Lincoln Chamber of Commerce-Year in Review 2022

LINCOLN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Year in Review 2022

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR LINCOLN

2022 was a year of significant impact for the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. I am exceptionally proud of our team, grateful for the leadership of our board of directors and thankful for the support of our valued members. Together, we launched an Economic Vitality Strategic Plan for our community, connected elected officials with tours of local businesses, applauded our incredibly talented young professionals at our annual Young Lincoln Leader Awards, announced plans for the Lincoln Youth Complex, wrapped up a successful year of advocating for local businesses at the local, state and federal levels, expanded our workforce development efforts through the Lincoln Manufacturing Class, announced new programming for the women of Lincoln’s business community…and so much more.

On behalf of our entire team, thank you for your continued support of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and our affiliated organizations. The future is bright for Lincoln.

Jason Ball President & CEO

NEW MEMBERS

LAUNCH OF THE ECONOMIC VITALITY STRATEGIC PLAN

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CHAMBER ANNOUNCES SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL

Small businesses are a vital part of every community, and we value our small business members, who currently comprise 79% of our Chamber membership. Formed in 2022 as a cross-section of Chamber membership and representing varied industries, the Lincoln Chamber Small Business Advisory Council meets monthly to discuss opportunities and concerns impacting the small businesses of Lincoln.

visit lcoc.com/sm-business-council to learn more and view a full list of council members

DEBUT OF B usiness LNK & L incoln V isits VIDEO PODCASTS IN 2022

Complete with a production studio on-site at the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, BusinessLNK and Lincoln Visits video podcasts were launched as a platform to engage in important conversations about the people and places that make our community truly unique.

Visit lcoc.com/videopodcast to view the latest episodes filmed in our AOI Studio.

CHAMBER EXPANDS PROGRAMMING FOR WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Beginning in 2023, RISE Lincoln will be a program of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. We are honored to continue this incredible program for women to connect, engage, learn and grow. Continuing the mission on which the program was built, RISE will be a valuable professional platform, free of barriers, for women to connect and thrive in Lincoln.

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce partnered with two top consulting firms, Broad Ripple Strategies and DMOProz, to develop an Economic Vitality Strategic Plan, which is focused on defining a vision for our city’s economic future and how to achieve it for Lincoln. The plan, which was announced at the annual Economic Development Breakfast, is being finalized with input from the community at large in response to a citywide survey, as well as thoughtful direction from a steering committee of community leaders. The final strategic plan will be introduced in February at the Lincoln Chamber’s Annual Meeting.

Our Women in Business and RISE Lincoln programs are further positioned for expanded reach and greater impact through the generous support of the JoAnn Martin Leadership Legacy Fund - a new endowment under the stewardship of the Lincoln Community Foundation established in honor of one of Lincoln’s greatest business leaders to encourage and support more women in Lincoln to attain business and community leadership roles.

5-STAR ACCREDITATION

We were honored to be recognized once again as a 5-Star Accredited Chamber of Commerce by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. With over 7,000 chambers across the country, we are proud to be one of only 202 recognized for strong leadership and outstanding contributions towards positive change.

CELEBRATE BUSINESS

08 . 28 . 19

ADVOCATING FOR LINCOLN BUSINESSES

The Lincoln Chamber continued to serve as a voice for Lincoln businesses throughout 2022.

Successfully lobbied on ARPA funds for Lincoln housing, childcare, infrastructure, workforce, internships and other community needs

Successfully lobbied for Amendment 1 for expanded air service, which was unanimously supported by the Legislature and overwhelmingly supported by voters in the November election

Successfully lobbied for the largest individual and corporate income tax cut in Nebraska history, property tax relief and exempting Social Security income from state and income taxes

APPLAUDING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Lincoln Young Professionals Group’s annual YP Week united Lincoln YPs for a wide array of events to elevate, engage and educate the future leaders of our community. The 3rd annual Young Lincoln Leader Awards (YLLA) honored seven recipients for their outstanding contributions to the Lincoln community. Congratulations to the 2022 YLLA winners!

Young Professional of the Year – Mike Smith | Rabble Mill/The Bay

Young Citizen of the Year – Jazari Kual | Kualdom Productions

Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Angela Garbacz | Goldenrod Pastries

Emerging Leader of the Year – Tut Kailech | NeighborWorks Lincoln

Next Generation Workplace – Lutz

Diversity and Inclusion Excellence – Nathan Hé | Nebraska Alumni Association

Young Nonprofit Professional of the Year – Katie Patrick | Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska

CONTINUED FOCUS ON TALENT RETENTION

In 2022, our focus on talent retention continued as the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development united 250 interns from 19 Lincoln companies at MyTern, exposing them to the benefits of life in Lincoln once they step into full-time careers.

LAUNCHLNK PROGRAM CONTINUES MAKING AN IMPACT

In just five years, the LaunchLNK program participants have gone on to raise over $82 million in follow-on funding. In 2022, five local startup companies were provided a $25,000 grant, connections to potential sources of additional capital and local mentors through this impactful program. Congratulations to the 2022 LaunchLNK cohort:

Roger T.

Tom Lorenz Tourism Development Award Lincoln Youth Complex Committee

LINCOLN MANUFACTURING CLASS EXPANDS

To date, the LMC program has graduated 150 students and continues to grow. It has been offered to community members, the corrections community, high school students and most recently, new Ukrainian residents in the community. The class for Ukrainians was taught entirely in their native language by Ukrainian manufacturing professionals and allowed the 13 participants to attend a job fair with five manufacturers. The class helped build skills for the Ukrainians while they wait for their work authorization, and they are eager to begin work as soon as possible.

manufacturing classes class graduates

VISIT LINCOLN – NEW NAME. NEW LOGO. NEW WEBSITE.

2022 was an exciting year for the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Chamber’s tourism arm rebranded to Visit Lincoln and launched a new, vibrant website. Lincoln.org features a streamlined hub of information about Lincoln’s incredible attractions, restaurants, hotels and events.

students applied for jobs in manufacturing

“The new lincoln.org serves as a window into all of the great things going on in our community, the excitement that surrounds our dynamic tourism skyline, and the website vividly shows what amazing opportunities await visitors and Lincolnites alike.”

- Jeff Maul, Visit Lincoln Executive Director

A STRONG YEAR FOR LOCAL TOURISM

Fiscal year 2021 – 2022 lodging tax collections represented a 15% increase over pre-pandemic tax collections. 90%

Large Events of all sales leads were for regional, national and international events 92%

Hotel Room Nights of all booked hotel room nights were for regional, national and international events

Sales leads retur ned to pre-pandemic numbers

LINCOLN YOUTH COMPLEX ANNOUNCED

This fall, Visit Lincoln, a program of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, unveiled designs for a $27 million baseball and softball complex north of Oak Lake Park in partnership with Nebraska Wesleyan University, the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County and other community partners. The complex will profoundly impact local tourism, positively shape the lives of athletes, expand opportunities for underserved youth in our community and continue to position Lincoln as a premier destination for youth sports. Construction is set to begin in the spring of 2023 with completion slated for late fall of 2024.

LINCOLNYOUTHCOMPLEX.COM

Large signature community events significantly impacted our local economy and included USA Roller Sports National Championships, Gravel Worlds, FMCA, SCCA and NSAA state tournaments.

CSL FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMISSIONED FOR DOWNTOWN CONVENTION CENTER

Visit Lincoln partnered with Downtown Rotary 14 and the Downtown Lincoln Association to commission a feasibility study for the potential development of a new convention center in Lincoln. This remains a high priority for our community, represented in our Economic Vitality Strategic Plan, and currently identifies five potential sites in downtown Lincoln. This potential project would further enhance the tourism landscape of and help shape the future of tourism in Lincoln for years to come.

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We work hard to provide real benefits for you and your employees, and we hope you will continue to join us in making Lincoln a great place to live, work and play.

Membership in the Chamber is an investment in your community and in Lincoln’s future. We thank you for being an integral part of that future!

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