Meeting of Minds Podcast

At Amazon's annual meeting, the company faced a shareholder proposal from the Heritage Foundation via its Free Enterprise Initiative over its reliance on the Southern Poverty Law Center in vetting charities. Stefan Padfield presented for Heritage, urging the company to drop this biased, discredited data source as part of its responsibility to fiduciary duty and political neutrality. "The board’s opposition statement is most notable for its glaring failure to address whether Amazon continues to use SPLC data, which is a question expressly raised in our proposal. That omission arguably constitutes a red flag in terms of current oversight. More broadly, the proposition that shareholders should simply trust Amazon’s status quo is belied by the fact that Amazon has been rated a High Risk by 1792 Exchange on its Corporate Bias Ratings – including specifically for concerns about ongoing ties to the SPLC." Learn more about Heritage's Free Enterprise Initiative here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At American Express' annual meeting of shareholders, the company faced a shareholder proposal from Inspire Investing over its perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, one of the primary corporate activist rating systems for LGBTQ+ issues. Presenting at that meeting, along with Inspire's director of corporate engagement Tim Schwarzenberger, was Soren Aldaco, a detransitioner (someone who undergoes gender transition surgery and later regrets it). Aldaco talked to the company about the risks and ramifications of covering gender transition surgery in its healthcare, particularly for children as it appears that Amex does. This was a powerful example of the real human consequences of corporate policies that aid or adopt radical, activist social agendas - and why the corporate move away from such policies and back to sanity cannot come quickly enough. Learn more about Inspire at inspireinvesting.com, and watch Soren's video here. Follow Tim at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timschwarzenbergercfa/.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Docusign's 2026 annual meeting, the company faced a shareholder proposal from Inspire Investing over the use of non-fiduciary metrics in executive compensation. Listen to Inspire's presentation from director of corporate engagement Tim Schwarzenberger, urging the company to prioritize executive clarity and business performance over diversity incentives. "The reputational risks of ESG and DEI elements in executive compensation are well-demonstrated — and the rapidly evolving legal & regulatory landscape around such elements is an additional point in favor of fiduciary duty above all else. We are asking Docusign to defend, and fully commit, to its most critical form of inclusion: including every employee, shareholder, and customer as part of its mission of a growing company and a healthier world. Learn more about Inspire at inspireinvesting.com. Follow Tim at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timschwarzenbergercfa/.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At S&P Global's annual meeting, the company faced a shareholder proposal from the Heritage Foundation via its Free Enterprise Initiative, asking the company to report on the risks of the company’s work with activist groups like the Human Rights Campaign. Meanwhile, the company became once again embroiled in controversy over its ESG rating policies while this engagement was going on, underscoring politicization concerns. As Heritage’s Stefan Padfield told the company at its annual meeting: Another red flag calling into question the Company’s status quo is a recent letter from a coalition of 23 states questioning the lawfulness of the ESG policies of S&P Global Ratings. This letter was led in part by Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers and raises the specter of undisclosed and unlawful material conflicts of interest, as well as concerns related to antitrust violations and deceptive trade practices – all connected to the Company’s embrace of politically charged ESG. The foregoing list of red flags suggesting biased decision-making at S&P Global should make it difficult for shareholders to trust the status quo. Learn more about Heritage's Free Enterprise Initiative here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Cummins' 2026 annual meeting, the company faced a shareholder proposal from David Bahnsen, founder of The Bahnsen Group, over the company's participation in activist rating systems like the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. Listen to David's presentation, urging the company to prioritize core business over activist scorecards. "Cummins’ rating from the Human Rights Campaign does not indicate political neutrality. It indicates alignment with highly controversial medical interventions, including hormone regimens and gender transition surgery. Further, Cummins’ active participation in activist indices is concerning for shareholders who expect the company to avoid political controversy. Cummins should not be grabbing headlines for political stances. And it does not need to seek applause from activists. Its core business, meeting the needs of humanity by building the diesel engines and the generators that help power our world, is a noble, commendable, and vital business model that every investor can and ought to be proud of." Learn more about The Bahnsen Group at thebahnsengroup.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. #128, Jerry talks with Tom Carter, president and co-founder of Ridgeline Research. Join us for a conversation on: Why companies like Exxon and Starbucks are moving to business-friendly red states Navigating corporate impact as part of a conservative coalition How Ridgeline’s American Conservative Values ETF handles corporate engagement See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Gilead Sciences' 2026 annual meeting, the company faced a shareholder proposal from David Bahnsen, founder of The Bahnsen Group over the use of ESG and DEI metrics in executive compensation. Listen to David's presentation, urging the company to prioritize executive clarity and business performance over activist incentives. "Gilead does not need to be grabbing headlines or seeking activist plaudits over inclusion initiatives. Its core business, meeting the needs of humanity by combatting the world’s deadliest diseases, is a noble, commendable, and lifesaving model that every investor can and ought to be proud of. Gilead has done it so very well." Learn more about The Bahnsen Group at thebahnsengroup.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Truist's annual meeting, the company faced a shareholder proposal from the Heritage Foundation via its Free Enterprise Initiative over brand politicization. Stefan Padfield presented for Heritage, urging the company to choose political neutrality in key areas, including charitable policies. "While our nation has come to realize that nice-sounding phrases like “diversity, equity, and inclusion” apparently routinely mean discrimination in practice, Truist has unfortunately been associated with such initiatives. Truist scores 100 on the HRC’s CEI. And while the green energy transition has arguably been exposed as a utopian endeavor that leaves Americans poorer and vulnerable to foreign adversaries, Truist apparently maintains commitments furthering that agenda." Learn more about Heritage's Free Enterprise Initiative here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At HPE’s annual meeting of shareholders, the company faced a shareholder proposal from a BR client over political neutrality in the company’s charitable partnerships. Presenting at that meeting was Bowyer Research's director of corporate engagement Isaac Willour, who laid out (1) the case for risk mitigation around controversial corproate partnerships, (2) what activist ratings indicate about the company's policy stances on critical issues like gender transition surgery, and (3) why peer companies, and the Fortune 500 is broadly moving away from these sorts of partnerships and choosing political neutrality.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Starbucks' annual meeting, the company faced a shareholder proposal from the Heritage Foundation via its Free Enterprise Initiative over its reliance on the Southern Poverty Law Center in vetting charities. Stefan Padfield presented for Heritage, urging the company to drop this biased, discredited data source as part of its responsibility to fiduciary duty and political neutrality. "Given that relying on the SPLC’s Hate List is a business decision that must be fully informed in order to satisfy applicable fiduciary duties, shareholders can seemingly only conclude that Starbucks is aware of how biased the Hate List is, and either simply doesn’t care or actually supports that bias." Learn more about Heritage's Free Enterprise Initiative here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Disney's annual meeting, the company faced a shareholder proposal from a client of Patron Partners, asking for transparency around the company's charitable giving practices, including reported exclusions of religious/politically conservative organizations such as TPUSA. Listen to her full remarks here. "I love Disney, and the many happy moments it’s provided me and my family and friends for decades. The way it’s dodging questions on this issue isn’t in keeping with that. Let’s get Disney away from biased corporate policies, and back to creating more of those happy moments. Choosing political neutrality is how to do that." A huge thank you to Dana for her willingness to engage! Shortly after this annual meeting, Disney came under FCC review over its DEI policies. The company can't say no one was sounding the alarm now. Learn more about Patron Partners here: https://www.patronpartnersadvisors.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At John Deere's annual meeting of shareholders, the company faced a shareholder proposal from a BR client over its notable absence of faith-based employee resource groups (ERGs/BRGs). Presenting at that meeting was Bowyer Research's director of corporate engagement Isaac Willour, who laid out (1) the case for faith-based BRGs, (2) the company's baffling opposition to the proposal, and (3) why committing to political corporate neutrality means equal treatment for employees of faith.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 127, Jerry talks with Greg Scott, executive vice president at the corporate research organization 1792 Exchange, for an illuminating conversation around the even-more-disgraced Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Join us for a discussion on: What you need to know about the DOJ’s indictment of the SPLC. The disturbing connection between the Southern Poverty Law Center’s hate map and acts of political violence, from Family Research Council to Charlie Kirk and beyond How we’re engaging corporate America around curbing SPLC’s radical extremism Learn more about 1792 Exchange’s work at 1792exchange.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At IBM's annual meeting of shareholders, the company faced a shareholder proposal from the Heritage Foundation via its Free Enterprise Initiative over its perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, one of the primary corporate activist rating systems for LGBTQ+ issues. Presenting at that meeting was Camille Kiefel, a detransitioner (someone who undergoes gender transition surgery and later regrets it). Kiefel talked to the company about the risks and ramifications of covering gender transition surgery in its healthcare, particularly for children as it appears that IBM does. This was a powerful example of the real human consequences of corporate policies that aid or adopt radical, activist social agendas - and why the corporate move away from such policies and back to sanity cannot come quickly enough. Learn more about The Heritage Foundation's Free Enterprise Initiative here: https://www.heritage.org/free-enterprise-initiativeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. #126, Jerry talks with Justin Danhof, Director of Policy at the Department of Labor's EBSA division, to explain recent executive actions around proxy advisory services, what you need to know, and how it affects the financial freedom and future of ordinary Americans. Join us for a conversation around: What is a proxy advisory service – and why should you care? Which factors determine whether proxy advisory services are fiduciary entities? Why eradicating political bias in finance has generational impact Learn more at dol.gov/agencies/ebsa.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 125, Isaac Willour talks with Dustin DeVito, director of research at 1792 Exchange, a nonprofit helping to get politics out of corporate America (and one of Bowyer Research's many partner organizations). Join us for a conversation on: The latest iteration of the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index Why companies are backing away from gender ideology The future of getting corporate America out of politics Check out 1792 Exchange on X (and follow Dustin here), and at 1792exchange.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In December 2025, Bowyer Research president Jerry Bowyer delivered a speech on Genesis 1 at the 25th annual symposium for the Center for Cultural Leadership (CCL). After that speech was over, CCL senior fellow David Bahnsen remarked, “Can you imagine what would happen for Christian-oriented economics if the 30 minutes Jerry Bowyer gave here today were permeated across the land? The leverage in his messaging about this is absolutely world-transformative.” That’s a serious endorsement – and so we’re publishing that 30-minute speech from Jerry to you today for the education and, we hope, the encouragement and edification of our listeners. Learn more about the Center for Cultural Leadership here: https://christianculture.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 124, Isaac Willour talks with Thomas Dias, Foundation Relations Specialist at the Acton Institute, about how Gen-Z can approach AI constructively, not reflexively. Join us for a discussion on: - How young Christians should be viewing technological innovation- The use case for AI- Responding to AI skepticism in 2026 and beyondSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 123, Jerry talks with C. Theodore Hicks II (CFP, CKA, CMT), founder and CEO of Hicks & Associates Wealth Management, about: The flaws in modern portfolio theory Is ‘diversification’ a free lunch? Lessons from Warren Buffett’s ‘secret sauce’ of investing Why financial advisors need to be ‘good Bereans’ – and what that means. Read Ted’s book, “Evidence-Based Investing” here: https://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Based-Investing-Long-Term-Sometimes-Short-Term/dp/B0FH65SD2KSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode 122, Jerry is joined by Dr. Allen Mendenhall, Senior Advisor for the Free Enterprise Initiative at the Heritage Foundation. Dr. Mendenhall previously worked as a lawyer and served as the Associate Dean of the Sorrell College of Business. Join us for a fascinating discussion on: What Ayn Rand-style libertarianism gets wrong about capitalism How ESG activism inherently hinders the knowledge necessary for free enterprise How conservative and red-state-centric brands go woke, and what to do about it The Heritage Foundation’s goals for its Free Enterprise Initiative (previously the Capital Markets Initiative) Learn more about The Heritage Foundation’s Free Enterprise Initiative here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 121, Jerry Bowyer interviews Rick Graber, CEO of The Bradley Foundation and former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic, on the right’s shift from classical liberalism to nationalism, the failure to defend capitalism, and victories against DEI and ESG. Graber warns about judicial overreach and rising anti-Semitism, explains how Bradley Foundation grantees are steering corporations back to principle, and shares why, despite deep divisions, there’s still reason for optimism about America’s future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jerry Bowyer talks with Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick about the hidden influence of proxy advisory firms like ISS and Glass Lewis. Fitzpatrick explains why most pension plans lacked proxy guidelines (and the results of not having them), and how the left uses boardrooms to advance agendas that fail at the ballot box. He shares progress made in pushing back against ESG and why the battle for shareholder engagement is far from over.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 119, Jerry talks with West Virginia Treasurer Larry Pack, in a conversation touching on: How the ‘war on coal’ is connected to debanking controversies Debanking vs. Deplatforming: which is more dangerous, or are they the same? How Treasurer Pack is fighting for tax cuts for people wearing boots – not just suits. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 118, Isaac Willour from Bowyer Research sits down with Gabriella Hoffman, the director of the Center for Energy and Conservation at Independent Women's Forum. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation, including: The Gen-Z populism behind the rise of socialist candidates such as Zohran Mamdani The inherent privilege of being anti-energy — and why that matters Is ‘Abundance’ liberalism (1) real, (2) abundant, or (3) liberal? Why environmental conservation is conservative Check out Gabriella’s work here and follow her on X @Gabby_Hoffman.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. #117, Jerry speaks with Dr. John Fleming, treasurer of the state of Louisiana, for a wide-ranging conversation. Topics include: Do decarbonization efforts, from net zero to carbon capture, actually do anything? How racial gerrymandering creates a more polarized nation The history of property rights — and why that matters in creating wealth for ordinary Americans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Isaac is joined by Dr. Brian Dellinger, AI expert and professor of computer science at Grove City College. We discuss: What a real theology of technology looks like Why Christian culture is so reflexively anti-AI Can AI be a tool for kingdom-building? Hint: the answer’s yes. Check out Grove City College’s work with AI in Biblical translation here: https://www.gcc.edu/Home/News-Archive/News-Article/gcc-research-aims-to-improve-ai-biblical-translationSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Jerry welcomes Newsweek’s Jesse Edwards to unpack the controversy surrounding McDonalds’ decision to step back from its DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) hiring quotas. Together, they explore: Why corporations are expected to take stances on social and political issues at all How DEI initiatives often lead to further corporate activism — and unintended consequences Why these programs often harm the very people they pretend to support Jesse shares insights from his recent Newsweek article, arguing that complex societal challenges shouldn’t be solved through corporate experiments. As he puts it: “There’s no logical reason to expect a company like McDonald’s to solve these issues by using its workforce as guinea pigs for social engineering.” Listen in for a candid conversation on the limits of corporate responsibility — and why sometimes, fries should just be fries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 114, Jerry sits down with Alabama State Auditor Andrew Sorrell. Join us for a fascinating conversation on topics including: Sorrell’s personal experience with being debanked Who’s the bigger problem in debanking: big banks or regional banks? How debanking creates problems in the cryptocurrency industry How banking restrictions threaten Second Amendment rights - and how Alabama’s fighting back See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode 113 of Meeting of Minds, Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oaks returns for a compelling discussion on how alternative currencies—especially gold-backed systems—could offer economic resilience and restore financial autonomy to states seeking greater independence from federal monetary policy. Jerry and Treasurer Oaks explore: How gold is strengthening state rainy-day funds in Utah The role of precious metals in safeguarding against inflation and economic instability The constitutional foundation for issuing gold-backed currency Whether Bitcoin and digital assets offer a viable alternative in currency crises This episode dives deep into the intersection of economics, policy, and freedom—don’t miss it!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 112, Isaac Willour from Bowyer Research sits down with Dr. Chris DeArmitt, a materials scientist, author, and public speaker known for his work discussing misconceptions surrounding the environmental impact of plastics. Join us for a conversation about corporate America’s plastic policies, recycling, and what the future of real sustainability looks like. Check out Chris’ work here: plasticsresearchcouncil.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisdearmitt/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 111, David Bahnsen returns to the podcast to discuss how high-achievers struggle to relate to the church, how the lessons of God’s creation carry a call to human ambition, and other lessons sparked from his recent book Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life. Check out David’s recent book here: https://www.fulltimebook.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oklahoma State Treasurer Todd Russ gave this speech at Lululemon's annual meeting of shareholders recently, defending a shareholder proposal urging the company to back away from partnering with non-fiduciary corporate activist groups like the Human Rights Campaign, and take seriously the controversy caused by the company's previous donations to radical organizations like Black Lives Matter & Reclaim the Block (which called for the defunding of the Minneapolis Police Department). We present Treasurer Russ' speech here for our listeners.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 110, Jerry sits down with author Eric Dunavant, author, entrepreneur and creator of the Kingdom ROI (Return on Intention) method. They discuss Eric’s recent book, At the Bistro with Bob, the story of Dunavant’s friendship with oilman Bob Pritchard. Jerry & Eric also discuss the importance of exercising ownership of companies, how to balance transferring wisdom & wealth, and Eric’s work teaching high-net-worth people to build & maintain relationships, not just money. Check out At the Bistro With Bob here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 109, Isaac Willour from Bowyer Research sits down with Tommy Martin, CEO of the Tebow Group. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation on topics like: Biblical lessons for business – from 1 Samuel to Paul How Christians should navigate the 21st century job market The incredible work that the Tebow Group is doing to bring faith, hope, and love to the darkest parts of the world Check out The Tebow Group’s work here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tebowgroup/posts/?feedView=allSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Financial advisor Rick Figueroa gave this speech at Meta’s annual meeting of shareholders several weeks ago, defending a shareholder proposal urging Meta to be transparent with shareholders regarding preventing AI-driven child exploitation. This proposal received one of the highest levels of vote support in Bowyer Research's history - we present Rick’s excellent speech here for our listeners. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Walker Wildmon, vice president of American Family Association, gave this speech at Apple's annual meeting of shareholders earlier this year, defending a shareholder proposal urging Apple to explain its lax policies regarding online child abuse and distribution of child pornography. This proposal received one of the highest levels of vote support in Bowyer Research's history - we present Wildmon's speech here for our listeners.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of Bowyer Research’s clients, financial advisor David Bahnsen, recently spoke at Gilead Sciences’ annual meeting in defense of a shareholder proposal asking the company to eschew divisive DEI quotas in its supplier policies. We’re presenting the speech here for our listeners. Learn more about The Bahnsen Group here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode 108, Jerry sits down with Rich Todd, CEO and co-founder of Innovest, to talk about one of the biggest drivers in value-based investments: financial consultants. Rich & Jerry discuss the Christian philosophical rebuttal to ESG & DEI, the importance of having an investment manager with a pro-Christian culture, and what it truly means to be “equally yoked” when it comes to your investment strategy, financial influence, & proxy voting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, Jerry (as president of Bowyer Research) gave a short speech to the board of directors of BlackRock, asking the company (1) to move back to political neutrality and (2) to go back to the classical economics of shareholder capitalism as opposed to stakeholderism. We present the speech (three minutes in length) here for our listeners to listen to.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few people are as keyed in on ESG’s “war on food” as former Nebraska State Treasurer John Murante. In Ep. 107, Murante sits down with Jerry to discuss how corporate activism is leaning heavily into anti-agriculture sentiment, how utopian visions of animal welfare create dystopia in reality, and how fiduciary duty gets applied to everything from carbon emissions to crypto investments. Read John’s piece at NRO here: https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/11/esg-investing-hurts-the-poor-and-empowers-tyrants/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ep. 106, Jerry sits down with Missouri Treasurer Vivek Malek to discuss the threat of China, the ongoing battle with Vanguard’s self-perpetuating autocracy, and the ‘Three-P’ approach: protecting taxpayers’ dollars, providing opportunities, and promoting the promise of America.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In. Ep. 105, Isaac Willour from Bowyer Research sits down for a conversation with Dr. Paul Mueller, senior fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER). Join us for an in-depth discussion of a Protestant approach to economics, how ESG agendas advance elitist ideology, and how G.K. Chesterton can fix our social media problems. Check out Dr. Mueller’s work at AIER here: https://aier.org/people/paul-mueller/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.