More CEOs Have Political Aspirations This Campaign Season
More and more business leaders are getting involved in politics in their local markets, and this upcoming election season boasts a plethora of them.
More and more business leaders are getting involved in politics in their local markets, and this upcoming election season boasts a plethora of them.
While the nation-state is far from dead, more and more regions are feeling encumbered—if not suffocated—by centralized control. A large body of empirical research has examined the relationship between the size of government and economic outcomes; and based on that research, the U.S. has much room to scale back.
For many years, the IRS has been tracking the migration of citizens and their incomes across state lines. Since 1995, $2 trillion has migrated from high-tax states to those with reduced tax burdens. But it’s not just individual people that vote with their feet. Companies are voting, too, and the consequences will change the country’s socio-political landscape.
Wyoming, Florida, and Indiana rank among the ten best states for taxes on business, while companies in states like New York, New Jersey, and California must struggle with the worst tax codes in the country, according to the newest edition of the Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index.
CEOs at companies ranging from Honeywell to JetBlue Airways said that a prolonged shutdown of the U.S. government has the potential to jeopardize the economic rebound, according to a report from Bloomberg. In addition CNNMoney reports that more than a dozen Wall Street bank chiefs warned President Obama at the White House that the financial system would suffer if the shutdown and debt limit aren’t resolved.
Those of us in the private sector know that the U.S. still has not fully recovered from the weak real estate market and general economic malaise that started in the recession of 2008.
Recently Trader Joe’s had to tell its associates that it had to revise its health benefits in the wake of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). CEOs who face similar challenges in having a straight conversation on healthcare with their “crew members” (employees) should take note.
The SEC has just proposed a rule that will require all public companies to report the ratio between the total pay of the CEO and the median pay of all other employees (excluding the CEO). Some of the unintended consequences –particularly for employment– will be severe.
Conceding, in effect, implementation problems with the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration is delaying enforcement of a key provision of the new health-care law that requires large employers to provide coverage for workers or pay a penalty in 2014, the biggest revision so far to the federal health-care overhaul. The knock-on effects for business may prove significant.
Last Sunday, Feb. 3 marked the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 16th Amendment, which enabled the establishment of the U.S. federal income tax. The century-long history of the income tax has been marked by more and more taxpayers paying higher and higher amounts of tax. As Americans get ready for yet another tax filing season, take a look at how the income tax has morphed from a tax only a handful of people actually paid in 1913 to behavior-changing deal it is today.
Chief Executive Group exists to improve the performance of U.S. CEOs, senior executives and public-company directors, helping you grow your companies, build your communities and strengthen society. Learn more at chiefexecutivegroup.com.
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.