Ron and Ed welcome Tim Riordan, president of BIPAC (Business-Industry Political Action Committee), for a conversation at the intersection of business, civic engagement, and public policy. BIPAC works to educate and mobilize the business community around the political process — equipping leaders with the tools and insight needed to participate thoughtfully and effectively in American democracy.
Tim brings decades of experience helping organizations navigate the often-murky waters of public affairs, grassroots advocacy, and leadership development. In a time when politics and business are increasingly entangled, sometimes constructively, often chaotically, he offers a perspective grounded in education, participation, and long-term institutional thinking.
As a Soul of Enterprise guest, Tim fits squarely into the show’s deeper inquiry: What responsibilities accompany enterprise? How should leaders engage the broader culture without being consumed by it? And how do we preserve institutions that allow free people to flourish?
This conversation explores not partisanship, but participation and why the health of the republic depends in part on whether business leaders choose to show up.
SHOW NOTES
Segment one
Welcome Tim Riordan! First question: What is BIPAC? A community built on member and partner success. Delivering Educational Programs, Curated Resources, and Political Analysis. https://bipac.org/
Founded in 1963, BIPAC is widely considered one of the first political action committees representing business interests in the U.S. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIPAC
The stated mission of BIPAC is to advance economic growth by engaging private-sector employees as voters and advocates. In other words, BIPAC helps companies activate employees politically, not just lobby directly. https://bipac.org
Tim brought back a great quote today on the show: “Congress is dysfunctional, except for my member.”
Segment two
Tim mentioned a great book today: Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Conversations-Tools-Talking-Stakes/dp/1260474216
“Risk mitigation has become an element that’s being looked at in political engagement.” —Tim Riordan of BIPAC
“It’s such a fundamental right of this country to disagree. And we have been disagreeing for 250 years. This is our birth right.” —Tim Riordan of BIPAC
Report: The Role of Trust and Employed Voters in the 2024 Election https://bipac.org/2024-post-election-survey-report
Segment three
Employee Voter Registration Week was started 14 years ago by BIPAC. More information here: https://bipac.org/syndicated/why-i-m-excited-for-employee-voter-registration-week
BIPAC provides companies with a PAC strategy, voter education programs, and grassroots activation systems. Essentially, it acts as a political operating system for corporations. https://bipac.org
Adam Smith Collection: The Wealth of Nations and The Theory of Moral Sentiments https://www.amazon.com/Adam-Smith-Collection-Nations-Sentiments/dp/B0DQHFCH12
Looking Back at 2025: Key Takeaways from the BIPAC Pulse Benchmarking Report https://bipac.org/syndicated/looking-back-at-2025-key-takeaways-from-the-bipac-pulse-benchmarking-report
Segment four
~75% of registered voters say they look to their employer for information about elections and issues https://www.linkedin.com/posts/employees-vote_ignoring-the-election-cycle-is-no-longer-activity-7393664142831796224-I4D1/
57% of employees say workplace information increased their support for company-aligned positions https://bipac-momentum-media.s3.amazonaws.com/Media/assets/000/024/115/original/The-Business-Case-for-E2E-Survey-Presentation.pdf
“Watch the news that pisses you off […] because that’s gonna give you the other side of the argument.” —Tim Riordan of BIPAC
A big THANK YOU to Tim Riordan for joining us today. BIPAC encourages civic participation through business. Learn more here: https://bipac.org
Bonus Content is Available As Well
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