[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”4px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_divider color=”#397389″ divider_weight=”2px” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/polling-and-research\/contact-your-representatives-in-congress-to-join-the-congressional-family-business-caucus-now\/” button_text=”Empower Change: Demand Action from Your Representatives in Congress Against Damaging Policies and Excessive Regulation!” button_alignment=”center” disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Call to Action Button Top” _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” global_module=”7025″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_divider color=”#397389″ divider_weight=”2px” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”1″ _builder_version=”4.23.1″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
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John Smith, Chairman, CRST, The Transportation Solution, Inc., and Family Enterprise USA President Pat Soldano were featured speakers at the recent \u201cFamilies in Business Conference,\u201d where the discussion spotlighted the importance of having a strong voice for family businesses<\/a> in our nation\u2019s capital.<\/span><\/p>\n The event held here was the ninth organized by Cornell University\u2019s Smith Family Business Initiative. The initiative is part of the university\u2019s S.C Johnson Graduate School of Management. The two-day event was held at The Statler Hotel & Conference Center. Smith received his MBA from Cornell in 1974. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Smith, also Secretary of the 45,000-member strong American Trucking Associations, and Soldano spoke on the massive and often hidden contribution America\u2019s family businesses make to the U.S. economy, and how few in Congress understand this contribution. <\/span><\/p>\n Today, CRST, a family-owned business, has annual revenue of $2 billion, with lines of business in trucking, logistics, property development, insurance, security, and family office. <\/span>Founded in 1955, CRST is today one of the nation\u2019s largest privately held transportation and logistics companies.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Cornell University\u2019s Daniel Van Der Vliet, The John and Dyan Smith Executive Director Family Business at the S.C Johnson Graduate School of Management, introduced Soldano and Smith, who also chairs Hillcrest Holdings, on the discussion entitled: \u201cThe Family Business Congressional Caucus and Amplifying the Voice of Family Enterprise.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n During the talk, Soldano detailed the results of Family Enterprise USA\u2019s annual research study, which shows America\u2019s multi-generational family-owned businesses contributing $7.7 trillion annually to the U.S. gross domestic product. Family businesses are the largest private employers in the country, accounting for 83.3 million jobs, or 59 percent of the country\u2019s private workforce, the research shows.<\/span><\/p>\n The policies affecting the many family businesses, including family-owned trucking companies, can be particularly difficult to navigate, according to Smith. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBecause of the changing tax laws, both federal and state, we\u2019re always thinking about how that affects our business and drivers,\u201d said Smith. \u201cIt\u2019s critical our voices are heard loud and clear on Capitol Hill, and the new <\/span>Congressional Family Business Caucus<\/span><\/a> is a big first step in getting our messages heard,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s important that we tell our stories to this new Caucus, so they fully understand the challenges family businesses face right now.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The bipartisan Congressional Family Business Caucus was formed last year with four co-chairs: <\/span>Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX). The caucus held three meetings in 2023. Currently, 31 congressional members have signed on to support the caucus.<\/span><\/p>\n Cornell\u2019s Smith Family Business Initiative was created to bring together faculty, scholars, and practitioners to provide multidisciplinary guidance and expertise to help equip well-established, emerging, and aspiring family businesses with the knowledge and skills essential to navigate the multi-generational dimensions and family influence of these organizations.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThese events like the one here at Cornell University are opportunities to continue to get the family business message heard and to educate audiences on the importance of family businesses to the American story and economy,\u201d Soldano told attendees. \u201cThere are so many successful family businesses, and they are truly the engine that drives our economy, but there are also many challenges these businesses face,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s vital that academia, legislators, and the business community understand the need for <\/span>family businesses to have a strong voice on Capitol Hill<\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Soldano is also President of Policy and Taxation Group, an advocate for family businesses on Capitol Hill and a sister organization of Family Enterprise USA.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#397389″ divider_weight=”2px” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Become a member text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” link_option_url=”https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate-2\/” global_module=”5822″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n As we prepare for what promises to be a pivotal year for America, we’re asking you to consider becoming a member.<\/p>\n The need for fact-based reporting of issues important to multi generational businesses<\/a> and protecting a lifetime of savings<\/a> has never been greater. Now more than ever, multi generational businesses<\/a> and family businesses<\/a> are under fire. That’s why Family Enterprise USA<\/a> is passionately working to increase the awareness of issues important to generationally-owned family businesses<\/a> built on hard work, while continuing to strengthen our presence on Capitol Hill. The issues we fight for or against with Congress in Washington DC include high income tax rates<\/a>, possible elimination of valuation discounts, increase in capital gains tax<\/a>, enactment of a wealth tax<\/a>, and the continued burden of the gift tax<\/a>, estate tax<\/a> and generation skipping tax<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate\/” button_text=”Become a Family Enterprise USA Member” button_alignment=”center” disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Become FEUSA member button” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” global_module=”6503″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_divider color=”#397389″ divider_style=”dotted” divider_weight=”2px” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_video_slider admin_label=”Video Slider Webinar Replays” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” global_module=”5954″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ebLC74TMplE” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fIbiW_qFdE0″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uKyoSHKZ-5o&t=81s” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KIgfjsdi4o0″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6ME0xh9XKSM” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Ggte5YDferU” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GnpvvzhcfS0″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6UMxZ8yBsOs” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” show_image_overlay=”off”][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][\/et_pb_video_slider][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”FEUSA Statement” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” link_option_url=”https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate-2\/” global_module=”5910″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Family Enterprise USA<\/a> promotes generationally<\/a> owned family business<\/a> creation, growth, viability, and sustainability by advocating for family businesses<\/a> and their lifetime of savings with Congress<\/a> in Washington DC.\u00a0 Since 2007, Family Enterprise USA<\/a> has represented and celebrated\u00a0all sizes, professions and industries of family-owned enterprises and multi-generational<\/a> employers. It is a bi-partisan 501.c3 organization.\u00a0Family foundations can donate.<\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Hash tags & Tags” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_module=”6498″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n #incometax #taxseason #federaltaxpolicy #taxation #EstateTax #Deathtax #wealthtax #taxLegislation #CongressionalCaucus #CapitalGainsTax #incometaxrates #incometaxseason #taxrefund #taxreturn #incometaxreturn #gifttax #Generationskippingtax #InheritanceTax #repealestatetax #FamilyBusiness #promotefamilybusinesses #familyowned #supportlocalbusiness #womeninbusiness #AdvocatingForFamilyBusinesses #Generationallyowned #Multigenerationalbusiness\u00a0 @FamilyEnterpriseUSA @PolicyAndTaxationGroup @DitchTheEstateTax #FamilyEnterpriseUSA #PolicyAndTaxationGroup #DitchTheEstateTax<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CRST\u2019s John Smith and Family Enterprise USA\u2019s Pat Soldano Voice Critical Need for National Family Business Spotlight During Cornell University Event Cornell\u2019s John and Dyan Smith Family Business Initiative Holds \u2018Families in Business Conference\u2019 Featuring Key Family Business Academics, Experts John Smith, Chairman, CRST, The Transportation Solution, Inc., and Family Enterprise USA President Pat […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9636,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[48,92,78],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-businesses","category-multi-generational-business","category-in-the-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9634","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9634"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9634\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9640,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9634\/revisions\/9640"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9634"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9634"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}We hope you’ve enjoyed this article. While you’re here, we have a small favor to ask…<\/em><\/h4>\n
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