Chief Executive Officer, President & Director, Matrix Service
Search every verified John Hewitt interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a September 2020 video, John Hewitt discussed his personal commitment to inclusion and diversity initiatives at Matrix Service Company. He stated that the topic "has to be led from the top" and that he feels "personally invested and engaged" in it. Hewitt described the company's first "Day of Understanding" on February 25, 2020, as an event where employees can share experiences related to harassment or bias, and he said he believes creating an inclusive environment is "the only way we're going to make a change in society." He also said that diversity brings "really great ideas" to the workplace and that every employee should have an opportunity "not because of how they look or what the race is but because they earned their spot." In a 2016 interview, Hewitt discussed his career building tax preparation businesses, including Liberty Tax Service. He said he has "brought in over 5,000 franchisees" who have hired "over 50,000 employees." Hewitt described his approach to business as managing "income and structure" in sync, and said he has "built several billion-dollar companies" by balancing the two. He also stated that his current focuses are on Liberty Tax and on fighting world hunger, noting that he has "founded three world hunger organizations" and that the most recent effort aims to stop starvation in Nicaragua by working "one country at a time."
“I feel obligated as the CEO of a company that I can help, I can make a difference and so in a sort of indirect way this is a way for me to give back to the community into society but I can drive this topic within our company.”
“Every person has an opportunity to be at the table not because of how they look or what the race is but because they earned their spot because of what they know, their work ethic, their values, their culture.”
“When you think about bringing that diversity into a room at work, it's an opportunity to be inclusive, to bring everybody together and get really great ideas instead of everybody who maybe grew up in the same town, went to the same high school, all played in the same football team and now they all work together, they'r...”
“Inclusion and diversity is a broad topic; yes, it's race, yes it's gender, but it's also all the other things that go on behind the scenes and our ability as a company to harness the power of the diversity of the people in the room and make sure that they are comfortable to engage with everybody else in the room to sol...”
“At the end of the day it all starts with me because people appreciate the fact that the CEOs of companies are the ones that can make the most impact. Leadership at all levels creates action and helps with direction.”
“This specific topic of inclusion and diversity is something that can't be led out of the human resources department; it has to be led from the top. I have to be personally invested and engaged in the topic which for me is easy because I personally believe in it.”
“We're creating an inclusive environment; this is the only way we're going to make a change in society.”
“On Tuesday February 25th, Matrix Service Companies is going to do our first Day of Understanding. I invite everybody to make sure that you engage with that, come with an open mind, and I think and hope that everybody who engages in it is really going to get something out of it.”
“In building a business you have to manage two things and keep them in sync: income and structure. If you build your customer base and income too quickly without the suitable structure, you'll collapse because you won't be offering good service. Conversely, if you build your structure too fast without building your inco...”
“I've built several billion-dollar companies successfully because most of the time I've been able to manage the income versus the expense.”
“I want to help people; it's a compulsion of mine. In my franchise career, I've brought in over 5,000 franchisees who have hired over 50,000 employees, changing a lot of people's lives.”
“Winning isn't everything; winning is the only thing. When you are in the heat of the battle, your job is to give everything, seize the day, and win.”
“The biggest lesson I've learned is to use your talent, focus on what you're good at, and give back.”
“I have two focuses: Liberty Tax and saving lives from world hunger. I've founded three world hunger organizations, and our novel approach is to go one country at a time, starting with Nicaragua to stop starvation there.”
Matrix Service Company, Chief Executive Officer John Hewitt shares why Inclusion & Diversity is important to him--and to the ...
John Hewitt built a tax prep empire. But it didn't start that way. The beginnings were small. There were missteps and mistakes.
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