Fastenal Company (Nasdaq: FAST) announced last month that Daniel Florness had communicated to the company's Board of Directors his decision to step down from his role as Chief Executive Officer of Fastenal on July 16, 2026. On December 19, 2025, Fastenal's Board appointed Jeffery M. Watts, Fastenal's current President and Chief Sales Officer, to succeed Mr. Florness as Fastenal's CEO effective as of July 16, 2026.


Florness joined Fastenal in 1996 and became CEO back in 2016. He expects to continue to serve as a Strategic Advisor to the firm's incoming CEO until early 2028. Dan joins to discuss the health of the company as he enters his final months at the helm, and how emerging technology has increasingly impacted the manufacturing landscape. Dan speaks with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec on Bloomberg Businessweek Daily.

Fastenal Company (Nasdaq: FAST) announced last month that Daniel Florness had communicated to the company's Board of Directors his decision to step down from his role as Chief Executive Officer of Fastenal on July 16, 2026. On December 19, 2025, Fastenal's Board appointed Jeffery M. Watts, Fastenal's current President and Chief Sales Officer, to succeed Mr. Florness as Fastenal's CEO effective as of July 16, 2026.
 Florness joined Fastenal in 1996 and became CEO back in 2016. He expects to continue to serve as a Strategic Advisor to the firm's incoming CEO until early 2028. Dan joins to discuss the health of the company as he enters his final months at the helm, and how emerging technology has increasingly impacted the manufacturing landscape. Dan speaks with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec on Bloomberg Businessweek Daily.

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Listen for reporting from the magazine that helps global leaders stay ahead. Hosts Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec bring you insight on the people, companies and trends shaping today's complex economy.&nbsp; You can watch and listen to Businessweek LIVE on YouTube, weekdays from 2PM to 5PM ET: <a href="http://bit.ly/3vTiACF">http://bit.ly/3vTiACF</a>.&nbsp;

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Bloomberg Businessweek

Fastenal CEO on US Manufacturing, Emerging Tech, Leadership Challenges

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Featuring some of our favorite conversations of the week from our daily radio show "Bloomberg Businessweek Daily."
Hosted by Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec

Hear the show live at 2PM ET on WBBR 1130 AM New York, Bloomberg 92.9 FM Boston, WDCH 99.1 FM in Washington D.C. Metro, Sirius/XM channel 121, on the Bloomberg Business App, Radio.com, the iHeartRadio app and at Bloomberg.com/audio.

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Featuring some of our favorite conversations of the week from our daily radio show "Bloomberg Businessweek Daily." Hosted by Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec Hear the show live at 2PM ET on WBBR 1130 AM New York, Bloomberg 92.9 FM Boston, WDCH 99.1 FM in Washington D.C. Metro, Sirius/XM channel 121, on the Bloomberg Business App, Radio.com, the iHeartRadio app and at Bloomberg.com/audio. You can also watch Bloomberg Businessweek on YouTube - just search for Bloomberg Global News. Like us at Bloomberg Radio on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @carolmassar @timsteno and @BW

Bloomberg Businessweek Weekend - April 3rd, 2026

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/19106da3-cd97-49de-a43d-b42000f4612e/transcript

The people, companies and trends shaping the global economy.
Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.

Attorney General Pam Bondi is leaving her post as head of the US Justice Department, ending a tumultuous tenure as the nation’s top law enforcement official after some high-profile stumbling blocks in her efforts to carry out President Donald Trump’s agenda.

“We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future, and our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

In choosing Blanche to serve as acting attorney general, Trump has elevated another one of his former defense lawyers to be the nation’s chief law enforcement officer.
Blanche served as Trump’s defense attorney in criminal cases relating to the 2020 election, his handling of classified documents and alleged hush-money payments.

Blanche can serve in the acting role for 210 days under a federal law for filling vacancies while the Senate considers whoever Trump nominates to be confirmed as attorney general.
The president has discussed Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin as a potential replacement for Bondi, according to people familiar with the matter.

Today's show features:
Jeff Mason Bloomberg News Washington and White House Correspondent & Matthew Seligman, Grayhawk Law Founder
Ira Jersey, Bloomberg Intelligence Chief US Interest Rate Strategist and Robert Tipp, PGIM Fixed Income Managing Director, Chief Investment Strategist, and Head of Global Bonds 
Olivia Fishlow, Bloomberg News Leveraged Finance Reporter and James Crombie, Bloomberg News Senior Editor for Credit on latest in private credit sector
Jessica Rosenworcel, Executive Director of the MIT Media Lab and former Chair of the FCC

The people, companies and trends shaping the global economy. Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: <a href="http://bit.ly/3vTiACF">http://bit.ly/3vTiACF</a>. Attorney General Pam Bondi is leaving her post as head of the US Justice Department, ending a tumultuous tenure as the nation&rsquo;s top law enforcement official after some high-profile stumbling blocks in her efforts to carry out President Donald Trump&rsquo;s agenda. &ldquo;We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future, and our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General,&rdquo; Trump said in a post on Truth Social. In choosing Blanche to serve as acting attorney general, Trump has elevated another one of his former defense lawyers to be the nation&rsquo;s chief law enforcement officer. Blanche served as Trump&rsquo;s defense attorney in criminal cases relating to the 2020 election, his handling of classified documents and alleged hush-money payments. Blanche can serve in the acting role for 210 days under a federal law for filling vacancies while the Senate considers whoever Trump nominates to be confirmed as attorney general. The president has discussed Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin as a potential replacement for Bondi, according to people familiar with the matter. Today's show features:
<ul>
<li>Jeff Mason Bloomberg News Washington and White House Correspondent &amp; Matthew Seligman, Grayhawk Law Founder</li>
<li>Ira Jersey, Bloomberg Intelligence Chief US Interest Rate Strategist and&nbsp;Robert Tipp, PGIM Fixed Income Managing Director, Chief Investment Strategist, and Head of Global Bonds&nbsp;</li>
<li>Olivia Fishlow, Bloomberg News Leveraged Finance Reporter and James Crombie, Bloomberg News Senior Editor for Credit&nbsp;on latest in private credit sector</li>
<li>Jessica Rosenworcel, Executive Director of the MIT Media Lab and former Chair of the FCC</li>
</ul>

Trump Ousts Bondi After Chaotic Tenure at Justice Department

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/56576a48-a30a-49c3-9edd-b4200155ab57/transcript

Firms lobby public institutions even when associations they are members of are lobbying those same institutions. This is what we conceptualize as ‘parallel lobbying’. Firms engage in parallel lobbying to monitor associations they are members of, reinforce the message delivered by the associations, provide additional or nuanced information that goes beyond the lowest common denominator, or even to break ranks from the collective position and signal a different message to the one provided by the association. Regardless of what the rationale behind these parallel meetings is, this article intends to bring new light into this phenomenon by examining the extent to which parallel lobbying occurs at the EU level and, more importantly, unveiling what firm – and association-level characteristics explain why firms exercise parallel lobbying.

Angel Saz, Professor at Ramon Lulull University and Director of EsadeGeo – Centre for Global Economy and Geopolitics, a leading B-school in Spain, discusses his work in parallel lobbying and how it is playing out in the world of global business. He speaks with Bloomberg's Carol Massar, Tim Stenovec, and Bloomberg Businessweek Senior Editor Dimitra Kessenide

Firms lobby public institutions even when associations they are members of are lobbying those same institutions. This is what we conceptualize as &lsquo;parallel lobbying&rsquo;. Firms engage in parallel lobbying to monitor associations they are members of, reinforce the message delivered by the associations, provide additional or nuanced information that goes beyond the lowest common denominator, or even to break ranks from the collective position and signal a different message to the one provided by the association. Regardless of what the rationale behind these parallel meetings is, this article intends to bring new light into this phenomenon by examining the extent to which parallel lobbying occurs at the EU level and, more importantly, unveiling what firm &ndash; and association-level characteristics explain why firms exercise parallel lobbying. Angel Saz, Professor at Ramon Lulull University and Director of EsadeGeo &ndash; Centre for Global Economy and Geopolitics, a leading B-school in Spain, discusses his work in parallel lobbying and how it is playing out in the world of global business. He speaks with Bloomberg's Carol Massar, Tim Stenovec, and Bloomberg Businessweek Senior Editor Dimitra Kessenide

The Logic of Parallel Lobbying

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9656b678-e000-4d47-984a-b41f014dc729/transcript

Fastenal CEO on US Manufacturing, Emerging Tech, Leadership Challenges

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