How the Kochs Built an Industrial Empire and Reshaped Politics

This week, we have an interview with Christopher Leonard, author of a new book, “Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America.” Earlier this month, David Koch passed away. And it suddenly got everyone talking about the Koch Brothers again.  It got us thinking about them too — not just their role in politics, but about the company they built. Koch Industries is one of the most influential energy and industrial firms in the world. And the way the Kochs have run their company tells us a lot about their approach to conservative politics.  With David and Charles Koch back in the public spotlight, we’re talking with Christopher about their business practices, libertarian philosophies, and influence on politics. Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric. The Interchange is also brought to you by Uplight, the company you once knew as Tendril and Simple Energy. The goal is still the same: to offer utility leaders a suite of engagement solutions that deliver customer experiences like Amazon and Netflix. Learn more about how Uplight is building an end-to-end product for utility customer engagement. You can listen to Uplight’s five-part podcast series, called Illuminators, about what utilities can learn from case studies of business disruption. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or anywhere else you get your podcasts.