22-23-ADV-SPOTLIGHT-COXComm-819.qxp_WORKING 7/23/19 11:33 AM Page 22

cox business • smartbiz OMAHA

a closer look

• mmagazine

• POWERED BY COX COMMUNICATIONS

IN THE CONNECTED RETAIL HUB, SMARTBIZ ATTENDEES EXPERIENCED TECHNOLOGY FROM COX BUSINESS SECURITY SOLUTIONS, WHICH MONITORS AND PROTECTS BUSINESSES.

In partnership with The Startup Collaborative, a program of the Greater Omaha Chamber, SmartBiz Omaha was held May 1 at the Greater Omaha Chamber. The event allowed attendees to see, touch and feel the future in five smart, immersive, interactive hubs: connected healthcare, connected retail, connected city, connected education and connected workplace. SmartBiz Omaha attendees examined and explored new ways to build smart businesses and organizations to become better connected with the demands of a growing community. Attendees interacted with technology to understand how a smart city supports smart businesses that are improving economic development, efficiency and sustainability, and enhancing quality of life. “As a leading technology provider in greater Omaha, Cox proudly serves more than 15,000 local businesses as well as hundreds of thousands of homes,” said Ashley Perkins, vice president of Cox Business Omaha. “Our role as an innovation leader extends beyond providing broadband connectivity and into creating meaningful connections. At SmartBiz Omaha, we fostered intriguing dialogue to help industries identify solutions to advance their unique businesses.” The event demonstrated Omaha’s commitment to technology investment, business innovation and career creation; raised awareness of Omaha’s position in the Silicon Prairie and how businesses are using technology and “smart” integrations to deliver next-level citizen engagement and satisfaction; and highlighted the cutting-edge Cox infrastructure currently in Omaha as civic leaders plan to further develop a smarter community ecosystem to support residents and to help businesses drive customer satisfaction, operational efficiencies and growth opportunities. 22

Governor Pete Ricketts proclaimed May 1 as “SmartBiz Omaha Day, powered by Cox,” at this immersive, first-of-its kind event showcasing how cutting-edge technology is advancing organizations across industries. “Businesses and entrepreneurs want to be in Nebraska because the state is on the move. We have tech giants building new data centers; a startup community continually churning out fresh, novel technology companies; and a diverse set of industries and municipalities harnessing advancements such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics and autonomous vehicles to better serve their customers,” Governor Ricketts said. “This technology infrastructure is underpinned by a powerful, gigabit network, which is continually being upgraded to serve Nebraska residents and businesses.” “The Greater Omaha Chamber shares the ideals of SmartBiz Omaha—using once aspirational, but now real, technology and connectivity to help achieve our vision: ensuring our community is a vibrant place to do business, work and live,” Greater Omaha Chamber CEO David G. Brown said. In addition to Governor Ricketts, SmartBiz Omaha attendees heard from a group of distinguished panelists moderated by Ken Kraft, SVP Marketing of Cox Business, who discussed how Omaha is powering the Silicon Prairie. Panelists included Dee Baird, SVP of Economic Development, Greater Omaha Chamber; Marcus ‘djWHEAT’ Graham, Director of Creator Development, Twitch; Cathy Lang, State Director, Nebraska Business Development Center; and Victoria Novak, Director of Workforce & IT Innovation, Metropolitan Community College, Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology.

mmagazine • aUgUST 2019