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MEGAN

Megan Stilmock PRAIRIE MEADOWS ALZHEIMER’S CENTER Meet Megan Stilmock, the program director at Prairie Meadows Alzheimer’s Special Care Center. Tell us a little about your business. - Prairie - Prairie Meadows is a memory care community that strives to serve the residents we care for by honoring them as individuals. Our approach is tailored to include family and friends as part of the specialized care team, ensuring the comfort of your loved one. This is seen through our Meaningful Moments® program. The staff at Prairie Meadows will develop a unique care plan to meet physical and cognitive needs as well as social, unique care plan to meet physical and cognitive needs as well as social, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs. We believe that past patterns emotional, mental, and spiritual needs. We believe that past patterns create comfort; therefore, we rely on partnerships with families to help create comfort; therefore, we rely on partnerships with families to help us learn how best to meet resident needs. us learn how best to meet resident needs. How did you get started in the business? - I received a degree in How did you get started in the business? - I received a degree in therapeutic recreation which led me to work with this special population. therapeutic recreation which led me to work with this special population. There are many highs and lows in what I do, but it's all a blessing. I'm There are many highs and lows in what I do, but it's all a blessing. I'm grateful to be where I am. grateful to be where I am. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - Getting What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - Getting my foot in the door in healthcare. my foot in the door in healthcare. What has been your most important achievement professionally? - What has been your most important achievement professionally? - Becoming the program director at Prairie Meadows has been a highlight. Becoming the program director at Prairie Meadows has been a highlight. The experience has helped me grow both professionally and personally. The experience has helped me grow both professionally and personally. Tell us a little about your family. - I am the youngest of three siblings, Tell us a little about your family. - I am the youngest of three siblings, born and raised in Omaha. I enjoy any time I get to spend with my family. born and raised in Omaha. I enjoy any time I get to spend with my family. What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? - What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? - Graduating college and obtaining my undergrad and master degrees. Graduating college and obtaining my undergrad and master degrees. What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - Spending time What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - Spending time outdoors with my dog Zoe. outdoors with my dog Zoe.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most

people probably don’t know? - I like to cook using new recipes. people probably don’t know? - I like to cook using new recipes. Who inspires you? - My mother. She is a strong woman. Who inspires you? - My mother. She is a strong woman. What is your favorite quote? - "People will forget what you said, people What is your favorite quote? - "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel." – Maya Angelou them feel." – Maya Angelou

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered

as, what would it be? - Kind.as, what would it be? - Kind. If you had a theme song, what would it be? - "Happy" by Pharrell If you had a theme song, what would it be? - "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. Williams.

What is your greatest talent that you don’t utilize in your daily work What is your greatest talent that you don’t utilize in your daily work

life? - I'm a great volleyball player.life? - I'm a great volleyball player. Which talent would you most like to have? - Organization.Which talent would you most like to have? - Organization.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what

would it be? - Baker.would it be? - Baker.

What local nonprofi t organization(s) are you passionate about What local nonprofi t organization(s) are you passionate about

or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - The or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - The Alzheimer’s Association. Alzheimer’s Association. What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - I love What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - I love Nicholas Sparks books. Nicholas Sparks books. What is your favorite movie? - Sweet Home Alabama.What is your favorite movie? - Sweet Home Alabama. What is your favorite TV show? - New Girl.What is your favorite TV show? - New Girl.

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or

present, who would it be? - Kenny Chesney.present, who would it be? - Kenny Chesney.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do

so? so? (402) 391-2790; megan.stilmock@jeaseniorliving.com; www. (402) 391-2790; megan.stilmock@jeaseniorliving.com; www. jeaseniorliving.com. jeaseniorliving.com.

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KATIE Katie Frazell G. LEE HOMES Meet Katie Frazell, co-owner of G. Lee Homes. Tell us a little about your business. - We have a new construction and remodeling division. I’m also a licensed realtor at Berkshire Hathaway, so we really offer the full scope when it comes to getting you in your dream home. G. Lee Homes is known for building to a higher standard. We regularly receive compliments from appraisers, agents and inspectors for our attention to detail and quality construction standards. In a time when builders will settle for what is cheaper over what is right, we appreciate these compliments. We’re also very committed to ensuring there isn’t anything overlooked in the budget so there won’t be any costly surprises down the road. How did you get started in the business? - My husband Greg and I started G. Lee Homes in 2004. We also got married and bought our fi rst home within the same month. It was right after graduating college. In the beginning, I primarily oversaw the fi nancing and business management side of things. My level of involvement has evolved as I balanced raising our kids. It was very important to me that my role as a mom was a priority. When my youngest entered kindergarten, I pursued my real estate license. What has been your most important achievement professionally? - Being twice selected as the People’s Choice Award Winner during the Street of Dreams, the region’s most premier home tour event. I’m also very proud of our team. Most of our employees were once a subcontractor or vendor of ours before they asked to work for us. It’s a huge compliment! Tell us a little about your family. - Greg and I have fi ve children, ages 18, 15, 14, 11, and 6. What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? - Becoming an agent. It’s opened up a lot of opportunities for relationships, and I absolutely love it. It’s not “work” for me. I genuinely love going through the buying and selling process with people. With my experience in the industry, I feel like I’m really helping them. What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - Watching Husker football, going to the lake, and spending time with my family. Who inspires you? - My dad and of course, my husband. My dad built his business on creating strong relationships and taught me its value.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever

received? - “Faith is taking the fi rst step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered

as, what would it be? - Dedicated. If you had a theme song, what would it be? - “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys.

What local nonprofi t organization(s) are you passionate about or

involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - Make-AWish Nebraska. My daughter is a Make-A-Wish kid, and I’m on the Young Leaders Council. What is your favorite movie? - Dirty Dancing. What is your favorite TV show? - Friends is my all-time favorite, but I’ve been watching Schitt’s Creek recently. What is your favorite local restaurant? - Nicola’s Italian Wine & Fare.

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or

present, who would it be? - Jesus. If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? - (402) 871-9170; katie@omahasbuilder.com; www.omahasbuilder.com.

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Start designing today at designyourownbath.com DAN Dan Loutzenhiser STORIES COFFEE CO.

Meet Dan Loutzenhiser, owner of Stories Coffee Co. Tell us a little about your business. - Stories Coffee is a local, family-owned company that roasts and serves its own specialty coffee. Stories also offers premium teas, 100% fruit smoothies, local craft beer, wine, and an extensive food menu covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A portion of Stories' sales goes directly to local nonprofi ts that are doing good things for the Omaha community. How did you get started in the business? - Ten years ago, my dad and I began roasting coffee as a hobby. As time went along, the opportunity to move from hobby to business grew and within the last couple years it’s progressed to what it is today with more family members involved, several physical locations, and other business lines. We look forward to the next chapter for Stories!

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally?

- At the beginning of this year, I went from a steady, full-time corporate job to opening a coffee shop with 35 employees in the midst of a pandemic.

What has been your most important achievement professionally?

- Developing people. I love fi nding each person’s unique traits and then helping grow them in to successful and fulfi lled employees. Tell us a little about your family. - I am married to my wife Brooke, who is the true brains and beauty behind the Stories Coffee business. We have three beautiful girls, ages 10, 8, and 1. They’re my motivation and mean everything to me! What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? - Five years ago, my fi rst wife Kim and son passed away unexpectedly. Going through this drastically changed what my priorities were, both professionally and personally. I want to make the most of each day God has given me on this earth. What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - Travel. There’s something about getting out and exploring something new. Who inspires you? - My dad, who happens to be our coffee roaster. At 71 years old he still acts as if he’s in his twenties. He always has a positive attitude, willing to help anyone in a moment's notice, and is constantly learning.

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered

as, what would it be? - Humble. Which talent would you most like to have? - The talent of stopping time. I’d be a lot more productive, get more sleep, work out more, and be able to keep my kids young.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what

would it be? - Music industry. I’ve always had a love for music and performing. For now, I’ll live vicariously through Justin Timberlake (some say I’m a better-looking, singing, and dancing version of him).

What local nonprofi t organization(s) are you passionate about or

involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - Hope Center for Kids. They do such great things for the youth in Omaha and was one of our fi rst non-profi ts we supported as a business. What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - The Bible. What is your favorite TV show? - The Offi ce.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do

so? - (531) 213-2742; dan@storiescoffeecompany.com; www. storiescoffeecompany.com.

KEVIN Kevin Meyer PRESTO-X

Meet Kevin Meyer, the operations manager at Presto-X. Tell us a little about your business. - Our industry is pest control, but I consider the largest aspect of our front line employees’ job to be customer service. I appreciate working for a company with the mission of Protecting People. Enhancing Lives. Our business is about building relationships. My position allows me the privilege to get out and visit customers and work with my specialists. The largest segment of our business is commercial and industrial. A large portion of those are national companies, but all of us on the Omaha pest team live in our local communities. I oversee one specialist near Denison, IA, one near Red Oak, IA and another 11 in the Omaha/Council Bluffs metro area. How did you get started in the business? - I started in the pest control industry in 2000 in sales. At the time, Presto-X was still family-owned. I came from the auto repair industry. I had been painting cars and wanted to change professions. I don’t think anyone starts out saying, “I want to be in pest control when I grow up.” I had not considered the industry before, but this change proved to be a position that provided me and my family with more opportunities. I had grown up in Omaha but had never learned about how many interesting industries there are and how much history was here until selling and performing services in pest control.

What has been your most important achievement professionally?

- In 2011 when I passed the test to be called an Associate Certifi ed Entomologist (or, A.C.E.) through the National Pest Management Association. I had been promoted into the position of technical services manager, and I was part of the division responsible for the training and development of individuals and products within the U.S. My responsibilities took me all over the Midwest to support offi ces and troubleshoot diffi cult pest issues. The title of A.C.E. added an amount of credibility to my ideas and suggestions to customers that I had not had time to build a relationship with or had interactions with before. Who inspires you? - My inspiration does not come from one person but is rather fueled by people performing as their best selves. People doing good, just for the sake of being good to each other. None of us are perfect but we can all help. And, when we’re honest, we all need help sometimes.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve

ever received? - There is one piece of advice that I remember my dad giving me: “There is always more than one side to a story. Take the time to listen to as many as possible before you judge someone.” In essence, be quiet, listen, and don't jump to conclusions. I will admit that it did not have much impact on me at the time but it has stuck with me. I fi nd it applicable in both my professional and personal life. It causes me to ask more questions and, in doing so, helps me to remain calm through those critical conversations where emotions can rise. What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. I fi rst read it back in high school and was truly intrigued with the themes of strategy, perseverance, and revenge. There is one quote that kind of stuck with me: “Hatred is blind and anger deaf.” What is your favorite local restaurant? - Mouth of the South. I fi nd it unique and have liked everything I’ve tried.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?

- (402) 659-6788; kevin.meyer@prestox.com; www.prestox.com.

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Meet Ilanna Fern, estimator at BELFOR Property Restoration. Tell us a little about your business. - BELFOR Omaha provides disaster recovery and property restoration services. Located in the heart of the Midwest, where severe weather is no stranger, we are 24/7 to help get you back to life or back to business as quickly as possible. If your home or business is damaged by fi re, water, mold, or storm damage, we are the best contractor for the job. How did you get started in the business? - My career as a restoration estimator was cultivated from a personal experience where I lost everything. On October 7, 2010 I was escorted up the charred staircase to what was left of my apartment in Fontenelle Hills, Bellevue. We were uninsured and all of our belongings were non-salvageable due to either fi re, water, or smoke damages. Words cannot describe how devastating it is to lose everything. Words also cannot describe the path to recovery that was made seamless with the support and efforts from the community, family, friends, and, of course, the fi rst responders. Fire offi cials from both the Bellevue and Omaha Fire Departments joined together to control the fi re and mitigate damages. Although tragic, this event marked the beginning of my passion to “restore more than property”. I began as a receptionist for a restoration franchise and learned the administrative and fi nancial aspects. I then began working in the emergency department, scheduling crews and writing estimates for mold remediation, trauma, and water mitigation. Four years later, I was recruited to join the BELFOR team. I was able to utilize all previous experience and training and put it to use in the fi eld. I believe that everything happens for a reason. Without having lost everything, I would not have pursued the path that I am excited to continue. Tell us a little about your family. - I was born in New York but have lived in six different states as my parents were both military. I have 11 siblings, six sisters and fi ve brothers. I have a brilliant and beautiful daughter, Peyton, who is nine years old. She enjoys crafts, basketball, and pageantry. We adopted a Bengal named Ziggy. He mainly enjoys hide and seek…around the neighborhood. What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - A typical day off for me involves brunch with my little one, a gym session, and thrifting.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most

people probably don’t know? - Most people are surprised to learn that I am the third oldest of 11 children. We all were homeschooled and turned out sociable and fashionably savvy!

What is your greatest talent that you don’t utilize in your daily

work life? - Cooking. It is therapeutic and an art to me. If you don’t own a cast iron pan, get one! What is your favorite movie? - The Patriot, Braveheart, Apocalypto… I can’t just choose one. What is your favorite local restaurant? - This a tough one since I love food but Pitch Pizzeria has never disappointed. Their margherita pizza and sweet and spicy rosemary wings are my favorites!

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or

present, who would it be? - Adam Sandler. He is successful, hilarious, and humble. So many forget to appreciate the simple things in life, and he is a prime example of one who doesn’t take anything, including fame and wealth, for granted. That is rare in this world.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do

so? - (402) 891-1300; ilanna.fern@us.belfor.com; www.belfor. com/en/us/belfor-usa-offi ces/nebraska/omaha. You can also fi nd me on LinkedIn!

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What’s your biggest challenge you’re faced professionally? - Time. There is never enough time to do what I would like to do. What has been your most proud achievement professionally? - One that stands out would be when I worked at CableONE in Norfolk and collaborated with Town & County Insurance agencies in fi ve different surrounding towns. I came up with a promotion for The Weather Channel that included informational, 30-second commercials. I had each agent take a 15-second commercial. Then, I worked with the surrounding grade schools in Norfolk, and we brought in a weather channel educator. Together, we created a program to educate children on the safety of lightening and tornado storms. I won The Weather Channel promotion of the year. Tell us a little about your family. - It’s my daughter Katie and me, now. I moved to Omaha because she was living here, and I wanted to be close to her.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most

people probably don’t know? - I spoke on live TV on the Dr. Oz show. It was seven years ago when my girlfriends and I took a trip to New York. We had all applied to be an active participant in the audience six months prior, but we had completely forgot about it. On our second day in NYC, I got a phone call to be at the studio at 6 a.m. the following day. I had my own greenroom and my wardrobe and makeup done. It was a dream.

Who inspires you? - My daughter, Katie Breidenbach, inspires me. When she was 13, she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, but she has always persevered and stayed positive no matter what life throws at her. If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? - (402) 669-0041; sspady@omahachamber.org; omahachamber.org.

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Locally Roasted Coffee | Drive Thru and Dining Room Happy Hour Monday-Thursday 3pm -7pm 11426 Davenport St Ste 1, Omaha, Ne 68154 531-213-2742 | www.storiescoffeecompany.com

GLAD TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND JOY

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