Tennessee Voices, Episode 320: Bess McWherter and Brad Bishop, TN Business Forum

The Tennessee Voices podcast brings readers conversations with authors of insightful and compelling guest columns.

The midterm elections have heightened the rhetoric and political polarization in the nation, but there are, in fact, many areas where national leaders have found common ground to solve big problems.

Take for instance the 21 Century Cures Act during the Obama Administration, the Music Modernization Act in the Trump era and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in the current Biden White House.

Too often, however, leaders, especially in the business world, are not as connected as they should be with federal issues or officials.

That is why the Tennessee Business Forum launched in January to connect leaders with each other with the sole focus on federal regulatory issues.

On this episode of the Tennessee Voices video podcast, forum Executive Director Bess McWherter and Ingram Group Principal Brad Bishop, who works with the forum, spoke about their mission and their work.

Both have extensive experience in federal policymaking, whether it's in the executive or legislative branches. McWherter advised Congressman Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, and is the granddaughter of former Gov. Ned McWherter, who served from 1987 to 1995. Bishop worked for U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, and served in posts in the White House and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Their goal is to help leaders become better informed to make an impact on federal policy. A big topic for business leaders these days, they said, is infrastructure.

McWherter and Bishop said while certain news media programs might focus on the acrimony in Washington, D.C., they regularly witness staff members working to find solutions to national problems.