Chris Kaspar is the founder of Techless and creator of Wisephone, a minimalist phone for families and digital minimalists. Before starting a variety of different start ups Chris worked with his family company, Kaspar Companies. Kaspar Companies is a diversified 5th generation family business founded by his great-great grandfather in 1898.
Claiborne Haw is currently working with Blue Trust as a family legacy advisor in Atlanta, Georgia. Claiborne’s family has been stewarding a multi generational rock aggregate mining and production company.
Tom Lernihan is the chief investor for His Fund, a family owned faith driven fund that strategically invests to generates employment opportunities for those in poverty while addressing the world’s greatest social concerns. Tom and his family are some of the most prominent leaders in the faith driven investing space, and are commonly referred to as thought leaders.
Ian Strommen is a 4th generation member of his family business, Process Displays. Process Displays is a retail displays designer and manufacturer working with many of the largest brands in the world. Ian is currently the director of research and development where he focuses on where is focuses on driving the future of the retail experience. Ian recently married Leigha Coors and they live together in Minnesota.
Hank Bowen works on the investor relations team at Sovereigns Capital, a faith driven asset management firm operating across private equity, venture capital, real estate, public markets, and fund of funds. Hank lives in Franklin Tennessee with his wife and two kids.
Today we welcome Rose Shoen: granddaughter of the founder of U-Haul, soccer coach, and accomplished athlete. She has devoted much of her life to the question, “How do we provide access to soccer at any income level?” Discover her three t’s and how they inform her coaching business, how she translated her experience working for her family to coaching Spanish-speaking kids’ soccer, and her advocation of “sustainable philanthropy” through the combination of “public” resources and “private” knowledge.
This week’s guest is Caleb Tannehill. Caleb, a Gen-5, openly shares his family history dating back to the late nineteenth century and his mission to develop multi-generational family cohesion. Discover his efforts to engage his family 365 days a year, what he tells quarrelling family members, and how he strives to prevent family issues from becoming corporate issues with a “family constitution.”
Second-generation philanthropist Logan Angel joins Kate and Parker today to discuss a value near and dear to her heart: generosity. Discover how she became inspired to make her family’s foundation her life’s work, how she handled her family’s transition to wealth, and how she stepped out of fear and isolation to embrace her identity.
Welcome to Season 2 of Ascendants! In our first episode of the season, we speak with Muhammad (Mo) Amdani: general partner at Adapt Ventures and a Gen-2 member of GK. Discover the impact of growing up around his family business in Miami and Dubai, why competition between him and his siblings allowed him to thrive, and the value instilled in him by his father that he treasures most.
In the final episode of the season, Kate and Parker sit down with their good friend Mikey: entrepreneur, youth pastor, and co-founder with his father of Restoration Apparel. Discover the importance of treating workers with dignity, how his father’s love for entrepreneurship (including selling grass seed, of all things) inspired and planted deep roots in Mikey, and what it means to be a “horizon painter.”
Today, Kate and Parker welcome their friend Taylor Adams to Ascendants. Taylor is a fifth-generation family member and has a passion for combining investment entrepreneurship with philanthropic strategies. Discover why he decided to start his own venture fund and non-profit incubator, what the “third track” is for Next-Gens, and how Taylor’s family values impacted his journey – including, “If you want to make a million dollars, help a million people.”
Former Junior Olympic downhill ski racer. Entrepreneur. Gen-7 of a 100+-year family. These are just some of the descriptors one could use to describe Ella Chase, the guest on Ascendants this week. As she puts it, her family spent 400 years not discussing the past, and she’s here to remedy that. Discover the two sides of Ella’s childhood – a rich kid in the country surrounded by goats and chickens, bussed into the city for etiquette lessons; her journey to co-creating Wellth Works, a company that helps women navigate leadership in large family enterprises, and the benefit and joy of knowing your second, third, fourth, and fifth cousins in one beautiful, purposeful place.
Vivian Long is the executive director of the Long Family Foundation – as well as Kate and Parker’s guest on the podcast this week! Discover how her upbringing revolved around her parents’ focus on “faith, family, and culture” and helped her through isolating, difficult times; how her parents prepared her and her Gen-2 sisters for the responsibility of wealth, and how she brought her background of non-profit work to her role at her family’s foundation.
In their first interview, Kate and Parker speak with JC Richardson – co-founder of Angel Armor and steward of his family’s legacy. JC takes us on the journey of his life so far. Discover the story behind OtterBox (and how JC thought it was normal for your dad to have a business in the garage), the complexities and his initial confusion over estate planning, and the dynamics of navigating Wednesday night family dinners as an employee of the family business.
Welcome to Ascendants: a podcast featuring descendants of successful families ascending into their own identities and impact! Kate Gardner and Parker Samelson introduce themselves, share a glimpse of their family backgrounds and values, and explain why they’ve decided to embark on this podcasting journey.
