Nebraska Business Development Center 2021 Annual Report by UNO College of Business Administration

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

2021 Annual Report

nds e i r F ear

C D B N of

Catherine Lang, JD NBDC State Director Assistant Dean

Michelle Trawick, Ph.D Dean, UNO College of Business Administration

In 2021, the spirit of entrepreneurship was alive and well in Nebraska. Even with the cloud of COVID hanging over our state, Nebraskans opened and grew businesses in every sector and in every region of Nebraska. NBDC is privileged to support Nebraska entrepreneurs and business owners across our state, providing valuable business consulting to help our business owners realize their dream of owning, starting, and growing their business. In 2021, NBDC assisted 1,871 Nebraska business clients, who created or saved 883 jobs, and invested $30.7 million in their business operations. The economic impact of all NBDC clients is featured on page 4 of this annual report. I am so pleased to congratulate our 2021 Business Award Winners: Appsky of Omaha; Fuller Construction Company of Chadron; and, Birds Eye Robotics of Herman. Please enjoy reading the stories about these business leaders and our other clients featured in the annual report.

OUR PARTNERS

Just to highlight the extraordinary breadth of the business starts in 2021, here are a few of the businesses started by NBDC clients in their communities: a food truck in the North Panhandle region, a funeral parlor in the South Panhandle region, a livestock liquid feed company in the West Central region, a demolition company and an ice creamery in the Central region, a counseling and therapy business and a Latin American grocery store in the Northeast region, an earth boring company in the Southeast region, and a Mexican restaurant and international trading company in the Metro region. In addition to these business starts, NBDC also supported businesses developing new technologies, such as pharmaceutical interventions for impaired vision, apps that make it easier for farmers to obtain and manage certifications, and software solutions for various industries. NBDC provides support at every phase of the business life cycle — from business plan preparation, financial projections and market research, to helping businesses win government contracts, and commercialize innovative products. Additionally, NBDC is supporting the broader economic development of Nebraska through programs like:

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

•

NU Connections, linking industry and business with the innovative researchers at the University of Nebraska.

•

SourceLink Nebraska, creating core infrastructure to increase the transparency of resources available, thus helping business owners and entrepreneurs to find the right resource at the right time

NBDC is a center of the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. NBDC has offices in Omaha, Lincoln, Wayne, Norfolk, Grand Island, Kearney, North Platte, McCook, Scottsbluff and Chadron. We have partnerships with University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Wayne State College and Chadron State College. We thank our partners for the support they provide to help us deliver our services across Nebraska. The services of NBDC are not possible without the support and funding from the University of Nebraska, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Defense Logistics Agency, and the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.

LOREN KUCERA SBDC WAYNE/NORFOLK

SPENCER RIEN SBDC SCOTTSBLUFF

SARA BENNETT SBDC GRAND ISLAND

CRAIG BOESCH SBDC LINCOLN

CHARLIE MCPHERSON SBDC MCCOOK/NORTH PLATTE

GARY DUSEK SBDC CHADRON

ODEE INGERSOLL SBDC KEARNEY

TONY SCHULTZ SBDC OMAHA

JUAN SANDOVAL SBDC NORFOLK

ESWARI KALUGASALAM SBDC OMAHA

SCOTT ASMUS SOURCELINK NEBRASKA

VERONICA DOGA DIRECTOR PTAC

CHUCK BECK PTAC KEARNEY

MEGHANN BURESH PTAC NORFOLK

HAROLD SARGUS PTAC OMAHA

QUENTIN FARLEY PTAC LINCOLN

PATRICK GUINOTTE PTAC OMAHA

DANIEL KUCHAR PTAC OMAHA

Our Team SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBDC) PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER (PTAC) JOSH NICHOL-CADDY INNOVATION OMAHA

DEANNA MARCELINO NU CONNECTIONS OMAHA

JERRY PARRIOTT BUSINESS MANAGER

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY NU CONNECTIONS SOURCELINK NEBRASKA

2021 Impact OF NBDC CLIENTS AND SERVICES

$524.4

883

JOBS CREATED AND SAVED

million

total impact to Nebraska’s ecomony

BUSINESS INVESTMENTS

$30,716,199

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS

$162,079,983

SALES INCREASES

$187,305,244

Economic impact by Congressional District

I N 2 02 1 1

DISTRICT ONE

DISTRICT TWO

DISTRICT THREE

454 CLIENTS SERVED 215.5 JOBS ADDED

781 CLIENTS SERVED 480 JOBS ADDED

573 CLIENTS SERVED 188 JOBS ADDED

Total state-wide economic impact includes direct, indirect, and induced impact as calculated using the IMPLAN economic model. Thanks to Dr. Christopher Decker, Lucas Diamond Professor of Economics, UNO College of Business, for his IMPLAN model of the attributed data of NBDC. NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT 1

1,871

CLIENTS SERVED

Rate of New Entrep.. 0.27%

0.41% 0.27%

0.32%

• • • •••••••• •••• ••• ••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••• ••

.27% 0.25% 0.25% 0.27%

0.39%

0.18% 0.48%

0.35%

0.40%

0.43% 0.29%

0.24%

0.31%

0.38%

0.28%

0.16%

0.18% 0.29%

0.38%

0.29%

22%

32%

0.32%

0.35%

0.30% 0.44%

• • ••••••••• •••• •••••••••••• ••

0.51%

0.48%

0.36%

0.38%

0.27% 0.23%

0.40%

0.22% 0.29%

0.31%

0.37% 0.33% 0.32%

0.27% 0.35% 0.25%

0.37%

• • • •••••••• •••• ••• ••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••• ••

0.41%

0.31% 0.26%

Source: Kauffman Indicators of Entrepreneurship (2021) Early-Stage Entrepreneurship Series.[Data set]. Updated February 2021. https://indicators. kauffman.org/indicator/rate-of-new-entrepreneurs

Map based on Longitude (generated) and Latitude (generated). Color shows Rate of New Entrepreneurs. The marks are labeled by Rate of New Entrepreneurs. Details are shown for State. The data is ﬁltered on Year of Year, which keeps 2020. The view is ﬁltered on State, which keeps Alaska. 0.41%

0.25%

0.36%

NEBRASKA’S RATE OF NEW ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS 0.27%, SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN OTHER MIDWEST STATES 0.53% PERCENT OF THE POPULATION THAT STARTED A NEW BUSINESS IN 2020

Entrepreneurship

2021 Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

0.39%

0.27% 0.25% 0.25%

• • ••••••••• •••• •••••••••••• ••

0.35%

0.59%

0.18%

0.31%

0.28% 0.36%

0.27% 0.23% 0.31%

0.26% 0.36% The Nebraska Business Development Center partnered with the Center 0.53% for Public Affairs Research, both at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, to advance knowledge on entrepreneurship in the State of Nebraska. A three-part research methodology was used to develop the full report, Entrepreneurship in Nebraska. First, interviews with 13 members of the Nebraska entrepreneurship ecosystem. Second, a broad survey of ecosystem members. Finally, interviews with entrepreneurs statewide. In addition, baseline data on entrepreneurship development was provided. Findings were summarized into five themes and 14 calls to action. The key themes include ensuring the entrepreneurship pipeline, the culture of “Nebraska Nice,” risk-aversion throughout the ecosystem, a lack of collective goals, and gaps in programming and resources.

p based on Longitude (generated) and Latitude (generated). Color shows Rate of New Entrepreneurs. The marks repreneurs. Details are shown for State. The data is ﬁltered on Year of Year, which keeps 2020. The view is ﬁlter d Hawaii.

in Nebraska

Read the full report at https://issuu.com/unocpar/ docs/2021_entrepreneurship_report_web_pages

shows Rate of New Entrepreneurs. The marks are labeled by Rate of New ar of Year, which keeps 2020. The view is ﬁltered on State, which excludes Alaska

our Programs SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBDC) NBDC SBDC is a resource for small business creation and expansion. The SBDC program offers confidential consulting services to entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to start and grow their enterprises or to transition companies to the next generation of ownership.

PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER (PTAC) NBDC PTAC provides government procurement training, consulting and solicitation support throughout the state helping Nebraska businesses identify and pursue federal, state and local government contracting opportunities.

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE NBDC helps clients obtain funding for commercialization through federal SBIR/STTR grants and other funding opportunities. Consultants help entrepreneurs and researchers guide their innovations and new products from prototyping to success in the marketplace.

SOURCELINK NEBRASKA SourceLink Nebraska is a one-stop shop for connecting entrepreneurs and business owners to the state’s wealth of resources. SourceLink Nebraska does not replace any existing resources, but increases strategic access, efficiency and coordination across Nebraska’s economic and community development ecosystem. Simply put, SourceLink Nebraska provides connection to the right resource at the right time.

NU CONNECTIONS NU Connections is a single point of contact streamlining access for entrepreneurs, business owners, innovators and economic developers to all resources of the University of Nebraska. The University system has a rich reservoir of first-class faculty and researchers, vibrant student talent, innovative scientific and technology centers, and specialized programs and services. A collaboration among the four University of Nebraska campuses (UNK, UNL, UNMC, and UNO), NU Connections facilitates access for all Nebraska citizens to these resources.

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Statewide Centers CHADRON

LINCOLN

NORFOLK

SCOTTSBLUFF

Burkhiser Technology Center Chadron State College 1000 Main Street

University of Nebraska Lincoln Center for Entrepreneurship #315 730 N.14th Street

Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce 609 W. Norfolk Avenue

Panhandle Research and Extension Center 4502 Avenue I

GRAND ISLAND

Southeast Community College 285 S. 68th Street Place #210

NORTH PLATTE

WAYNE

Mid-Plains Community College 1101 Halligan Drive #108A

Wayne State College Gardner Hall 1111 Main Street

Grand Island Chamber of Commerce 309 W. 2nd Street

KEARNEY University of Nebraska Kearney West Center Building #127E 1917 W. 24th Street

MCCOOK Keystone Business Center #316 402 Norris Avenue

OMAHA College of Business Administration University of Nebraska at Omaha Mammel Hall, Suite 200 6708 Pine Street

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APPSKY

2021 of the

year

Champion of Small Business University of Nebraska at Omaha graduate Taylor Korensky is founder and owner of Appsky, an Omaha custom software and technology solutions agency that is finding success by helping fellow entrepreneurs build their businesses and realize their dreams. Korensky earned his Information Technology (IT) Innovation degree with a minor in entrepreneurship and computer science, along with mobile development and entrepreneurship. He began his career as a mobile app developer with The Peter Kiewit Institute. He then founded Activate Innovation as the lead iOS developer and head of business development. He went on to work at

iTrapp, developing the first ever mobile application for advanced digital team trap shooting scoring and management. In 2016, he founded Appsky while also working at AIM Interface School. Appsky is a creative agency that specializes in custom software, design and IT consulting. New entrepreneurs or existing businesses come to Appsky with ideas for a mobile application or web-based application. The apps are typically used to address a company’s internal process, or as a business-to-business, or business-to-consumer software as a service (SaaS) product. Additionally, Appsky consults with entrepreneurs who seek funding through the Nebraska Innovation

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Fund Prototype Grants Program, Invest Nebraska and other programs from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. The company has an extensive portfolio that includes many recent startups and aggressive small businesses in the greater Omaha area. In recognition of Appsky’s efforts to further small business and advance the economy in Nebraska and the region, as well as the personal interest and time Korensky invests in community and IT industry organizations, Appsky has earned the title of Champion of Small Business 2021 from the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC).

Pictured: Taylor Korensky, Founder & CEO and Spencer Robinson, CTO

After becoming aware of the NBDC while taking classes at UNO’s Mammel Hall, where its Omaha offices are situated, Korensky and his first employee, Jade Jensen, now his Chief Operating Officer, met with NBDC Consultant Jeremy Reep to discuss launching Appsky. “He helped review my business model, pricing structure and financial forecasts,” he says. “The NBDC consultants have since helped several of our clients as well.” Korensky recognizes the importance of supporting local businesses. “I enjoy working with small businesses, innovators and entrepreneurs,” he says. “We help promote the lean business development process so our clients have a model to follow with confidence as they develop their business strategies and technology implementation.” Korensky is a member of the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, a business-led Aksarben Workforce Initiative committed to convening leaders from government, education and not-for-profit organizations across the state to develop, attract and retain tech-talent and entrepreneurs. He is also a board member of the Talent Attraction Committee. “I am passionate about Nebraska’s workforce and economic development,” he says. “We need good people to come here and to stay here to be able to build good companies.”

He is also a member of the UNO IT Innovation Advisory Board and helped develop IT curriculum for Metropolitan Community College Code School, along with after school programs to generate interest in IT careers. He is a core organizer for Tech Omaha, which creates networking opportunities for people in the IT field. Networking is also a theme for the Coffee and Code event he helps organize, as well as his involvement in the Omaha Executives Association. Korensky donates his time and expertise judging pitch competitions, hosting free programming workshops for the community and providing mentorship to local students. In five years, Appsky has grown to eight full-time employees and a roster of contractors, with three to five new local hires coming this year. Korensky wants to sustain that pace – and maybe even speed it up a bit.

“My goal is to continue to grow, improve quality and improve outcomes,” he says. “I can see us building a team of 30 to 50 employees and contractors, and expanding to larger projects in other areas of the country. I’d like us to tackle more funded projects, the kind that create opportunities to partner with clients and further our mutual goals.”

CHAMPION OF SMALL BUSINESS is awarded to an NBDC client who has triumphed in the field of business and is an empowering entrepreneur who supports small business in Nebraska. 2016 – White River Feed, LLC 2017 – Mead Lumber/Truss Craft 2018 - Landen Chiropractic, PC 2019 – Davis Repair, LLCs 2020 - Weiland, Inc.

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FULLER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Government Contractor of the Year Fuller Construction Company, Inc. continues to utilize the expertise of the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) and its Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) to grow its list of government contracts. The family-owned business was founded in 1959 by World War II veteran Athel Fuller. Today it is coowned by grandson Eric Fuller and his father, Dana, who has retired from the business.

Eric Fuller says that without the support of the NBDC and other economic development entities, small businesses across Nebraska might miss out on the opportunities government contracting affords.

Its success securing and fulfilling government contracts has earned Fuller Construction Co. the honor of Government Contractor of the Year 2021 from the NBDC.

“Knowledge is power,” Fuller says. “The NBDC focuses on helping contractors and small businesses stay aware of contracts that are a great match for the services we provide. These kinds of opportunities could easily slip through the cracks without NBDC acting as an advocate for all of us.”

From early on, Fuller Construction has found ways to tap into the government market. Fuller says that after WWII, his grandfather took part in a Bureau of Reclamation land lottery as part of the Mirage Flats Irrigation Project, which in the 1950s began attracting farmers interested in relocating to

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Pictured: Eric Fuller, Owner

Sheridan County. “He got an early pick in the lottery and bought one of the parcels,” Fuller says. “He built his house, and then he built houses for others who bought land.” After working for a Chadron contractor, Athel Fuller began Fuller Construction Co. in 1959. Dana Fuller later expanded the business beyond residential work to include commercial and municipal projects. Eric Fuller has continued to nurture the business by successfully bidding upon contracts with city, county, state and federal entities. He says he has been aided by the advice and guidance from the NBDC and its PTAC consultants. Former PTAC Consultant Scott Knapp reached out to Fuller Construction to offer assistance in 2005, and current PTAC Consultant Chuck Beck has worked with the company since 2013. Over the years, the PTAC program has provided information about government contracting opportunities and shared updates about regulations and programs. In 2008, Fuller Construction became a certified participant in the Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) Small

Business Administration (SBA) program, which helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities. “Being adaptable and flexible is one of the keys to success in a sparsely populated area,” Fuller says. “If you try to specialize out here, you’ll starve.” An example of the company’s flexibility came in September 2020 when Fuller Construction was selected to fulfill a $2.1 million contract to construct bison corrals at Wind Cave National Park for the National Park Service. “Who ever built a bison corral before?” Fuller asks, chuckling. “I don’t know anyone who specializes in that.” The company has also been awarded several Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts with federal agencies. In 2010, Fuller Construction received an IDIQ contract for construction services from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service that had a potential value of $10 million. In 2017, Fuller Construction was awarded an IDIQ contract at Ellsworth Airforce Base with an annual award limit of $9 million. The company most recently received an IDIQ contract with the General

Services Administration (GSA) that has a potential value of $100 million. Current Fuller Construction projects include work on a bank, a restaurant, an office building and multiple projects with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Fuller says he appreciates how the NBDC stays current on government contracting and other opportunities and makes small businesses aware of what is available. “Chuck (Beck) and the NBDC do well creating a dialogue with other businesses, and that gives us a different perspective,” he says. “It’s a real blessing to have them out there as a resource to companies like ours.”

The Government Contractor of the Year is awarded to an NBDC client who is successful in selling and delivering products or services to federal, state or local government. 2016 – Prairie View Industries 2017 – Cash-Wa Distributing 2018 - McDaniel Farms 2019 – Ace Reporting—US 2020 - Turtle Creek Construction

Birds Eye Robotics, the company founded by entrepreneur and inventor Scott Niewohner of Herman, Neb., has created a unique “caretaker” robotic tool to help poultry farmers reduce costs and labor by removing dead birds and improving their environment by breaking up caked bedding. For creating an autonomous robotic solution that “aims to connect cutting-edge technology with farmer common sense,” Niewohner and Birds Eye Robotics has been named Innovation Business of the Year for 2021 by the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC). In January, Birds Eye Robotics was awarded $20,000 for being the runner-up in the Ag Innovation Challenge, sponsored by American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), in partnership with Farm Credit Services of America. Grain Weevil in Aurora, Neb., finished in first place and won $50,000, while Marble Technologies in Lincoln finished in the top four. All three Nebraska companies are part of The Combine Incubator program based in Lincoln. The Combine Incubator hosts food and agriculture technology companies and leads them through its commercialization program, which begins with goal setting and idea assessment with a focus on pursuing capital. Birds Eye Robotics has been successful in

BIRDS EYE ROBOTICS

innovation business of the year 12

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

The NBDC was recommended by The Combine Incubator as a source of information and assistance when Niewohner wanted to learn more about the Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/ STTR) government funding opportunities.

Top: Birds Eye Robotics employee, Chinedu Onyewuenyi Bottom: Owner, Scott Niewohner

securing investments from Omaha-based Burlington Capital and Lincoln-based Invest Nebraska. Now in its third version, the Birds Eye Robotics poultry caretaker robot navigates broiler houses with 20,000 or more birds, commercial feeders, water lines and migration fences. The robot recognizes dead birds and removes them, representing a 90 percent reduction in labor. It also encourages bird movement and breaks up caked bedding to improve living conditions.

“NBDC IS A NO-BRAINER F O R A N Y T E C H S T A R T U P. . . ”

Niewohner worked with NBDC Technology Commercialization Director Josh Nichol-Caddy, as well as Consultants Sara Bennett and Harold Sargus. “We got great connections, introductions and advice regarding our USDA SBIR proposal,” he says. “We also got technical assistance setting up our System for Awards Management (SAM) and Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number,” a unique nine-digit identification number provided by Dun & Bradstreet. “We reviewed his application materials and provided feedback as well as other support to ensure his application was submitted correctly and by the agency’s deadline,” Nichol-Caddy says. “We also have provided introductions to numerous contacts and companies within the NBDC network – and throughout the innovation ecosystem – with whom Mr. Niewohner could collaborate.” Niewohner says his company has raised “a $1 million-plus seed round and we are building our engineering team. We have passed more than 1000 hours of operating hours in barns and have several significant commercial demos coming up.” He says the NBDC team has been a valuable source of expertise and encouragement. “NBDC is a no-brainer for any tech startup preparing an SBIR grant proposal,” he says. “They were a huge help.”

INNOVATION BUSINESS OF THE YEAR is awarded to an NBDC client who advances technological innovation, partners with a Nebraska university to meet federal research and development needs, or increases commercialization of federal research. 2016 – Goldfinch Solutions 2017 – Sanguine Diagnostics & Therapeutics 2018 – Innovative Prosthetics & Orthotics 2019 – Monarch Flyway 2020 - Royal Engineered Composites

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2021 of the

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Alive Outside

Bicycles and Fitness Equipment Rolling Along the Path to Continued Growth The owners of Alive Outside have put “a lot of love” into offering North Platte and the surrounding area the very best in fitness equipment, bicycles and bicycle repair services. Managing partner Ariel Quiroga, along with co-owners Mitch Moorhead and Drew Holm, in 2019 purchased and reopened what was originally Miles Bike Shop. Allen Miles and his father, Ben, had opened the business in 1980. In the 1990’s, they outgrew their initial location and built a new store, renaming it Alive Outside. In 1996, Diane Scollin bought out Ben Miles’ share of the business and she and Allen Miles co-owned the shop for 23 years. In 2019, they decided it was time to retire and announced publically that they were closing the store. Quiroga and his partners saw it as an opportunity too good to let slip away. They set out to purchase the business and keep the Alive Outside brand, reputation and legacy rolling along.

Left to Right: Owners Drew Holm, Mitch Moorhead and Ariel Quiroga

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

In June 2019, Quiroga contacted Charlie McPherson with the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) in North Platte for guidance and assistance with the development of a business plan and financial projections.

McPherson and Quiroga spent the next several months developing the paperwork needed.

brought a lot of families together to do things outside as a group.”

“Ariel was fantastic to work with,” McPherson says. “He was persistent in his desire to put a quality product together and worked extremely hard with me to get it right.”

Alive Outside is an official, authorized dealer for TREK, True, Spirit, Schwinn, Body Solid, Bontager, Horizon and many other brands, and is capable of servicing bicycles and performing field repairs on large home fitness equipment.

Quiroga and his partners submitted their loan application, business plan and financial projections to their bank and were approved to purchase the business. They signed the deal October 10, 2019. Though they had originally hoped to keep the store open immediately after the sale, their plans changed. “The building was over 25 years old,” Quiroga says. “It needed a lot of love, so we closed for about six weeks so we could paint, do trim work and fix the flooring. We reopened on Black Friday.” Although the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions it brought about soon followed, Quiroga says Alive Outside continued to thrive. “For our market, it wasn’t as devastating as for some other businesses,” he says. “More people wanted to work out at home, and to get outside to exercise. It actually

He says McPherson and the NBDC “have been great to work with. Charlie gave us direction and led us down the right path. He’s been very thorough and specific in his advice. It’s fantastic to have someone right here in the community that we could talk to and meet with.”

Being able to deal with customers directly has helped spur sales, Quiroga says. “We offer bikes and equipment that before people could only get in Lincoln, Omaha or online,” he says. “If they want a treadmill, they can come here and try it out.” The company has grown from two to eight employees, and opened a store in Grand Island in August 2021. Quiroga and his partners are working on plans for a third store.

Concord Components, an independent distributor of military and commercial grade board level electronic components, has been able to tap into its extensive inventory to overcome many pandemic-induced supply chain shortfalls and continue to satisfy its customers’ needs. “Because of COVID-19 and the state of the economy, a small part that may cost three cents to manufacture has gone from six weeks lead time to as

much as 110 weeks in some cases,” says Concord Components CEO and Supervisor of Government Sales Walka Ramos. “We have stock that we can supply and recertify with as little as three day’s lead time.” A family-owned business founded in Concord, Neb., in 1995, Concord Components supplies products including semiconductors, connectors, passive and electro-mechanical components.

The company began its relationship with the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) in 2002, when Loren Kucera, director of the NBDC office in Wayne, assisted in its efforts to obtain a Small Business Administration loan to move the business from Concord to Wayne. The company’s independent status affords flexibility with procurement and allows Concord Components to provide a much broader range of

Concord Components Overcomes Supply Chain Woes

Left to Right - Front row: Amanda Nice, Katie Frye. Back row: Sarah Surber, Mike Surber, Shanda Geiser, Greg Boeshart, Jeff Surber, Tiffany Thompson, Jodi Hammerstrom, Jared Wattier. Far bar: Jodi Slonecker, Chad Rose NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

products, as well as obsolete, hard-to-find and long lead time items. The firm currently has more than 800,000 line items of stock on the shelf for same-day shipping. In addition to the offices and 50,000-square-foot warehouse in Wayne, Concord Components Walka Ramos, CEO and Supervisor of Government Sales has a sales office in New York state. Concord Components representatives including Ramos have participated in a variety of NBDC Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) training sessions and webinars on topics including Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS) overview, a Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) Accounting Workshop, GSA Schedules, an Agency Spotlight Series with Offutt Air Force Base, and an Agency Spotlight session with Union Pacific. Ramos currently bids the government contracts and works directly with the DLA and its buyers. The company currently utilizes the Nebraska PTAC-supplied Bid Matching service to assist in finding additional solicitation opportunities, says PTAC Consultant Meghann Buresh. “They have been utilizing the Bid Match services since 2015, making adjustments as necessary to yield more relevant results,” Buresh says. The additional opportunities

are identified and matched by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, and are also matched by relevant keywords that coincide with the business’s products and/or services. “Throughout the years, we have taken advice from PTAC counselors in addition to finding ways to increase our sales to the government,” Ramos says. “Although our main focus is within the semiconductor market, we have broadened our NAICS code availability to include additional markets.” The company was founded by brothers Robert Surber, who is experienced in electronics distribution with degrees in electrical engineering and physics; and Michael Surber, who has a background in manufacturing and quality control. Michael Surber currently serves as president, while Robert Surber is the firm’s chief information officer. Chief Operations Officer Sarah Surber says Concord Components has come to rely upon the knowledge base and services the NBDC and PTAC make available. “Quoting government contracts is a comprehensive process, and you need to have all your I’s dotted and T’s crossed,” she says. “Whenever we have a question, we turn to NBDC consultants, and in the rare instance they don’t have the answer, they know where to find it.”

Columbus Businessman Invests in

Entrepreneurship A lifelong resident of the Columbus area continues to give back to the community, most recently establishing the Columbus Innovation Center, a space for entrepreneurs and start-ups that will also serve as offices and an entertainment destination. Scott Mueller is president of Samson, LLC., a diversified agricultural enterprise that provides high quality products and services including verification of cattle for export markets; and NBC Capital, LLC, doing business as the Ramada by Wyndham Columbus Hotel and Conference Center, a hotel he and other investors purchased nearly a decade ago to keep a source of 50 jobs and tourism from closing. Mueller earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a MBA from Wayne State College. One of his instructors at Wayne was Loren Kucera, director of the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) office in Wayne. After earning his MBA and completing the Gallup Entrepreneur Acceleration System Program, Mueller, his family and eight investors met with Kucera for help obtaining Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loan approval through the Nebraska Economic Development Corporation (NEDCO) to save the hotel that was on the verge of closing. “Loren did a fantastic job, setting up the structure for the company and being up front with us as to the pitfalls we might face,” Mueller recalls. “It was great to have someone in our corner who was not only knowledgeable but also honest.”

Founded in 1986, Samson, Inc. is rooted in the agriculture industry, beginning with the

family-owned feed yard that was operated by Mueller for 20 years while launching into the nontraditional agricultural product and service centers. The company expanded into a Purina Right to Left: Zach Nelson, Sara Feed Dealership to provide Eickmeier, Vicki Molczyk, Scott Mueller quality feed products at a reasonable price. Shortly after starting the feed dealership, Samson expanded the feedlot and added a composting enterprise. One of the company’s most successful endeavors has been its transition into the Process Verified Program (PVP) sector. By 2006, Samson, LLC had become the second firm in the country to be validated by the USDA under the Non-Hormone Treated Cattle program. Today, the company certifies cattle from more than 500 ranches and feed yards in 36 states. Samson, LLC has its offices on the second floor of the 100-year-old Evans House in Columbus’ downtown business district, a beloved historic structure the firm is working to restore. Mueller and his wife, Patricia, are active in many community and philanthropic projects. They hosted the 2021 Cattlemen’s Ball on one of their farms. Approximately 4,000 people attended the two day event, a fundraiser for the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center on the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) campus in Omaha.

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

He is also involved in Eship, an entrepreneurship program hosted in part by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce and Central Community College-Columbus campus. With the Columbus Innovation Center, under construction in a structure that was over time a fire station, city hall and most recently an automobile dealership, Mueller is combining his love of the community with a continuing effort to encourage area entrepreneurs. “We hope it will be a source of inspiration for innovators and small businesses, and also become a destination for the entire community,” Mueller says. “It will have offices as well as a taproom, an outdoor patio and space for fun activities like a court for pickleball,” a paddleball sport that combines elements of badminton, table tennis and tennis. “It’s an exciting project.”

Gardner Technologies Adding Customers, Services The addition of low voltage contracting has helped Gardner Technologies in Scottsbluff grow its reputation and its customer base, now satisfying customers in 13 states with a vision of expanding even further. After founding Gardner Technologies in 2017, Jerry Gardner two years later worked with Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) Consultant Margaret Akin and Anthony Gurolla from the Center for Rural Affairs to obtain funding through the LB840 program and achieve his goal of further expanding his business. Gardner Technologies offers a variety of computer services including networking, computer repair, business phones solutions and low voltage contracting. The company began with one employee and now has 11 on staff.

been put on getting Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) credentials.

“All employees undergo their credentialing courses, and Jerry encourages and allows his employees the opportunities to get additional credentialing,” Rien says. “The next BICSI certifications employees are seeking are for running fiber cabling, which will allow the company to further expand low voltage options for its customers.” Gardner grew up in Idaho and adopted a strong work ethic which helped him as an adult. “I worked at everything from washing dishes to farming, from construction to maintenance,” he recalls. “Through it all, I was taught if you’re going to do something, do it right or don’t do it at all.” A single parent, Gardner landed a position as an electrical apprentice. He eventually went back to school to study computer-aided design (CAD), which utilizes computer software in the creation,

modification, analysis or optimization of a design. “Our instructor treated his classes like a job, which was perfect for me,” he recalls. “We would clock in in the morning and work until lunch time, which allowed me to take the rest of my 24 credits I had signed up for. I completed a two-year degree in a year.” Gardner went to work for an electrical engineering firm, designing and drafting overhead and underground electrical transmission lines. He then worked for Dell computers for five years before being hired by PCS. “I worked on anything in a bank, from ATM’s, drive-up equipment, coin and currency machines to vaults, vault doors and security systems,” he says. Ultimately, he moved to Nebraska and founded Gardner Technologies. His varied background has served as a solid foundation for his current business, and he intends to keep it growing no matter the challenges that come his way. “I don’t give up,” Gardner says. “If I come up against a roadblock, I just find another way around it.”

Most recently, Gardner worked with NBDC Consultant Spencer Rien in his effort to receive the LB840 grant and advance the application process with the Apple Independent Repair Provider (IRP) program. Since being accepted into the Apple IRP program, Gardner Technologies’ technicians have become fully certified. “We are the only repair shop within a couple hundred miles that has Apple certified techs,” Gardner says. Rien says Gardner Technologies’ employees maintain active membership and credentials through a variety of organizations, “but a major focus has

Pictured: Jerry Gardner, owner

S ALES CONTI NUE TO SPA RKLE FOR NEW OWNER OF

cornhusker

cleaning supplies in Hastings

The guidance of the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) helped Tim Powell to become a successful first-time business owner with his purchase of Cornhusker Cleaning Supply Co. in Hastings. Powell has been involved in sales for more than 25 years, previously working for firms providing auto, tire and cleaning supplies, a construction equipment dealer and as a car service manager. “I knew about Cornhusker Cleaning Supply for a long time because a couple of my employers worked really close with the business,” Powell says. The company provides wholesale cleaning supplies to other businesses in Nebraska, covering most of the state. Powell also knew one of the original co-owners, as they are members of a local Corvette Club. When the original owner decided to retire, Powell approached a local bank to seek financing to purchase the business. The banker referred Powell to the NBDC office in Kearney and its Director, Odee Ingersoll. Ingersoll worked closely with Powell to produce a business plan and loan package request for financing through Adams County Bank in Hastings. When the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) determined that the initial loan request would also require a business valuation, Ingersoll and the NBDC provided the valuation at no additional cost under a SBA grant program in 2017-2018. The funding was approved, and Powell successfully acquired Cornhusker Cleaning Supplies in early 2018.

Pictured: Tim Powell, owner

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Ingersoll says that after he took possession of the company, Powell immediately began working to remedy several performance and financial issues that he believed would hold the company back. “He gradually replaced older equipment with newer trucks,” Ingersoll says. “He became focused on getting companies to improve their payment times and be more current, in order to improve cash flows

and reduce demands for additional working capital. He also sold off old and outdated inventory, and works to keep inventory current and appropriate to his customer base.” The changes took time but have been worth it as sales have increased, Powell says. “I couldn’t do everything I wanted all at once,” he says. “I kept saving up until I could afford to buy a new truck, then another.” Powell is a member of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce and has attended several chamber seminars to improve his business management and financial skills. “He represents what many small business owners need,” Ingersoll says, “an opportunity for a successful transition of their existing business to a knowledgeable, bankable successor with new energy and skills. These opportunities retain valued employees and fulfill a demonstrated need for the firms’ customers, the community and the state.” Powell says Ingersoll and the NBDC offered timely, expert guidance and personal encouragement. “The assignments Odee gave me while we worked on the business plan and the financials helped me understand things better,” he says. “I was taken aback by all the questions when this process started, but he had all the answers I needed.”

Government Contracts, SBIR Grants Support Development of

Lincoln Firm’s

Unique Braces A Lincoln firm that designs and distributes orthopedic and performance bracing will bring its manufacturing and assembly processes from overseas to Nebraska. ARYSE (pronounced “arise”) is the parent brand of a family of companies that were launched in 2016. Among its unique technologies, ARYSE has created and manufactures the IFAST, a dynamic ankle stabilizer. The IFAST moves the way the body moves and protects the way the body protects by allowing the joint’s normal range of motion. It fits easily inside any shoe or boot, giving athletes and military personnel ankle protection without compromising performance. “We have been looking for ways to partner with area companies and move our processes to the U.S. and Nebraska,” says Erin Dutter, director of legal and compliance and director of government partnerships at ARYSE. “We are very happy to announce that our injection molding will be done in Lincoln and assembly will be completed in Omaha beginning in March.”

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

There is more good news. With guidance from the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) and its Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), ARYSE has succeeded in securing three Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with the U.S. Air Force – and learned in February it has secured a $750,000 Phase II contract to fund further testing and development of a military-approved IFAST. “The only way this was possible was because the NBDC walked us through the application process, gave us advice on submitting the proposals and helped answer the technical follow-up questions,” Dutter says. Dutter was introduced to NBDC services in 2019 while attending a meeting concerning Nebraska Department of Economic Development grants. This led to initial discussions with NBDC PTAC consultants about how companies pursue military contracts. In addition to attending several PTAC workshops, Dutter has worked with NBDC Technology Commercialization Director Josh Nichol-Caddy and PTAC Consultant Quentin Farley.

The ARYSE team in Lincoln, Nebraska

There is growing interest in the ARYSE IFAST and other braces, Dutter says. The company determined that lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries were very common in military training and combat, with 25 percent of men and 50 percent of women sustaining one or more ankle injuries in an initial training environment. “We also learned that these injuries result in 25 million limited duty days, costing the Military Health System $548 million dollars annually,” she says. “We believe the IFAST is ideal for military training and active duty environments, and will reduce the occurrence of preventable musculoskeletal injuries.” Testing of the IFAST has also involved military athletes. “We provided IFASTs to a service academy

basketball team and took them from 77 days lost due to ankle injuries to zero days lost while wearing the device,” Dutter says. In 2021, ARYSE secured its first five-year contract for a medical device, a plantar fasciitis night splint, to be utilized by the Military Health System. In addition, ARYSE has succeeded in becoming a subcontractor with three Medical/Surgical Prime Vendors (MSPV’s) with the Veterans Administration and Defense Logistics Agency. And, the company has received two prototype grants and one SBIR matching grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

Dutter says the company’s first direct unit purchases are now providing ARYSE technologies to a variety of infantry, airborne and special warfare groups within the Navy, Air Force and Army, including the Navy Seals and Army Rangers. She says the NBDC’s suggestion to offer a military discount to individuals on its e-commerce site is resulting in 25 to 50 individual pairs of IFASTs sold to military personnel and first responders weekly. “We couldn’t be successful in our procurement efforts without the help of the PTAC consultants,” she says. “Everything we have accomplished with the military has roots with the NBDC.”

NBDC.UNOMAHA.EDU

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