Tariffs, Trust and Tech: Bentley Gathers CEOs in Washington, D.C.

Patriotism or profits? What does it mean to be a good business in America today? That was the topic of a timely and engaging discussion hosted by Bentley University at Gallup’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C. More than 130 people attended in person and online, including business executives, educators, government employees and students, to explore the intersection of business, patriotism and Americans’ trust. 

Guests arrived early to connect with fellow attendees in Gallup’s offices in the historic Penn Quarter neighborhood. The event officially launched the findings from the 2025 Bentley-Gallup Business in Society Report, the fourth year of a nationwide survey conducted by Bentley and Gallup that measures what Americans think it means to be a “good business” in today’s society. 

Bentley President E. LaBrent Chrite led a panel discussion with Dennis Rodenbaugh, president and CEO of Dairy Farmers of America, and Brian Riley, founder and CEO of Guardian Bikes. Chrite also hosted a one-on-one conversation with Jonathan Rothwell, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and principal economist at Gallup. 

Key Takeaways from the Conversation

Optimizing the U.S.’s tariff strategy:

Guardian Bikes’ main assembly plant is located in Seymour, Indiana. Riley said the choice to manufacture in the U.S. versus China was driven by his company’s mission to create a safer bike, not by tariffs. But he believes tariffs can create incentives for domestic manufacturing. 

“Tariffs can be a very effective tool to drive reshoring. The challenge is that no business knows what the tariff environment is going to look like three to six months from now. If we want to reshore manufacturing, we should implement specific tariffs that are long-term and ideally the same across all imports.”

How AI can reshape business:

Dairy Farmers of America represents more than 10,000 farmers. Rodenbaugh said farmers have always been early adopters of technology to operate more efficiently and be more productive. When it comes to artificial intelligence, he believes its full potential hasn’t been tapped.  

“I don’t think we’re quite at true artificial intelligence. But from a technical sense and what it can do for us, it’s enhancing our capabilities. It’s going to be a people-focused approach, enhanced with technology, so each one of us can do more on a daily basis. AI is going to change a two-lane highway into what I hope is going to be a 10-, 12-, 14- or 16-lane highway.”

How businesses can earn the public’s trust:

Rothwell, an expert in economic growth and labor economics who wrote a book on income equality, said businesses can contribute to a just society by treating workers fairly and recognizing their merit. “When I think about what businesses can do to be truly patriotic, to me it’s about how they treat their employees. It’s really about rewarding their productivity; giving them an opportunity to rise based on their own contributions.” 

Photos capture the event’s energy and conversation