investors with a niche franchise option that caters to this growing segment," Greg Jones, chief executive officer of Bookkeeping Express, said. "We are looking to grow with franchise partners such as Joe who are serious about owning a business and sincere about their desire to fill a void in their communities with our distinctive services."

Bookkeeping Express was founded in 1984 in California and grew to more than 150 locations. In 2007, Jones, Bob Stocker and Merritt Green purchased the company and launched the new business model in McLean, Va., in January 2008. Bookkeeping Express is registered to franchise in 41 states.