In this episode of the Family Business/Business Family podcast, cousins Judd and Alex Loewenstein of Loewy Foods share how they’re ushering their fifth-generation company into a new era — blending gratitude, modernization and the enduring spirit of Thanksgiving to honor their family’s humble poultry-shop roots. Also, Michael Horn, former fourth-generation president and CEO of AC Horn Manufacturing, reflects on taking over his family’s struggling machinery business, leading its turnaround, and ultimately making peace with the decision to sell. And Pat Soldano, president of Family Enterprise USA, explains how tariffs, policy uncertainty and global trade shifts are reshaping the landscape for family-owned companies — and why advocacy on Capitol Hill matters more than ever.
Interested in being a guest or have a topic you’d like to hear us discuss? Contact host Zack Needles, editor-in-chief of Family Business Magazine, at: zneedles@familybusinessmagazine.com.
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Guests
Judd Loewenstein
Judd Loewenstein is a Managing Partner at Loewy Foods, where he oversees all back-of-house operations—including logistics, inventory management, vendor relations, and overall execution. Drawing on prior experience in finance, logistics, and business development with Ascent Private Capital Management of U.S. Bank, Peregrade Ventures, and 240 Logistics, Judd brings a data-driven, operationally disciplined approach to the fifth-generation family business. A graduate of St. Olaf College with a degree in Economics and Finance, he’s passionate about optimizing systems, building strong supply-chain partnerships, and preserving the company’s legacy of quality and reliability as it scales nationally.
Alex Loewenstein
Alex Loewenstein is a Managing Partner at Loewy Foods, leading all front-of-house functions—including sales, marketing, go-to-market strategy, and business growth. Before joining Loewy Foods, he served as VP of Growth at Wurthy and held leadership roles at Paro.ai, where he focused on partnerships, market expansion, and revenue strategy. Alex holds a BBA in Strategy and Marketing from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. Combining a background in high-growth tech and business services with the heritage of a family enterprise, he’s focused on expanding Loewy Foods’ reach while maintaining its hallmark of personal service and premium quality.
Michael Horn
Michael Horn is an accomplished business leader with over a decade of experience in the manufacturing sector. He served as President & CEO of AC Horn Manufacturing from 2014 to 2024, a company founded by his great-grandfather. Before taking the helm, he held the role of Vice President of Sales and Marketing from 2011 to 2014.
Michael stepped into leadership as the President & CEO after the unexpected passing of his father in a bicycle accident in July 2014. Prior to joining AC Horn, he served as an officer in the US Army from 2005 to 2011, including a deployment to Iraq in 2008.
At the time of the sale, AC Horn was 117 years old and in its fourth generation, and Michael was the majority owner. Following the transition, Michael served as General Manager for nine months before completing his exit in December 2024. The decision to sell was strategic, taking risk off the table after successfully reviving the company from an extended period of decline. “After a decade of rebuilding, my family and I recognized that sustaining further growth was unlikely due to shifting macroeconomic conditions and the limitations of our business systems.
Post-sale, Michael is now working as a small business M&A advisor for The Vant Group in Dallas, TX.
Pat Soldano
Pat Soldano spent more than 30 years providing family office services as owner of Cymric Family Office Services, and then as Managing Director of Western Region for GenSpring for five years and then a Family Office Consultant.
Currently she is President of Family Enterprise USA; its mission is to promote the growth of generational owned family businesses in the US, and President of Policy and Taxation Group, which she formed in 1995, that works to reduce onerous tax and economic policies for successful families, family offices and family business.