February/March 2020 B2B

FEBRUARY · MARCH 2020 | U.S. $3.25

EVENT PLANNING ISSUE THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOARDROOM MIXING BUSINESS WITH ART, NATURE, OR WINE

TASTING OMAHA MIKE MANCUSO‘S LARGE OUTDOOR EVENTS

HOTTER THAN MAGMA

JIM SUTTLE’S CALDERA-RED JAGUAR F-TYPE S

JIM SMITH CREATING A BLUEPRINT FOR BUSINESSES IN NEBRASKA

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02 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

Your one-stop shop for all your fire equipment needs. · · · ·

Fire Sprinkler Systems Fire Alarm Systems Kitchen Ansul Systems Fire Extinguishers

EXECUTIVE publisher Todd Lemke

CREATIVE creative director Matt Wieczorek

vice president Greg Bruns

senior graphic designer Derek Joy

associate publisher Bill Sitzmann

graphic designer II Mady Besch

EDITORIAL managing editor Daisy Hutzell-Rodman

photographers Katie Anderson Keith Binder Scott Drickey Ariel Fried Sarah Lemke Jeremy Allen Wieczorek

senior editor Tara Spencer associate editor Linda Persigehl

Ultimate Protection. Superior Service.

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contributors Keith Backsen Tamsen Butler Greg Jerrett Beverly Kracher Jeff Lacey Andrew J. Nelson Carrielle Sedersten Kara Schweiss Scott Stewart Kate Sullivan Josefina Loza Wells Houston Wiltsey INFORMATION advertising information 402.884.2000 subscribe online omahamagazine.com/ subscribe B2B Magazine is published six times annually by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 68046-1208.

Telephone: 402.884.2000; fax 402.884.2001. Subscription rates: $12.95 for 4 issues (one year), $19.95 for 8 issues (two years). Multiple subscriptions at different rates are available.

No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of B2B Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted, however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations.

SALES executive vice president sales & marketing Gil Cohen senior branding specialist Mary Hiatt senior sales executive Gwen Lemke branding specialists Dawn Dennis George Idelman digital sales manager Jillian Dunn assistant to the publisher Sandy Matson senior sales coordinator Alicia Hollins OPERATIONS operations officer & Local Stubs ticketing representative Joshua Peterson accounting associate Kendra Hill distribution manager Mike Brewer

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 03

TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER

40 JIM SMITH HAS A PLAN

BLUEPRINT NEBRASKA DIRECTOR BUILDING CONSENSUS ABOUT NEBRASKA’S FUTURE FEATURES

32

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOARDROOM

MIXING BUSINESS WITH ART, NATURE, OR WINE

36

COMBATING THE LOSS OF A TIGER

SHORTER GAMES, NEW GAMES HELP COUNTRY CLUBS

44

ORGANIZATION CORNERSTONES

2019’S TEN OUTSTANDING YOUNG OMAHANS

DEPARTMENTS

06 AFTER HOURS

10 HOW I ROLL

16 LEADERS

20 PROFILE

08 BIZ+GIVING

12 IN THE OFFICE

18 omAHA!

22 ON THE RISE

JAMES ASKEW’S FENCING PASSION

GOODWILL ADDS CAD

COLUMNS

JIM SUTTLE’S JAGUAR F-TYPE S OBI CREATIVE

26 EVENT VENUE PROFILES

48 OMAHA CVB

29 B2B PROFILES

ODDS ARE IN OMAHA’S FAVOR

48 ETHICS

A LESSON FROM UGANDA

ZAC TRIEMERT’S GOLD-MEDAL BEER

MIKE MANCUSO

SARA SABALIAUSKAS’ INSTAGRAM INFLUENCE

SPECIAL SECTIONS

05 FROM THE EDITOR

EVENTS FOR ALL SEASONS

KERMIT ENGH

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04 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

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OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 05

FROM THE EDITOR

EVENTS FOR ALL SEASONS

Thanks Omaha for over 30 Years!

We would also like to thank Omaha for voting our company the Best of B2B™.

L

ate winter is a big time in the events planning industry. According to an article from WeddingWire, eight of the top 10 times to get engaged were either around the Christmas season or Valentine’s Day. Thus the reason why every Sunday in January featured a bridal show in the Omaha Metro.

It’s a season for events, whether those events are departmental meetings or company-wide assemblies. Thanks in part to tech companies, meeting in the company conference room with a spread of pastries and coffee seems stodgy these days. Conferences like Big Omaha have elevated conferences into parties akin to weekend-long wedding events, with themes, signature cocktails, and lots of photo opportunities. The cool factor of these conferences is now changing company meetings, and one of our features, “Thinking Outside the Boardroom,” gives readers several thoughts about why holding a meeting off-site is a good idea.

The main feature is about Jim Smith, executive director of Blueprint Nebraska. He has had a varied career, from big business manager to small business owner to government employee.

This diverse experience made him a great choice to lead Blueprint, and in the 18 months he has served in this role, he has implemented several goals, including the creation of 25,000 jobs, growth of annual income for Nebraskans by $15,000, and adding 43,000 residents age 18-34 years old. It’s an ambitious plan to be completed in the next 10 years, but with Smith at the helm, it is achievable.

This issue of B2B offers readers something to sustain them through these snowy months.

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Daisy Hutzell-Rodman is the managing editor of Omaha Publications.

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“I’D ONLY BEEN FENCING FOR AROUND A YEAR AND I WAS FENCING AGAINST KIDS WITH COACHES.” -JAMES ASKEW

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 07

07

AFTER HOURS | STORY BY TAMSEN BUTLER | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

ALLEZ! ANALYSIS

GENETICIST JAMES ASKEW, OMAHA FENCING CLUB PRESIDENT

A

garage sale changed James Askew’s life forever. It was there he stumbled upon a fencing foil for sale. He purchased it on a whim, largely because “It’s a sword! What guy doesn’t want to have a sword?” Askew exclaimed.

He said it also helped that the foil was cheap— maybe $5 or $10—since he was a freshman at the University of Nebraska at Omaha at the time, at home in Norfolk to visit his parents.

With sword in hand, he took up the sport of fencing in 1990. He joined UNO’s fencing club, where he bought the rest of the equipment (including a jacket, gloves, and weapon mask), at a discount.

In 1992 he competed in the Junior Olympics in Kansas City.

“Qualifying was easy,” he said, noting that there were not many people competing that year. It was his first national fencing competition. “I did terribly,” he admitted. “I’d only been fencing for around a year and I was fencing against kids with coaches.”

The experience didn’t stop him.

He continued to pursue his newfound passion, and competed at the national level in multiple divisions.

In 2006, he enrolled in U.S. Fencing Association Coaches College to earn certification for epee fencing (an epee is wider, thicker, and heavier than a foil), and in 2007 he earned certification for foil fencing. Coaching fencing is a pastime he puts a great deal of energy and attention into, along with being president of the Omaha Fencing Club.

Fencing is a reprieve for him—during the day his attention is held by his job as a researcher at University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Eppley Center for Cancer Research, working in genetics.

“HIS UNDERSTANDING OF TACTICS ALLOWS HIM TO SAY, ‘YES, THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BEAT THE OTHER PERSON.’ HE SEES THE PROBLEM AND SOLVES IT SUPER QUICK. THE OMAHA FENCING CLUB WOULD NOT BE WHAT IT IS TODAY WITHOUT JAMES.” -ALEX BUCEVICIUS Although genetics and sword fighting may seem worlds apart, Askew said they have one skillset in common—analysis. “You need a very analytical mind, he said. “If you walk into either with a good plan you’ll do well.” His analytical approach works well in research, as it does in competitions.

Askew also finds balance is necessary when it comes to competing and coaching. “It’s an interesting dichotomy—the difference between coaching and competing with someone.” He loves competing, but coaching holds a special place in his heart. “I love watching the students grow and mature.”

Askew appreciates that the sport is accessible to all ages. Some of the students are under age 10, but “I’ve coached retired policemen in their 50s,” he said. “There’s lots of divisions by age.” He encourages people of all ages to try fencing. “It’s interesting watching older participants discover the complexity,” he added.

“James has a great mind for fencing,” said fellow coach Alex Bucevicius. “His understanding of tactics allows him to say, ‘yes, this is what needs to be done to beat the other person.’ He sees the problem and solves it super quick. The Omaha Fencing Club would not be what it is today without James.”

The Omaha Fencing Club was a different organization around 2009 when Askew assumed the duties of president. “It was one guy teaching out of a community center,” he said.

These days, the club has locations at Brownell-Talbot School and Montclair Community Center. Askew was one of the driving forces behind a multitude of changes. The first year he was president, the Omaha Fencing Club became incorporated. In 2014, it became a 501(c)(3) organization. They added sports safety training. The club is also now affiliated with USA Fencing, and hosts a fall tournament that is USAF-sanctioned.

These changes have led to higher interest in the sport locally. Askew said the club typically has close to 40 students each session these days.

Although Askew has worked hard to make fencing a more organized sport here in Omaha, he still loves participating. In 2016, he won two bronze medals for fencing events in the Cornhusker State Games. Askew doesn’t typically get a great deal of attention for his fencing accomplishments except, he said with a laugh, “About every four years, when the Olympics happen.”

Like most good leaders, Askew refuses to take the full credit for his organization’s success. “I have great people around me,” Askew said. “It can be a really complicated sport and really, the end goal is to get people to have fun.”

Visit omahafencingclub.org for more information.

B2B

08 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

08

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

BIZ+GIVING | STORY BY GREG JERRETT | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

BUILDING SKILLS, CREATING JOBS

GOODWILL ADDS HIGH-DEMAND CAD

G

oodwill Industries has long been known as America’s go-to thrift store, but more importantly, it provides many areas of job training. By the 1970s, Goodwill’s mission had grown to include job placement programs and outsourcing for small businesses. In 1998, the organization established their Food Service Training Program and placed 144 people in restaurants and kitchens of all kinds. Today they also offer construction, basic IT, and certified nurse’s aide training.

Their latest skills training offering is ComputerAided Design. CAD systems are used to design everything from homes and skyscrapers to blenders, dresses, and space shuttles. The applications are endless and the education can be expensive and complex as CAD systems allow for the most minute details to be illustrated, measured, and adjusted.

CAD light pens, illustration screens, and digitizing tablets are to architects and designers of the 21st century what T-squares and protractors were to manual design prior to the 1960s.

Tobi Mathouser has been with Goodwill since 2006 and has held several positions in the organization. Currently she is the director of mission advancement and oversees such programs as AbilityOne contracts, the Work Experience Program, and the Employment Solutions Program, with which many are already familiar. Most recently, the U.S. Department of Labor YouthBuild has helped her organization add CAD classes.

“I have the privilege of overseeing our missionrelated programming here at Goodwill,” Mathouser said. “Many people know Goodwill offers valuepriced merchandise at our retail stores. What many people do not know is that the sales from donated items help fund the heart of our mission— our employment readiness programs, including YouthBuild for people with disabilities and other disadvantages.”

Goodwill was first awarded a YouthBuild grant by the Department of Labor in 2006. The YouthBuild program is for people ages 16-24 who have struggled with school, are underemployed, or do not have a high school diploma, according to Mathouser.

“The YouthBuild program provides an opportunity for participants to earn their high school diploma and learn occupation and leadership skills in a non-traditional setting,” she said. “The YouthBuild program model has historically focused on construction skills training. However, not all participants are interested in pursuing a career in this field.”

In 2018, Goodwill expanded into health care and basic IT skills training. In 2019, with the help of United Way of the Midlands, Goodwill purchased 12 state-of-the-art monitors and two printers [one a 3D printer] for YouthBuild students to complete training and certification in MakerBot 3D Printing and Autodesk.

“AS OF FEBRUARY WE WILL BE OFFERING IT TO ALL 30 OF OUR PARTICIPANTS.” -NORMAN BARNES Norman Barnes is the YouthBuild Program Manager. He said 2019 gave him a chance to start with a small group of three students.

“We just started Computer Aided Design and Drafting. We’re looking to go full blast with it in 2020,” said Barnes adding that CAD instruction will be coupled with construction and GED classes as well. “We serve 30 participants a year. Starting with a smaller class was good for us the first time going out with it because we were learning, too.

As of February we will be offering it to all 30 of our participants.”

Goodwill’s mission is to change lives and strengthen communities through education, training, and work. By offering youth the opportunity to gain basic CAD skills, they are preparing their program participants for high-wage, high-skill, and highdemand jobs in the Omaha area.

Visit goodwillomaha.org for more information.

B2B

“THE YOUTHBUILD PROGRAM MODEL HAS HISTORICALLY FOCUSED ON CONSTRUCTION SKILLS TRAINING. HOWEVER, NOT ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE INTERESTED IN PURSUING A CAREER IN THIS FIELD.” -TOBI MATHOUSER

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 11

11

HOW I ROLL | STORY BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

HOTTER THAN MAGMA

JIM SUTTLE’S 2017 CALDERA-RED JAGUAR F-TYPE S

J

im Suttle has impressed a 6-year-old.

It wasn’t his years in public office that impressed him, nor was it his position as former VP at the nation’s 17th largest architecture and engineering firm. It was his vehicle, a Jaguar F-Type S–impossible to miss with the plates reading “Jagster” and the Caldera red color telling viewers this car is smoking-hot.

“I had stopped in Waverly, I believe, for lunch at a McDonald’s,” Suttle said. “I walked in and there was a father with a 6-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl. The 6-year-old was looking at the car. I told him to ask his dad if he could sit in my car. The dad took photos as the kids sat in the vehicle. It just made their day. It put big smiles on all three faces, four including mine.”

Lunch at McDonald’s, coffee with friends, board meetings–Suttle has driven his British luxury car everywhere.

“Why buy a car and not drive it?” Suttle said.

“I’ve put 41,000 miles on it in 3.5 years.”

Suttle has owned several special cars over the years.

A picture of his first car, a gold 1957 Studebaker Hawk, hangs proudly in the two-car garage attached to his home. His previous car was a 2002 red Thunderbird named “Birdster.” This car, however, is different for a variety of reasons.

“I’d been eyeing this Jag for about a year and a half,” Suttle said. “I went to the dealer, and they didn’t have one in stock. But, I was getting ready to go visit my daughter in Minneapolis.”

“I AM REALLY IMPRESSED AT HOW QUICKLY I CAN MANEUVER. IN KANSAS CITY, I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND A [PICKUP] TRUCK WAS BACKING UP. I THOUGHT ‘WHAT THE HECK IS HE DOING?’ A TOOLBOX HAD FALLEN OFF OF HIS TRUCK. I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER RIGHT AROUND IT, AND HIM.”

“I wanted a top-of-the-line sound system, because I like music,” Suttle said. “I wanted all-wheel drive, and I wanted leather seats.”

-JIM SUTTLE

The battery and the windshield washer fluid reservoir are located in the trunk. In early winter, Suttle experienced an alternator problem, which meant the mechanics needed to work with the alternator in the front of the car and the battery in the back of the car for everything to work correctly.

The Jaguar dealer in Minneapolis had one on the lot, so Suttle test-drove the vehicle there and considered his options. The V-8 engine was too powerful for his tastes. He wanted an automatic, not a manual, transmission. As he picked his perfect car, the manufacturer rolled into a new year. Thus his 2016 Jaguar became a 2017. It was delivered on May 7. This is the first British car Suttle has owned.

“I am really impressed at how quickly I can maneuver,” he said. “In Kansas City, I was on the highway and a [pickup] truck was backing up. I thought ‘what the heck is he doing?’ A toolbox had fallen off of his truck. I was able to maneuver right around it, and him.”

The 380-hp vehicle comes with features such as Bluetooth wireless technology, remote keyless entry, touch-screen monitor, a navigation system, and push-button engine start. The engineer in Suttle appreciates all the modernity, but his requests for the car were relatively simple.

The overall design was a factor. The car came loaded with features that he said took him about a year to figure out. The seats are heated and come with adjustable lumbar support, upper back support, even adjustable side wings. The volume of the muffler can be adjusted. The spoiler deploys at 60 mph.

Suttle’s wife, Deb, isn’t so fond of riding in the car, but his 22-year-old granddaughter, Savannah French, has taken it for a drive. In fact, there are three buttons for the passenger seat that can be programmed to adjust to three people’s preferences.

Button no. 1 is for Suttle’s granddaughter, no. 2 is for his daughter, and no. 3? That’s for Nougat, the Suttles’ schnauzer-poodle-cocker spaniel mix.

It appears dogs, like children, like Jaguars.

B2B

12 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

Caption

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 13

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IN THE OFFICE | STORY BY CARRIELLE SEDERSTEN | PHOTOS BY BILL SITZMANN

A GALLERY OF ARTISTS SHOWCASING THEIR CRAFTS

OBI CREATIVE’S PLAYFUL OFFICE REFLECTS ATTITUDE

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t OBI Creative, walking up the stairs to the second floor as the hallway rounds the bend leads to floor-toalmost-ceiling glass panes reflecting sunshine from the west basking the hallway in a glow of warm, white light.

A wall of glass panes encases the office. Where a ceiling would normally hit is a row of rectangular mirrors extending from the glass wall at an angle that grows larger as it stretches the length of the entrance. The effect reflects the words ‘hope is not a strategy’ on the ground.

“THE IDEA [BEHIND THE MIRRORS] WAS THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU AS A CLIENT OR A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT, THIS IS ABOUT YOU. IT’S NOT ABOUT US.” -MARY ANN O’BRIEN

“The idea [behind the mirrors] was that we understand that you as a client or a prospective client, this is about you,” said Mary Ann O’Brien, founder and CEO of OBI Creative. “It’s not about us.”

OBI Creative produces aesthetically charming work. The office is a showcase of that brilliant work—with light gray concrete floors and crisp white walls accented with an array of saturated pink, green, blue, and purple jewel-tones. But nothing in this office exists solely for pleasure. Every detail is intentional—from the dark brown plank brought from their previous office in Midtown that hangs outside O’Brien’s office as a reminder to be brave to a writable wall with artwork depicting the right and left brain in the main collaborative space. The wall’s artwork is a visual to help the strategic and creative sides of the business come together and share ideas.

The open office concept is a hit at OBI Creative. It allows them to have the kinetic energy that comes from organic collaboration that O’Brien feels is essential for a business. It is something they didn’t have at their old office.

CONT. PAGE 15

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 15

“THERE’S LOTS OF ANGLES. I LIKE COLOR AND LIGHTS. I WANTED EVERYTHING TO BE ART.” -MARY ANN O’BRIEN FROM PAGE 13 The old office also didn’t have a lot of natural light.

When designing the office at the Lumberyard District in Millard, having lots of natural light was non-negotiable.

The office has so much light coming from the windows on both sides of the building, the skinny fluorescent lights hanging diagonally across the exposed white ceiling are hardly noticeable.

As things are rarely straightforward in advertising and marketing, at the OBI office, 90-degree lines are hardly visible.

“Nothing’s normal,” O’Brien said. “I don’t like predictable at all. Even the way we hung the lights was by design. There’s lots of angles. I like color and lights. I wanted everything to be art.”

That goes for the overall design of the office space, as different textures of wood and concrete mix with plaster and plastic as well as physical artwork on the walls like the custom giant Light Brite that spans from floor to ceiling to the lion spirit animal made of the brand’s colors to a framed shattered glass pane representing breaking the glass ceiling.

It’s not beautiful for beauty’s sake. It’s functional art with intention.

A big theme at OBI is that everyone is an artist of their own craft. And what does every artist need to thrive? Inspiration.

O’Brien knows that, which is why it’s her intention to have everything in the office “light you up,” in the same way walking through a gallery and stopping to admire pieces of art gives perspective and sparks the imagination. Creativity gets results.

Visit obicreative.com for more information.

B2B

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 17

17

LEADERS | STORY BY JEFF LACEY | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

“YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO” KERMIT ENGH OF FASHION CLEANERS ON MENTORING AND MORE

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ne month, 28 pounds: in the first 30 days of operating the dry-cleaning business that would become Fashion Cleaners, Kermit Engh lost a small pitbull’s-worth of weight.

“I would take four shirts with me every morning so I could change,” Engh explained.

In those days, Engh worked an average of 14 hours— from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“KERMIT AS AN ACUTE BUSINESS SENSE.HE PUTS OWNERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY INTO THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE HE TRUSTS. HE ALLOWS ANY OF US THAT WORK FOR HIM TO SHINE AND BRING OUR TALENTS AND GIFTS TO THE TABLE.” -COURTNEY WOLF

“You do what you have to do,” Engh said; apparently, that’s what he did. His robust work ethic, combined with the steady application of knowledge (Engh earned an MBA from Creighton University), resulted in great success. Fashion Cleaners reported a 30% growth rate for five years within the first 10 years of Engh’s ownership.

Engh has grown two additional cleaning companies.

One is FRSTeam, a company that specializes in fire and water damage cleanup. The other is Midwest Ultrasonic, which specializes in ultrasonic cleaning and tackles everything from window treatments to sporting gear. His daughter, Audra Gude, runs the daily operations of those businesses.

Engh attributes his growth success to luck, as some smaller cleaners were going out of business at the time he started, allowing him to purchase the businesses at the right time. He pays constant attention to his industry. Fashion Cleaners has been certified by the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists and his company was one of the first to use eco-friendly dry-cleaning that replaces petroleum-based products with products based off of silica, or sand.

After decades of hard work developing multiple new businesses, what else could an entrepreneur possibly grow?

He manages by using best practices, and one of those best practices is putting together a great team.

“Kermit has an acute business sense,” said Courtney Wolf, a former director of marketing at Fashion Cleaners. “He puts ownership and accountability into the hands of the people he trusts. He allows any of us that work for him to shine and bring our talents and gifts to the table.”

He grows other entrepreneurs. Engh believes in supporting his peers in the business community by offering them guidance on their own growth.

To this end, Engh serves as a managing partner of Methods for Management, an organization that brings cleaners together in order to support them with information and mentoring. Members from as far away as Toronto and Mexico City are organized into bureaus, and Engh is responsible for quarterly meetings that provide information and mentorship opportunities. It’s a way for business owners in the industry to share best practices, and more.

“He’s regarded as an industry expert. He’s the person people go to when they want advice.” said Wolf, who serves as director of marketing and events at Methods For Management Inc. “We provide the ability to measure financials for productivity,” Engh explained. “We’ve redeveloped a platform that allows us to compare member against member to calculate averages in a group and benchmarks for performance. If someone is showing great advancement in lowering their cost of production, we are going to have a discussion about how they’re doing that.

It’s a labor-intensive industry, so we are looking for ways to help people automate what they do without reducing/negatively affecting work they do.”

Engh gets pleasure from working with members.

“I have a lot of fun working with them,” Engh explained. “I had a phone call last night for an hour with a client in Toronto. We’re working out a path to get them on a road of growth. I enjoy that kind of thing.”

Despite all of his successes, Engh doesn’t take much credit. “I’m just lucky,” he said. “I try to surround myself with people who know what’s going on.

My job’s just to guide them towards the goal. I’ve just got a great staff.”

Visit fashioncleaners.com for more information.

B2B

18 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

18

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

omAHA! | STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

GOLD-MEDAL BEER AND HARD SELTZER

ZAC TRIEMERT DOES WHAT HE LOVES

M

innesota native Zac Triemert began working as a microbiologist and chemist with an agricultural company right after graduating from college. It was a solid career that landed him in Omaha, where he expected to stay a couple of years before being transferred to the next city. But an unexpected event changed his outlook.

“My dad, fairly young, got sick and passed away,” Triemert said. “It made me realize that life’s too short not to do what you love, so I immediately started looking for brewing jobs.”

In memorializing his father, Triemert also articulated his own purpose.

“I did a home brew in his honor called Jerry’s Pale Ale and I gave everybody in the family two bottles: one to drink and one to save,” he recalled.

“I gave a little speech, and some people laughed and some people cried, and I realized I changed the experience with my beer. And that’s why I decided I wanted to do this…I’ve been brewing now for 20 years.”

A former owner of Lucky Bucket Brewing Co., Triemert’s latest endeavor, Brickway Brewery & Distillery, celebrated six years in December. Despite its association with a certain number, it’s been lucky, too.

“We began on Dec. 13, 2013,” said Triemert, who serves as president and head distiller. “If you look at our logo, the B in Brickway is also a 13.”

Brickway products also bear three words that nod to Triemert’s passion and purpose: celebrate, commiserate, commemorate.

“At Brickway, our slogan is, ‘It doesn’t matter if you’re celebrating, commiserating, or commemorating, Brickway is going to be there for you,’” he said.

“I’m proud of it and I’m really working hard to get the message out there.”

The message is getting heard. Brickway’s single-malt whisky (the spelling honors the fact that Triemert earned a master’s degree in brewing and distilling from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland) has won three international gold medals in the last two years.

The beer has also won honors. In 2019, its Jalapeño Pineapple Pilsner was awarded a gold medal from among 10,000 beer entries at the Great American Beer Festival.

“Our portfolios in both beer and spirits have grown tremendously,” he said. “We have probably 25 different beers throughout the year; in year one we probably had two. We have about 10 different spirits as well and our whisky program has just grown dramatically. We released Nebraska’s firstever sherry barrel-aged single malt whisky in December. It was a huge success and if you’re a whisky lover it’s something you have to try. We also have Nebraska’s first hard seltzer. It’s called Aleius Cherry Limeade and is gluten-free; and has one carb, zero sugar, 98 calories. We hit all the buttons.”

Mark Wright, Brickway’s director of sales, said Brickway’s distribution has expanded to include retail businesses and bars throughout Nebraska and in select markets in South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri.

“WE ALSO HAVE NEBRASKA’S FIRST HARD SELTZER. IT’S CALLED ALEIUS CHERRY LIMEADE AND IS GLUTEN-FREE; AND HAS ONE CARB, ZERO SUGAR, 98 CALORIES. WE HIT ALL THE BUTTONS.” -ZAC TRIEMERT “Craft beer in general has just exploded to where people want to try out beers from neighboring states,” he said. “One of the biggest points of difference a brewer can have is if they have a product that’s unique. Our top-selling product has been our Coffee Vanilla Stout because it’s different from what’s out there and it’s super-drinkable.”

Brickway’s spirits are also regionally successful, he adds.

“We’re really blessed that Zac has created an amazing whisky that’s won several international gold medal awards,” Wright said. “When we’re marketing our spirits and setting ourselves apart, we lean on the fact that we make small-batch whiskies and don’t overproduce, and that we’ve won multiple gold medals. If you’re going up against somebody that has media power to get their brand out there, you capitalize on the local aspect. And since we are local and don’t have to pay for all the advertising, we’ve priced it better and give consumers a better value.”

“We are making beer and spirits every bit as good as the big guys,” Triemert said.

Visit drinkbrickway.com for more information.

B2B

“WE BEGAN ON DECEMBER 13, 2013. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR LOGO, THE B IN BRICKWAY IS ALSO A 13.”

-ZAC TRIEMERT

Caption

“WE HAD TO BRING IN POWER, AND PARKING WAS—INTERESTING. AT THAT TIME, ASARCO WAS THERE.” -MIKE MANCUSO

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 21

21

PROFILE | STORY BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

TASTING THE CITY THROUGH A LARGE-SCALE EVENT MIKE MANCUSO

O

maha in 1991 was a different city than it is today. The population was 362,000, compared to the population of 468,262 in 2019. The riverfront was heavily industrial, as railroad yards and the Asarco lead refinery–at one time the world’s largest lead refinery–occupied the area. The Heartland of America Park had opened the year before, but the public needed to know it was for them.

Mike Mancuso, president of Mid-America Expositions, had an idea to help with recognition of this park. He continuously looks at what cities the size of Omaha are doing for events, and one up-and-coming event in particular—a showcase of local cuisines—caught his eye.

Several cities were producing a “Taste of the City.”

Mancuso thought the time was right for a “Taste of Omaha,” as this was a city that knew its food.

“Omaha’s interesting. We have more full-menu restaurants than any other city in the nation,” said Hal Daub, former mayor and senior counsel at Husch Blackwell. “We were a test market for a lot of restaurants.”

First, however, Mancuso had to get through some road blocks. It was the effort of a large group that helped bring Mancuso’s idea for an outdoor festival to the riverfront. Mayor Daub was interested in having a large-scale event come to the riverfront and his chief of staff was willing to help in any way to bring this event together.

“[Mancuso] wanted to know if we could commit a park and commit to closing that park for a weekend so a commercial opportunity could exist,” Daub said. “This idea was pioneering—that we could bring together the restaurants, especially the great variety that our restaurants [offer], in a public space.

We put those resources together.”

Roads were built to get people to the riverfront.

City government supplied law enforcement and public property.

“We had to bring in power, and parking was— interesting,” Mancuso said. “At that time, Asarco was there.”

“One of the big things was to make sure we had the ability to get in and out with parking,” Daub said.

“We didn’t have Riverfront Drive or Gallup at that point…We gave them the public safety necessary in order to navigate the streets.”

Much of the land that needed to be crossed to get to the riverfront was owned by Union Pacific.

Mancuso and his staff wrote a certificate of insurance to assure UP that this was a legitimate, family-friendly event. Fences barring people from getting to the riverfront were taken down.

“Part of our problem back in those days was we were losing our young people,” Daub said. “So making this a more fun place was a priority to help keep them.”

As the city has evolved, so has this mainstay of summer. This year’s event will be held in a different location due to the renovation of the riverfront area and Gene Leahy Mall.

“It is tough to create that same atmosphere,” Mancuso said. “We’re looking at Elmwood Park.”

The thought process behind using Elmwood includes several similar elements as that of the riverfront. It’s a public space that has a good area for parking—they are looking at a shuttle from UNO’s south campus near Aksarben.

Daub said Mancuso’s 1990s idea of bringing the city together for a fun outdoor event has led to the idea of Omaha having other large-scale events such as the International Omaha, Olympic Swim Trials, and more.

“You have to give the Mancusos a lot of credit, because they were pioneers,” Daub said.

Visit showofficeonline.com for more information.

The result of the 1998 event was a successful summertime celebration that showed the riverfront as a place to be, Omaha as a place to taste, and MidAmerica Expositions as a premier event planner. It also helped the city with one of its goals.

B2B

22 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

22

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

ON THE RISE | STORY BY CARRIELLE SEDERSTEN | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

DAY JOB TO DREAM JOB

OMAHA SARA SABALIAUSKAS BECOMES INSTAGRAM INFLUENCER

S

ara Sabaliauskas may come off as bright, fun, and bubbly (she is all those things and more) but don’t be fooled by her girly exterior. Sabaliauskas is an entrepreneurial force in the social media world.

From tomboy soccer player to grad student to city employee to one of Omaha’s top social media influencers.

Her brand Sabby Style is primarily fashion-focused with a bit of lifestyle and life moments sprinkled in. Her signature is mixing colors, prints, and price points.

It all started in January 2013 when Sabaliauskas landed a job working for the city of Bellevue after getting her master’s degree at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in public administration.

Having spent most of her life wearing school, sports, or work uniforms, dressing professionally did not come easily at first.

During one of her first days on the job, she looked around the office and thought, “I just really don’t think I can wear a sad, dowdy black pantsuit every day. [...] I want to feel empowered and confident and put some excitement into my morning and into my day.”

So she went to JCPenney and, with a budget of $150, purchased office-appropriate pieces like colorful sweaters, striped printed blouses, and bold jewelry that made her feel good.

After her wardrobe overhaul, Sabaliauskas showed up at the office dressed for success in her signature lively style. One day, she decided to a take picture of an outfit she loved in the bathroom mirror, with the flash on (a total faux pas in the influencer world), and she posted it to her private Instagram.

Layton, Dryden, and Sabaliauskas speak every day to get opinions on their content and help each other with any questions or issues they may run into. “There’s enough room for everyone at the table,” Sabaliauskas said. “We’re not competing against each other. I don’t think I would be where I am without them.”

The more her confidence grew, the more outfit photos she posted on her account. Eventually, she switched her account from private to public after many of her friends encouraged her to do so.

And they were right. Within a year, her Instagram account grew to 10,000 followers. That’s when she decided to launch her blog, Sabby Style.

In June 2016, three years after starting Sabby Style, Sabaliauskas knew the time was right and quit her day job to blog full time. Now she runs her business solo, working more than 40 hours a week.

With close to 100,000 Instagram followers now, Sabaliauskas attributes her popularity to a number of factors. “Back in 2013, there weren’t many Instagram users, and the platform and blogging itself were still pretty new,” she said.

With no prior experience in social media marketing or marketing, she learned as she went through trial and error. She engaged with the accounts where she took outfit inspirations from and actively commented on and supported their accounts. These social media mavens returned the favor, and the result became more and more followers.

Some of her greatest teachers and cheerleaders are fellow bloggers Kelssey Layton and Cortney Dryden, who she met at a RewardStyle conference in 2017—an affiliate marketing platform that allows people to shop products in Instagram photos through the LIKEtoKNOW.it app.

“People always ask me how I gained so many followers, and to be honest, I got in when the ‘gettin’ was good’,” Sabaliauskas said. “In 2013, there weren’t many users, and the platform and blogging itself were still pretty new. You didn’t have to have the perfect, curated feed that you do now. It was more light-hearted. It was fun. The Instagram feed was still in chronological order, which was super-beneficial for growth. I didn’t feel the pressure back then because social media influencing wasn’t my job.”

CONT. PAGE 24

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 23

IT’S MUCH MORE THAN JUST CUTE OUTFITS AND MUSTHAVE PRODUCTS—IT’S LOVE, IT’S ENCOURAGEMENT, AND IT’S THE TRUE FRIENDSHIPS SHE’S FOUND ALONG THE WAY.

24 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

Success is…Our mission, our promise and our brand.

“Since we started with Sandler in 2016, we have tripled our sales closure rate to an average of 60% of our quotes. In March 2019, our win percentage was 85%! The Sandler method has educated our sales team and given them techniques to keep laser focused on qualified, budget ready prospects. We no longer waste time and expense chasing low grade leads.”

-Doug Palmer

FROM PAGE 23

Karl Schaphorst

She previously worked with professional photographers to take her photos, but these days she enlists the help of her immediate family members and close friends for that job because she likes to have full artistic control when shooting and editing her photos.

Owner

Register at www.karlschaphorst.sandler.com Or call us at 402.403-4334.

Any brands Sabaliauskas works with or campaigns she does have to be something she can tell a story about. “I hosted a ‘Kendra Gives Back’ event at Village Pointe Kendra Scott store that benefitted the Little White Dog Rescue organization, which is where our oldest dog, Roger, is adopted from,” said Sabaliauskas. “They brought a bunch of dogs and had volunteers at the store to help spread the word about rescue and adoption. A percentage of sales during the event went directly to LWDR.”

T: 402.403.4334 10711 O Street • Omaha, NE 68127 kschaphorst@sandler.com

She generates the majority of her income from ongoing, long-term partnerships with national brands. She works with at least five brands a month and is particular about the Omaha businesses she works with. Some of her local partners include Garbo’s Salon and Lovely Skin, as well as Village Pointe.

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The industry standard for an Instagram post is $100 for every 10,000 followers. However, there’s no set salary because every partnership is different and it varies depending on what the brand wants and how much time it takes to create the content.

“I can do as many posts as I want, and I can charge x amount of dollars per posts,” Sabaliauskas says.

“It’s really up to me. I could make $300 that month or I could [make] $1,500. It depends.”

Sabaliauskas never intended to blog full time when she started posting her outfits on Instagram seven years ago or expected how her social platform would evolve into a community full of support.

It’s much more than just cute outfits and musthave products—it’s love, encouragement, and the friendships she’s found along the way. Sabaliauskas is thankful for her journey and looks forward to doing more consulting and helping other people grow their businesses and social presence in the future.

Visit sabbystyle.com/instagram for more information.

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OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 25

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26 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

EVENT PLANNING & VENUES PHOTOS BY KATIE ANDERSON & PROVIDED STORIES BY KARA SCHWEISS AND KATE SULLIVAN The event industry is fast-paced and ever-changing. Market trends indicate that today’s meeting attendees want lots of unique networking opportunities, fun events like music festivals built into conferences, and unique ways to customize their experience. Reports show that attendees also want data-driven experiences and focuses on diversity, inclusion, and technology at every level of the event.

That’s a large variety of wants. Fortunately, the events and event planners listed in this section are there to help clients with any events needs.

B2B

FEBRUARY · MARCH | 27

SPONSORED CONTENT

1415-THE MEETING SPACE Last year marked significant growth and expansion for 1415-The Meeting Space, which is owned and operated by the National Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers (BOC) in downtown Omaha. The company designated Omaha native Anne Minton as CEO in May 2019. With her leadership came other significant changes.

The facility at 14th and Harney streets was named a Best of Omaha winner in 2019.

“That award is both exciting and encouraging,” Minton said. “It validates that we do a wonderful job supporting the community with small and large conference services. We can handle small numbers and up to 55 people seated in the training room.

The 1415-The Meeting Space is wonderful for many professional events.”

“We see seminars, training, conferences, workshops, team meetings, board meetings, community events and press conferences,” she continued. “Our customers use our beautiful, full-service space in many ways, and we can take many group sizes and spread them throughout the space. The smaller rooms are private and can be used for committee discussions and breakout sessions. The larger space is great for bigger meetings. We are scalable and have much to offer organizations and businesses.”

In addition to receiving the business award, another highlight of 2019 was when Minton bought the building next door for future expansion. Minton previously helped design and renovate the current building. In fact, she spearheaded opening the meeting facility to outside businesses and organizations five years ago and has been delighted with the response.

The new purchase reflects plans for further growth and expansion of another structure. Although the neighboring building is currently occupied, the current tenant is looking for a new, larger office space. Eventually, this will open up the possibility for growth and expansion for 1415-The Meeting Space.

“We offer many services to businesses and organizations all across the city and cater especially to downtown businesses,” Minton said. “We’re small enough to project an intimate feel. Our inclusive pricing structure is something our customers appreciate along with flexibility with our scheduling and state-of-the-art technology.”

“We are accommodating as far as catering options and allow our customers to bring in their own food and drinks, or to work with caterers of their choice—it’s another way we’re helping the downtown community,” Minton continued.

Being so close to hotels, entertainment, and restaurants is a major draw for clients. Many of them tie their business sessions into drinks and dinner just a block away. “Our customers find it energizing to be steps away from the Old Market.”

“And we love being able to support the companies around us,” she said. “Bringing business in helps all of us.”

With Minton’s leadership also comes a new policy for in-kind contributions. Some 501(c)(3) companies will be granted space for free. It’s a meaningful way, she said, to give back.

Clients may book space online, where they will find photos and a video of the facility. Clients are also encouraged to call, email, or book a tour. The staff will be happy to answer any questions.

1415 HARNEY ST., SUITE 200 OMAHA, NE 68102 402.702.1415 MEETINGSPACEOMAHA.COM

28 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

EMBASSY SUITES

BY HILTON OMAHA DOWNTOWN OLD MARKET Omaha’s Embassy Suites by Hilton, located in the Old Market, has unveiled their rustic-yet-refined floor-to-ceiling renovations to offer guests more space, delicious restaurant options, and beautiful modern designs. Guests will now have access to a brand-new hotel, with features ranging from newly designed suites to completely renovated ballrooms.

The multi-million-dollar renovation marries Embassy Suites’ brand with Omaha’s unique local flair to serve up new features like suites with a modern aesthetic and attention to design. Embassy Suites has worked diligently to honor Omaha’s Midwestern culture of business, family, and fun.

SPONSORED CONTENT

The newly modified hotel atrium now offers more seating space to cultivate that deeper sense of connection with their guests and visitors. This inviting space allows for enhanced networking, which is Embassy Suites’ greatest goal.

“We are blessed to be in an amazing location downtown and to also have a really even spread of seasons of groups as well as the individual hotel bookings, which helps us serve the community in a stronger way,” said Adrianne Lescanic, director of sales and marketing at Embassy Suites in the Old Market.

Lescanic says the varying event spaces allow for functions of all sizes, as their largest event space is 10,658 square feet.

In addition, the Embassy Suites team are very excited to introduce an addition to the Old Market’s restaurant options. Embassy Suites now offers an exciting new restaurant and bar concept, Pavers & Pints Restaurant and Bar, serving traditional American cuisine with a unique Omaha flair.

The emphasis on gathering and socializing does not stop with the atrium’s open space design; the new restaurant offers up local farm options, Omaha steaks, and stone-fired specialties which allow guests to partake in lunch and dinner menus as well as room service options. This large space allows guests to either sit at the bar or the restaurant area, allowing for enhanced collaboration and dining experiences for guests and visitors.

555 S. 10TH ST. OMAHA, NE 68102 402.346.9000 EMBASSYSUITESOMAHA.COM

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FEBRUARY · MARCH | 29

SONBURST COMMUNICATION While there’s a certain amount of satisfaction in successfully executing a complex corporate event, Sonburst Communication President Rob Helling said he never gets tired of hearing clients praise his staff. They’re the reason the company started in 1996 thrives today on repeat business and referrals from companies like Conagra Brands, HDR, Mutual of Omaha, and the FEI World Cup. “It’s cool when a client says, ‘It’s been a joy working with your team,” Helling said. “I have been so blessed to surround myself with some really, really talented people. That’s what makes this thing go.”

The highly experienced Sonburst team of 15, led by Helling and vice presidents Aubrey Churchill, Brenda Horst, Jami Huber and Nathan Kuester, is able to provide comprehensive event services to corporate clients anywhere in the country as a self-contained entity, which helps them realize efficiencies and save money “since we’re not responsible for just one or two line items.” But they can also work in tandem with a client’s internal team or other partners, Helling said, and clients appreciate Sonburst’s flexibility to adapt to their needs.

“We have on staff our own meeting planners, our own technical people and a creative team as well. So when we put on an event, we can do all the creative, we can do all the writing and graphic development, we can write and shoot all the video, we do all the staging and the lighting and we do all the meeting planning and site selection also,” Helling said. “What makes us different is that we do all of that in house. It’s really unique.”

11204 DAVENPORT ST. OMAHA, NE 68154 402-333-7620 SONBURST.COM

OMAHA MAGAZINE – it’s about all of us.

Omaha Magazine publishes stories about interesting people who live next door and fascinating former Omahans. It is the place to read stories about the arts, the food, the music, and the events that are making Omaha the cultural epicenter of the Midwest.

OmahaMagazine.com/Subscribe

30 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

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VERDANT

SPONSORED PROFILES PHOTOS & STORIES PROVIDED Native advertising is an advertisement that tells a story, is paid for, and is labeled as sponsored.

This advertising format allows clients to have control of how their story is told, and it allows B2B Magazine to be transparent with readers when content is sponsored.If native advertising is of interest, contact B2B publisher Todd Lemke at 402-884-2000 or todd@omahapublications.com.

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Verdant believes that clients can grow to achieve their full potential if all their accounting and business solutions are streamlined under one roof. To carefully personalize services for every client while treating them like family, Verdant offers essential support across wealth, marketing, human capital and coverage.

Clients get to work with top Omaha-based CPA’s and accounting professionals to maximize their tax returns, plan essential strategies, solve tax problems, plan their estates, and resolve any IRS issues with many tax payment plan solutions.

When it comes to marketing, Verdant designs a killer marketing plan to help businesses fight through the noise and bring their ideas to life. This includes all branding tools, marketing tactics, and developing a strong web presence. Verdant Creative is a full-service, in-house digital marketing and advertising division with an envious client list, and experts who impressively break boundaries by taking every idea to the next level. Individuals, businesses, and industries can gain protection through Verdant’s coverage services with various essential insurances, benefits, medical, and 401k plans. Verdant conducts the critical analysis, evaluation, and monitoring of benefit programs so that clients can free themselves from all the lengthy paperwork. Clients can also take advantage of Verdant’s additional human capital services. Verdant Human Capital provides all the practices and resources to protect business owners while reducing liabilities and creating a productive culture to attract the best people. There is no better all-around business consultant and solutions provider in Omaha. To help businesses establish and run profitably, Verdant provides the best professional experts from every key business area.

12110 PORT GRACE BLVD. #100 LA VISTA, NE 68128 402.330.1200 MYVERDANT.COM

FEBRUARY · MARCH | 31

SPONSORED CONTENT

SPB WEBSITE DESIGNS SPB Website Designs was founded in 2014 by owner Skyler Burmeister. Burmeister was born in a small town by the name of Hancock, Iowa, and has a bachelor’s degree in management information systems as well as an MBA with an emphasis on IT project management. He has a number of years of experience working as a software quality assurance tester in a large company setting.

Through the years he has expanded his skillset to include website design, graphic design (including, but not limited to, logos, flyers, business cards and advertisements), as well as video editing and SEO and marketing management.

Because of the various skillsets within the company as well as all of the knowledge that is gained from starting a new company, SPB Website Designs can help businesses that are just starting out with any number of potential road blocks in building their business. Whether working with a new startup or an established business, the right business partners become invaluable.

SPB Website Designs realizes that the IT world can be intimidating. They have a long track record of success in marking sure each client understands what goes into each piece of work they complete without throwing around confusing technical terms without any context. The success of this is apparent when looking at past customer reviews and testimonials: “SPB Website Designs helped us with a custom design project. Skyler was able to take our ideas and create something that exceeded our expectations.

Very knowledgeable and great communication.

Will be using SPB Website Designs for all future projects.”

“Skyler is a godsend! Very patient for us ‘non-techy’ people and can communicate so that we understand what’s needed. Efficient, knowledgeable, and personable. Can’t ask for much more than that!”

SPB Website Designs has a customer-first approach. With every piece of work there is an initial conversation to find out the clients’ needs, as well as an overall style they would like to achieve.

When deemed necessary the client may also fill out

a questionnaire to help them drive out the answers to questions they may not have even known they had. This is followed by an initial rough draft to allow for shifts in direction that ensure the client receives the best possible end result.

When working with website design clients SPB Website Designs offers responsive mobile design, complex forms, google maps integration, Google Webmasters and Google Business page setup, Google Analytics, business email set up and more!

As SPB Website Designs continues to grow in the Omaha Metro their dedication to the client has never taken a back seat. Whether the client has a simple question on a ‘how’ or a ‘what,’ or comes with a full plan from front to back, SPB Website Designs will help get people where they need to be.

402.915.2932 SPBWEB.COM

32 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

“IT’S UNIQUE BECAUSE WE’RE SO CLOSE TO OMAHA BUT WHEN YOU COME HERE YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU’RE AWAY FROM EVERYTHING.” -SHARON SHAW

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 33

33

FEATURE | STORY BY JOSEFINA LOZA WELLS

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOARDROOM

MIXING BUSINESS WITH ART, NATURE, OR WINE

O

maha is known for doing things right in business, whether it is creating investment companies or holding events attended by thousands of techies and entrepreneurs.

All businesspeople want to hold successful meetings, whether that means a one-on-one between the vice president of H.R. and an employee who deserves a promotion or a four-hour departmental strategy meeting. It may seem unconventional, but one way to hold a successful meeting is to choose a great venue—countryside vineyard views or stunning floral gardens might do the trick. While a meeting isn’t the same as a garden party, there are advantages to working in various settings.

Relax and Build Up the Team The hustle and bustle of the city does not prove productive to helping teammates become closer.

In any given day, one employee is late because of traffic, another bumped their coffee cup off the desk and stained their clothes, and another person walks into a meeting on the phone with their kids’ daycare. Getting away from the traffic and into the fresh air, however, can bring people together.

Omaha offers several vineyards surrounding the metro. Nestled in the scenic rolling hills of Springfield, Nebraska, is Soaring Wings Vineyard and Brewing. Family owned and operated by Jim and Sharon Shaw, this winery sits on 11 acres.

“It’s unique because we’re so close to Omaha, but when you come here you feel as though you’re away from everything,” said Sharon.

Soaring Wings has the facilities on-site for indoor and outdoor events, such as private use of the covered deck for an intimate gathering or out near the amphitheater and gazebo for largescale corporate events. The venue can host up to 2,500 people.

In addition, they feature nearly two dozen wines ranging from dry to sweet. Traditionally, 70% of the grapes come from the vineyard, while 30% come from the Nebraska region. Their wines have won more than 200 medals in international wine competitions in the last seven years and are available year-round along with their flavorful brews.

CONT. PAGE 34

34 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

FROM PAGE 33 Those who need to stay closer so they can drive back to the office over lunch or make it to an activity after work can check out Lauritzen Gardens and Omaha Botanical Center. The venue offers event services for daytime and evening rentals, both indoor and outdoor. The visitor and education center at Lauritzen Gardens is a 32,000-squarefoot-building that houses several stunning rooms designed to accommodate large celebrations or small gatherings. Lauritzen Gardens’ great hall accommodates up to 275 seated guests, with a nice dance floor. Most reservations and bookings are made between 9 to 18 months in advance of the event date as it is a popular wedding ceremony and reception venue.

Brainstorm and Get Creative Big Omaha—that innovative, tech-forward conference that shook the business world. It featured trendy snacks, rock star-esque speakers, freebies galore, and large networking parties. It also embodied modern conferences and meetings, for a variety of reasons. The event could be personalized, the information was often purposeful as well as educational, and its tech-forward scope engaged the attendees and helped with self-marketing at the same time.

Large-scale, three-day events quickly get expensive.

Any business can incorporate the ideas of a conference such as Big Omaha on a smaller scale, including using the same space. One of the keys to KANEKO’s success as an event venue is the organization’s mission of exploring creativity across the spectrum of art, science, technology, education, and philosophy. That is helpful to a company that needs a broad-scale brainstorming/creativity session.

Samuel Bertino, the individual gift and community engagement manager at KANEKO, says the event space “is such a unique space to be in and it’s different every time you visit the location.”

A quieter, more genteel art space is Thomas Mangelsen Images of Nature Gallery. Tara Larson, gallery director and special events coordinator, said this 4,000-square foot loft style space with hardwood floors is a desirable location for intimate events and small gatherings.

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 35

“Everyone loves the space,” Larson said. “We display all of the artwork of Tom Mangelsen’s. We have furniture settings that make the space really cozy.”

An Omaha native, Mangelsen’s artwork features nature from all over the world. More than 100 of his pieces are displayed at his hometown gallery, which is one of five locations.

As long as the event is held after hours, the space is available to rent. It has been used for wine and cheese meetups, gallery walks, surprise engagements, and small business meetings.

The venue works with local downtown restaurants to meet client’s catering needs. They prefer plenty of lead time for bookings, but the venue is flexible with hosting in case there is a short notice.

Hold a One-on-One Outside of the Coffee Shop Sometimes an offsite meeting between two department heads is best done away from the office.

There are places in Omaha where people can close the door and be alone without using the main office.

Ervin & Smith is one place where those meetings can happen. When the company built their office space in Aksarben Village a few years ago, president and CEO Heidi Mausbach began thinking about different ways to use the new office. They rent their meeting space to clients and nonprofits that need an area to get away from distractions and get work done.

The days of three-martini lunches might be a thing of the past, but people still get together to discuss business over a glass of wine or a pint of beer. The Brazen Head Irish Pub is known for its snug, a small, closed off room with enough space for one booth, and many of the booths along the wall in the main room are partially separated by a glass-paned divider.

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36 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

“OUR MEMBERS CHOOSE THE FIELD CLUB OVER OTHER GOLFING OPTIONS BECAUSE YOU CAN PLAY OUR COURSE IN THREE HOURS OR LESS, GRAB A BITE TO EAT OR A COCKTAIL AFTER YOUR ROUND, AND BE HOME BEFORE YOUR FRIENDS HAVE EVEN FINISHED THEIR ROUND AT A NEARBY FACILITY. MAXIMIZING TIME IS SO VALUABLE IN TODAY’S MARKET AND WE’RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN ANSWER TO THOSE TIME-RELATED CONCERNS.” -GREG GILG

Caption

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 37

37

FEATURE | STORY BY HOUSTON WILTSEY

COMBATING THE LOSS OF A TIGER

SHORTER GAMES, NEW GAMES HELP COUNTRY CLUBS

A

20-year-old Stanford undergrad stepped up to a podium emblazoned with the PGA Tour logo at Brown Deer Park on Aug. 28, 1996. Between late 1996 and 2006, the game of golf gained nearly 5 million players and 2,000 more 18-hole-equivalent courses in the U.S. Generation X, fueled by the constant stories and achievements of Tiger Woods, began taking up a game they had largely written off as their grandfather’s.

As Woods’ career began to wane, so did golf. By 2015, the year he had back surgery, the number of golf players receded by 5 million. Roughly 200 courses closed in 2018. Approximately 200 more shut their doors the year before that. Nike stopped selling golf equipment in 2016 to focus on apparel.

In 2017, Adidas sold off its golf club making business. And Golfsmith, the largest golf retail chain in the U.S. at the time, filed for bankruptcy protection in 2016 and was later bought by Dick’s Sporting Goods.

The game that once was seen as a place for big deals and great business steals had become a legitimate sport of athletic prowess. Add to that the price for greens fees and club memberships, and an entire generation that may associate Tiger Woods as a name for a zoo exhibit, and you have an industry that has seen its heyday.

Country clubs, however, are still a business, and they are working to gain Millennials away from the screen and onto the green.

Greg Gilg, the general manager at Field Club of Omaha, said their approach to increasing membership is two-pronged—the first of which is cutting down on the time it takes players to get through a round. Today’s executives work an excess of 50 hours per week—a Harvard study said they work an average of 62.5 hours per week—making time truly a commodity.

“Our members choose the Field Club over other golfing options because you can play our course in three hours or less, grab a bite to eat or a cocktail after your round, and be home before your friends have even finished their round at a nearby facility,” Gilg said. “Maximizing time is so valuable in today’s market and we’re fortunate to have an answer to those time-related concerns.”

Gilg isn’t the only one thinking that way. The PGA has echoed that sentiment in recent years, introducing Tee It Forward, which encourages players to set their tees well ahead of designated tee box areas with the hope that beginner players can finish a game in a shorter amount of time.

On top of that, Gilg stressed the importance of adding new facilities as well as keeping their existing facilities in top shape.

CONT. PAGE 38

38 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

“WE’VE BEEN EXTREMELY FORTUNATE TO BENEFIT FROM A STRONG ECONOMY OVER RECENT YEARS WHICH HAS ONLY FURTHER ACCELERATED THE RESURGENCE. IT’S BEEN A TEAM EFFORT OF GOOD PLANNING, TIMING, AND EXECUTION.” -GREG GILG

FROM PAGE 37 New amenities such as a 19th hole firepit area and the recent addition of mobile ordering to restaurant outlets has been crucial to the Field Club’s success in recent years. “Plus, we are fortunate enough to host 60-70 weddings each year and our pool averages over 400 members per day during the summer; making those amenities our front door to new families who may become future members is crucial.”

This diversification has helped the Field Club grow its membership from 643 membership families when Gilg started in July 2017 to 770 today.

“We’ve been extremely fortunate to benefit from a strong economy over recent years, which has only further accelerated the resurgence,” he said.

“It’s been a team effort of good planning, timing, and execution.”

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Other opportunities for courses are new games such as footgolf and Topgolf.

Footgolf is a combination of the popular sports of soccer and golf. The game is played with a regulation soccer ball on shortened holes with 21-inch diameter cups, which sit to the side of the golf holes. The holes are covered when not in use for patrons’ safety. Wilderness Ridge Golf Course in Lincoln started offering it in 2014, and in 2015, La Vista Falls Golf Course and Papio Greens Golf Center started offering the sport. Footgolf requires no expensive equipment and can be played by children as well as adults.

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 39

Topgolf combines golf with the turn-based approach of bowling and an atmosphere akin to a modern video arcade in an era when video gaming has become a college-sanctioned sport. Groups of players sit in climate-controlled hitting bays, taking turns aiming at computer-generated targets that vary based on the type of game they have selected.

In between plays, the participants nosh on nachos, not club sandwiches.

The ease of play—even the most heinous shot receives some sort of points—combined with the less-stuffy atmosphere makes for a version of the game with a much easier point of entry. The majority of Topgolf ’s customers fall in the allimportant 18-44 age demographic. An Omaha location is slated to open this spring in the Westroads area.

Gilg is optimistic about Topgolf making its way to the Omaha Metro.

“We’re excited to have Topgolf join our market as studies show they are phenomenal at introducing the game to fresh faces,” he said. “We’re even more excited about our positioning as those new players look for places to learn and enjoy the lifelong game of golf.”

Traditional golf may be returning to its pre-Tiger statistics, but with a bit of ingenuity, clubs can keep those numbers rising.

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40 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

“JIM SMITH WAS ALWAYS A LEADER THAT LOOKED AT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. HE LED OPPD’S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE PROCESS CHANGES IN HIS LAST LEADERSHIP ROLE AT OPPD. IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT HE NOW TAKES THOSE SAME SKILL-SETS TO A STATEWIDE LEVEL.” -Tim Burke

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 41

41

FEATURE | STORY BY SCOTT STEWART | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

JIM SMITH HAS A PLAN

BLUEPRINT NEBRASKA DIRECTOR BUILDING CONSENSUS ABOUT NEBRASKA’S FUTURE

J

im Smith has a plan for Nebraska.

The former state legislator is not running for a higher office. He is building a coalition to put Nebraska on the path to sustained economic development through Blueprint Nebraska, an initiative of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to develop a strategic plan to guide the state toward prosperity over the next decade.

Smith combined his education and work experiences into a career with Omaha Public Power District, where he worked as a manager prior to retiring in 2011. Off hours, Smith became active in the community. He joined Suburban Rotary Club. He was appointed to the Ralston Planning Commission and served on the Ralston Chamber of Commerce. His father-in-law also encouraged him to become involved with the Salvation Army of Omaha, where he was recently appointed to its advisory board.

“Nebraska is a very diverse state—economically diverse, geographically diverse. Interests are very diverse,” said Smith, executive director of Blueprint Nebraska. “We would like very much for Blueprint to be the catalyst for change, for the DNA that we are proposing to get into the bloodstream of the entire state and that we see a lot of smaller initiatives across the state carrying through these broader ideas.”

“[Jim] brings business and political savvy—and immediate credibility—to our board,” said Jeff Beckman, executive director of development, The Salvation Army Western Division. “His work in the legislature, in his family’s business, and now with Blueprint Nebraska speaks for itself. We are pleased to have him on our board.”

Smith brings years of experience in business and public policy to his role through the state chamber.

He also understands Nebraska’s need to attract talent through his own decision to relocate in the Cornhusker State after early career stops in Louisiana and Texas.

Smith said engaging with the community at large, not simply cocooning inside your smaller community, is important. He said professionals need to make time to move into civic positions as well as mentor others so there’s a leadership pipeline ready to serve the community.

A Floridian by birth, Smith earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting in Florida before working in the private electrical and gas industries. He met and married his wife, Ruth (Kerr) Smith, and within a few years, the couple moved to Ruth’s home state of Nebraska.

CONT. PAGE 43

42 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

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FROM PAGE 41 Failing to do so, he cautions, results in an unintentional standoff between older people, who no longer want to be part of civic leadership, and younger people, who feel excluded from leading.

That results in talented people leaving and the community at large missing opportunities.

“It’s really important to be involved,” Smith said.

“The way that you improve your luck is to cast your line out more often. You do that by just being involved.”

Smith’s connections helped him run for the Unicameral in 2010, where he served two terms, including as chairman of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee and the Revenue Committee, which has responsibility for tax legislation.

His success in the Legislature came from understanding a variety of perspectives and knowing how to find compromise. He said his work in civic groups, local government, and nonprofit organizations didn’t allow for the luxury of a standoff between competing proposals.

“You had to learn in those roles to collaborate, to compromise and to move forward,” Smith said.

“You have to understand personalities, you have to accept those personalities and you have to value relationships beyond outcomes.”

Legislators who focus on winning and losing usually find themselves to be ineffective, he said.

The same is true in business, where relationships are the difference between making deals happen or being left out of opportunities for growth and development.

Smith’s perspective on business is also informed by his 14 years as a small business owner. He ran Norm’s Door in Ralston (his father-in-law’s business that Smith and his wife bought in 2006), which afforded him an income during his eight years serving in the Nebraska Legislature. He said he always wanted to own a small business, and they only recently sold Norm’s Door. His focus lately has been dedicated to Blueprint Nebraska.

“I see it as a continuation of my service,” Smith said.

Blueprint Nebraska builds off the input of a diverse, 21-member steering committee. The plan features 15 signature initiatives that seek to make the Nebraska economy—whether urban or rural, from the metro to the Panhandle—competitive with other states in the region.

The ambitious plan sets lofty goals, but Smith said that’s by design. Blueprint Nebraska seeks to provide a 30,000-foot view of the policies that Nebraska should pursue, and now the initiative is working on implementation by crafting specific legislative and public policy proposals over the next two years.

“We have to create the narrative,” Smith said. “We have to give people a plan to rally around, to be able to say yes, we can control the destiny of our economy. I think that’s the starting point, because if we’re all ready to pack it up and say we’re done, we can’t change, then there’s just no hope and there’s nothing for individuals or businesses to really target to improve, so the narrative is important.”

Currently, the state has a narrative that claims we can achieve prosperity through controlling government spending, reducing taxes, and focusing on growth in Omaha and Lincoln. But prosperity comes through investing in every community in Nebraska, reversing the trend of migration out of the state and bringing young, talented workers into the workforce.

In his first couple of years with Blueprint Nebraska, it appears Smith has started a great narrative.

“JIM SMITH DID A REMARKABLE JOB OF HELPING THE STATE DEVELOP A GAME-CHANGING, STATEWIDE ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT FOR NEBRASKA FOR THE NEXT 10 TO 20 YEARS. HE DIFFERENTIATED AND VALIDATED THE PROCESS, NOT ONLY THROUGH OUTSIDE EXPERTS, BUT BY ENGAGING HUNDREDS OF BUSINESS LEADERS AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER NEBRASKANS IN A GRASSROOTS EFFORT.” -BRYAN SLONE

“Jim Smith did a remarkable job of helping the state develop a game-changing, statewide economic blueprint for Nebraska for the next 10 to 20 years,” said Bryan Slone, president, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry in a statement. “He differentiated and validated the process, not only through outside experts, but by engaging hundreds of business leaders and thousands of other Nebraskans in a grassroots effort. Whereas far too often our in-state policy discussions can become somewhat parochial in nature, Jim kept us all committed to an open process where everyone participated in a manner that put Nebraska first. Without Jim’s considerable personal and professional skillsets in leading this effort, this unity of purpose would not have been possible.”

By taking an incremental approach that builds on success while simultaneously looking at large, systemic changes needed to foster economic growth, Nebraska can create opportunity for everyone.

Tim Burke, president and CEO of OPPD, is confident that Smith will continue to prosper in this position.

“Jim Smith was always a leader that looked at continuous improvement,” said Burke via email.

“He led OPPD’s customer experience process changes in his last leadership role at OPPD. It is no surprise that he now takes those same skillsets to a statewide level. He’s looking at how Nebraska can be more competitive in the future and create communities that will attract the best of talent throughout the world.”

“There is a thread that runs through it all, and it’s about relationships and setting aside parochial interests,” Smith said. “That is, quite frankly, how businesses operate every day. You cannot stay in business if you don’t take that approach.”

Learn more about Blueprint Nebraska, including an overview of its 15 strategic initiatives and its vision for 2030, at blueprint-nebraska.org.

B2B

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 45

45

FEATURE | STORY BY ANDREW J. NELSON | PHOTOS PROVIDED

ORGANIZATION CORNERSTONES WORKING FOR CHANGE

2019’S TEN OUTSTANDING YOUNG OMAHANS

S

ince 1933, the Omaha Jaycees each year have honored the best of the city’s young professionals with the Ten Outstanding Young Omahans award.

The awardees typically are drawn from smaller firms in the city, but this year the winners come from some of the most “cornerstone” establishments in Omaha, said Nathan Jones, president of the Omaha Jaycees.

Also, there often is a clear divide between the awardees’ professional and philanthropic work, but this year that is generally not the case.

“This is one of our most interesting groups,” Jones said. “A lot of these people are boots on the ground [types], and they are actively working for the change they are seeking.”

The group includes two staffers of the Peter Kiewit Foundation, the CEO of the Heart Ministry Center in North Omaha, and a public administration professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Jones said the purpose of the award is to recognize people who are trying to make a difference, who may not be as readily known as their older colleagues, and who are breathing new life into the city.

“We think young professionals are sometimes overlooked because they are early in their career and may not be doing the momentous things people later in their career and (who have) more resources may have,” he said.

The awardees are more diverse than prior classes, though diversity is not necessarily taken into account when selecting winners. Jones said he was thrilled by how distinctive the group is.

“We’re elated at the individuals who have been selected and I think our award shows that anyone, no matter what the background, can do great things,” he said.

Liz Codina, one of this year’s winners, echoed that sentiment. She said she hopes the diversity of this group will encourage people in Omaha to think about the makeup of their own organizations.

“It’s incredibly amazing to me to see such a diverse group of leaders that has been named in this year’s TOYO class, and I think our community thrives because of the…perspective of these leaders,” she said.

Codina is a program officer at the Peter Kiewit Foundation. She does outside work with the Metro Young Latino Professionals Association and the South Omaha Business Association.

Left column, top to bottom: Ashlei Spivey, Liz Codina, and Sarah Sjolie. Middle column, top to bottom: Eric Crawford, Lacey Studnicka, Dominique Morgan, and Rachel Fox. Right column, top to bottom: Jodi Benenson, Andrew Aleman, and Kelsey Haswell.

“Nebraska and parts of Omaha are rapidly changing, and I think there are still systems in place that prevent some of this work to happen. But I think when you look at the on-the-ground work that the communities of color are doing…there is an amazing opportunity to make some change,” she said.

Like Codina, Ashlei Spivey, 33, is a program officer at Peter Kiewit Foundation. Much of her work is focused on combating racism.

An Omaha native, Spivey went to college at Jackson State University in Mississippi—a historically black university—and earned an M.S. from University of Texas at Arlington. These and other experiences bring her a different perspective.

“I lead with my blackness and how that shows up for me is really important,” she said. “I was able to see things and gain a perspective that I never would have had I stayed here in Omaha.”

Lacey Studnicka, 38, senior director for community engagement and outreach at Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, became passionate about helping refugees after living in India as a Rotary exchange student for a year after high school.

“When I returned, I really had a passion for working with people with diverse backgrounds and from all over the world. I sought out Lutheran Family Services because they are the largest refugee resettlement agency in Nebraska,” she said.

CONT. PAGE 46

46 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

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FROM PAGE 45 The community is very supportive of refugees, she added. “Omaha has a legacy of being a place of welcome and we have overwhelming support and engagement throughout Nebraska, and in Omaha especially.”

Eric Crawford, 37, is the CEO of the Heart Ministry Center in North Omaha. He is the son of an Omaha police officer and an Omaha Public Schools principal, so the ethic of serving the public has always been part of his life. The ministry helps the impoverished, with the motto of “Dignity for all.”

“If you are coming to the center to use our services you are probably not having the best day of your life,” he said. “We want to make sure you have a dignified, respectful experience.”

Unlike many of the awardees, Jodi Benenson, 37, an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha School of Public Administration, is not originally from Omaha, but is grateful the city has welcomed her.

Benenson started Women in Public Policy Week at UNO and speaks to high school students about voting as part of the Chuck Hagel Symposium in Public Service.

“Young people want to find issues that they are passionate about in their day jobs, but also want to make a living wage,” she said. “We are probably going to see young peoples’ day jobs not be so disconnected from other things in their lives.”

To purchase tickets to TOYO’s Feb. 4 banquet, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/toyo-awards-banquettickets-83573493569.

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48 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2020

VOLUME 20 · ISSUE 1

OMAHA CVB BY KEITH BACKSEN

ETHICS BY BEVERLY KRACHER

ODDS ARE IN OMAHA’S FAVOR maha has a rich history when it comes to hosting sporting events. Aksarben Race Track and Coliseum was an indoor arena and horse racing complex built in 1919.

For decades, people traveled to Omaha from across the country to enjoy the races and bet on the horses—and they bet a lot. In the mid-1980s, Ak-Sar-Ben was 10th in the nation in racetrack attendance, with up to 25,000 betting $2 million per day on weekends.

O

In April, the city will continue to show off its ability to host major equestrian events when visitors watch the Burlington Capital International Omaha, a horse jumping and dressage competition. This event is the largest equestrian show in the Midwest.

Omaha is also set to host an impressive list of NCAA sporting events this year that include: the first and second rounds of NCAA Men’s Basketball, the Big Ten Baseball Tournament, the NCAA Men’s College World Series, and Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship.

In June, more than 1,000 elite athletes will arrive in the city as Omaha hosts its fourth consecutive U.S. Olympic Swim Trials. Over eight days, swimmers will compete to earn a spot on the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team, and then it’s on to Tokyo to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics Games.

A LESSON FROM UGANDA

These sporting events bring teams, their families, and fans to the city. They all spend money on dining, shopping, sleeping, and entertainment in our city. In fact, Omaha will see an economic impact of more than $200 million from sporting events alone this year.

Visitor spending isn’t the only benefit the city receives. Media coverage is a big bonus. In 2016, there were more than 11,000 media stories about the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Omaha—the ad value alone was worth $84 million. This summer, NBC will again cover the swim trials for eight days during prime time, showcasing Omaha as a worldclass sports destination.

While the glory days of horse racing in the city are long gone, Omaha is still a good bet when it comes to hosting some of the best sporting events in the nation, maybe even the world.

Go to visitomaha.com for a complete list of sporting events happening in 2020.

B2B

W

ho could say “No” to an opportunity to explore Uganda?

Not me. I recently found myself teaching at African Rural University, the first women’s university in Uganda, with side trips to sit with gorillas in the Impenetrable Forest, visit President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s palace, and investigate social enterprises that address ways to eradicate HIV/AIDS and overcome poverty.

One of the best things about Uganda is that I was out of culture, but able to communicate with people, because English is an official language in Uganda. This is true of many African countries, including Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and others. I was able to converse about ethical business practices, social issues, and a whole range of other things, thus learning more about the world and myself through my travel experience.

While at dinner one evening, I picked up a newspaper and read about a woman who has taken three men as husbands. While marriage between one man and multiple wives is normal, it is unusual for the reverse to hold true. I engaged a couple of young men at a nearby table about their reactions to the story. In the United States, the conversation would have included surprise and perhaps even outrage at the polygamist practice itself. Our conversation centered on why the young men were shocked and that this strain of polygamy should be squashed. If a child is born, how could they identify the father? How could dowries and inheritance work?

The subject that really stuck with me; the overarching, powerful social issue that regularly surfaced in conversations as I traveled throughout Uganda, was opportunity.

At the African Rural University, young women said, “We can develop skills and talents, and this is good.

But without opportunities to use them, we are back to square one.”

This sentiment was echoed in orphanages and small village shops, by established professionals and young up-and-comers. It was as if opportunity is a food for which they are all hungry. “How do we start a business when there is nowhere to apply for capital?” This made me keenly aware of my privilege and abundance. I have had opportunities as I have established myself as a professional. There are resources around me. People and systems have given me a leg up.

When I reflect on my Ugandan travel, my lesson is primarily about opportunity and my impact on it. I believe that as professionals, community activists, volunteers, or plain-ol’ privileged citizens of the world, we must practice opening doors to opportunity for people even if they live on the other side of the world.

I can start by responding to the email sent to me from one of the young women at African Rural University who wrote, “I want to get a master’s degree and go back to my village to start a nonprofit. How do I do that?”

B2B

Keith Backsen is executive director of the

Beverly Kracher, Ph.D., is the executive director of the Business

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