The Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill

Hosted by Family Enterprise USA

Business News PoliticsInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

Latest episode

Nov 2025

Language

About the show

The Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill is a monthly podcast featuring topics and interviews with experts from politics, marketing, tax, and law focusing on the critical issues facing families and their businesses. The podcast series is hosted by Pat Soldano, President of Family Enterprise USA and Policy and Taxation Group, advocates for families and their businesses.

Listen to episodes

32 recent

November 3, 202529 min

How A Banking Powerhouse Successfully Navigates Today’s Dynamic Economic Environment

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.

August 18, 202527 min

Family-Owned Restaurants and the Challenges They Face

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.   

August 11, 202531 min

How to Build a Family-Owned Business and Win with Private Equity

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.

July 28, 202546 min

How the Passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” 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 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.

June 18, 202528 min

Family Business Governance

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.    

June 2, 202534 min

Where is Congress on The New Tax Bill?

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.

April 28, 202527 min

How a Family Office Can Support Family Needs

In this episode of “Voice of Family Business on Capitol Hill” host Pat Soldano of FamilyEnterprise USA speaks with Catherine Fankhauser, Partner, Family Office AdvisoryServices, Ernst & Young LLP, and John Feiten, Senior Manager in EY’s Family OfficeAdvisory Services practice. The topic is “How a Family Office Can Support FamilyNeeds.” As family businesses grow and the number of family members involvedincrease, the complications of managing investments, taxes and other financial tasksescalate. In such a situation, family offices can provide a single point of coordination forenhancing wealth management strategies and providing comprehensive support for afamily’s varying needs. In this podcast, you will learn how to stand up a family officebased on your family’s current needs and long-term goals.

January 29, 202539 min

The First 100 Days

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).

December 18, 202438 min

Women Owners in Family Businesses: Challenges and Opportunities, Part 2

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.

December 9, 202425 min

Women Owners in Family Businesses: Challenges and Opportunities

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.