FreedomFest 2026

Mark Skousen is an economist, investor, and educator known for bridging academic theory and real-world markets. He is the founder and producer of FreedomFest and has spent decades advancing the case for free markets, entrepreneurship, and sound money.

A former professor at Columbia Business School and current professor at Chapman University, Skousen has authored more than 25 books on economics, history, and liberty. His latest book, The Greatest American: Benjamin Franklin — The Most Versatile Mind of His Era, reframes Franklin... Read More →

Brian V. Thomassen holds advanced degrees in law and philosophy, with a focus on Twentieth Century Franco-German thought, specifically phenomenology. He is the Director of the Western U.S. for Kintetsu World Express, a Japanese firm based in Los Angeles, where he leverages over 25... Read More →

Steve Forbes is Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes and one of the most prominent champions of free markets, sound money, and entrepreneurial capitalism today. Under his leadership, Forbes has expanded into a global media brand while continuing to shape national conversation on... Read More →