The Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill

Purchased in 1979 by a then 25-year-old lawyer, George Gleason, Bank OZK has grown from a small community bank into a nationally recognized leader in the financial services industry with $41 billion in assets, over 3,200 employees and more than 260 offices in 9 states. Its journey of growth is told by George Gleason, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Host Pat Soldano, President of Family Enterprise USA and Policy and Taxation Group, guides the conversation on how Bank OZK is navigating current economic, and tax legislation issues for itself and for its customers. Gleason unpacks many of the programs and services that have provided growth and are relevant to family-owned businesses.

In this episode of “The Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill” host Pat Soldano of Family Enterprise USA speaks with Michelle Korsmo, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Restaurant Association, to discuss the critical issues affecting family-owned restaurants, including tax and economic policies affecting growth and success.   

In this episode of “Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill” host Pat Soldano of Family Enterprise USA speaks with John and Bill Zaruka, founder and Chief Executive Officer, respectively, of $250 million Wedgewood Weddings and Events. The conversation details the growth of Wedgewood, the family journey, how private equity helped it reach the next level of success, and how it can help entrepreneurs professionalize, scale with less risk, and provide opportunities for employees.

In this episode of “Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill” host Pat Soldano of Family Enterprise USA speaks with top tax and Congress experts Mark Warren of the law and government affairs firm, Brownstein, and Caren Street and Michael Hawthorne of the law and government affairs firm, Squire Patton Boggs. The topic is: How the Passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” will affect Family-owned Businesses. These experts will detail for listeners what the new tax bill means for family-owned businesses.

In this episode of “Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill” host Pat Soldano of Family Enterprise USA speaks with Bill Rock, CEO of MLR Media, a media and events company that publishes Family Business, Directors & Boards, FO Pro, and Private Company Director magazines, to discuss how family businesses govern themselves and how governance can affect growth and success.    

In this episode of “Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill” host Pat Soldano of Family Enterprise USA speaks with top tax and Congress experts Russ Sullivan of the law and government affairs firm, Brownstein, and Michael Hawthorne of the law and government affairs firm, Squire Patton Boggs. The topic is “Where Does the New Tax Bill Stand Right Now?” As the extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act works its way through Congress, these experts will update listeners on what the tax bill provisions look like right now, what is likely to get to the President’s desk, and how it will affect family-owned businesses.

In this episode of “Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill” host Pat Soldano of Family

Enterprise USA speaks with Catherine Fankhauser, Partner, Family Office Advisory

Services, Ernst & Young LLP, and John Feiten, Senior Manager in EY’s Family Office

Advisory Services practice. The topic is “How a Family Office Can Support Family

Needs.” As family businesses grow and the number of family members involved

increase, the complications of managing investments, taxes and other financial tasks

escalate. In such a situation, family offices can provide a single point of coordination for

enhancing wealth management strategies and providing comprehensive support for a

family’s varying needs. In this podcast, you will learn how to stand up a family office

based on your family’s current needs and long-term goals.

In this episode of the “Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill” host Pat Soldano of Family Enterprise USA talks with two prominent Washington, D.C-based legal experts on what is expected in the first 100 Days of the new Administration and new Congress.

The two guests are Caren Street, Principal and legal expert, at the law and government- relations firm of Squire Patton Boggs, and Mark Warren, Shareholder and legal expert, at the law and government-relations firm of Brownstein.

Caren Street is a seasoned Washington, D.C., operative with 17 years of experience on Capitol Hill and in government relations. She is a principal of her firm’s Public Policy Practice Group and advises a range of clients on public policy and government relations strategies to address issues before federal, state and local governments. Prior to joining the firm, Caren gained 14 years of bipartisan, bicameral and leadership experience on Capitol Hill.

Mark Warren worked on every major tax-policy debate since the Clinton administration. Mark is a well-known professional on the Hill, having spent more than two decades serving as congressional tax counsel spanning four administrations. He served as chief tax counsel to the Senate Finance Committee, where he handled the development and implementation of Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) tax agenda. He also contributed to the development and drafting of key parts of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as senior tax counsel in the office of Sen. John Thune (R-SD).

In this episode of the “Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill” host Pat Soldano of Family Enterprise USA talks with two prominent women who run generationally-owned family businesses.

The two guests are Katie Jeremiah, Chief Executive Officer, Aggregate Resource Industries, a rock drilling and blasting contractor that provides drilling and blasting services throughout the United States, and Paetra Orueta, Executive Vice President, Blazer Industries, a family-owned and operated modular building manufacturing company.

In this episode of the “Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill” host Pat Soldano of Family Enterprise USA talks with two prominent women who run generationally-owned family businesses.

The two guests are Paula Lafferty, CEO, SnoTemp, a family-owned and operated temperature controlled public warehousing company with two facilities located Oregon; and Lauren Doll- Sheeder, Managing Partner, Doll Distributing, a third-generation beverage distribution company.