Strictly Business Omaha - May 2023

Our mission is to ensure everyone we touch has a better life. Business Excellence Award in Leadership Recipient

The Best Investment You Can Make

in today’s economy, you never know what could change in the blink of an eye. an email landed in my inbox the other day, and among the rest of the ads and spam i was sifting through, this one stuck out.

The author of the email shared her plans for facing the unknown as a business owner in a way that will always benefit your business, investing in yourself. No one understands your business and its growth more than you, so it is important to prioritize your own strength and security in uncertain times.

when you start a business, you invest in yourself. That means you no longer have to share the value you create, but reaping such a reward isn’t easy. it requires having confidence in your own abilities. investing in yourself means believing that you’re capable of more than what you’re currently doing for your business.

There are countless reasons to put your resources into growing yourself and your business. when you invest first and foremost in yourself and make sure that any additional investments serve to further your goals, you can come out on top.

she then goes on to explain where she is putting her investment money towards. can you guess? Of course, she said marketing. it is so obvious that there is no better place to put your money. regardless of the economy people still need what we sell - and they need what you sell too! i hope you’ll take a look at your business this year and decide to continue to invest in your employees, your marketing and your business’ expansion.

Marketing can’t be a last minute effort, though. investing in marketing when business is good helps protect your company against unforeseen changes in the marketplace. as a business, you want to make sure your

name is a staple in the community, and you want to make sure your reputation is sparkling. This reminds me of a quote from Peter drucker about the importance of marketing.

“because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two–and only two–basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs. Marketing is the distinguishing, unique function of the business.”

– Peter drucker

if you are looking towards investing in marketing, i have to recommend contacting Strictly Business. we are a content-marketing magazine that partners with business owners to position them as experts in their fields, combining compelling paid advertising with free press releases, feature inclusions and social media coverage about your business every month! don’t worry if you don’t have a marketing professional on your staff because Strictly Business has free design services for your ads and free research and writing for your press releases and stories.

in recent years, content marketing has evolved from being just blog post and editorial strategies. it has become a holistic approach that relies on a broad range of digital marketing strategies including social media, search engine Optimization (seO) and paid media to engage businesses with their customers and potential customer. at Strictly Business, our goal is to help your visibility skyrocket and not only draw new customers or clients to your business, but also help them understand why they can trust you and depend on you to do the best work possible for them.

be prepared for anything that might come your way and cement yourself as a household name in your community with the best investment you can make for your business – marketing!

PRODUCTION TEaM: Director of Operations Cemre Lively - Cemre@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

Art Director Derek Nosbisch - Derek@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

Writer Tessa Yeo - Tessa@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

Creative Intern Abby Gonzales - Abby@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

SaLES TEaM:

President/Sales Paige Zutavern - Paige@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

Publisher/Founder/Accounting Shayne Zutavern - SZutavern@yahoo.com

Investing in marketing when business is good helps protect your company against unforeseen changes in the marketplace.

Derek Cemre Tessa Abby

in2023, keeping local businesses strong means supporting them through intentional and thoughtful consumer choices. It requires a shift in mindset from seeking convenience and low prices to prioritizing the longterm sustainability and vitality of the community.

Local businesses must also adapt to changing consumer demands, embracing e-commerce and online marketing strategies to reach a wider audience. They can also collaborate with other small businesses and community organizations to pool resources and maximize impact.

Strong businesses must prioritize sustainability and social responsibility, recognizing that success is measured not just by profit but by their positive impact on their communities and the world. This year, the Greater Omaha Chamber and Premier Bank are here to recognize those businesses that did precisely that. Honorees were selected by a committee of volunteers representing the 3,000 regional companies that are members of the Greater Omaha Chamber.

The Business Excellence Awards are an annual recognition of organizations that elevate our community in the categories of leadership, innovation, philanthropy and sustained excellence. Through their efforts, Greater Omaha is a better place to live, work and play.

Strictly Business is proud to be the Media Sponsor of the Greater Omaha Chamber’s 2023 Business Excellence Awards.

Leadership

A vision of the future, growing an organization, and developing employees; are the hallmarks of catalytic leaders. The same qualities that help set organizations with dynamic leadership above others. Clarity and demonstration of purpose in all the practices and policies. An outcome that is representative of the values at the core of the business. These are not platitudes but the cornerstones of leadership philosophies that define excellence and inspire it from all who come into contact with the organization.

i nnovation

The most challenging phrase in business is “that’s how we’ve always done it.” Those who demonstrate excellence in innovation fly in the face of the status quo, always looking to improve in efficacy and efficiency. The honorees in this category change the establishment, shift paradigms and buck old trends. They see and seize opportunities and find new ways to do things. Our winners have established innovation as part of their everyday routine, and they definitely do not coast.

p hi L anthropy

Serving others is deeply ingrained in our Midwestern ethos. By helping the community, we understand that we help ourselves, and that a rising tide lifts us all. Organizations with a culture of giving help advance Omaha’s overall health and well-being. Those that prioritize paying back and empowering others understand that we’re measured by a bottom line of caring and support. The improvement of our community rests on all of our shoulders, and those who demonstrate excellence in philanthropy carry that burden willingly, proudly and ably.

s ustained e xce LL ence

For many organizations, being recognized once isn’t the goal. Instead, they shoot for sustained excellence and make a case to be honored year after year. These businesses deserve their own category and are the models for consistency we all strive to be.

Mi L estones

Experience comes with time, and every year an organization operates is a testament to its ability to serve, allowing it to uplift the community and contribute to the strength and growth of the region. Milestones matter, and anniversaries mark the dedication of organizational stakeholders, as well as the commitment of customers to the business or nonprofit.

award w inners and Mi L estone r ecipients are

disp L ayed on pages 31-46

Hunter web Group now Offering Free website Demos for Businesses and Organizations

Hunter w eb Group, a leading website design company, is pleased to announce that it is now offering free website demos for businesses and organizations. The demos are designed to provide potential clients with a taste of what the company can offer in terms of website design, functionality and user experience.

during the demo, clients will have the opportunity to work with an experienced web designer to create a custom website design that meets their unique needs and specifications. The demo will include a full mock-up of the website, complete with a home page, product or service pages and other key features.

“we understand that many businesses are hesitant to invest in a new website design without seeing what it will look like and how it will function,” said Tim Hunter, ceO of Hunter web Group. “That’s why we’re excited to offer this free website demo service. it allows potential clients to see firsthand what we can do and how we can help them achieve their online goals. we’re confident that our website demo will showcase the quality of our work and demonstrate why Hunter web Group is the go-to website design company for businesses and organizations of all sizes.”

To learn more about Hunter web Group and their free website demo service, visit their website at www.hunterwebgroup.com or contact them at (402) 403-9894 to schedule a consultation.

CleanJuiceExpandswith newOmahaOpenings

clean Juice, a locally-owned and operated usda -certified organic cafe franchise is growing at a rapid pace. clean Juice Franchise Partners, angela Moran-Manzitto and sarah Peter, are expanding in Omaha. starting with a successful relocation of Old Market to One Pacific Place and soon to be third location in lakeside.

when angela and sarah opened their first clean Juice in lincoln, they ascended to the top of cleanse sales among open stores and quickly became a fan favorite for the brand’s innovative and seasonal, clean all-organic food offerings. Four years, two stores and development plans for three more secured, they are grateful to their loyal customers and staff for sticking with clean Juice during the pandemic and subsequent tough economic times.

clean Juice has earned a robust support system from the athletic community, including sarah’s husband, Jason Peter, the three-time national champion of the Huskers and former NFl Panther. Franchise owners include former New York Giants wide receiver, david Tyree; and Tim Tebow, who opened his first clean Juice store in Jacksonville, Fl and is also the brand’s national ambassador. recently expanding to its 200th unit in 33 states in less than seven years, clean Juice showcases its powerful focus on the personal guest experience while offering certified organic plant-based smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, salads, toasts, fresh and cold- pressed juices, detox cleanses and acai bowls. available for catering, take-out and delivery. download the app for $5 off your first order and avoid the line.

clean Juice is a safe, easy and healthy way to bring your mind, body and spirit back to life. Follow them on Facebook and instagram to learn more @cleanjuiceomaha and cleanjuice.com.

Brookestone Meadows Receives Perfect Score from State Inspection

brookestone Meadows is proud to announce it has received a deficiency-free survey result from the Nebraska d epartment of Health and Human services.

Once a year, surveyors arrive at facilities unannounced. Over several days, they interview team members, observe care and procedures and check records for compliance to regulations on care, confidentiality, cleanliness, residents’ rights and quality of services. a deficiency-free “perfect score” shows services at brookestone Meadows meet or exceed all state and federal standards. The surveys, and the subsequent ratings, help prospective and current residents, their families and health care practitioners to make informed choices about the quality of a long-term care facility.

brookestone Meadows is a member of the Vetter senior living family; a nonprofit company based in elkhorn. Vetter senior living owns and operates 32 senior living facilities in the Midwest.

brookestone Meadows is specifically designed to meet the needs of seniors needing short-term rehabilitation or long-term care. You’ll find a culture of rehabilitation and overall improvement of health. short-term rehabilitation patients are served by team members trained to meet their unique and specialized needs. Their long-term care services provide quality care and dignity in life. learn more at brookestonemeadows. com or contact (402) 289-2696 / brookestonemeadows@vhsmail.com.

ActionCOACH ExcelEDGE Celebrates Successful BizX Conference

a ction c O ac H e xcel e dge had a successful time at the 2023 b iz x North a merica conference held in Nashville.

bizx brings together enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, experts and executives in one exhilarating event. This expansive expo, conference and networking extravaganza lets attendees explore and examine new ideas, strategies and best practices to expand their opportunities. bizx is an exhilarating and exceptional opportunity to learn from dynamic speakers who will exceed your expectations.

actioncOacH exceledGe left the conference with the award for best Nonprofit Organization for coach linda Krei’s coaching client siouxland Human investment Partnership located in sioux city.

actioncOacH’s award finalists were:

• employee of the Year: doungchay xayabanha, F&M bank, coached by linda Krei

• VP/ d irector/ d epartment Head of the Year: a manda Hess, impactlife, coached by Marcia erickson

This year actioncOacH exceledGe proudly hosted 20 of their clients as business owners and business leaders at the event in Nashville. bringing clients and vendors together at one global event to share best practices helps make bizx a great business investment. attendees learn powerful, actionable and thought-provoking information to improve their businesses, spark new ideas and move their personal trajectory to the x degree. actioncOacH has been helping people and businesses to work through business issues for 30 years. The knowledge and systems developed over that time have brought significant improvements to hundreds of thousands of businesses around the world. For more information, go to exceledge.actioncoach.com.

D.E. Guns To Begin Offering Free Firearm Safety Classes in May

d.e. Guns, Home of the $50 cHP class, is proud to announce it’s new, free to the public, firearms safety class. The classes will be hosted on Mondays, May 1, May 15 and May 29 from 6-8 p.m. at d.e. Guns in lincoln. The class is open to all ages and drinks and snacks will be served.

The class will cover:

• different types of firearms and how to see/ check if they are loaded.

• basic gun safety and range safety.

• Types of gun locks and safe storage and N ss F statistics on gun accidents.

• basic Personal Protective equipment.

• basic local laws for anyone possessing a firearm.

• different quality and types of ammunition and applicable uses.

• How to purchase a gun.

• Open forum to address questions last 10-30 minutes. class sizes are limited to 25 people. call (402) 875-6500 or email ffl@deguns.net to reserve your spot today!

d e. Guns is Nebraska’s largest Gunstore with an outdoor shooting complex, training rooms, large ammunition selection and thousands of guns to choose from. To get in touch, call (402) 875-6500 or email ffl@deguns.net. For more information and more information on classes offered by d e. Guns, go to www.deguns.net.

Huffman Engineering, Inc. Featured on Control System Integration webinar

Huffman e ngineering i nc. (H ei ) joined applied Manufacturing in presenting a webinar on control system integration: automation success in action. You can find it at www.controleng.com/webcasts/ automation-series-control-system-integration-advances-competitiveness.

The presentation “How to automate series: control system integration advances competitiveness” featured presenters Keith Mandachit, Pe of Huffman engineering and craig salvalaggio of aMT to:

• review control engineering research about what automation and control technology topics are most useful.

• understand system integrators’ views and advice about applying and advancing by implementing or upgrading applications using those automation and control technologies.

• Prioritize what to do first based on your pain points and business needs.

• Hear examples and best practices related to those technologies. Hei is also honored to have been named cFe Media Group’s 2022 control systems integrator of the Year. it is fitting as they celebrate 35 years of successful engineering to be inducted into the system integrator Hall of Fame.

Huffman engineering, inc. has over three decades of experience with a proven track record of delivering large-scale system integration projects with industrial customers and municipalities as an electrical control systems integrator and electrical engineering firm with offices in lincoln, Nebraska and englewood, colorado. They specialize in start to finish engineering projects in pharmaceuticals, water/wastewater, food and beverage, electrical utilities and manufacturing. learn more at huffmaneng.com.

Dan “Rowdy” Rau Joins Run Payments

rowdy is now running! after 15 years in the payments business, rowdy is now able to fully customize a business’s needs not based on a certain product suite available, but to truly solve workflow issues, increase receivables, access to capital, improve overall customer experience through functionality and technology with run Payments. run Payments is a payments consulting company that is building the next generation commerce hub. it’s not an off the shelf technology and pricing for businesses to fit into, but truly a customizable approach and experience to handle any business’s needs.

rowdy hosts socials at 88 Tactical in Omaha every third Thursday of the month. if you interested in attending, you can contact him at rowdy@runpayments.io.

rowdy would like to thank his clients and networking partners for his continual success. when they win, we win! He would also like to give a special shout out to the amazing team at 88 Tactical for the partnership that grants him a great working environment and meeting space to connect and have events.

run Payments creates custom payment workflows that work for you and your customers. They develop customized payments architecture for their clients that spans in-store, in-app, e-commerce and anywhere else your potential customers might be. You’ll have everything you need to get up and running and always stay one step ahead, because it pays to be flexible. For more information, go to www.runpayments.io or contact them at (402) 630-3472 / rowdy@runpayments.io.

nEF to Host Credit Building as an Asset workshop and Loan Program May 23

Nebraska e nterprise Fund (N e F) will be hosting a c redit b uilding as an a sset workshop and l oan Program on Tuesday, May 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Nebraska e nterprise Fund, 2112 N 30th s t., s T e 103, in Omaha.

This program is designed to educate and assist clients in building credit as an asset and learning how to change their mindset about money and credit. a lso, to change their status of their credit score through certified credit counseling at no charge. This program assists you in working with creditors to pay off accounts or set up payments with past due and collection accounts. a s part of building credit, the loan program is an installment loan designed to help build your credit so it’s an asset. i t allows clients to begin building a better credit score while clearing up the past due and collection accounts.

The Nebraska e nterprise Fund was launched in 1994 to assist in procuring grant and loan funds to meet long-term operational and lending needs. They provide business development services and financing to micro and small businesses across the state. For more information about N e F and their services, go to www.nebbiz.org or contact (402) 685-5500 / nef@nebbiz.org to inquire about what it looks like to be a client.

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As a leading Building Control contractor, Engineered Controls’ goal is to provide customers with products and services to create efficient, safe and comfortable building environments.

Engineered Controls offers complete turn-key control solutions including construction, retrofit, service and maintenance for facilities of all types and sizes.

Offices in Omaha and Lincoln, NE.

Center

Sphere Announces May Event Schedule

center sphere hosts a wide array of networking events to help members expand their professional network and grow their businesses. c enter s phere is pleased to announce their upcoming networkwide coffee & connections event on Thursday, May 11 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. hosted by colm breathnach at sage capital investments, 2120 s 72nd st., sTe 1450.

On Tuesday, May 16, center sphere will host a Meet the Network from 11 a.m. to noon at The boardroom Omaha, 17121 Marcy st. all center sphere members and their guests are invited to gather for these events. New member orientation will follow the event from noon to 12:45 p.m. center sphere is an established network of business professionals whose mission is to share referrals, ideas and resources through genuine relationships. For more information or to inquire about attending a complimentary meeting or event, visit www.centersphere.com or connect with Omaha Market President Martina Niemeyer at Martina@ centersphere.com / (402) 536-0289.

Millard Business Association Hosts Tenth Annual Ribstock July 22

ribstock and lagerFest are back but in a new location and time. Join them on July 22 to help celebrate the tenth year of the festival. The event will be held at The Granary in ralston from 4-11 p.m. come meet several Husker athletes as well as a planned visit by Tom Osborne himself! local celebrities and comedians will add to the fun, including sports cast legend dave webber.

This event is a fundraising opportunity to benefit the following nonprofits:

• TeamMates Mentoring: a mentoring program founded in 1991 with the vision of university of Nebraska Head Football coach Tom Osborne and his wife Nancy.

• Project wee c are: a charitable organization run by volunteers to benefit those in need in the Millard community. The organization provides food, warm clothing, school supplies and christmas gifts.

• western douglas county Food basket: This organization provides 500 food baskets to 350 families in d ouglas c ounty and surrounding areas during the holiday season.

ribstock’s goal is to raise $50,000 or more to divide among the three nonprofits and that’s where your company can help! use the Qr code to find out more about company sponsorships.

For additional questions, please email ribstock2018@gmail.com or visit www.ribstockbbQ.com.

The Millard b usiness a ssociation was established in 2003 and comprises more than 200 area businesses members. a pply for membership at www.Millard b usiness a ssociation.org. For more information, contact the Mba admin at (402) 707-2827 or email info@millardbusinessassociation.org.

nAwIC to Expand Scholarship Fund to wayne State College and SCC

each year, the National association of women in construction (Nawic) helps promote post-secondary construction industry training through several scholarship programs. Nationally, the Nawic Founders s cholarship Foundation (NF s F) awards over $100,000 to applicants pursuing construction-related programs. The NFsF scholarships range from $500-$2,500. locally, the Greater Omaha chapter has set up a scholarship fund through Metro community college and the university of Nebraska. Nawic is expanding their efforts and are on track to begin awarding additional scholarships through wayne state college and scc within the next five years. if you know of a 2024 senior planning to pursue a construction-related career, encourage them to apply! Go to the scholarship tab on nawicomaha.org for more information. Most of the funds to support these scholarships are raised during the annual Nawic golf tournament. This year’s tournament will be held on august 22. More information about this tournament will be available in the coming weeks! Nawic chapter 116 is based in Omaha and encompasses lincoln, council bluffs and the surrounding areas. Meetings for the chapter are on the second Thursday of each month and are open to the public. To learn more about N awic c hapter 116 please visit www.nawicomaha.org. reach out to chapter President Jennifer Harris at (402) 618-1991 / jennifer.harris@jedunn.com or Nawic media contact l eslie Keane (402) 306-0977 / leslie.keane@ mclconstruction.com with any questions.

Cox Communications President Mark Greatrex Visits nebraska

Mark Greatrex, president of cox communications, visited the greater Omaha area at the end of March. during his visit, Mark spent time with local leaders, the Governor and cox employees. Mark also traveled to one of cox’s new rural markets, Fort c alhoun, where he spent his time conversing with customers and local dignitaries. during this visit, cox donated 30 sphero robots to Fort calhoun community schools Foundation to support their before and after school sTeaM program. cox has recently expanded their services into other rural areas including blair, arlington and Kennard. in addition to community outreach, Mark, pictured holding up the “peace sign”, spent time with local cox retail teams to celebrate the iPhone now being available to cox Mobile customers. The iPhone, along with 5G wireless coverage, meets cox’s customers’ needs and lifestyles. during national volunteer month in april, the cox business team gathered at Millwork commons to embrace their creative side and decorate shoes for lutheran Family services. The team created 17 unique designs that will go to deserving children and adults in need of reliable footwear. at cox, employees take pride in volunteering as an opportunity to support the community and connect as a team.

cox communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through broadband applications and services. For more information, visit cox.com.

Prairie Meadows Alzheimer’s Special Care Center to Host Carnival Fundraiser June 9

Prairie Meadows a lzheimer’s special care center is excited to announce that they will be hosting a carnival event on June 9 to benefit The alzheimer’s association. The event will run from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Prairie Meadows, 13208 Meredith ave in Omaha. enjoy all of the fun a carnival has to offer with free hotdogs, games, popcorn and more. Tickets will be sold at the gate for free will donation. raffle tickets will be sold during the event as well. worldwide, 55 million people are living with alzheimer’s and other dementias. The alzheimer’s association leads the way to end alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection and maximizing quality care and support. Prairie Meadows is a homelike memory-care facility with 66 beds in four types of apartment-style housing – private deluxe, private, semiprivate (just shared bathroom) and companion rooms – and a nurse at the community around the clock. They use a “spark resident-led” program to help get to know residents by learning their life stories and finding out their preferences, likes, dislikes and cherished memories. Prairie Meadows then incorporates that information into their everyday care. For more information, visit prairiemeadowsseniorliving.com or call (402) 391-2790.

BBB Announces 2023 Torch Awards for Ethics Luncheon for September 19

Mark your calendar for the better business bureau’s (bbb) signature event of the year, the 2023 bbb Torch awards for ethics luncheon! Join bbb on september 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at a View west shores for an unforgettable celebration that includes the winners of the 2023 bbb Torch awards for ethics and bbb spark awards, and the recipients of the 2023 bbb students of integrity scholarships.

s trategic a ir c ommand and a erospace Museum President and ceO clayton anderson will serve as the event’s keynote speaker. anderson, who successfully executed six spacewalks and is considered “Nebraska’s astronaut,” will deliver a sure-to-remember story of big dreams and perseverance.

The event is open to the public. Tickets are $85. both tickets and sponsorships can be secured at www.bbb.org/omahatorch.

The bbb Torch awards for ethics honors organizations whose leaders demonstrate a high level of personal character; ensure that the organization’s practices meet the highest standards of ethics; and consequently generate trust with its customers and the community. The Torch award embodies bbb’s mission of advancing business trust. bbb has four separate Torch awards competitions – Metro Omaha/southwest iowa, lincoln/Greater Nebraska, south dakota and the Kansas Plains. bbb is a nonprofit, business-supported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. bbb services to consumers are free. Visit bbb.org for more information.

Don

Don Woods

Prairie Mead Ows a lz H ei M er’s s P ecial care ce NT er

Meet don woods, the marketing director at Prairie Meadows a lzheimer’s s pecial care center.

Tell us a little about your business. - Prairie Meadows is a team of professionals that specializes in memory care. we are a homelike and freestanding memory care facility that offers restaurant-style dining, onsite nursing 24/7, courtyards and resident-led-and-inspired programming.

How did you get started in the business? - i am compassionate about senior care for several reasons. For starters, aging adults and the aging process is something that i feel very passionate about. Personally, it is my belief that quality care through one’s journey is what is valuable. when i was younger, i had the privilege of assisting direct family members such as my grandmother and great aunt with hands on care. The personal care that i provided are top reasons why i continue the journey of providing outstanding care.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - The regulations for each care community in regards to prices for care. What has been your most important achievement professionally?with years of experience, i have been honored to serve seniors.

Tell us a little about your family. - i have one brother, three nephews, one niece and my father, whom lives near me. My mother influenced my healthcare career in ways unspeakable. she herself was an amazing caregiver to residents with disabilities. watching her interactions as a young child influenced my decision to continue caring for gaining adults.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - i love to make TikToks and listen to music on my day off.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? - i traveled to Mexico, across the united states, traveled to india, Taiwan, Malaysia and spain when i was younger.

Who inspires you? - leaders who are able to balance homelife. What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - “do what you do so well that others will come back to see you do it again.” - walt disney

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be? - Positive.

If you had a theme song, what would it be? - The Friends theme song. What is your greatest talent that you don’t utilize in your daily work life? -Guest speaker.

Which talent would you most like to have? - ability to sing on key. If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? - real estate sales.

What local nonprofit organization are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - The alzheimer’s association leads the way to end alzheimer’s and all other dementia by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection and maximizing quality care and support. i am very passionate about supporting their cause and mission.

What is your favorite movie? - Sing and Sing 2

What is your favorite TV show? - Parks and Recreation

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? - carrie underwood.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?(402) 391-2790; marketing@prairiemeadowsseniorliving.com.

Frannie

Dr. Frannie Rensch PediaTric deNTal sPecialisTs

Meet Frannie rensch, dds Ms, a pediatric dentist at Pediatric dental specialists of Omaha.

Tell us a little about your business. - Pediatric dental specialists of Omaha is a pediatric dental office focused on providing the best care in a comfortable, safe and fun environment designed just for kids. we serve a wide variety of patients and all of our staff is prepared and confident in caring for those with special health care needs. My goal is for every parent and child to leave our office feeling informed and empowered about their dental health, and to have an enjoyable time while doing it.

How did you get started in the business? - Growing up in a family full of healthcare providers, i always knew i wanted to end up in that field. dentistry was the perfect mix for me. i am able to use science every day while still being creative and interacting with patients. Tell us about your family. - i was born and raised in Omaha and attended Marian High school. after graduating from uNl and uNMc, my husband and i moved to New Orleans to complete training. we grew to love the south and enjoyed all the traditions of New Orleans, but ultimately wanted to be closer to both our families. we recently moved back to Omaha with our two dogs, Monkey and alan, and live in the Memorial Park neighborhood.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - My ideal day off would include a long walk around the neighborhood with the dogs, a good book and maybe a trip to Trader Joe’s.

Who inspires you? - My mom has inspired me the most in my life thus far. after working in nursing for over 20 years, she decided to continue her education and become a nurse practitioner. she has consistently shown me what hard work and perseverance can help you achieve in life, all while providing a loving and supportive home to my brothers and i. i can only hope to provide the same inspiration to my children someday.

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be? - compassionate. i want my patients and their families to always feel cared for and understood while in our office. Which talent would you most like to have? - i have absolutely no singing ability, but that would be my dream come true. we have disney movies playing throughout the day in our office for patients and you can find me singing along to my favorite songs most days!

What local nonprofit organization are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - angel Guardians is an incredible organization that i recently learned about. it assists those with developmental and intellectual disabilities become involved in various community based activities, as well as find meaningful customized employment to aid individuals learn important life skills. at Pds, we see many children with special needs. it is amazing for an organization to focus on helping special needs adolescents and young adults transition into a more independent life.

What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - “The Measure” by Nikki erlick. i recently read this book and could not put it down. it follows eight individuals and their choice to see the exact number of years they have left to live. an incredible perspective piece on life and how we spend time living it.

What is your favorite TV show? - any time i need a good laugh, i turn on Schitt’s Creek.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? - (402) 397-3377; frannie.rensch@mypdsmail.com; omaha. mypediatricdentalspecialists.com.

Mike Glenn

Meet Mike Glenn, the owner of The Grout Medic of Omaha.

Tell us a little about your business. - we are the nation’s leading provider of maintaining existing tile installations. we steam clean showers, tile and grout and replace caulk in counters and showers. we can replace broken tiles, repair water damaged shower walls and change grout colors by color sealing. we will be adding driveway caulking this year when it warms up. Our goal is to service and maintain your showers, floors, back splashes and fireplaces, or anywhere you have tile, grout or caulking, giving them years of life.

How did you get started in the business? - i purchased the franchise in May of 2005. i was looking for a career change where i could grow professionally, while mixing in more quality family time.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - Making the transition from a grocery retail environment to business owner. What has been your most important achievement professionally? - successfully growing this business from just myself as an employee/ owner/operator to a team of dedicated professionals.

Tell us a little about your family. - i’ve been married to my wife deb for 30 years. we have two awesome kids, Hannah, a rN who lives in Omaha, and dalton who is a college senior at buena Vista university. What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? - The birth of our first child. it was no longer just about me or my wife. What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - i like to tinker in the garage, maintaining our personal vehicles, updating and maintaining our home. i also sneak in some fishing from time to time.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? - i grew up in a state park in southwest iowa. i had a campground, beach and great fishing lake at my back door. Who inspires you? - My kids.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game” - babe ruth.

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be? - Kind.

If you had a theme song, what would it be? - “i remember You” by skid row.

What is your greatest talent that you don’t utilize in your daily work life? - sarcasm.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? - anything sports related.

What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - The E-Myth: Why Most Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael e. Gerber. in this book, Michael Gerber explains why businesses fail, and how to overcome common mistakes in business, so you can build a successful business that not only works, but is also deeply rewarding for you and your stakeholders.

What is your favorite TV show? - The Mandalorian.

What is your favorite local restaurant? - smokin’ barrel bbQ. Never disappoints!

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? - leonardo da Vinci.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?(402) 215-0877; mglenn@thegroutmedic.com; www.thegroutmedic.com.

Liz Kirchgatter

Meet liz Kirchgatter, the franchise owner at landJet Omaha llc.

Tell us a little about your business. - landJet Omaha is a franchise of landJet. The Headquarters is in the Quad cities and there is a location in Kansas city as well. we provide private chauffeured travel in the Midwest region. we are a mobile office. anything you can do in your office, you can do in a landJet. we provide internet, TVs for zoom calls, conferencing, slide shows, as well as for entertainment. Our jets seat up to seven clients comfortably in leather reclining chairs and couches. There is water and complimentary snacks available. we are on your schedule and will go as far as is needed. if a client needs to be gone overnight or several overnights, we can accommodate that as well. The driver is at your disposal during your trips.

How did you get started in the business? - My husband and i used landJet for a few years before a franchise opportunity came about. we really believed in the product and the service, so we decided we wanted to help grow the brand.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - as a stay at home mom, the biggest challenge was/is learning about the transportation business on the fly. i knew what it meant to be a client but not an active owner.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? - i would say that my biggest challenge and my most important achievement are the same. it’s been a challenge just getting this started and learning so many new things. i consider each day an achievement as i am constantly learning and striving to be better personally and professionally.

Tell us a little about your family. - i am married to my husband Jason of 22 years and we have a 21-year-old son Jaxon, who is a junior at buena Vista university. we also have three golden-doodles.

What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life?

- The biggest turning point in my life would probably be when our son went off to college. He was my everyday all day from birth through high school. i really had to reflect on who i was and who i wanted to be. i’m still a mom but now i’m a business owner and a mom.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - My favorite thing to do on my day off is lay by the pool with my family. we just like to relax and be together.

Who inspires you? - My son inspires me. He works hard and rarely gives up. Jaxon was diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic Valve as a freshman in college after having covid. He was crushed that the sport he worked on all his life was going to be one of the past. He was able to get to the collegiate level but unfortunately due to health, he wasn’t allowed to play. He didn’t quit, or feel sorry for himself. He has spent the last few years helping to manage the team. He made the best of a difficult situation.

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be? - loyal.

What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - i really like Jane austen novels. They seem so deep and yet frivolous at the same time.

What is your favorite local restaurant? - There are so many amazing restaurants in Omaha. we’ve been going to barrel & Vine recently. i have a lot of restaurants that i associate with good memories as a kid and still try to go to a few of them.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? - (402) 889-3700; Omaha@landjet.com; www.landjet.com/Omaha.

Bra Dy

Brady Darrough Hu FFM a N e NG i N eeri NG

Meet b rady d arrough, a mechanical engineer ii at Huffman e ngineering, i nc.

Tell us a little about your business.Huffman e ngineering, i nc. provides quality custom design control systems for various applications. we work in sectors spanning from manufacturing, pharmaceutical and food and beverage work to handling of water and wastewater and electrical utility systems. w hat we really do is we read between the lines of what people ask for in their control systems to provide what they want – our tag line is Making i deas work. That’s what we do – make other people’s ideas work.

How did you get started in the business? - People always said i ’d be good at engineering. i was good at math and science and although i didn’t have much exposure to engineering through my immediate family, i wanted to understand what i had previously had no exposure to. i liked the atmosphere, the smaller company feel and i got to play with the toys. Most engineers don’t actually get to touch their work. They might design or do the documentation, but we get to do the design, programming and the installation and see the ideas come to life.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? - i ’m most proud of the complex programming projects i ’ve gotten to do. For me it’s like a complicated logic puzzle that may stump you in the beginning, but challenges you to think outside of the box and really figure out a workable solution. i t’s always hard to decode when you don’t know the game you’re playing, but that’s also a little of the fun of it. i used to play logic games and puzzles a lot in my free time.

Tell us a little about your family. - i ’ve been married to my wife Hailey for five and a half years. we have remained close with our families, often sharing meals with them on a weekly basis. i have two sisters, a sister-in-law and a brother-in-law.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - i enjoy a round of disc golf in one of the local parks, sailing around b ranched Oak l ake or going for a run/bike ride, preferably sharing each with family and friends.

Who inspires you? - Personally, i am inspired by all my friends and family. Professionally, i draw inspiration from past teachers, employers, co-workers and our customers. i worked for my dad through high school and college, where i first developed my work discipline. My engineering professor at u nion c ollege, d r. s eth McNeill, was the one who first inspired me in the engineering field to treat anything and everything and everything as an opportunity to learn. Now here at Huffman, i am inspired by many of my coworkers. i n the short time i ’ve been here, people like s teve b eck, Keith Mandachit, Jim Fricke, Matt Johnson, b ernie lyons and d on Glatt have all inspired me in their work ethics, technical and nontechnical experience and their willingness to pass that knowledge on to make the others here at Huffman successful.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - “Never l et the Fear of s triking Out Get in the way” - b abe r uth.

What is your favorite movie? - The Count of Monte Cristo

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? - Probably d aVinci just because of all of his innovation or maybe an early airplane designer.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? - (402) 464-6823; bdarrough@huffmaneng.com; www. huffmaneng.com.

z achary

Zachary Zach

Meet zachary zach, the mortgage loan officer / sales manager in Omaha at lincoln Federal savings bank.

Tell us a little about your business. - lincoln Federal savings bank is a depositor-owned, Nebraska bank offering home mortgage lending, equity products, commercial real estate lending and personal and small business banking products. My job is to help people from all walks of life thoroughly understand each step of the home financing process and to increase brand awareness in the Omaha area and beyond.

How did you get started in the business? - i’ve been in banking since 2005, and got my start in mortgage circa 2008. after a few years of servicing subprime loans i made the switch to origination in 2012.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - rules. we must follow them, furthermore, we have to understand them. in this profession there’s always change, which for me, is really exciting, but for referral partners and customers it can be challenging. it’s my job to translate the rules, policies and guidelines into layman’s terms and ensure my network understands them well.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? - being tasked with the responsibility of growing brand awareness in douglas county and beyond for lincoln Federal savings bank, a wellrespected mortgage lender across the state.

Tell us a little about your family. - i have been married to my wife, Nikita for five years, together for 11 years. i have two boys, royce who is eight months old and Miles who is three years old, and two english bulldogs, Torq and Tootsie.

What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life?The birth of my first son, Miles. being a role model for him to look up to and to be able to tell him that his dad helps people every day sets an example that he can carry in his life.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - My favorite thing to do on a day off would be spending time with my boys. whether that’s building a fort, playing toys, reading a book, going on walks and finding a new park to visit or taking a last minute vacation to somewhere we have never visited before.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? - i wasn’t named z achary z ach on purpose.

Who inspires you? - My father has always been one that inspires me the most. The passion, dedication and loyalty he shows not only his family but those that entrust him with their business speaks volumes and continues to drive my work ethic to this day.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? - as someone who has always had passion for listening and helping, i feel as though a role as a counselor would allow me to be successful.

What is your favorite local Omaha restaurant? - Mahogany steakhouse.

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? - steve Jobs, although he is widely considered a genius, i admire his dedication to his work and ability to think outside the box. a quote he once said, “Your work will fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. and the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?zzach@lincolnfed.com; (402) 253-4289; lincolnfed.com.

REnZE Announces Promotion and new Addition to Team

re N ze , a 128-year-old provider of exhibits, branded environments, event graphics and point-of-purchase solutions, has promoted s cott b uchanan to vice president, general manager and hired w ill Philbin, c Pa , as controller.

b uchanan is the fourth generation in his family to be involved with re N ze and will manage the company’s production operations and facility. He has been with re N ze for 17 years, most recently as director of estimating and purchasing.

Philbin, a graduate of university of NebraskaOmaha, will manage all aspects of the company’s finances and accounting. He had previously been a senior corporate accountant with spreetail and ess.

reNze is a leading provider of exhibits, displays and graphics for tradeshows, branded environments and events. since 1895, they have been creating long-term partnerships with their customers by providing the highest quality display products and related services with creative solutions that meet or exceed their customers’ expectations. They operate out of a 90,000-square-foot production, warehouse and showroom facility in Omaha. For more information, visit their website at www.renze.com or follow them on Facebook at @renzedisplay.

Centris Federal Credit union Elects new Board MemberShapiroat88thAnnualMeeting

c entris Federal c redit u nion announced its new board of directors and officers at the 88th a nnual b usiness Meeting, held March 28. The board includes seven centris members who volunteer to serve and are elected by the membership. This year, two positions on the board had expired terms and were open for election.

elected to his fifth three-year term in office is Joe sacco who will serve as first vice chair for the ensuing year. sacco, a past chairman of the centris board of directors is president of bank-site. He has been a business owner and corporate financial consultant for over 35 years working with banks and credit unions across the united states. He is also the founder of Free speech Nebraska and a graduate of the university of Nebraska-Omaha.

Jeffrey M. shapiro, was elected to serve his first three-year term and has been named second vice chair for the ensuing year. shapiro retired from centris after 13 years of service in executive management, most recently as executive vice president. shapiro attended the university of Minnesota, Twin cities, and serves on the board of directors of Nebraska Prostate cancer alliance.

Other officers of the centris board of directors include Matt dannehl, chairman; anna Kellogg, treasurer; Paul elofson, secretary; denise Hill, director; and Tom beiriger, director.

centris Federal credit union, founded in 1934, is one of Nebraska’s largest federally chartered community credit unions. centris has 15 offices located in Omaha, Grand island, North Platte and Tryon, Nebraska and council bluffs, iowa. Visit www.centrisfcu.org.

nebraskaCommunityFoundationPromotes JannyCrottytoDirectorof Advancement

Nebraska community Foundation (NcF) is proud to announce the promotion of Janny crotty to director of advancement.

The director of advancement does fundraising in support of Nebraska community Foundation. in close partnership with NcF’s president/ceO and chief operating officer, crotty will lead staff and the board of directors in developing and executing a fund development plan to advance the mission of Nebraska community Foundation. crotty will also help individuals, families and their businesses make major gifts for the benefit of NcF and NcF affiliated funds.

crotty joined Nebraska community Foundation in 2016 as an affiliated fund development coordinator and was promoted to assistant director of advancement in 2018. she splits her time between her home office in auburn and NcF’s headquarters in lincoln. Janny graduated from the university of Nebraska-lincoln with a b.a. in communication studies and from syracuse university with an M.a. in documentary Film and History. Prior to joining the NcF team in 2016, she worked at Peru state college in the school of education and before that in development at the university of Nebraska Foundation.

NcF unleashes abundant local assets, inspires charitable giving and connects ambitious people to build stronger communities and a Greater Nebraska. in the last five years, 46,653 contributions have been made to NcF and its affiliated funds. For information, visit NebraskaHometown.org.

Humanities nebraska Adds Four Board Members, Elects Officers

Humanities Nebraska (HN) has elected four new members for its council and Foundation boards of directors. New members elected to the council are: e ffie a thanassopoulos ( l incoln): athanassopoulos is a long-time lincoln resident, a dual citizen of Greece and the u.s. and an anthropology professor at uNl who has been creating new digital resources to facilitate research and public access to Nebraska’s material past.

Michael evans (Peru): President of Peru state college since July 2021, evans earned his Ph.d. in folklore from indiana university, focusing on expressions of indigenous cultures through mass media.

Newly elected to the Foundation are:

Mary raimondo ( c olumbus): raimondo has been a community volunteer for most of her life, with particular affinity for the arts and humanities. she served on the Friends of lied board for six years and on the columbus arts council for five years, taking on leadership roles for each organization.

sara woods (Omaha): woods is the university of Nebraska at Omaha’s chief engagement Officer and director of the barbara weitz community engagement center.

The council elected beth whited of Omaha as chair and Graciela caneriro-livingston of lincoln as vice chair. dori wanitschke of Grand island was re-elected treasurer, and connie duncan of lincoln is immediate past chair. The Foundation elected brenda christensen of Omaha as president, Mike Homa of Omaha as vice president, and Keith bystrom of Plattsmouth as treasurer.

For more information on HN, go to humanitiesnebraska.org.

Scott Buchanan

will Philbin

nFL Player Turned Singer Zach Miller to Speak at Boys Town Booster Banquet

boys Town has announced singer/songwriter and former NFl player zach Miller will be the featured speaker at this year’s boys Town booster banquet. after a successful NFl career ended by a serious injury, Miller chased a new dream recording country music in Omaha. From performing live in local venues, to now climbing the ladder opening for famous artists like brantley Gilbert, chase rice, randy Houser and Jon langston.

“we are honored to have zach share his inspirational story on how he overcame a career-ending injury to chase a new dream. His philosophy to have a positive outlook on life, and the persistence to never give up will inspire the young individuals at boys Town to remain unstoppable,” said boys Town President and National executive director Father steven boes. The booster banquet, which benefits and honors boys Town student athletes will be held on May 2 at the embassy suites windsor ballroom, in la Vista. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $120 each or tables of ten can be purchased for $1,250.

For more than 100 years, boys Town has been a beacon of hope for america’s children and families through its life-changing youth care and healthcare programs. each year over 500,000 improves the lives of those in need and provides care and support for at-risk children and families across the country. They do this through their Medical specialties, Youth services and crises Hotline. You can find more information about boys Town online at www.boystown.org.

Malindi Gabelhouse named Associate Director of Mosaic in Omaha

Mosaic, a national nonprofit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities ( idd ), has named Malindi Gabelhouse as Mosaic in Omaha’s associate director. Gabelhouse–who has been with Mosaic since 2019–is also the associate director of Mosaic in southeast Nebraska, which is based in lincoln. with more than 20 years of experience in human health services and leadership management, Gabelhouse loves her job at Mosaic, as she personally connects to the organization’s mission, which is to “embrace God’s call to relentlessly pursue opportunities that empower people.” “it’s a mission i’m extremely passionate about,” emphasized Gabelhouse. “as to ‘empower’ means providing personalized services and support to help individuals with idd achieve their best life,” said Malindi. “all individuals, regardless of disability, deserve the opportunity to be full members of their community where they can live, learn, work and play through all stages of life. we are all human and deserve to be treated equally and offered the same opportunities and respect as our fellow peers and neighbors.”

Mosaic in Omaha is part of Mosaic, which is a whole-person healthcare organization reaching across 13 states in more than 700 communities and providing supports to nearly 4,900 people. Mosaic is an affiliated social ministry organization of the evangelical lutheran church in america, a member of lutheran services in america, and a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. To learn more about Mosaic, please visit www.mosaicinfo.org.

Ashli Carlock Receives Kids Can 2023 Can Do Provider Award

Kids can community center is honored to announce the recipient of the 2023 can do Provider award: ashli carlock. she is the proud owner of blessed are They learning center in North Omaha, home to ashli’s heart and the place where she grew up.

ashli has 18 years of experience working in early childhood education. Ms. carlock’s passion for serving children and her community extends outside of her childcare center; she previously held a leadership role in her home church, church On Purpose and currently serves as a member of the Nebraska early childhood collaborative (Necc) child care Network advisory council and the buffett early childhood institute’s workforce leadership cadre.

The can do awards luncheon is on Thursday, May 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the uNO scott conference center. For more information about this year’s event and other can do awards go to kidscan.org/ get-connected/cando2023.html.

The Nebraska early childhood collaborative is a statewide nonprofit organization established in 2014 to provide support, resources and training to strengthen early learning across Nebraska. learn more about Necc at nebraskaearly.org.

at Kids can community center, their mission is to educate, engage and inspire children through early childhood education and out of school experiences. For more information, visit www.Kidscan.org.

FAMILY, Inc. welcomes Jennifer Potterf as Directorof EarlyChildhoodServices

FaMilY, inc. welcomes Jennifer Potterf, as the new director of early childhood services. she is a seasoned human services professional with over 20 years of experience in promoting child, family and community well-being.

she spent several years advocating for social justice while serving as an administrator for the department of Health and Human services. she was an active member on several committees in both sarpy and douglas counties undergoing reform efforts to prevent juvenile detention and recidivism through increased awareness of child development.

after leaving the department of children and Family services, Jennifer went on to become the director of foster and kinship care with a private contractor. in this role, she recruited, trained and developed foster families that embraced the cultural differences and the unique needs of the children being served.

Her most recent role has been serving as the HcV manager for the Omaha Housing authority. she holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the university of Nebraska. she earned a leadership certificate from the department of Health and Human services.

Jennifer is excited to join the team at FaMilY, inc. and looks forward to continuing to build strong partnerships with the community leaders to ensure families have equitable access to opportunities to flourish in their environment.

FaMilY, inc. is an early childhood and public health organization that provides public health education, support and connection to resources for women, children and families in Pottawattamie and Mills counties. To learn more about how to support FaMilY’s mission, visit www.familyia.org.

AR Solutions Founder and CEO Aaron newell Judges unL newVentureCompetition

a t the beginning of a pril, ar solutions Founder and ceO aaron Newell had the opportunity to judge this year’s New Venture competition through uNl’s college of business. Judges for the New Venture competition come from a variety of sectors and bring diverse and valued perspectives gained through their professional experiences to their roles in evaluating the competition. Judges also play important roles as role models and sources of encouragement as well as trusted voices to offer constructive critiques and reinforce student learning.

The New Venture competition is a celebration of entrepreneurial learning and competition. Graduate and undergraduate business plan competitions were held for Nebraska students during the two-day event. students pitch their business plans to judges from the lincoln and Omaha business community and field questions on current traction, monetization strategies, risky assumptions and more.

The New Venture competition runs in a bracket, or knockout format. Teams advance through two preliminary rounds. Following elimination rounds, four teams compete against each other for the grand prize. One grand prize of $15,000 along with additional cash prizes awarded during the Networking and awards reception. Top four have the opportunity for further investment up to $25,000 from the Husker Venture Fund.

For more information about ar solutions, visit arsolutionsinc.com or call (402) 817-3929. You can find them on social media at www.linkedin. com/company/ar-solutions-inc-lincoln.

Mortgage Rate Drop Special

CuES welcomes Cindi Horning as Chief Development Officer

The cues Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to securing financial support for the cues school system, is pleased to welcome their new chief development Officer, cynthia (cindi) elston Horning. in this role, cindi will lead and manage development efforts, including major gifts, planned giving, grant writing, annual fund and corporate partnerships. she will work closely with the leadership team and board of directors to develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising plan to support the cues mission and the expansion of school services and programs.

cindi’s previous nonprofit roles include senior director institutional advancement and marketing, catholic charities in Omaha and area director for the aFsP in Nebraska. cindy advocates for the cues mission and quality education for all. an Omaha native, cindi attended duchesne academy of the sacred Heart before graduating with a bachelor of science degree from colorado state university.

“we are thrilled to welcome cindi to our team,” said ceO/executive director bob Glow. “with her expertise and leadership, we are confident we can take our development efforts to the next level and make an even greater impact on the communities we serve.”

cues schools – sacred Heart, all saints, and Holy Name – support 574 students and anchor their Omaha neighborhoods. cues students thrive in a culture of love, kindness and excellence. anyone can make a donation to cues at cuesschools.org/donate.

Theresa Loughran of McGill Law Recognized as 2023 Friend of Mediation

McGill law is honored to announce that Theresa loughran has been recognized as 2023 Friend of Mediation by the Nebraska Mediation association. Theresa is a trained collaborative attorney and mediator.

Nebraska Mediation association’s mission is to promote creative and constructive engagement through professional development, collaborative partnerships, facilitation, mediation, restorative justice and conflict engagement training to practitioners, professionals and others throughout the state of Nebraska. learn more at nemediation.org.

Theresa is an exceptional, compassionate and innovative mediator and we are so grateful for her work and heart. Theresa, an Omaha native, graduated with honors from uNl and received her law degree from creighton university school of law. after law school, Theresa honed her research and writing skills as a judicial clerk. after her clerkship, Theresa’s love to assist families was stoked while she practiced juvenile law and family law.

McGill law is a woman-owned and operated family law firm practicing collaborative law, collaborative mediation, mediation and litigation. The firm’s focus is on their clients’ well-being and their family’s future successes. with McGill law guiding you through your family law matter, you will have a compassionate, caring, experienced attorney taking you through the legal process with the goal of achieving a peaceful result for you and your family. To contact McGill law, call (402) 548-5418 or email info@McGilllawyers.com. For more information, go to mcgilllawyers.com.

H ere to H elp t H roug H C H ange

North Risk Partners specializes in strategic insurance solutions for businesses and individuals. They are committed to helping clients face risk head-on with right-fit insurance coverage and attention to opportunities for preventing avoidable losses. For businesses, they offer programming and compliance support in the areas of HR, safety, worksite wellness, and more

Established as Benefit Professionals, Inc. in 1989, they later joined North Risk Partners in 2018 as a means of growing their client services. Since then, they have been able to do so much more to help businesses face the complex risks that inevitably come with being an employer.

Busi N esses

e mployee Benefits

At North Risk Partners, they focus on cost containment and managing risk. Whether your organization is small, large, or growing, their team has the knowledge and resources to support you in nearly all aspects of your employee benefits program. They value creating a foundation of trust in our relationships to make way for honest and challenging discussion, commitment and accountability; and they believe developing these characteristics within themselves, their teams and with clients and partners leads to achieving and celebrating amazing results.

Commercial i nsurance

Your business faces many threats—from natural disasters and data breaches to other risks specific to your industry or company. North Risk Partners helps organizations large and small face risk head-on.

s urety Bonds

North Risk Partners takes a common-sense approach to bond underwriting. Experience and quality relationships with surety companies gives them the best platform to serve your bonding needs.

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Home, a uto and m ore

North Risk Partners’ large network of carrier partners allows them to match you with the optimal coverage for your situation.

Health and l ife

As a client of North Risk Partners, you and your family benefit from non-biased, personalized advice on health insurance plans, including Medicare, cost and more.

f arm

Whether you run a hobby farm or a full-time operation, their professionals across the Midwest understand your needs and the complexities of insuring a farm that may also be your home.

“I would absolutely encourage veterans to pursue [entreprenuership]…If you can live with the fact that you might fail, and that’s ok…you can do it…there is no better status symbol right now than to be a veteran entrepreneur. People want us to succeed…we have spent careers defending the American Dream of business ownership, and now it is our time to participate in that dream of business ownership.”

– Craig Cummings, Co-Founder of RideScout

Strictly Business is directly mailed to over 15,000 businesses in Omaha every month! With a 2-4 month shelf life and a pass-along readership, it’s estimated that 1 copy of the magazine reaches at least 5 people. Editorial features are published on our website as well.

Methodist Jennie Edmundson Celebrates national Hospital and nurses week

The month of May is a time of celebration and recognition for many individuals who dedicate themselves to their healthcare profession. The dates fall around

Florence Nightingale’s birthday – May 12 and take place this year from May 7 to 13. Please join Methodist Jennie edmundson Hospital (MJeH) in shining a spotlight on their hospital and healthcare workers who go above and beyond in saving lives every day.

Methodist Jennie edmundson Hospital wants to thank all of their employees, staff, physicians and volunteers who make the hospital one of the best care facilities in the area and to express their appreciation for all they do, every day, in providing patients and family members with exceptional care. The hospital prides itself on its reputations of caring, quality of care, expertise and the compassion shown to all. as far back as the late 1800’s a group of women banded together to live their faith and help people less fortunate by showing compassion for helping and healing. These ladies were their founders and later incorporated into the women’s christian association (wca). Their mission continues to be part of the Methodist Jennie edmundson Hospital’s mission today.

as MJeH prepares for all of the new challenges and new innovations in healthcare, they will continue to be at the forefront to provide the “best care” for our community and sw iowa.

To learn more about Methodist Jennie edmundson and to find out how you can become a member of the “Jennie Family”, please contact Hr recruiter Karl smith, at (712) 396-6050.

American Red Cross to Hold Pint-for-Pint Blood Drive with Baker’s

Giving blood has never been so sweet! american red cross is teaming up with baker’s across Omaha for the baker’s Pint-for-Pint drive on multiple days throughout the month of May. all who come to donate will receive a coupon for a free pint of ice cream. dates and locations of drives:

• Friday, May 19, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. – baker’s Plaza North (5555 N. 90th street, Omaha, Ne 68134)

• saturday, May 20, 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. – baker’s supermarket-Galvin road (801 Galvin road south, bellevue, Ne 68005)

• Friday, May 26, noon - 6 p.m. – baker’s Fremont (1531 N. bell street, Fremont, Ne 68025)

• saturday, May 27, 7 a.m. - noon – baker’s supermarket-Maple (13250 w. Maple street, Omaha, Ne 68164)

• saturday, May 27, 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. – baker’s supermarket-bellevue (3614 Twin creek, bellevue, Ne 68005)

• sunday, May 28, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. – baker’s supermarket-156th & dodge (155th Plaza, Omaha, Ne 68154)

• sunday, May 28, noon - 6 p.m. – baker’s supermarket- 120th & center (12025 w. center road, Omaha, Ne 68144)

• Monday, May 31, 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. – baker’s lakeside (17370 lakeside Hills Plaza, Omaha, Ne 68130)

To make an appointment visit redcrossblood.org, call 1-800-red crOss, download the free red cross blood donor app or enable the blood donor skill on any alexa echo device. use the sponsor code “bakers.” learn more about american red cross at redcross.org.

Project Harmony Recognizes national Missing Children’s Day May 25

Project Harmony is raising awareness for National Missing c hildren’s d ay, recognized each year on May 25 to shine a spotlight on child safety. The observance also honors the professionals dedicated to protecting children around the country. a s a c hild a dvocacy c enter, Project Harmony seeks solutions to the widespread community problem of exploitation, sex trafficking and other victimization of the most vulnerable youth. Through their Missing Youth services and anti-Trafficking program, police have the option to take runaways to Project Harmony or refer the families there. Project Harmony staff also look through police reports and reach out to families who may need help. staff meets with the young person and their family and creates an intervention plan, including individual and group therapy.

The goal is changing the attitude towards runaways and not just labeling them as ‘bad kids’ but realizing there is something more going on – what are they running from or what are they running to? For families, it can be the critical support system that means the difference between a young person staying or running again. if you are a caregiver or concerned party of a youth in Nebraska who has run away, please report them missing to your local police department and the child abuse Hotline at 1 (800) 652-1999. You can also call Project Harmony at (402) 5951326 for support services.

For more information about Project Harmony, go to projectharmony.com.

American Heart Association Highlights national Stroke Awareness in May

american Heart association (aHa) is highlighting May as National stroke awareness month. someone in the united states has a stroke every 40 seconds. s troke is a leading cause of death and serious disability nationwide and around the world. but it doesn’t have to be.

with May being National stroke awareness month, it’s important to know that stroke is 80% preventable. a stroke is when blood flow to a part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. blood carries oxygen to cells in the body. when brain cells are starved of blood, they die. stroke is a medical emergency. it’s important to get care as soon as possible. Time lost is brain lost. learn the FasT warning signs.

F - Face drooping

a - arm weakness

s - speech difficulty

T - Time to call 911

Healthy lifestyle choices, eating foods low in saturated fats and trans fats, limiting salt, getting exercise, quitting smoking, avoiding drinking alcohol and regularly going to the doctor can all help prevent a stroke.

The american Heart association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, they fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. For more information, visit heart.org or call 1-800-aHa-usa1.

At Ease uSA to Host Forge Ahead 5K on June 24

at ease usa (aeu) will be hosting the annual Forge ahead 5K on saturday, June 24 at the walnut creek recreation area in Papillion. The month of June has been designated as PTsd awareness Month. aeu hosts this community-wide event to shed light on the impact of PTsd, reduce the stigma associated with PTsd and ensure that those suffering from the invisible wounds of trauma know that they are not alone.

bring your family and friends! registration is $25 per racer, and $15 per child under 12. if you register before May 26, you are guaranteed an event t-shirt. registration prices will also be raised to $30 after May 26. On race day, check-in starts at 8 a.m. with the race to begin at 9 a.m. The Forge ahead 5K is sponsored by Kutak rock attorneys at law, Hdr, HyVee, union Pacific Vets and Pinnacle bank. There are still sponsorship opportunities available. For more information on sponsorships or to register for the event, go to ateaseusa.org/5k-run.

at ease usa is committed to providing access to confidential trauma treatment to active military, veterans and their loved ones suffering from PTsd aeu offers behavioral health services through an in- house clinical director and a network of trained PTsd professionals. For more information, contact beth Kramer at beth@ateaseusa.org or (531) 2474040, or go to www.ateaseusa.org.

neighborGood Community Pantry Seeks new Board Members

NeighborGood is seeking new board members to guide its mission and development. board members are responsible for ensuring that NeighborGood fulfills its fiduciary responsibilities to the organization and are committed to NeighborGood’s mission to serve the families of ralston and sarpy county. The board of directors, acting as a single entity, is legally and ethically responsible for all activities of the organization. individual board members have an obligation to uphold the standards of conduct set for them by the board and applicable laws.

The board of directors meets monthly and are expected to serve on at least one committee and serve the organization in other capacities. board members serve a minimum of three years as ambassadors of the organization. To apply visit the listing on s hareOmaha: shareomaha.org/opportunities/board-directors-general-member. NeighborGood serves those in need in the greater sarpy county and ralston community. NeighborGood provides non-perishable groceries, pet food, paper products, hygiene items, diapers and more. For more information, go to neighborgoodpantry.org or contact the executive director Melissa Nelson at neighborgoodcommunitypantry@gmail.com.

Construction underway for new Heartland Hope Mission Property

Heartland Hope Mission is excited to announce that construction is officially underway at their new property located at 15555 industrial rd. in Omaha.

The new west Omaha facility will become the main staff headquarters, warehouse, crisis response and outreach center and senior delivery ministry. it will become Heartland Hope Mission’s second permanent indoor client-choice food pantry and clothing center. Many families are struggling due to inflation, causing pantry numbers to rise 50% higher than normal. Your help is vital in responding to the great need in the community. You can help by scanning the Qr code or donating to the capital campaign. any gift made by May 31 will be doubled up to $75,000 thanks to generous donors James and shirley Ortman and Tom and dawn O’brien. donations can include cash, stock or Qcd from an ira. You are welcome to drop off in-kind donations, host a drive or sign up to volunteer by visiting heartlandhopemission.org.

Heartland Hope Mission is a faith-based organization that is more than a pantry and dedicated to helping families achieve self-sufficiency. They provide food along with clothing, diapers, job resources and community referrals to support families in need and empower them to make positive changes in their lives. They also offer case-management, senior pantry deliveries, rural outreach, crisis response, a Job Paths program and a holiday program that provides around 4,000 children with new toys at christmas! in addition to Omaha, their outreach pantries serve Valley, Macy and walthill. Visit HeartlandHopeMission.org to learn more.

Epilepsy Foundation Announces Presenting Sponsors for May 13 walk to End Epilepsy

The epilepsy Foundation Nebraska will be hosting its annual walk to end epilepsy on saturday, May 13, with registration beginning at 9 a.m. at Tri-Faith initiative, 13136 Faith Plaza in Omaha. There will be a vendor area, a kids zone hosted by raising cane’s, photo opportunities and more. The presenting sponsors are children’s Hospital and Medical center and Marinus Pharmaceuticals.

advocates, healthcare professionals and supporters for epilepsy from across the state will come together to honor individuals dedicated to furthering awareness and recognizing achievements within the Nebraska epilepsy community.

Join the epilepsy Foundation in-person to raise the awareness and funds to eNd ePilePsY. with each step taken and dollar raised, they are closer to reaching their goal: a world free from epilepsy and free from fear of the next seizure. The extra special event will also include a number of food trucks including donutNV, The big O sno and The laughing boar. For more information on sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, please email Heather bernard at hbernard@efa.org.

The epilepsy Foundation is a national voluntary health agency dedicated solely to the welfare of the nearly 3.4 million people living with epilepsy in the u.s. and their families. The Foundation works to ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences and to promote research for a cure. To contact epilepsy Foundation Nebraska, email Nebraska@efa.org. For more information, go to epilepsy.com.

Bags of Fun Omaha Gears up for Two Exciting Events

registration is filling up quickly for the upcoming b ags of Fun Omaha Golf Tournament on wednesday, June 7 at The c lub at i ndian c reek. Find more details and register at bagsoffunomaha.com.

bags of Fun Omaha is also gearing up for the third annual bags for bags event on sunday, august 27. The event will be held at ackerhurst dairy Farm, 15220 Military rd., in bennington from noon to 5 p.m. b ags for b ags is a cornhole tournament bringing the Omaha community together to play and be silly while raising funds for bags of Fun Omaha. Get a two-person team together and enjoy an afternoon of family fun, drinks, food, music, silent auction items and some intense cornhole bracket play!

s ponsorship opportunities for both events are available. Those interested in learning more about a potential sponsorship can go to bagsoffunomaha.org/events to find more information.

bags of Fun Omaha believes in the power of play to bring a welcome distraction during times of difficulty. bags of Fun bring a child and the parents hope, relief, a smile and the ability to focus on something other than their illness. bags of Fun is a nonprofit organization. each bag of Fun is funded by grants, charitable contributions and fundraisers. The bags are essential tools that bring the power of play into the hospitals. To learn more, go online to bagsoffunomaha.org.

Community Foundation Hosts Mental Health Awareness Event

The c ommunity Foundation for western i owa hosted its first Mental Health and s ubstance abuse Fund event on March 21 at the Holiday inn Hotel & suites in council bluffs for nearly 80 community members. The event featured an in-depth and timely dialogue on mental health awareness, mental health first-aid and offered action steps for individuals in the community.

Presenters and organizations involved in the conversation included keynote speaker, ciara warden-Kinsella, Msw, lisw, survivor and co-owner/therapist at clear Mind Therapy; cory woodward, council bluffs Police sergeant; Tori cassidy, clinical director at Heartland Family service; and Mary-beth roskens, services intake coordinator for the southwest iowa Mental Health & disability services region.

The Mental Health and substance abuse Fund, an initiative of the community Foundation for western iowa, was created in 2018 to provide long-term, sustainable and quantifiable positive impact to nonprofit organizations through three focus areas: education, raising awareness, and providing learning and development opportunities for area service providers. The Fund services the following nine iowa counties: cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and shelby.

To date, the Fund has granted over $16,000 to area nonprofit organizations providing life-affirming programs and services in support of mental well-being in western iowa.

learn more about the community Foundation for western iowa and the Mental Health and substance abuse Fund and how to make an impact to the nonprofit organizations in western iowa by visiting www. givewesterniowa.org/funds/mental-health.

Angel Guardians, Inc. to Host Progress Fest May 20

angel Guardians, inc. is gearing up for Progress Fest 2023 on May 20. Progress Fest gives angel Guardians a chance to share their mission and have fun with those who support them. The event will be from 4 to 8 p.m. at angel Guardians, 15677 spaulding st, in Omaha. This year’s Progress Fest will be bigger and better than ever. There will be food, art, music, games and a beer garden. This is angel Guardians’ biggest fundraiser of the year and they can’t wait to connect with the community for a day of fun, inclusivity and progress! angel Guardians, inc. serves individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities in the Omaha Metro. aGi has a goal of creating an inclusive environment where people with, and without, disabilities can live, work and play. aGi works to empower people with disabilities to make their own choices and create relationships in the Omaha community. Programming for aGi includes day services, art programming, vocational training and respite services. if you’d like more information, please reach out to executive director sam comfort at sam@angelguardians.org.

nESCAnnounces2022AwardRecipients

The Nebraska safety council (Nesc) recognized fourteen organizations and five individuals during the 45th annual conference at robber’s cave on april 20. These organizations are recognized for taking extra measures to keep their people safe and healthy.

The Nebraska safety council safety award: This award has three levels of awards based on measures related to injury rates, training provided and preventive measures to identify risks of safety hazards. legacy awards: recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to the safety and health of employees or made significant changes to their personal health and safety risk.

all award recipients are listed below with their correlating awards:

• ann ringlein, lifetime ambassador award (individual)

• Kawasaki, lifetime ambassador award (company)

• danielle Frewing, Professional leadership award

• don ruffin, Professional leadership award

• Kim craft, champion award

• dustin rutledge, champion award

• lincoln electric system, safety award

• lincoln Premium Poultry, safety award

• Nucor steel – Nebraska, safety award

• Parker Hannifin alliance, safety award

• bd Medical Pharmaceutical systems, safety award

• black Hills energy, safety award

• schneider electric, safety award

• bayer, safety award

• custer Public Power district, safety award

• ies commercial inc., safety award

• alivation Health, safety award

• commonwealth electric company of the Midwest, safety award

• Tillotson enterprises inc., safety award

The Mission of the Nebraska safety council is to provide education and leadership to empower Nebraskans to live safe and healthy. To learn more or to sign up for membership today, visit nesafetycouncil.org, call (402) 483-2511, or email nesc@nesafetycouncil.org.

BFF Omaha unveils new Public Banner Project in Benson Creative District

bFF Omaha, along with the benson bid and benson creative district, is unveiling new banners along Maple st. and within the heart of benson. 32 banners will feature original work from 16 local artists, selected from a juried submission process over the winter. 90+ artists submitted 160 designs, making the decision a tough one. The 16 selected banner designs will make their debut in late spring and remain up until 2025.

The new benson banners will feature art by: anthony T. Pena, bart Vargas, bekah Jerde, brooke carpenter, c+c Mini Factory, danielle easdale, eduardo Gardea, Jared spence + bill sitzman, Jenna Johnson, Kaitlin Kratkyn, Kendra limon, lx, Maggie costello, Nash bellows, reagan d. Pufall and Tim Guthrie.

For more information, including details on the Tba official public opening reception, artist talks and guided tour, please email info@bffomaha.org. To support other projects like this, please visit bffomaha.org/support.

bFF Omaha is an Omaha-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds community through arts engagement. bFF is composed of 97% artists. They believe that everyone has the right to create, experience and cultivate the arts in our communities. For more information, ways to get involved and partnership opportunities go to www.bffomaha.org.

MICAH House Searches for Businesses to Participate in Adult wellness Classes

when clients stay at the MicaH House, adults attend wellness classes while children attend the budd Y play program. MicaH House relies on program partners to add an extra level of skilled support to clients. local businesses are encouraged to teach a wellness class to MicaH House’s adult clients.

Program partners that work with MicaH House clients one-on-one often express how it touches their lives to be a part of the growth and healing that takes place at MicaH House. Program partners play an important role in the lives of MicaH House clients, and there are many ways to become involved with MicaH House. MicaH House program partnerships take many forms from providing financial classes to wellness sessions and more. MicaH House welcomes programmatic partnerships with community members, businesses and organizations. New to 2023, MicaH House is offering buddY night programming. This class spot would be reserved for business groups interested in bringing a fun educational activity to the children at MicaH House on a buddY evening. if you or your business would like to learn more about becoming a program partner, please contact Program director angie williams at awilliams@themicahhouse.org.

Founded in 1986, MicaH House is an emergency homeless shelter that serves women and families in the Omaha-Metro area and southwest iowa. MicaH House provides safe shelter, nutritious meals, intensive case management services, health care access and adult budgeting classes as individuals seek a better tomorrow. learn more at www.themicahhouse.org.

Abide Announces Better Together 5K for June 10

a bide is inviting you to their annual b etter Together 5K on saturday, June 10 at 8 a.m. at the better Together campus. check-in will take place on Friday, June 9 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and saturday morning from 7 to 7:30 a.m. additional race information can be found at abideomaha.org/ better-together-5k.

s ign-ups are $12 for adults, $6 for children 6-18 years old and kids five and under are free. This includes an event shirt, a participant packet with race info and food post event. all are welcome. strollers are allowed, but bikes and scooters are prohibited. Parking is free and available on the better Together campus. while parking is available, it is also limited! Please consider carpooling to help provide enough parking spaces for everyone. additional parking will be posted as the race gets closer, so make sure to look back at the race page for all updates.

The mission of abide is to revitalize the inner city, one neighborhood at a time. a bide takes a grassroots, holistic approach that focuses on developing safer neighborhoods, stronger families and emerging leaders. To get in touch with a bide, contact them at info@abidenetwork.org and (402) 455-7807. For more information, go to abideomaha.org.

BrainInjuryAllianceof nebraska Announces BlazingTrailsforBrainInjuryEventforJune3

The b rain i njury a lliance of Nebraska is pleased to announce that registration is open for its annual 5K r un, 1 Mile walk/ roll fundraiser, b lazing Trails for b rain i njury.

The event will be held on June 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and is open to all ages, abilities and fitness levels to participate and raise money and awareness for brain injury in Nebraska as they walk, run or roll along the course at the chalco Hills recreation area. For the more competitive participants, the 5K run will be timed by Peak Performance: The running store and can be used to qualify for marathon events.

individuals interested in participating in the blazing Trails for brain injury event can register at: bit.ly/2023-blazingTrails.

all proceeds and donations go towards supporting Nebraskans with brain injuries and their families through the brain injury alliance of Nebraska as they work to promote system change for brain injury by building community support networks.

The goal for this year’s event is to raise $25,000 through registrations, donations and sponsorships. These funds will go towards supporting Nebraskans with brain injuries and their families through the brain injury alliance of Nebraska.

Questions about the b lazing Trails for b rain i njury event and how to register can be directed to Marketing and special events coordinator brittney lippincott via phone (402) 683-0724 or email at brittney@biane.org.

For more information on the b rain i njury a lliance of Nebraska, go to biane.org.

StephenCenter nowCollectingBottled water for Summer

Temperatures are rising and s tephen c enter is now collecting bottled water in preparation.

water is always in demand at stephen center, but it is imperative to bulk the supply as the warmer months approach. The high temperatures of summer pose a significant risk to anyone exposed, specifically people experiencing homelessness as they navigate through the process of finding permanent housing. water is an essential item for the safety, well-being and success of clients at stephen center.

“The majority of people served through stephen center programming are on foot as they tend to their schedule.” said executive director Michael wehling. “whether they are employment seeking, going to appointments or going to work, we want to help people avoid dangerous consequences of heat exposure by keeping them properly hydrated. Our community was generous last year, and we call on them again now to help us accomplish our mission.”

donations can be brought to the donation center located on the south side of the 2723 Q street building. The donation center is open daily from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and noon-4 p.m. saturday and sunday. water can also be donated through stephen center’s wish list accessible on at www.stephencenter.org. Please contact the donation center at (402) 715-5478 for further information.

l ocated in s outh Omaha, s tephen c enter serves the homeless, addicted and those with mental health challenges. l earn more at www.stephencenter.org.

Empowerment network’s ‘Rebuilding the Village’ Conference Set for June 9

The empowerment Network has announced plans for its 16th annual rebuilding the Village conference and revive black business expo on June 9 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the cHi Health center Omaha. earvin “Magic” Johnson is returning to Omaha as the luncheon keynote speaker.

This world-class event features some of the nation’s top strategists and thought-leaders and attracts more than 700 participants. The conference will focus on career advancement, leadership development, dei, wealth building, entrepreneurship, community building and more!

The conference will also include speakers that will captivate and capture audience attention, breakout sessions that will challenge and leave attendees with actionable steps, roundtable networking, awards ceremony, reception and lunch. The revive black business expo showcases exhibitors offering a wide array of products and services.

empowerment Network would like to thank their Platinum sponsors conagra and cHi Health for their support of the 16th annual rebuilding the Village conference and revive black business expo.

To register or get more information for the empowerment Network’s rebuilding the Village conference, go online to empoweromaha.com or rtvomaha.com. deadline to reserve your spot is June 1 or while tickets last. direct additional questions to Vicki Quaites-Ferris at (402) 502-5153.

The empowerment Network promotes working together to transform the economic condition and quality of life of african americans, North Omaha residents and the citizens of the Greater Omaha area. For more information about The empowerment Network, visit empoweromaha.com or call (402) 502-5153.

Angels Among us Requests Support for Grab & Go Bags for Pediatric Cancer Families

angels among us provides grab and go bags to all pediatric cancer families that come to Nebraska Medicine or children’s Hospital. These bags include toiletry items, notebook, pens, water bottles and a binder with all pertinent information the family now needs to care for their child with cancer. They do this as a way to provide comfort and support to the family in their hardest of moments. To assist in supplying these bags, angels among us often turns to the community for the items needed.

To help angels among us continue this valuable and needed support for families caring for children with cancer, go to www.amazon.com/ hz/wishlist/ls/27FaNb0xsYPGG.

Over the last 15 years, angels among us has helped over 600 families with expenses totaling more than $3 million. b ut most importantly, they have helped over 600 families read bedtime stories and play board games without the all-consuming worry of paying bills such as rent, electric, auto payments, gas cards and more. angels among us provides financial and emotional support to families that have a child battling cancer that lives in or is being treated in the state of Nebraska. They are able to support and pay these bills for the length of time that the child goes through cancer treatment (anywhere from 6-36 months). For more information, reach out to amy Kent at (402) 934-0999 / amy@myangelsamongus.org or visit www.myangelsamongus.org.

Support Cancer Patients with Heartland Cancer Foundation for Give to Lincoln Day

Heartland c ancer Foundation

(H c F) is participating in this year’s Give to lincoln day, and they need your help to support cancer patients in the l incoln area. Give to lincoln day will culminate on May 24, but you can make your donation any time from May 1-24! This is a great time to give, as the amount HcF raises during this time will be proportionally matched by the lincoln community Foundation, doubling your impact. during this campaign, people in the lincoln area are asked to donate to causes that are critical to the community. if you or your organization joins HcF in the belief that no cancer patient should fall behind on treatment because they struggle to afford their everyday expenses, please consider donating to the Heartland cancer Foundation.

Help Heartland cancer Foundation reach their Give to lincoln goal of $12,000 by making a donation at givetolincoln.com/nonprofits/ heartland-cancer-foundation.

• $25 gives a cancer patient a roundtrip ride to life-saving treatment

• $50 pays for a tank of fuel so a cancer patient can get to and from multiple rounds of treatment

• $250 covers the cost of a utilities bill

• $500 covers the cost of the average mortgage or rent payment

Heartland cancer Foundation’s mission is to provide practical and immediate financial assistance to eligible cancer patients in the community so they can focus on what matters most: healing. Thank you to the Heartland cancer Foundation’s wonderful circle of donors and supporters that come together to care for those in our community. For more information, please visit www.heartlandcancerfoundation.org.

AIM Tech Awards to be Held September 28

Hosted by leading Omaha tech nonprofit aiM institute, the annual aiM Tech awards Presented by cox business will be held on Thursday, september 28 at 5:30 p.m., at the exclusive Peter Fink’s Private Muscle car Museum – home to more than 100 american-made muscle cars, including some ViN No. 1, signed guitars from rock ‘n’ roll legends and other memorabilia. The aiM Tech awards will honor the remarkable achievements of tech talent and recognize those who have made a profound impact within the local tech community.

The event will celebrate educators, students, businesses and community leaders through the presentation of multiple technology awards. award categories include the following: startup of the Year, Tech leader of the Year, Tech educator of the Year, Tech innovator of the Year, enterprise business of the Year, community builder of the Year, Tech Volunteer of the Year and Tech Talent Professional of the Year.

Tickets to the aiM Tech awards are free to the public with a suggested donation of $50. Proceeds will support aiM’s programs to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the growing tech sector. registration is now open at www.aimtechawards.org.

For 30 years, Omaha-based aiM institute has been the region’s leading nonprofit dedicated to growing a strong and diverse tech talent community and it remains committed to educating and inspiring individuals of all ages with innovative, effective programing and outreach initiatives. Visit aiminstitute.org to learn more, or contact them at info@ aiminstitute.org / (402) 979-8324.

Youth Emergency Services Announces Program updates

Youth emergency services (Yes) s treet Outreach Program was designed as a crisis shelter for youth and young adults who are in need of immediate services and information. Yes outreach workers go out into the community and visit areas where homeless and at-risk youth tend to congregate. The team carries backpacks with emergency supplies and basic needs to be able to help while building trust, offering support, referrals and help to overcome their challenges while improving their quality of life.

at the street Outreach center, youth and young adults are given the opportunity to get a warm meal, take showers, do laundry, get any medical attention they may need, get help with paperwork and obtaining documentation such as drivers licenses and other forms of communication. Yes’s street Outreach program is dedicated to supporting nearly homeless and homeless youth in Omaha, but they need your help. with ongoing struggles and hardships, many individuals are finding it hard to access basic needs like food. by donating non-perishable food items, a meal or funds to purchase items, you can make a direct impact on the lives of those in need. Together, we can ensure everyone has access to basic items they need to survive. To donate, call (402) 502-1636 or visit www.yesomaha.org.

located at 2566 Farnam street in Omaha, Youth emergency services assists youth experiencing homelessness and near-homelessness by providing critically-needed resources which support them in their desire to be self-sufficient. learn more at www.yesomaha.org or contact them at (402) 345-5187 / info@yesomaha.org.

about cloud computing

Cloud computing has been around for two decades, and corporate adoption has been widespread, with over 60% of all corporate data currently stored in the cloud. Gartner predicts that by 2025, half of enterprise IT spending will be for cloud computing. Yet, there remain misconceptions about the cloud that prevents other organizations from migrating or have led to disappointing results.

Here are the six most common myths about cloud computing and the realities debunking them:

Myth #1: t he M ain value of the cloud is cost savings.

TruTh: It is possible to save money migrating to a cloud-based system. There are no huge investments, maintenance, and upgrade of data center hardware and software. And as the cloud is a pay-as-you-go model, you only spend on the on-demand computing resources you use.

My T h #2: Cloud Co M pu T ing is noT seC ure/ M ore seC ure.

Tru T h: Data breaches in the cloud, and the news headlines they have generated have caused many companies to be wary about the security of their sensitive data. But it is a myth that the cloud is less secure than onsite data storage. This is the most common misconception that has become a barrier to cloud adoption. The truth is most data breaches happen in on-premise data centers.

My T h #3: The C loud M eans surrendering Con T rol.

TruTh: Just as in any outsourcing model, using cloud services does mean giving up control. Instead of owning assets such as hardware and software, you are renting them from a CSP. You also give up control over maintaining and upgrading infrastructure, monitoring applications, and ensuring security. Yet, these are the very benefits of cloud computing

My T h #4: The C loud is all or noT hing.

Tru T h: Most companies, more than eight out of 10, use a hybrid architectural model where they combine public cloud, private cloud, and on-premises infrastructure. So, the cloud is not an all-or-nothing proposition.

My T h #5: MulT i- C loud is always be TT er.

Tru T h: Most organizations start with one cloud services provider and eventually move towards a multi-cloud strategy. According to a Gartner survey, 81% of respondents work with two or more cloud vendors. And that is understandable as vendor lock-in is a primary concern for organizations.

My T h #6: The C loud should be all-in.

TruTh: Lift and shift cloud migration is dropping all your applications and data to the cloud as-is or with minimal changes. This is a fast, simple, and cost-effective way to rehost to the cloud at once. However, as this approach is not optimized for the cloud, it will not be able to benefit from cloud features like autoscaling and automated performance management. These non-native applications can also suffer from higher latency or other performance issues.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands

Evonik Corporation’s Blair, Nebraska site, located approximately 20 miles North of Omaha, and employing about 128, manufactures Biolys®, a form of L-Lysine used to produce feed additives for swine and poultry animal nutrition.

In addition, Evonik and DSM have formed a 50:50 Joint Venture Company called Veramaris® to produce omega-3 fatty acids in Blair with natural marine algae.

PHONE +1 678 797-4300

corporate.evonik.us/en animal-nutrition.evonik.com/en Supporting Nebraska’s industries - and a clean environment

Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha

Lutz

Since 2007, ACCESSbank has been committed to improving the financial well-being of all of its customers, and that includes families, entrepreneurs, and business owners.

Today, they continue to be recognized for their expertise in commercial banking as 'Best Business Bank' for nine consecutive years by B2B Magazine. Their dedication to providing unique solutions, serving as trusted advisors for their clients, and creating strong relationships is a direct result of their growth and client loyalty.

In an environment where business owners are facing challenges in business succession, their team is providing proactive support and guidance to help meet their future financial sustainability.

“Our purpose is simple: ‘Creating Positive Experiences,’” said Kathy Headley, Vice President, Learning Development Manager.

“We infuse that purpose into our culture, decision-making, and shared experiences.”

Carson Wealth is one of the fastest-growing financial services firms in the country, serving more than 45,000 families across the United States.

The Barron's Hall of Fame firm has also been named as one of Inc. 5000's Fastest Growing Companies in the Midwest, one of Inc.'s Fastest Growing Companies in the U.S. five times, and the Best Places to Work in Omaha and financial services.

Equally impressive, though, is their commitment to stewardship. In 2011, Ron Carson and his wife, Jeanie, co-founded the Dreamweaver Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to fulfilling the dreams of senior citizens facing life-threatening illnesses.

“We support organizations in the community where we can have an impact and organizations close to our stakeholders, so they feel connected and motivated to participate,” said Ron Carson.

Another year, more examples of sustained excellence for these Omaha businesses.

RTG Medical is a veteranowned, privately held healthcare staffing company that provides one of the most reliable healthcare staffing solutions nationwide.

They are a six-time Inc. 5000 recipient for Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies, 2021 Largest Healthcare Staffing Firms in the United States by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), and three-time Baird Holm LLP Best Places to Work in Omaha. Even with its rapid growth, RTG stays rooted in their heartland values of supporting the less fortunate.

“RTG Medical firmly believes in giving back to the community that has supported them as a company from the start,” said Karna Dam, Community Engagement Representative. “This philosophy is built into our culture based on integrity, family, and community.”

Signature Performance is a leading provider of healthcare administrative solutions and services. Since 2004, their foremost solutions and services have been utilized by many of the country's most respected providers, payers, and health IT organizations. However, it’s their commitment to their employees (Associates) that might be most impactful.

“We believe that everyone at Signature is a leader because everyone has influence,” said Amy Hennings, Vice President of Experience. “This is the Signature Way.”

An essential component of the Signature Way is supporting a diverse and inclusive workplace where Associates feel respected and valued at all times. This approach provides a foundation for every Associate to become a "go-to" person, a leader in healthcare administration, and to grow and develop their leadership skills and talents through coaching, Think Tank sessions, Community Connection Points, and in-depth mentoring opportunities.

In 2021 First Insurance Group, LLC became FNIC . It was the transformation of seventeen individual insurance agencies that united their brands, experiences, stories, and futures into ONE.

“FNIC's Leadership Philosophy is outlined and demonstrated daily by our Executive Leadership team, which is: Leading Self, Leading Others, and Leading the Organization,” said Chris Evans.

In 2022, FNIC was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Omaha. In these surveys, three of FNIC's most favorable items attributed to the trust in Leadership, scoring 95% or higher in each category.

FNIC leadership also understands the importance of relationships and team building. That’s why President, Scott Hill, takes time to meet each new employee within their first few weeks and gets to know them by name. This helps create a sense of value and belonging to FNIC.

"Leaders Exist Everywhere" is one of FNTS' cultural commitments, so the company has a thoughtful and purposeful leadership development program for all employees.

The program utilizes many tools and processes to help develop great leaders and enhance their skills which helps strengthen partnerships and creates leading-edge technologies.

FNTS connects with clients to understand their needs, so leadership implemented Executive Leadership Summits to ensure clients have technology that meets their long-term growth objectives. This leadership helped pave the way for FNTS to secure its status as a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work.

“President Kim Whittaker leads by example,” said Dan Chicoine, Vice President, Marketing. “She fosters teamwork by recognizing cross-functional teams, encourages employees to seek certifications, and provides horizontal growth opportunities.”

Special thanks to our sponsors who have made these events possible.

To view our list of sponsors, UnitedWayMidlands.org/100YearEvents

As United Way of the Midlands celebrates a century of helping others and supporting our metro community – you can join in the celebration by attending one, or all, of our free 100th anniversary special events!

When bold action was needed, these businesses exemplified true leadership and found ambitious solutions to their unique challenges.

At Fusion , every level of leadership is committed to helping their people grow in the ways that they want to, whether that means earning certifications or mastering a healthy work-life balance.

“Fusion's thematic goal for 2023 is Grow Together,” said Leah Kemple, Public Relations Strategist. “This means growth for the business and for the individuals who contribute to its success.”

Leadership at Fusion trusts that employees know what is best for them, and each person's manager is working to make sure their workload is organized in a way that leads them and the company to success. This, in turn, makes employees feel like they have freedom and control over their life at work.

ICAN is passionate about playing a key role in helping leaders evolve and grow and helping organizations invest in their talent pipeline.

“Our customized programs allow companies to work alongside ICAN to create leadership curriculum specific to their company's unique needs,” said Aileen Warren, President & CEO. Those companies inevitably benefit by retaining and engaging their top talent, and the graduates learn to lead using their strengths, connect across the organization, and best contribute to company goals.

ICAN recently created a new program, Examining Unconscious Bias, to educate leaders on the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. They have 77 graduates who have benefited from this program and are now more aware of their blind spots and have the tools and strategies to create systemic change.

Harnessing the power of innovation allowed Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands (BBBSM) to restructure their organization in a post-pandemic world.

“We are still facing the challenges of reconnecting with our families because of unemployment and economic burdens,” said Emma Steeve, Marketing and Outreach Manager. “Plus, they have to cope with academic and emotional setbacks for their children as well.”

This challenge made BBBSM rethink how to strengthen the programming for those they serve. So, they added a new Family Resource Coordinator, and created the BIG Futures program and the BIG Futures Program Coordinator position.

These additions will help develop life skills for young adults while cultivating relationships with community organizations, partners, providers, and agencies to ensure their families have equitable access to the appropriate basic needs.

CyncHealth provides the capability to digitally exchange clinical information among healthcare information systems and providers across the region.

“We are champions of innovation, here to change the world,” said Matt Haave, Communications Specialist. “We are bold in our actions and able to adapt to new demands.”

CyncHealth prides itself on finding new ways to accomplish goals and views constraints as an opportunity to build resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and adaptability.

In 2020, they generated a COVID-19 dashboard to support statewide COVID-19 data collection and reporting. As part of the Health and Housing Coalition, they launched the first-ever medical respite program in Nebraska. They created the maternal health program to support healthy outcomes throughout pregnancy and the postpartum journey by helping healthcare teams identify at-risk mothers and infants.

When others zig, these businesses zag and then zag again. They’ve found new and creative ways to grow and inspire their team members.

Since 1980, Lutz has grown to become the largest locallyowned firm of its kind in Nebraska, providing accounting, wealth management, recruiting, M&A, and technology services.

“The ongoing talent shortage in our industry ignited us to think outside the box,” said Robby Renshaw, HR Manager. “So, we put a hyper-focus on our internship program, and the results have been truly impressive.”

In 2022, they employed 75 interns across four offices compared to 21 interns in 2017. Through the SkillBridge program, they successfully employed service members during their last 180 days of service to gain real-world experience in the tech industry to ease their transition back into civilian life.

Additionally, Lutz has partnered with the MCC Rapid IT Academy to bring awareness and internship opportunities in the Technology space to underemployed and unemployed Omaha workers.

Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha (RMHC) offers families of sick children access to essential services designed to foster hope and healing. At the same time, they focus on the medical necessities of their children.

“RMHC is committed to the practice of continuous innovative planning for the future, always seeking to improve the lives of sick children and their families,” said Kari Ketcham, Chief Development Officer.

RMHC has broken ground to build the infrastructure necessary to create a micro-community designed to address the health outcomes that align with individuals' overall health through new program areas that are mandatory for equitable well-being.

Committed to being a catalyst for change, RMHC engineered its 1:1 Family Program, which creates a streamlined process to help families utilize enhanced support throughout their stay.

Omaha

These businesses were shining examples of stewardship, championing underserved communities.

“ Baxter's philosophy on stewardship centers on our obligation to support the communities where we are located, to make them better places to work, live, and play,” said Bekka Byrne, Employee Experience Manager. By doing this, they strive to have a positive impact on society and to empower people with the freedom to experience a fulfilling life.

Last year, Baxter provided over $1.2 million in financial donations and sponsorships to local nonprofit organizations focused on food and housing insecurity; health-related causes; support to children and families; education and afterschool care; local arts organizations; and economic and workforce development.

Baxter has partnered with The Furniture Project to collect, repair and deploy used furniture to refugees new to Omaha and anyone in need.

p Hil An THROpy

The McGill Restoration team is consistently donating time, resources, and people-power to fuel nonprofits that share their vision of improving communities to the tune of over $100,000 each year.

“The McGill Restoration team shows up and gets their hands dirty on volunteer-based projects,” said Blake Berke, COO. “Serving their staff and neighbors is foundational in their approach to doing business and giving back.”

McGill Restoration likes to focus on local organizations and frequently works with schools, churches, medical-related causes, universities, and other organizations that are central to the communities where they live and work.

Most notably, they installed a treehouse for a Make-AWish® Nebraska recipient and donated air conditioning units to a local Girl Scouts camp.

The Omaha Community Foundation was created in 1982, primarily as a charitable bank for Omaha and Southwest Iowa philanthropists. Since then, their community knowledge has grown, and they’ve become a regional thought leader in philanthropy and community investment.

“Community is the heart of who we are at the Omaha Community Foundation,” said Megan Barrett, Communication Specialist. “We have a deep knowledge of our community's economic and social needs and the organizations working to solve them.”

That work is especially true of two significant initiatives: Front Porch Investments and the Pathways Community HUB.

Front Porch Investments was created to provide strategic investment and coordinated leadership in affordable housing and homelessness prevention. While HUB is a local program and part of a national initiative to create care coordination networks to serve under-resourced residents.

Stewardship and helping underserved Omaha communities is something Velocity takes very seriously. In fact, since 1999, they’ve donated over $3 million to charity.

Today, there are three primary campaigns close to their heart: the Strength In Numbers program (SINP), Good Deeds Day, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Omaha Golf Classic.

“For Good Deeds Day, employees are given a cash stipend and a simple instruction: Go make a difference,” said Kelsey Niehauser, Communications Specialist. “And we do!”

Funds raised through the MDA Golf Classic support programming like summer camps for children with MD nationwide, including Camp Courageous in Monticello, IA. Each year, Velocity sends staff members to work there as camp counselors for the week using their volunteer time off (VTO) program, which grants employees 32 paid hours per year to volunteer.

sm All BU sinE ss Of THE yEAR

For Hometown Hero Appliance Repair, “Hometown Hero” is so much more than just a name – it’s their guiding light. Operating an essential, service-based business over the pandemic was challenging, but highly rewarding.

“Our business has been essential to our customers and we believe that we really can call ourselves heroes,” said president Todd Daganaar. “By allowing us into their homes to operate on their appliances we understand that our customers are awarding us an extreme level of trust, and we never take advantage of it.”

Every customer touch point is given deep consideration and examined for ways to improve. “From the customer’s experience on our website, to the first phone call, to the completed service appointment, we are constantly putting ourselves in their shoes and going the extra mile to serve their needs.”

While this customer-first mindset has always been front-andcenter at HHAR, it has certainly been refined in recent years thanks to the fact that Daganaar himself has worked just about every job at HHAR.

“When you truly understand the frustrations and passions of your employees and customers at every level, you can make something truly memorable, as reflected by our awards and 4.9-star average customer ratings.” Together,

with thousands of generous fundholders and impactful nonprofits—and nearly a million passionate neighbors—we are maximizing the power of philanthropy to strengthen our community.

100 years

• Christensen Lumber, Inc.

• College of Saint Mary

• The Seldin Firm

75 years

• American Red Cross Blood Services Midwest Region

• Children's Hospital & Medical Center

• Conductix-Wampfler

• Elliott Equipment Company

• Human Resource Association of the Midlands (HRAM)

150 years

• Baird Holm LLP

125 years

• Alter Metal Recycling

• Field Club of Omaha

• Fraser Stryker PC LLO

• I-Go Van and Storage Co.

• Richelieu America Ltd.

• Standard Printing Company

• United Way of the Midlands

• Kidwell, Inc.

• Kohll's Rx

• Millard Lumber Inc.

• Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians

• Robert Half International

Milestones matter, and anniversaries mark the dedication of organizational stakeholders, as well as the commitment of customers to these businesses and nonprofits.

50 years

• Behlen Technology & Manufacturing, LLC

• CBRE

• Engineering Technologies, Inc.

• Godfather's Pizza - Corporate Office

• Jensen Tire & Auto Company

• Jerry Ryan Clothing & Sportswear

25 years

• Advance Design & Construction, Inc.

• Bluestone Development

• BNI of the Heartland, LLC

• CASA for Douglas County

• CompLogix

• Cox Business

• Diversified Solutions Inc.

• Evonik Corporation

• GROW Nebraska

• Hope Center For Kids

• Ideal Images

• InfiNet Solutions

• Interstate Display Shelving, Inc

• JM Online

• Kahler-Dolce Mortuary

• Keep Kids Alive Drive 25

• Keywest Technology

• Lukas Partners

• M's Pub, Inc.

• Nebraska City Area Economic Development Corporation

• New Cassel Retirement Center

• TSA Manufacturing

• Lamson Dugan & Murray LLP

• Max I. Walker Dry Cleaners & Launderers

• Millennium Homes / BW Framing

• Nebraska Cultural Endowment

• Nelson Contracting, LLC

• Northwest Bank - La Vista

• Northwest Bank - Omaha

• Occasion Designed

• Omaha Street School

• PayPal

• planitOmaha, Inc.

• Platte River Concrete Co.

• Scooter's Coffee

• Stinson LLP

• Sunridge Village LLC

• Westlawn-Hillcrest Funeral Home

• World Class Office Installers, Inc.

LEGAL COUNSEL FOR A LIFETIME

Celebrating 150 Years of Providing Exceptional Legal Service

Baird Holm is proud to serve and support the people and organizations that make up the vibrant Omaha community. As the rm looks ahead to the future, we remain committed to carrying on the tradition of innovative leadership, dedicated service to clients, and exceptional teamwork that has made us successful for 150 years.

Employing Omaha

e very month, Strictly Business celebrates the accomplishments of local businesses and highlights the excellent products and services they provide in their fields. Our quarterly e mploying Omaha feature is an opportunity for these businesses and organizations to also promote themselves as a great place to work and share with our readers what positions they are hiring for. Having a good employer brand is so important. recruiting.com backs this up in a recent blog post, stating that, “ w ith national unemployment rates below 4%, the war for talent is fierce and to get the right candidates in the right positions, your recruiting strategy can no longer be passive. To stay ahead of your competition, your organization needs to invest in building an authentic and compelling employer brand.”

To promote your employment brand, you first have to define it. a ccording to recruiting.com, your employment brand incorporates several different components—from company culture to employee engagement! s o there are a wide variety of topics to choose from when deciding what to share when you invest in recruitment marketing. Here are a few great subjects to cover:

• work environment

• work culture

• c ompany values

• c ompany events

• c ompany rewards

• e mployee benefits

• Hiring practices

• c ompany news and updates recruiting.com advices businesses to, “Focus on sharing information that will resonate most with your target candidates and differentiate you from your competitors. i f you aren’t sure which information that is, take some time to research your target candidates. a sk your current employees what they enjoy most about working at your company, and find out what aspects of your employment brand most resonated with recent hires.”

a t Strictly Business , we truly believe that Omaha is a wonderful place to live, wO r K, and play. we are honored to partner with so many amazing employers, and we are proud to tell you a little bit about a few of them in this feature. w hether you have recently found yourself “between jobs” or you’re curious about pursuing a new passion, we encourage you to read through the following write-ups to learn about employment opportunities at some amazing local companies. i n addition, if you are currently with a company that is looking to add people to your team, please reach out to about participating in our next employment feature!

“with national unemployment rates below 4%, the war for talent is fierce...”

The right fit, plus great benefits

You know that feeling you get when something just suits you to a T? UBT has opportunities ranging from banking and lending to iT, from wealth management to mortgage loans. with an amazing culture and a salary and benefits package to match, check us out — we think you’ll see that you belong here. Find your fit at www.ubt.com/careers or email careers@ubt.com. equal Opportunity employer. Member Fdic.

The Nebraska office of Bott Radio Network has a unique opportunity to serve as a radio sales representative for a national leader in christian Talk radio. The mission and company culture of bott radio Network are built on a biblical foundation with a commitment to “Get the word of God into the People of God”. we strive to serve with the utmost integrity and excellence in all we do. if you have at least a fouryear record of sales success, preferably in broadcast media, go to bottradioNetwork.com, select ‘about’ then ‘careers’ for full details. Qualified applicants should email a cover letter and resume to employment@bottradionetwork.com. bott radio Network is an equal opportunity employer.

Strictly Business Magazine is seeking to fill the role of our editor and content writer!

we are a local business advertising publication with monthly issues in both the lincoln and Omaha communities.

don’t let our “stuffy” business name fool you; we exist to have fun promoting our clients, in our relaxed, open, close-knit team environment. we are in the business of increasing our clients’ credibility, sales and profits. we do that in print, online, in person and on social media channels. we hope to find someone to help us continue accomplishing this goal, with a passion.

e mbracing God’s call, Mosaic relentlessly pursues opportunities that empower people. Mosaic serves more than 5,200 people in 13 states and 750 communities. s ervices are tailored to meet individual needs and goals, allowing people to be as independent as possible. services are designed for people with disabilities, mental and behavioral health needs, and autism, as well as aging adults. by joining Mosaic, you become part of a global mission advocating for and with people with diverse healthcare needs, providing opportunities for them to live their best life.

Mosaic in Omaha is seeking candidates for a variety of positions. Here are a few of our current openingsdirect support Professional - assist with the development of important daily living skills and life activities by creating an environment where people can learn, grow and discover.

certified Med specialist - responsible for administering routine medications to the people we serve as directed by the prescribing physician and providing support as requested by the supervisor.

direct support supervisor - coordinate and manage program operations to ensure regulatory compliance. responsibilities include hiring, training, scheduling staff, coordinating activities and appointments, and maintaining detailed records for the individuals served. behavior analyst (bcba) - develop and implement behavioral training programs, conduct assessments, train staff and monitor the progress of individuals served. Host Home Provider (contractor) - income opportunity ranges from $1,000 to $9,600/mo. Must reside in the state of Nebraska due to state funding. an independent contractor (ic) will welcome an individual with a disability to reside in their home. ic’s support the individual by providing a safe and nurturing home environment to foster personal growth and independence. duties vary for each individual from minimal support (i.e., budgeting, medication, transportation, activities of daily living or adl’s) to full support (i.e., dressing, toileting, feeding, positive behavioral support, etc.). as an independent contractor, our organization will assist you with identifying an individual that is welcomed into your home and best fits your family dynamic.

we are now in our 30th year of delivering more than our clients expect. right now, we have over 50 clients who have been marketing with us, month after month after month for over 10 years, and even some clients who have been with us for over 28 years! Our clients understand all the extraordinary value we bring them, their people and their company. we have a very competitive base salary, plus paid vacation, advancement and bonuses. we’re looking for someone with a positive attitude and professional conduct as a representative of Strictly Business in the community. disclaimer: This is not a freelance position, applicant must be willing to work in the lincoln office.

Please send your resume and cover letter to cemre@strictlybusinessomaha. com asaP as we are looking to hire immediately. we will work with your schedule and current work situation. if you have any questions, please reach out at (402) 466-3330.

TR Construction , founded by Todd remmereid, is a full-service concrete contractor with more than 25 years of experience. with nine crews currently working on a variety of projects, Tr construction specializes in largescale commercial concrete services, industrial, and structural concrete construction throughout the Omaha metro area. Tr has several employment opportunities available within our team of professionals. we have immediate openings for: concrete superintendent, concrete Finishers, equipment Operators, and General laborers. You can apply online at www. trconcreteconstructionomaha.com.

Providing his employees with competitive wages, great benefits and additional perks is only one of the ways Todd keeps his team happy. at the end of the day, Todd can attribute his company’s success to three simple things: the partnerships he has built and can count on, treating his employees with respect, and showing up for every job ready to work. “we have great tenure with our employees and we continue to have the same talented and hardworking people come back year after year” says Todd. Tr employs a large group of construction professionals from ownership, office staff, project management, field supervision and crews. “ i ’m thankful for T r c onstruction for allowing me to continue to do the job that i do. i ’m happy to come to work every day and be involved with this team of great people.” – Nick b lanchard, Project Manager, T r c onstruction.

“Leaders aren’t born they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.”

~ Vince Lombardi