Strictly Business Omaha August 2016

STRICTLYBUSINESSOMAHA.COM

OMAHA • AUGUST 2016

TM

Dean Donde Plowman University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business Administration

In This Issue • Auto Care • Buying a Home • Wedding Planning • Buying/Selling a Business Client Spotlight • Cox Business

RIVER CITY SIX

START something

AL RIEF Engineered Controls

KARLA WILSON UNICO Group

ERIC SCHNAKENBERG Aqua Systems

CHAD HARMENING KRISTIE SILVA MIKE PRENDERGAST Now You Know Modern Concepts Tile AUGUST Manpower 2016 Strictly Business 1 Fleet Management

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See www.cox.com/internetdisclosures for complete Internet Service Disclosures. Unlimited plan is limited to direct-dialed domestic calling and is not available for use with non-switched-circuit calling, auto-dialers, call center applications and certain switching applications. Phone modem provided by Cox, requires electricity, and has battery backup. Access to E911 may not be available during extended power outage or if modem is moved or inoperable. Offer is nontransferable to a new service address. Other restrictions apply. † Cox Business Visa® Prepaid Card available with qualifying new services ordered and activated between 5/2/16 and 9/4/16 with minimum 3-year contract. Customer must mention promotion code “reward promo” when placing their order to receive card. Account must remain active, be in good standing, and retain all services for a minimum of 30 days after install. Online redemption required following instructions to be mailed to customer after service activation. Online information to be submitted no later than 9/30/16. Void where prohibited. Limit one Prepaid Card per customer, total not to exceed $200. Allow 6–8 weeks after redemption for delivery. Cards issued by MetaBank,® member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Cardholders are subject to terms and conditions of the card as set forth by the issuing bank. Card does not have cash access and can be used anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted within the U.S. only. Cards valid through expiration date shown on front of card. Valid in U.S., U.S. territories and Puerto Rico. Offer subject to modification or withdrawal at any time without notice. Other restrictions may apply. © 2016 Cox Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

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PAIGE ZUTAVERN Omaha/Lincoln - President 402-730-0096 | Paige@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com For example, those in the awareness stage would be grazing, skimming the surface of many different sources (and likely paying attention to different types of media) and filing away everything they’ve come across for future reference.

Understanding The Buyer’s Journey

As I’ve touched upon in past months, there are certain ways to capture the attention of your target audience that are more successful than others depending on what your goals are for promotion.

We live in the time of the informed consumer, which means that how we promote our businesses has become increasingly complex as there is much more of a focus on providing value through education. When deciding how to approach this task, gaining a better understanding of how best to meet the needs of your specific target audience is paramount.

Thus, for any business owner who wants to market his or her business effectively, a basic understanding of the Buyer’s Journey is critical.

Even if you have someone else who handles your marketing, your contribution of ideas will be the driving force of your campaign and should be formed based upon the best ways to reach your ideal customer along with the corresponding messaging, content and platform as a means of delivery.

The “Buyer’s Journey” is a term marketers use when referring to the active research process a buyer goes through leading up to a purchase. There are three stages of the Buyer’s Journey: 1. Awareness: Learning about a topic or solution.

2. Consideration: Evaluating a select few businesses to fulfill a specific need.

3. Decision: Seeking validation that the choice is and continues to be the right one.

(Note: Some opt towards modern versions that posit a four-step or six-step approach in a cyclical flow chart, and I’ll introduce those after we’ve covered the well-established three-step model.)

These will dictate a potential customer’s frame of mind; people in each stage have their own distinct behaviors, information needs, and knowledge consumption preferences. So, when it comes to making the critical decisions as to how you’ll shape and situate your unique promotional content, where your prospects are likely at in the Buyer’s Journey is an important part of the equation to consider.

NEWS 4 Business 24 Personnel

28 Non-Profit 33 Health

SPOTLIGHTS 16 River City Six 35 Cox Business

FEATURE STORIES 34 37 40 45

Auto Care Buying a Home Wedding Planning Buying/Selling a Business

ASK THE EXPERT

23 Sandler Sales Training 4

Strictly Business AUGUST 2016

As a part of the natural progression through the stages, those at the consideration stage will have begun narrowing down the field to just a few targeted businesses and has adjusted their approach more towards in-depth comparisons. They are also identifying themselves by making direct contact to ask questions, request an estimate or demonstration, etc. As such, they’ll likely be looking for a specific representative of your company that gives them the impression of being a trusted expert in their field along with more specific details that they’ve determined to be relevant.

Finally, for those in the decision stage, it’s not just about compelling characteristics of your company and brand that ultimately seals the deal. While that’s one side of the coin, the other is consistently providing value so that your existing clients continue to choose you over all other options that can and will present themselves over time.

As your knowledge has great value to others, continuing to share it in a way that’s beneficial to your current clients as well as potential ones is the key here. In fact, according to a recent report from the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, it’s 6-7 times more costly to attract a new customer than it is to retain an existing customer (there are plenty of other documented statistics where the ratio varies from 3-30 times more costly; at any rate, there’s a significant difference).

So while it seems like there isn’t much to this stage, I can assure you it’s just as important as the other two—if not more so depending on your growth strategy and retention rates.

Over the next few months I’ll be examining each of the three stages in depth and providing corresponding examples of how to deliver impactful content depending on where your target audience is likely at in the Buyer’s Journey, so make sure to stay tuned and enjoy our August issue!

To learn more about how Strictly Business can help you, contact me directly at (402) 466-3330 or visit StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com/connect. (You can also click on our Staff Letter tab online to view past articles.)

Amanda

Tingleska

Holly

Jenna

PRODUCTION TEAM: Editor Amanda Wilson - Amanda@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com Art Director Tingleska Hallum - Design@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com Graphic Designer Holly Ryan - Creative@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com SALES TEAM: President/ Sales Paige Zutavern - Paige@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com Executive Assistant Jenna Hubl - Office@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com Accounting Shayne Zutavern - Shayne@Strictly-Business.com PHOTOGRAPHY: Cover Corey Rourke, Corey Rourke Photography - (402) 466-4644; www.CoreyRourkePhotography.com.

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It All Starts Here Dean Plowman Leads Transformational Building Project at UNL College of Business Administration Dr. Donde Plowman, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Dean of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration, arrived at Nebraska in 2010 to the news that UNL would be joining the Big Ten Conference, home to some of the most prestigious business schools in the country. She knew the move was an academic game changer for CBA, and there was a lot of work ahead.

“I saw a huge opportunity, and I also knew to be competitive in the Big Ten our facilities would need a major upgrade,” said Plowman. “We began planning to transform the outside of our college to match the awesome work being done inside.”

Plowman’s vision and leadership resulted in the approval of a new $84 million, 240,000-square-foot building that is the largest academic project in recent history at UNL. Set for completion in 2017 at the corner of 14th and Vine streets, the building will become the east bookend for Memorial Mall looking west toward Memorial Stadium. In May, the construction project reached its halfway point.

“This building is being funded entirely by private donations from our alumni for future alumni. It really means the building belongs to all of us. We all have a stake now in the success of this college. What I hope it symbolizes to everyone is we are serious about becoming a world-class college of business,” she said.

Along with faculty and staff, Plowman worked with Robert A.M. Stern Architects of New York and Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture of Omaha to design the facility being built by Hausmann Construction of Lincoln. She recently toured the construction site and was awestruck at what she saw.

“My heart was racing like never before when I saw the new developments happening inside the building site,” said Plowman. “Just taking the tour you begin to feel differently about yourself, and I believe everyone at the college is going to feel that when they experience the new environment.

This is a transformational project, and is an extension of every one who contributes to our college.”

In total, the building will be composed of more than 60,000 square feet of glass and nearly 70,000 square feet of limestone pre-cast,

which makes up the primary exterior appearance of the building. The lower level of the building is the first level set for completion in March of 2017, and the first floor will be the last of the five-story building finished in July 2017.

During her tenure, Plowman has led efforts to raise more than $130 million in private funds, including about $81 million so far toward the new building.

First-time freshman enrollment has increased by 66 percent, and more than 70 new faculty members have joined the college to support the increasing student population.

The main mantra around Plowman during her time at CBA has been “Start Something,” and the slogan is exemplified through many new programs including the CBA Honors Academy, Career Services at CBA, Clifton Strengths Institute, Center for Sales Excellence, Executive Education, a new masters of arts in business with a specialization in intercollegiate athletics administration (MAIAA) program and a new Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics opening in 2016.

“Our new building is the biggest manifestation of our ‘Start Something’ message, but it wouldn’t mean anything without the people who make us great. This building gives us the opportunity to compete with the best in the 21st century business world,” said Plowman.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Hampton Inn Council Bluffs Hosts Ribbon Cutting for Grand Re-Opening Hampton Inn Council Bluffs is excited to announce the completed renovation of its guest rooms, which all now have a contemporary new look. A ribbon cutting with the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce kicked off the open house event held on July 7th, which featured tours of the new rooms, hors d’oeuvres, drinks, chair massages and the opportunity for networking.

Located at 2204 River Rd., on the banks of the beautiful Missouri River and attached to the Ameristar Casino, Hampton Inn Council Bluffs is set in the perfect location for business and leisure travelers alike. Hampton Inn Council Bluffs offers all guests a great value and impeccable service from a friendly staff who are passionate about making your stay an exceptional one.

For more information about Hampton Inn Council Bluffs or to book a reservation, please visit hamptoninn3.hilton.com or call (712) 328-2500.

Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets Announces Grand Opening of Omaha Store Fresh Thyme Farmers Market (freshthyme.com), a rapidly growing Midwest specialty retailer focused on healthy and organic products and groceries, opened in Omaha (14949 Evans Plaza) on June 29.

On Wednesday morning, the first 250 shoppers in line received a free tote bag filled with unique Fresh Thyme offerings. On June 28, to officially kick off the grand opening festivities, the store held a ribbon cutting with prominent city officials from the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce during its Friends and Family evening.

To express its commitment to the Omaha community and as part of its ongoing Cultivate Community initiative, Fresh Thyme also donated 5% of store profits generated on July 5 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to Boys Town, an organization that provides life-changing youth and health care programs across the United States.

The new Omaha location is the company’s 40th store, and the second in Nebraska, with the first centrally located at 52nd & O Streets in Lincoln. Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is a full-service specialty retailer focusing on value-priced fresh, healthy, natural and organic offerings. It boasts an extensive produce department with organic and local fruits and vegetables, a natural meat department, healthy deli foods to go, bakery goods, 400 bulk food bins, dairy and frozen, and health supplement products.

Fresh Thyme has filled 100 full-time and part-time positions for the Omaha store. Local residents seeking employment opportunities are encouraged to view existing openings by visiting freshthyme.com/ careers.

Brand New Farnam Field Now Open for Play Chicago Dawg House (www.chicagodawghouse.com), one of Midtown Crossing’s local stars, is proud to announce the opening of Farnam Field, a brand new venue for two friendly-competition favorites: whiffleball and kickball.

Farnam Field is free and open to the public, available for play on a first-come, first-served basis. Whiffleball and kickball equipment can be checked out at Chicago Dawg House. There is no charge; those borrowing will simply need to leave a current form of ID. Farnam Field is located to the east of Chicago Dawg House, 3157 Farnam St., across Turner Boulevard.

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Jan-Pro Franchise in Omaha For Sale Jan-Pro (janpro. com), the commercial cleaning industry’s top global company, has announced an exciting opportunity to purchase the local franchise in Omaha, NE, which is officially now on the market.

Current owner Jo Trebold opened the franchise in February of 2003 and has since grown the business into the thriving operation that it is today, with an experienced office staff, network of reputable service providers and established clientele, including prominent national accounts that will remain with the business as it transitions into new ownership.

Jo has decided to pass on the torch and the Jan-Pro franchise will be facilitating the sale to a qualified candidate.

With the purchase of the Jan-Pro franchise, which serves clients across the Omaha Metro and surrounding areas, the buyer will take over a successful business that’s already well-established and generating revenue. Functioning as a two-tier owner-operated franchise business model, the local office’s network consists of trained professional franchise owners who independently operate their own home-based businesses and providing services to their respective clientele. Ranked as the #1 Low Cost Franchise and #1 Fastest Growing Franchise by Entrepreneur magazine in 2016, Jan-Pro presents a great investment opportunity with immediate room for future growth.

Those interested in additional details may contact Scott Thompson, VP of Franchise Development, at (678) 336-1780 or via email at Scott.

Thompson@premiumfranchisebrands.com.

Local Business Owner Awarded $50,000 S p r i n g o Wa t e r, a n affiliated company of Aqua Systems, beat out nationwide competition to win $50,000 in the “This Is My Edge” contest sponsored by U.S. Bank and MasterCard®.

From the desire to eliminate waste as a good steward o f t h e e n v i ro n m e n t , Springo Water developed Springo associates with the $50,000 the Aqua Trailer, a mobile MasterCard, Dan Spaulding, Eric hydration station for large Schnakenberg, L-R: Dan Warren, Tonya Elekes, groups, and partners with Jeff White, Brian Dirkschneider. companies and outdoor events who share the same concern.

“Not only do we want to reduce the environmental footprint, but we also want to reduce your event’s clean-up time,” said owner Jeff White. “A small event may need 640 gallons of drinking water, which means we keep 5,000 plastic bottles away from the landfill. So that’s a lot of trash you don’t have to worry about!”

Deborah Kreuer, Vice President of U.S. Bank Retail Payment Solutions, said small business should be acknowledged: “We wanted to hear from small business owners across the country about what gives their business an edge, and we’re proud to recognize Springo Water and all the small business owners who participated.”

The contest required small business owners to share their business edge story via a short video. Ten semi-finalists were selected and each received a $1,000 MasterCard Prepaid Card. An online public vote then determined which of the 10 semi-finalists would win the $50,000 grand prize.

For more information on how a business can be involved with Springo Water, visit springowater.com.

BUSINESS NEWS

Save The Date: Omaha Advertising X! Set For September 22nd The Greater Omaha Po s t a l C u s t o m e r Council is gearing up for a fourth year of collaboration with the American Advertising Federation Omaha and the Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE) for Omaha’s Premier marketing and advertising event. This year’s event will take place on September 22th at the Ralston Arena. OAX! has been designed to promote growth of businesses through advertising concepts, exposing businesses to the best of traditional and new media promotions and to provide valuable networking opportunities within the greater Omaha marketing community.

OAX! is an opportunity to learn how to grow to your business as there will be valuable educational opportunities to the advertising and marketing community with technology, innovation and cutting-edge techniques!

Some of the biggest names both in Omaha and nationally in advertising and marketing have been confirmed for this event! OAX! will offer attendees a full Exhibit Area to visit and features keynote speakers: Dave Nelson, Founder and Creative Director for Secret Penguin and Gary Reblin, Vice President for New Products and Innovation for the United States Postal Service. Also included will be two workshops, 12 educational classes, a business panel and more.

Interested in showcasing your company? Contact Roger Humphries at (402) 930-4394 or by email at roger.l.humphries@usps.gov. If you want to attend or know more about Omaha Advertising X!, visit www. omahaadvertisingx.com. You can also find OAX! on Facebook.

Achievement Unlimited, Inc. Celebrates 22 Years in Business Achievement Unlimited, Inc. will celebrate its 22nd anniversary this month.

Achievement Unlimited, Inc. works with organizations that want to develop great leadership for today and assure a continuum of leadership for tomorrow.

The purpose of the organization is to provide local leaders with the skills they need to accelerate the growth of individuals and the organization they serve, resulting in increased productivity and enhanced life satisfaction.

Full Weekend of Pirate Festivities & Live Entertainment at Bellevue Berry Farm & Pumpkin Ranch

Achievement Unlimited, Inc. has a lineup of training and educational materials designed to help business owners, sales people, and personnel long after the training process ends. Services include executive coaching, organizational development, hiring the right people, doing workshops and seminars and keynote presentations.

Bellevue Berry Farm & Pumpkin Ranc h to host 9th Annual Midwest Pirate Fest Saturday and Sunday, August 27th and 28th. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children (per festival day).

Rose Mary is a member of the National Speakers Association (NSA) and you might also recognize her as a contributing author featured in the highly successful book series, Speaking of Success. Her husband George came on board 10 years ago to serve as Vice President, bringing a strong business background that complimented the work being done for Achievement Unlimited, Inc.’s growing client base.

The 9th Annual Midwest Pirate Fest continues to grow with more to do than ever before. What is a Pirate Fest ye be askin’? Why, it be the best place to meet up with other pirates, rogues, wenches, scallywags, deck-swabs, cabin boys, first mates and maybe a few parrots and the like, whilst ye enjoy some fyne entertainment, and see the latest wares brought to port from far-flung lands! There be foods to sample after yer long days aboard ship, and much tastier than what cooky was sloppin’ from the galley on yer last voyage.

There will be multiple live stage performances, hands-on games, free make & take activities and learning demonstrations for the whole family. Kids will enjoy a daily treasure hunt and a stroll through artisan exhibits and the sea-side marketplace. For all adventurous souls, spend time in the Enchanted Forest, bounce about in the inflated pirate boat, or feel the wind in yer face on the Heave-Ho pirate ship swing! With all there is to see and do, come hungry and enjoy tasty festival foods served throughout the weekend.

Tickets are available at www.bellevueberryfarm.com. Come rain or shine, located at 11001 S. 48th St. Papillion NE, 68133 (S. 48th & Cornhusker). For more information please call: (402) 331-5500.

Achievement Unlimited, Inc. is a catalyst for inspiring leaders to unlock their potential to get results in revenue, productivity, and profits. Achievement Unlimited, Inc. tailors its offerings to each specific client, working together to find real-world solutions in order to meet key goals.

For more information about Achievement Unlimited, Inc., please call (402) 630-5965 or visit www.successisahabit.com.

iFixOmaha Opens New Location in UNO Bookstore iFixOmaha, the City’s premier mobile device hardware repair store, is opening a third location inside the UNO Bookstore in the Milo Bail Student Center on August 1, 2016. iFixOmaha repairs the latest smartphones, tablets, and laptops by top manufacturers including Apple, Samsung, and LG. In most cases repairs take 30 minutes or less, and repairs come with a no-questions-asked, lifetime warranty on all parts and labor. Donate a non-perishable food item and receive 5% off any repair - a package of diapers receives 10% off. Proceeds go to the Maverick Food Pantry. iFixOmaha’s UNO location joins two other locations at 76th & Cass and 72nd & 370 in Papillion. For more information, visit www.iFixOmaha.com.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Eat Well Nutrition & Wellness, Inc. Moving to New Location

Sandler Sales Training to Host Effective Communication That Wins Sales Seminar Registration is open for Sandler Sales Training’s upcoming seminar on September 21st, which will focus Effective Communication that Wins Sales.

How you communicate a message rather than the message itself can make or break a sales call. One advantage you have is that people are predictable and much has been learned about how communication can be used to establish rapport and trust with your prospects. In this seminar you will learn how to leverage the power of communication, both conscious and subconscious, to give you the advantage to win over your competitors.

The seminar will be held at the Sandler Training Center, located at 3828 Dodge Street in Omaha, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost to attend is $500 or $250 for President’s Club members, which includes lunch and all materials. Those interested in signing up for this seminar may do so via www.eventbrite.com/e/effective-communication-seminartickets-26590234106.

Sandler Sales Training is a global training organization with over three decades of experience and proven results. Sandler provides sales and management training and consulting services for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) as well as corporate training. For more information, contact Michelle Halpenny at michelle.halpenny@ sandler.com.

Salt 88 Earns Wine Spectator Restaurant Award in 2016 Salt 88 (Salt88.com) has been honored for its outstanding wine program in Wine Spectator’s 2016 Restaurant Wine List Awards. The restaurant is recognized among other winners from all over the globe as a top destination for wine lovers.

“We are incredibly grateful that the Wine Spectator has taken the time and energy to recognize restaurants from our market. This year in particular, as Salt 88 is one of only three locally-owned restaurants to earn an award in the Omaha area. The staff is very excited, because in just a few short months, we will begin to taste and select new offerings for next year’s list,” said John Horvatinovich, Wine Director and Owner, Salt 88.

Wine Spectator began its program to recognize the world’s best wine lists in 1981. There are three levels: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence and the Grand Award. Salt 88 has won the Award of Excellence, which recognizes restaurants whose wine lists feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style.

The complete list of award winners is available in print in Wine Spectator’s August issue, which hit newsstands July 19, and online at the newly minted Restaurants.WineSpectator.com, where visitors can search and access exclusive content on the more than 3,500 restaurants.

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Eat Well Nutrition & Wellness, Inc. is excited to announce they have moved into Tomato Tomato, Nebraska’s Indoor Farmers Market. Effective August 1st, they will be conveniently located at 2634 S. 156th Circle on the corner of 156th and W Center Rd. The transition into the multifarm Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program is a natural fit for Eat Well Nutrition & Wellness, Inc. CSA has become a very popular way to get healthy local foods and support your local farm economy at the same time.

Kathi Bratberg, RN, M.S. Eat Well Nutrition & Wellness, Inc. was founded to provide education, guidance and support to help clients maintain health through nutrition and life style management, with a holistic focus. Eat Well Nutrition & Wellness, Inc. opened its doors for business in October 2014, offering services in Omaha and surrounding areas. The new local business is owned and operated by Kathi Bratberg, RN, M.S., who is a Certified Nutrition Professional (CNP) and Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition®. The mission of Eat Well Nutrition & Wellness is to guide, support and respect each client as he or she reaches towards better health through nutrition, education and lifestyle management with self-empowerment being the final outcome of the holistic paradigm.

For more information about Eat Well Nutrition & Wellness, Inc., please contact Kathi Bratberg at (402) 740-6655, via email at eatwellnutritionandwellness@gmail.com, or visit the website at eatwellnutritionandwellness.com.

Larsen & Larsen Auction Co. to Host Free Sessions for Local Non-Profit Event Planners Attention non-profit organizations! Due to the overwhelming success of its interactive workshops last month, Larsen & Larsen Auction Co. will now be offering personalized one-on-one table discussions. This complimentary opportunity will be available to those in the Lincoln area on August 18th and to those in the Omaha area on August 19th as well as on August 23rd, with the final event held at the Holiday Inn at Ameristar in Council Bluffs.

For those planning upcoming events, this is your chance to talk with an industry leader about your ideas and implement new concepts that will help create an engaging experience and profitable outcome. As auction season is quickly approaching, this will be one of the last opportunities for a free coaching session. Call to reserve your spot today or visit the website for more details to come!

Larsen & Larsen Auction Co. specializes in fundraising auctions and offers premier consulting for non-profit organizations. The firm works with groups to take their fundraisers to the next level by increasing their revenue so they can maximize their mission of saving and impacting lives. Based in Sioux Falls, SD, Jonathan Larsen has traveled throughout the country to help organizations achieve and exceed their fundraising goals. He is a certified Benefit Auctioneer Specialist, which is a designation that only 1% of all auctioneers have earned, along with having extensive experience in event planning and management.

Those interested in learning more about Larsen & Larsen Auction Co. can visit larsenauctioneering.com or are welcome to contact Jonathan Larsen at (605) 376-7102 or Jonathan@larsenauctioneering.com.

BUSINESS NEWS

Manpower Introduces MyPath Resources Manpower is on a mission to keep its associates and candidates employable. In order to do this, Manpower is introducing MyPath – a collection of resource tools built to give associates a chance to obtain better and new opportunities in the future as the work environment changes and new skills are needed. Effective in May of 2016, My Path is completely FREE! All of the MyPath resources are available at NO COST and accessible on the website: www.manpowergroup.us/mypath.

This includes: • Full College Tuition Coverage Program – Manpower is partnering with Western International University to offer its eligible, activelyassigned associates who apply for a Pell grant the opportunity to pursue a first-time associate’s or bachelor’s degree with no out-ofpocket costs.

• PowerYou – Providing associates with the courses to fill any knowledge or skill gaps is easy through this online classroom.

• Assessment Tool – Beyond Manpower’s strength and skills assessments, a preference evaluation is now being offered that allows candidates and associates to align their likes and natural drives to jobs that match those preferences. This gives them the guidance they need to accelerate their career.

• As noted above, eligibility to take online skill courses or pursue a degree through Manpower does require being registered as an active Manpower associate.

For more information, contact the MyPath support team by emailing mypath@manpower.com or calling (844) 301-­6158 between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday.

John Edward’s Salon & Day Spa Celebrates 20th Anniversary

John Edward’s S a l o n & D ay Spa recently celebrated 20 years in business! In honor of this milestone, an official ribbon cutting was held with the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce on May 19th. John Edward’s Salon & Day Spa is proud to be providing clients in the Omaha Metro community with exceptional customer service, through talent and education, in a warm and caring environment. Coming soon, the salon will be offering a new Referral Promotion. If you refer a brand new client for a color, massage, facial or pedicure, you will receive a $100 gift card to the salon! This promotion is available for the first 25 new people to come in from September 1 – November 30 2016.

John Edwards’ Salon specializes in haircut design, color, perms, styling and up-do’s as well as makeup applications, manicures and pedicures. In addition to their salon services, John Edwards’ Day Spa offers a variety of body treatments, massages, facials and skin therapy. Spa packages, combinations of multiple services, and spa parties are also available.

For more information, please call (402) 291-7022, email jesalon@ jes-ne.com, or visit them online at jes-ne.com.

HIP OffiCenters Virtual Office Space For Lease HIP OffiCenters is now offering virtual offices for companies looking to establish a presence in Lincoln, NE. There are multiple packages to choose from as well as the option of physical office space for companies looking to expand. HIP OffiCenters is a locally owned and operated company focused on meeting the needs of your business and would like the chance to help your company grow. Call today for more information or to set up an office tour!

Holroyd Investment Properties (HIP Realty) is a full-service company offering management, leasing and sales of apartment and commercial properties. HIP OffiCenters is a division of HIP Realty that offers the tools needed to help a business grow and be successful, beginning with an ideal office environment. At HIP OffiCenters, excellent customer service for both the tenants and their clients is paramount. There are many amenities included with HIP OffiCenters space, from receptionist/phone answering to administrative staff, conference and break room facilities, complimentary coffee, free parking, all utilities paid, janitorial services and more. Renting an office from HIP OffiCenters will ensure you have a productive, inviting and professional space to conduct business.

For more information, please visit www.hiprealty.com or contact Lacey Torske at (402) 466-3932 or office@hiprealty.com.

Virtual Tour of MCC at Do Space Now Up on Google Metropolitan Community College at the Do Space can now be experienced virtually.

MIT Images 360 recently completed a 360-degree virtual tour of the space, located on the second floor of the Do Space at 7205 Dodge St. The tour takes viewers through MCC’s space, letting them experience a 360-degree walking tour.

MIT Images 360 provides 360-degree virtual tours of business interiors that are placed on Google business pages, allowing Google visitors to more fully engage with that business.

For information on the tours, call Lori at (402) 807-3236.

AUGUST 2016 Strictly Business

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BUSINESS NEWS

Lineup of Inspiring Speakers Announced for Make / Happen The Greater O m a h a Chamber is preparing to make/ inspiration/ happen, announcing a dynamic slate of speakers for its 2016 Make / Happen event.

More than a conference for learning and meeting, Make / Happen is a day-long opportunity for “doers” to engage, launch into deeper fulfillment of their purpose and create real plans of action. What participants chose to ‘make happen’ is entirely up to them.

2016 Speakers (i.e. culture changers, diversity practitioners, catalysts of big ideas) include: Tiffany Shlain, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, speaker and Webby Awards founder (opening speaker); Erik Wahl, internationally-renowned artist, business strategist, entrepreneur and philanthropist (mid-day speaker); and Nick Tasler, internationally-acclaimed author of three books, including Domino: The Simplest Way to Inspire Change (closing speaker).

Make / Happen takes over the Holland Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, October 11, from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Those interested in attending can find out more and register at Make-Happen.com. The first 100 to register will receive early bird pricing of $299. Regular pricing thereafter is $325.

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Just Good Meat Celebrates 57th Anniversary Just Good Meat is celebrating yet another successful year in business—its 57th to be exact!

All are welcome to join the team at Just Good Meat for its annual in-store event, which will be held on August 27th. Guests will enjoy free samples and giveaways as well as plenty of great deals—it’s going to be a fun time, guaranteed!

A master of the butcher block in Omaha since 1959, today the business has grown from a small local shop to a much larger store location in addition to expanding its offerings significantly over the years. This includes a much larger selection, including specialty meats and homemade items, in addition to launching its user-friendly website and online storefront, delivery service, and catering offerings. More recently, those key areas of the business have been further developed based on customer requests and feedback.

Just Good Meat has taken great pride in offering excellent prices on the highest quality products with unmatched service over the years, which will continue under the leadership of owner Sean Fuller well into the future!

Just Good Meat is located on 84th Street between L and F Streets in Omaha. For more information, please call the store at (402) 3397474 or visit the company’s website at www.justgoodmeatomaha.com.

BUSINESS NEWS

Omaha Fashion Week Set For August 22-27 Omaha Fashion Week is celebrating nine years in 2016! During that time, Omaha Fashion Week has grown into the nation’s fifth largest fashion event, supporting more independent fashion designers than any other organization in the region.

Omaha Fashion Week presented by the SAC Federal Credit Union is being held August 22-27 at the Omaha Design Center located at 1502 Cuming Street.

Tickets can be purchased online at omahafashionweek.com/tickets. Omaha Fashion Week is a glamorous red carpet event for a good cause, showcasing the work of 55 designers each year on the OFW Runway. Each designer is selected into the shows on a merit basis and pays no fees to participate. OFW nurtures the youngest of fashion designers by providing mentoring, education opportunities, and a professional platform to showcase their work.

On the inside, Omaha Fashion Week is a talent incubator that seamlessly connects designers, stylists, photographers, artists and models through nurturing platforms and engaging opportunities. On the outside, Omaha Fashion Week is Midwest’s premier fashion event, spotlighting fashion innovations and celebrating creative excellence.

Don’t miss your chance to attend this August! Learn more at www. omahafashionweek.com.

DE Guns Announces August Promo Event, New Top-of-the-Line Subcompact Handgun Model DON’T MISS THIS EVENT! DE Guns will be hosting an FN America, Inc. representative for an in-store sale/promotional event August 11-13 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at its current location, 3101 O Street. FN (www.fnamerica.com) is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of high quality, reliable firearms that’s committed to providing a portfolio of products, training and support services to enhance the performance and safeguard the lives of clients worldwide.

DE Guns has also added onto its offerings in the area of subcompact handguns that are ideal for concealed carry with its newest model, the Taurus PT111 Millennium G2. This is not only the brand’s top-selling firearm, but based on its impressive overall value, is also currently one of the best-selling subcompact 9mm handguns in the U.S. It features an innovative new design with a lightweight polymer frame and thin profile while also including an accessory rail, high-profile sights, textured grip, and melted edges for added comfort and easy concealment.

Furthermore, the entire Taurus family of semi-automatic pistols now features the Taurus Security System, which provides instant-ready defense with built-in ability to secure your pistol and make it inoperable at the turn of a key. When the Security System is engaged, the pistol cannot be fired or cocked and the gun’s manual safety cannot be disengaged.

Taurus also provides a loaded chamber indicator. As with all Taurus safety and security innovations, the indicator in no way interferes with the operation of your pistol and is provided at no extra cost.

To find out if additional rebates, promotions or coupon codes are available for this item or any others offered, contact the DE Guns Sales Team at (402) 875-6500 or visit the mobile-friendly website at DEGuns. net. Also, make sure to watch for this item discounted as the Deal of the Day online!

Chamber, Participants Celebrate Leadership Omaha Class 38 Graduation Leadership Omaha, one of the longest-running community leadership programs in the nation, graduated its latest class of standouts during a June 9 ceremony at the Hotel Deco. For the 47 members of Class 38, the achievement capped an educational journey that began with orientation in August 2015.

Leadership Omaha, a program of the Greater Omaha Chamber, develops community leaders through a series of educational seminars and interactions with business and civic leaders. Class members are chosen based on their demonstrated community involvement and career advancement.

Leadership Omaha Class 38 graduates are: Randall E. Adkins, University of Nebraska at Omaha; Erin R. Albers, Home Instead Senior Care; Denise Allacher, LEO A DALY; Becky R. App, eCreamery Ice Cream & Gelato; Allison D. Balus, Baird Holm, LLP; Jennie Bartholomew, Nebraska Medicine/UNMC; Jason A. Behrens, Tenaska Capital Management; Matthew R. Breunsbach, McCarthy Capital; Chaley Chandler, Junior League of Omaha; Craig P. Christenson, H4 Technology; Jordan Delmundo, Nebraska AIDS Project; Oscar Duran, Habitat for Humanity of Omaha; Jessica Anna Feinstein, Jackson Lewis PC; Lowell Ferguson, Pinnacle Bank; César A. Garcia, DLR Group; Leah C. Georges, Creighton University; Andie Gordman, SilverStone Group; Andrew H. Gorman, CHI Health Clinic; Scott J. Gray, Omaha Police Department; Jason R. Gustafson, Wells Fargo Bank; Wendy K. Hamilton, Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska; Paula D. Hazlewood, Greater Omaha Chamber; Chris Hernandez, Eakes Office Solutions; Karen C. Hicks, Hicks Law, PC, LLO; Channing Johnson, KB Building Services; Nick Juliano, Boys Town; Philip B. Katz, Koenig Dunne Divorce Law, PC, LLO; Brigette Law Franklin, Bellevue University; Leia Mendoza, Omaha World-Herald; Cliff McEvoy, Buford Foundation; Mary K. McMartin, Lockton Companies; Carla O’Donnell-Rizzo, Completely KIDS; Alexis Pappas, Kutak Rock LLP; Jamalia L. Parker, Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties; Michael S. Potthoff, Colliers International; David Proksel, First American Title Insurance Company; Mike Sands, Mutual of Omaha Bank; Travis Schwartz, Grant Thornton; Matthew J. Selinger, HDR; Tanya Shapiro, Cushman & Wakefield | The Lund Company; Jenni Shukert, AO; Michelle L. Smithberg, First National Bank; Kenley D. Sturdivant-Wilson, The Nebraska Humane Society; Jennifer Thielen, Nebraska Children and Families Foundation; Deanna L. VansickelStaudt, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension; Rodney L. Wheeler Sr., COX Business; Janis J. Winterhof, Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company; Wesley Woodward, Kiewit.

The application window for Class 39 has closed. Applications for Class 40 will be available in early 2017. Participants must attend at least 80 percent of the seminars to graduate. For more information about Leadership Omaha, contact Lynda Shafer, director of leadership development for the Greater Omaha Chamber, at (402) 978-7928.

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BUSINESS NEWS ArborSystems Celebrates 20th Anniversary, Successful Launch of New Product

Omaha Birth Connection Launches in Rockbrook Village

ArborSystems is celebrating its 20th year in business and the addition of Emamectin Benzoate insecticide-miticide for two-year control of Emerald Ash Borer to their direct-inject chemical line.

Omaha Birth Connection, the first full-service pregnancy, birth and postpartum support agency in Omaha, is now open in Rockbrook Village.

ArborSystems began in 1996 with Wedgle Direct-Inject Tree Injection System and a limited product line. The Wedgle is a no-drill tree treatment system -- an easy, fast and tree-friendly way to treat almost any tree in five minutes or less. It is the only tree trunk injection application method that does not require a drilled hole, which has proven to be harmful to the tree.

Omaha Birth Connection offers childbirth education classes in private and group settings, birth and postpartum doulas, placenta encapsulation and support groups as their primary services.

Boxer Insecticide-Miticide was launched earlier this year and is available in 120 ml and 1000 ml Quick-Connect Chemical Packs.

It is for the control of mature and immature insect and mite pests of deciduous and coniferous trees and palm trees including those growing in residential and commercial landscapes, parks, plantations, seed orchards and forested sites in private, municipal, state, tribal and national areas. It must be placed into active sapwood and will actively control pests for up to two years.

ArborSystems provides a variety of tree injection systems and insecticides, fungicides, antibiotics, micronutrients and tree growth regulators designed to meet a broad range of tree care needs. They are known for saving thousands of Ash trees from Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) since 2002 as documented by Michigan State University. All of the Wedgle’s hardware components are made in the United States.

For more information, visit www.ArborSystems.com.

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Owners Missy and Cody Bailey have created a one-stop shop for all pregnancy, birth and postpartum support that parents need on a compassionate and professional level.

Based on high demand for these services to be unbiased, dependable and judgment free, the Bailey’s have created a space and movement in Omaha that does exactly that. In addition, they serve as a valuable resource for secondary services such as chiropractic care, maternal mental health and birth photography to name a few.

With a soft opening in April, Omaha Birth Connection is now open by appointment only and utilizes their online website for consultation bookings, as well as keeping people up to date on classes and happenings: omahabirthconnection.com/calendar. You can also reach Omaha Birth Connection at (402) 210-1868.

With professional services and upgrades that compliment expecting families’ current medical care, Omaha Birth Connection is a valuable resource that Rockbrook Village is proud to welcome!

BUSINESS NEWS Nesco Resource Celebrates 60 Years Nesco Resource, a leading human resources firm, is proudly celebrating its 60th year of business in 2016.

In 1956 Robert Tomsich, founder of Nesco Inc., started the company.

Nesco Resource, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nesco Inc., has since grown its’ national presence with over 100 branch offices in 22 states. In Nebraska, Nesco Resource has an established branch in Omaha located at 2819 S. 125th Avenue #351 and recently opened up a branch in Lincoln, located at 620 N. 40th Street, Suite 104, in June.

Nesco Resource currently ranks in the top 25 USA Staffing Agencies according to Staffing Industry Analysts, and is also recognized by SIA as one of America’s fastest growing firms. Nesco has earned the coveted Best of Staffing Award for 5 years running by Inavero, an award earned by fewer than 2% of Staffing Firms throughout the U.S. and Canada. Through its branch office network, Nesco Resource and its affiliated companies offer clients and employees human resource services ranging from Temporary Staffing, Permanent Placement, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Onsite Management Services and more.

For more information, please contact Paul Herman, Business Development Manager, at (531) 289-1116, email pherman@ nescoresource.com, or visit www.nescoresource.com.

New State Branding Announced Governor Pete Ric ketts and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) unveiled the new State of Nebraska brand: “Good Life. Great Opportunity.” at the Governor’s Summit on Economic Development held on July 12. “‘Good Life. Great Opportunity.’ is a phrase Nebraskans can embrace. From Sandhills ranches to Omaha high-rises, this brand is inspired by the men and women who grew Nebraska for our first 150 years,” Governor Ricketts said.

Nebraska-based marketing and communications agency Firespring developed the brand during a process that included gathering input from diverse groups of Nebraskans across the state through meetings and online surveys.

The project began as a rebranding effort for DED and expanded to encompass all state agencies. “It builds an image for the state that encourages growth,” DED Director Courtney Dentlinger said of the new brand.

Governor Ricketts encourages Nebraska businesses to claim the Nebraska brand and establish their “Great.”

Following are the taglines for state agencies who have adopted the new branding, with more agencies to follow: Economic Development: Good Life. Great Opportunity.

Labor: Good Life. Great Connections.

Roads: Good Life. Great Journey.

State Patrol: Good Life. Great Tradition.

Motor Vehicles: Good Life. Great Future.

Banking and Finance: Good Life: Great Opportunity Background on the branding process, including a video telling the brand story, is available at GoodLifeGreatOpportunity.com.

TRUSTED Makes Its Debut In July, the Council of Better Business Bureau (CBBB), the umbrella organization of Better Business Bureaus (BBBs) in the U.S., Canada and Mexico launched a new publication, TRUSTED. It is the first in a series of issues created to support and inspire our marketplace to reach for new heights and continue to redefine what it means to be a better business.

“TRUSTED is an invitation for companies to join us in thinking beyond typical boundaries, to discover what makes a better business,” said CBBB President and CEO Mary Power. In its inaugural issue, what makes a better business is explored in two feature stories, “Good, Better, Best” and “Do Your Customers Trust Your Business?” Both of these research-based articles examine from different angles the relationship consumers have with businesses, their expectations and what businesses can do to maintain consumer loyalty and trust.

“We also talk to small businesses about best practices. We look at significant trends and what is driving innovative changes in the marketplace, as well as how we can humanize the business to consumer experience. Truly, our goal with TRUSTED is to help lead this dialogue as the marketplace continues to innovate and evolve,” explained Powers.

The companies whose services rely on peer-to-peer sharing of goods such as Turo and DogVacy to subscription box businesses that are changing the way the marketplace does business on a daily basis and doing so with great success are those highlighted in TRUSTED. You can find TRUSTED at bbbtrusted.org/.

AUGUST 2016 Strictly Business

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BUSINESS NEWS

SCORE Awarded Grant to Host Bridging Borders for Business Success Event

Elite Glass Services Celebrates 15 Years With New Glazing Company Expansion

The Greater O m a h a SCORE has received a $5,000 grant from SCORE National to hold a multi-cultural event, “Bridging Borders for Business Success.” This event will bring minority businesses, small business owners and those thinking about starting a business together with organizations that can help them start-up, develop and grow their businesses and to build relationships within the business community. The Bridging Borders for Business Success event is free and is scheduled for August 24th, from noon to 5:00 p.m. at the UNO Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center.

Elite Glass Services, a La Vista based company specializing in interior glass applications is celebrating their 15 year anniversary with the launch of a new company, Elite Glazing Services.

The event includes a free lunch, speakers, educational sessions, an opportunity to talk with the supporting organizations, and a Spanish interpreter will be provided.

SCORE has been helping start-ups and small businesses be successful for 50 years through free counseling, mentoring and education. Counseling includes everything from “Should I start my own business or purchase a franchise?” to “Do I need a business plan?”, “What do I do about taxes?” and more. SCORE connects entrepreneurs with mentors to help them with business advice from proven professionals. SCORE provides no- or low-cost business training and education online and in our community.

Gallup shows that 71% of SCORE’s clients go into business after mentoring and 91% of SCORE clients are still in business.

For reservations or additional information, please call (402) 2213606 or omaha.score.org.

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The new company offers commercial glazing services including aluminum store fronts and curtain walls, aluminum and automatic doors, windows, skylights, metal panels and more.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to expand into the area of commercial and exterior glass. We have an incredibly experienced team of owners who are all passionate and dedicated to the industry,” said Ben Alba, co-owner of Elite Glazing Services. “Being able to offer these services is something we’ve been interested in for years and with the combination of our 15 year anniversary of Elite Glass Services, we knew this was the perfect time to create our newest company, Elite Glazing Services.”

Alba began his career in the glass industry in 1993 and opened Elite Glass Services in 2001. In 2006, Darrel Piatt became a business partner and together they have grown the company into one of the area’s leading glass providers by partnering with designers, builders, architects and home owners for shower doors, custom mirrors, shelving, cabinet glass and more interior glass needs.

Jeff Creason and Scott Wiebelhaus join Alba and Piatt all as coowners of Elite Glazing Services. Creason has been in the glass industry for 31 years and Wiebelhaus for 23 years.

Elite Glass Services and Elite Glazing Services is located in La Vista, NE. For more information and a complete list of services, please visit www.eliteglassservices.com and www.eliteglazingservices.com.

BUSINESS NEWS

K & M Services Recognized as Newly Qualified Conklin Roofing Systems Contractor

Fun for All at Senior Health Foundation’s 1st Annual Taste of Florence Food Festival

Heartland International, Inc., a nationwide distributor of Conklin Roofing Systems since 1978, has added Ken & Mary Miller and their company K & M Services to its list of Nebraskabased factory-trained and qualified commercial roofing contractors for installing the MR Roofing System™ to metal buildings.

Senior Health Foundation has announced that the 1st Annual Taste of Florence food festival will take place on September 11, 2016 from 1-5 p.m. at Florence Home Healthcare, located at 7915 North 30th St. Taste of Florence will feature nearly 20 local restaurants from the Florence neighborhood and surrounding areas. Visitors will be treated to a wide variety of food served by some of the best restaurants in the metro area. Enjoy tastings from Enzo’s, Mouth of the South, Fat Shack BBQ, Sgt. Peffer’s, The Cabin, Tussey’s, OJ’s, Harold’s, Zesto, and more. Have a cold beer in the beer garden while enjoying entertainment throughout the afternoon.

K & M Services provide commercial roofing, general construction and remodeling to clients in southeast Nebraska. Jordan Nun of Lincoln, NE who serves as the V.P. of Sales and Marketing for Heartland International, Inc. recognized that the extensive experience that Ken and Mary have in construction and remodeling make them the perfect fit as Conklin Roofing System Applicators. They have officially added these systems, which have been successfully protecting buildings for over 35 years, to their tool chest of building construction and maintenance solutions. For specific advice on construction or roofing projects, contact K & M Services at (402) 540-0452 or via email at kmiller.eagle1@gmail.com.

Heartland International, Inc. is based in Lincoln, Nebraska and is responsible for screening and training contractors to install the Conklin Roofing Systems. For more information or to apply for one of the current openings, e-mail JordanDNun@gmail.com or call (402) 540-1545.

Midwest Woodworkers to Host 7th Annual Art Show To celebrate local artists, Midwest Woodworkers will again be hosting a one-day art show and sale. Free and open to the public, the show will be held on Saturday, August 27th, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Local woodwor kers will be exhibiting and selling a diverse mix of hand crafted art objects made of wood. “We have some incredibly talented woodworkers in this area” says Gerry Phelan, the owner of Midwest Woodworkers, “and this is a way to showcase their work.”

The show will feature an array of woodworking specialties including turned vases and bowls, segmented turning and exotic wood boxes, furniture, wooden toys, violins and pool cues. You will be amazed at the artistry and craftsmanship that will be on display.

There will be live chainsaw carving and woodturning demonstrations along with a unique demonstration of fractal wood burning – applying high voltage electricity to burn designs into wood.

The public is welcome to enjoy the show, view the exhibits and meet and talk with the artists. Refreshments will be available from a local Boy Scout troop.

Midwest Woodworkers has been supplying woodworking equipment, supplies and hardwoods in Omaha since 1979. The store is located one block south of 146th and Center at 14605 Wright Street. For more information, please contact Gerry Phelan at (402) 330-5444 or gerry@ midwestwoodworkers.com.

Join Emcee Scott Voorhees from KFAB for a day of fun, food, and community. There will be fun for all ages including a special Kid’s Zone with face painting, games, and prizes. The Nebraska Humane Society’s PAW Mobile will make an appearance and have animals to show and adopt. The Omaha Fire Department will be present with a fire truck for the kids to tour. Other activities include a jazz quartet, special appearance by Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rogers for autographs and pictures, a live mural painting by two of Omaha’s best graffiti artists, and a special 9-11 first-responders tribute. The afternoon will culminate with an exciting pumpkin-carving competition, pitting some of Omaha’s finest chefs against Omaha’s finest surgeons in what promises to be a fun time for all. Visit www.tasteofflorence.net for details.

NDOL Urges Nebraskans to be Cautious When Hiring Contractors As the agency enforcing Nebraska’s Contractor Registration Act, the Nebraska Department of Labor reminds Nebraskans to use caution when hiring contractors to repair or remodel their homes and businesses.

Make sure all contractors you speak with are registered with the Nebraska Department of Labor and are in compliance with local licensing and building permit requirements. A searchable listing of registered contractors is available at dol.nebraska.gov.

Consumers can minimize the chances of being scammed by an unscrupulous contractor by following these recommendations: • Beware of a contractor who makes you an unsolicited offer by showing up at your doorstep with a great deal. They’ll give you “a special deal,” but only if you decide to have the work done today. This type of “repair” contractor usually demands a big payment up front, may want to be paid in cash, and may try to talk you into unnecessary repairs.

• Check references. Get at least three to four references from previous customers. Verify the contractor’s business phone and address, and do a search on the Internet for any complaints.

• Get written estimates, a written contract, proof of insurance, and a written warranty. Never agree to an oral estimate or a verbal contract.

Consumers following the above recommendations can greatly increase their chances of having a positive experience when using the services of a construction contractor. For more information, go to the Nebraska Department of Labor website at dol.nebraska.gov or call (402) 471-2239.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Living in the Yellow Announces Next Basic Pistol Class for Women

Blood Drives Give Employees an Opportunity to Help Save Lives

Patty Nun, an NRA Trained Pistol Instructor with Living in the Yellow, has announced their next course being offered Saturday, September 24 in Lincoln, Nebraska for women who have little or no previous experience handling a pistol.

Lincoln Industries is a metal finishing company that works with national companies including Harley-Davidson and Omaha-based Nebraska Mac hine, ACASSSYSTEMS, Superior Metal Products, Midwest Screw Products, and Freightliner.

Lincoln Industries strives to connect its employees to opportunities to serve, which is why Greg Howe, Wellness Coordinator, said they host six blood drives a year with Nebraska Community Blood Bank. “I don’t have to spend a lot of time coordinating it.

Donor recruitment representative, Kari Lundeen, makes it so easy and the on-site staff are outstanding,” Howe said. “When I step on the Nebraska Community Blood Bank bloodmobile I’m greeted with a smiling, familiar face. It’s comforting.”

“More than ever, women are concerned for their safety. We all know there is no substitute for being prepared and aware of our surroundings to ensure the safety of ourselves and our family members. That is the common theme of the training we do at Living in the Yellow,” says Nun. “We take our name from the Cooper Code for Self Defense Awareness, which identifies yellow as the color representing those people who are relaxed but alert and aware of their surroundings, and aware of any possible threats. They know where the exits are.”

Patty clarifies, “This is a course for someone who has never held or fired a pistol and does not currently know the difference between a single-action or double-action revolver, or even between a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol. We provide a relaxed setting where women can learn in a safe environment with a trained, professional team that always has safety as the priority.” She adds, “This does not qualify as a conceal carry course for women, but we plan to offer that in the future.”

To find out more information or to register, go to www.LivingInTheYellow. org or call Patty Nun at (402) 432-6470.

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The Nebraska Community Blood Bank partners with companies and organizations to make it easy for people to give. In fact, many Lincoln Industries’ employees started donating blood because of the convenience of mobile drives.

Every two seconds someone needs blood. The need is constant. The supply is not. Sign up to host a blood drive with Nebraska Community Blood Bank and start saving lives! Visit NCBB.ORG or contact Kari Lundeen at (402) 486-9427 / klundeen@ncbb.org.

BUSINESS NEWS

Save The Date: Lincoln Chamber Presents 2016 Lincoln Business Expo The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce is proud to again host one of the region’s largest FREE business trade shows. This year’s Lincoln Business Expo will be held on October 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Pinnacle Bank Arena. The event is free and open to the public!

Why attend? Make new connections, exchange ideas and meet with potential business partners at this power-packed event. Mix, mingle and meet with 100+ exhibitors and 1000+ attendees in all business sectors, all in one day!

What’s new for vendors? Due to popular demand, more booths have been added to the show, which means more selection and more companies to meet. Also, direct selling is now allowed on the show floor! (Some restrictions may apply.) Additionally, enter to win many great prizes and sample craft beer from local breweries.

Vendor registration for the 2016 Lincoln Business Expo is now open. For more details, please contact Nichole Kaiser at nkaiser@lcoc.com or (402) 436-2355, or visit www.lcoc.com.

Ducati Omaha Celebrates 10th Anniversary With Demo Experience and Rally Nebraska’s only exclusive Ducati dealership celebrated its 10-year anniversary in Omaha with an exciting weekend packed full of events for motorcycle enthusiasts, local families and brand executives.

The free festival-style rally event was held at Nebraska Crossing July 22-24. Dealer Principle Jarel Jensen, the owner and general manager of the local dealership, was in attendance to honor the landmark date and welcomed many who came out to join in the celebration.

Three days of engaging activities and riding opportunities with Ducati’s newest motorcycles included Preview Day with Demo Rides, “Motorcycle Rodeo” Slow Race, a MotoGP Video Game competition and a weekendlong Social Media Scavenger Hunt. Prizes given away to attendees included various Ducati accessories, apparel, and gift certificates.

Founded in 1926, since 1946 Ducati has been producing sport-inspired motorcycles characterized by high-performance Desmodromic engines, innovative design and cutting-edge technology. Additional information about Ducati, including participating dealers and availability can be found at www.ducati.com.

Strictly Business to Focus on Entertaining Clients in September Issue Calling all industry professionals! Are you a local business/venue that has unique offerings which are ideal for those who are planning to host or entertain clients? Each year Strictly Business includes a feature story in our September issue that offers the opportunity to reach our readers who are actively looking for ideas!

It’s important to spend time with your clients outside of meetings and business interactions in order to establish a personal relationship that is of value to both parties. There are plenty of great ways to successfully entertain your clients, but if you’re bored with the same old thing, we plan to offer excellent suggestions for your next event or outing from our local resources right here in the Omaha Metro!

We’re also coming right up on Husker football season, a time when many business professionals will be entertaining their clients during tailgating parties and game day activities. We plan to highlight this in the story, so if Nebraska football-related entertaining is what you specialize in, this is the perfect opportunity for exposure too!

Are you looking to increase your business and profits this fall? Do you want to get the word out about your products, services and expertise? Contact the Strictly Business office at (402) 466-3330 or via email at Office@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com to find out more about how you can get involved!

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KARLA Karla Wilson

UNICO GROUP UNICO Group is the area’s largest independently owned, full-service insurance and financial services agency. Karla Wilson is an Individual Health/Medicare Product Producer at UNICO Group.

Tell us a little about your position. - I specialize in Individual Health Care needs for individual and family health insurance plans, and am certified to work with companies such as BlueCross BlueShield, Coventry, Medica, and United Healthcare as well as the Health Insurance Marketplace. I also assist with transition to Medicare for those turning 65 or considering Medicare to help with Medicare Supplements, Prescription Drug plans, or Advantage plans. Sometimes that’s simply just to answer questions and help decipher what applies in each particular situation.

How did you get started in the business? - After being raised on a family farm near David City and graduating from Aquinas High School, I received my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from UNL. My first job was in advertising sales with an aviation trade publication for 8 years with Sandhill’s Publishing. My introduction to the insurance industry came when I worked with a State Farm agent who operated a satellite office in Seward, NE. Then a passion for seniors led me to NYE Health Services at Gateway Vista, a full continuum care community in Lincoln, where my focus was census development & marketing. Getting back into the insurance industry in 2015, I feel rewarded to work for a great company where I can help others with insurance needs that matter most.

Tell us a little about your family. - I’m happily married to Britton Wilson, who is a professional mechanical engineer with Clark Enersen Partners in Lincoln, NE. He also serves as a captain and bioenvironmental engineer for the 185th Air National Guard refueling wing in Sioux City, IA. We have been blessed with two sons, Brody (4) and Beau (2), with another on the way in October 2016! You will find us spending time together outdoors; hunting for frogs, digging in the dirt or taking walks to the parks. And dinner time is always spent together at the table.

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

- Most definitely having children. You look at life differently and focus on the important things!

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - You can find me cooking, refinishing or painting old furniture, playing outside with my kids, dining out, watching movies, or just hanging out with family and friends.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? - We recently bred our quarter horse mare “Kits Pretty Kitty” to a champion cutting horse stallion in Stevensville, TX. Hoping to have a baby colt on the ground late spring of 2017!

What are you the most proud of? - My family, both immediate and extended. We are all very close-knit, loving, FUN, and always see the importance of coming home to spend time together and reconnect to our roots.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - Never forget the importance of happiness in work.

What is your greatest talent that you don’t utilize in your daily work life? - I’m a blogger! I enjoy writing and reflecting on life through my meal planning blog: eveningtable.blogspot.com.

What local non-profit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - The American Heart Association.

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

- Call my direct line at (402) 434-7242 or email me at kwilson@ unicogroup.com. You can also check out our website at www. unicogroup.com to find out more about our agency.

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AL Al Rief

ENGINEERED CONTROLS Engineered Controls is a leading Honeywell building automation contractor that can provide solutions for HVAC controls, gas detection, lighting controls, security and parking management for commercial, residential, and industrial properties. Al Rief is a Service Manager at Engineered Controls.

Tell us a little about your business. - We offer complete turnkey building automation solutions including new construction and owner-direct retrofit sales, installation, repair service, and preventative maintenance work.

How did you get started in the business? - I graduated from SCCMilford with an Electrical Technology degree in 2001 and shortly thereafter accepted a position at Engineered Controls. I worked as an electrician until I received my Journeyman’s license. After that, I accepted a position as a technician within Engineered Controls, a position that I held for ten years and learned the ins and outs of the construction industry. I held that position for ten years and learned the industry inside and out.

Then in 2014 I was promoted to my current position.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - Deciding whether to stay with Engineered Controls at the Kansas City office to lead our electrical install team or move back to Omaha and become a technician. I took the position in Omaha and fortunately it opened up many doors for me. I have gained many certifications and experience in many aspects of our industry, which is always changing so I learn something new every day.

What has been your most important achievement professionally?

- Organizing and developing a service team that can adapt to our customers’ needs. Anyone in the service industry knows that each customer’s needs are different and you have to work towards strengthening that relationship. When our customers succeed, we succeed.

Tell us a little about your family. - I originally grew up in West Point, NE. I’m married to my wife, Tara, who is employed at Wisconsin Physicians Service working in the Financial and Accounting field. We currently live in Omaha and have two boys, Landon (10) and Jaxon (7). Landon loves to play tackle football, while Jaxon plays basketball most days.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - Spending time outdoors!

I enjoy hunting, fishing, water sports and riding ATVs. I spend most of my weekend camping and boating with my family.

What are you the most proud of? - Our two boys. They are respectful and know they have to work towards their goals. My wife and I work hard to raise them to have a solid moral compass.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - Learn from your past experiences and then let them go. The world is constantly changing and you cannot live in the past.

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

If you had a theme song, what would it be? - Come As You Are by Nirvana.

What local non-profit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - I enjoy attending Whitetails Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever banquets that support our wildlife conservation.

What is your favorite movie? - Lone Survivor.

What is your favorite TV show? - College football!

What is your favorite local restaurant? - I am a big fan of pizza places.

One of my regulars would be Oscar’s Pizza and Sports Grille.

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

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? Visit us online at www.engineeredcontrols.com or email me directly at arief@engineeredcontrols.com. If you have any interest in what ECI can do for you, email us at service@engineeredcontrols.com or call us at (402) 991-4115.

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ERIC Eric Schnakenberg

AQUA SYSTEMS Aqua Systems has been helping people improve their water since 1959, servicing clients across Nebraska as part of a national company with over 300 dealers nationwide.

Eric Schnakenberg is the Director of Business Development for Aqua Systems in Nebraska.

Tell us a little about your business. - We are a water treatment company that specializes in water softeners, drinking water systems, water purification, problem water solutions and large-scale water solutions for both residential and commercial clients.

How did you get started in the business? - I began my career with owner Jeff White in high school hauling big water jugs around to stay in shape for football. From there, I worked my way through different positions in the company, from service tech to installer to sales. I am now overseeing the cooler and ice division.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? Overcoming my reputation as a daredevil when I was younger.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? - I created a fundraiser that I run annually called the Travis Tinney Hashtag Movement. It originated as a prank on my best friend Travis, who hates hashtags, and then turned into a powerful fundraiser the following year.

It uses hashtags to fight cancer by raising funds for breast cancer research at The Cancer Center in Omaha.

Tell us a little about your family. - I have 2 kids; my son William is 12 and my daughter Jaden is 10.

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

- I would say probably the five years I spent in New York City, which helped me see the world differently; especially how business is done there versus here in Nebraska. I appreciate the pace of life here. It also helps me stay calm in traffic here!

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - Spend time at the lake on a boat with the kids. We fish and tube.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? - I am a dancing phenom! I have competed in country dancing competitions and am currently working towards learning Latin and ballroom dancing.

What are you the most proud of? - Definitely my kids! They are both so focused on being good people and helping others.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - “Respect your fears, but never be crippled by them.”

If you had a theme song, what would it be? - Guitars and Cadillacs

by Dwight Yoakam.

If you could have a super power, what would it be? - I would love the ability to be able to fly. I really enjoy sky diving.

What local non-profit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - Aqua Systems is proud to work with a lot of non-profit organizations in the community.

To name a few: Cancer Center in Omaha, Friendship Home in Lincoln, Children’s Hospital in Omaha, and The Shriners.

What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters by Matt Ridley.

What is your favorite movie? - Tombstone.

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? - Freddy Mercury of Queen.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? Readers are welcome to reach me at (402) 580-5734 or via email at erics@ilovemywater.net. You can also visit our website at ilovemywater.net.

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Strictly Business AUGUST 2016

CHAD Chad Harmening

NOW YOU KNOW FLEET MANAGEMENT

Now You Know Fleet Management was recently established to offer clients in the Omaha area simple yet powerful tools used to monitor the activity of each vehicle in their fleet. Fleet management is highly effective in helping businesses that run fleets of any size cut costs and efficiently manage their vehicles and the employees who operate them. Chad Harmening, an experienced Private Investigator and owner of Now You Know Investigations, Omaha’s premier private investigations agency, also owns and operates Now You Know Fleet Management.

Tell us a little about your business. - I started Now You Know Investigations in 2002. We are a private investigations agency specializing in workers’ compensation and personal injury fraud. This year we launched a sister company, Now You Know Fleet Management, to help business owners manage their fleet through the use of GPS tracking systems.

How did you get started in the business? - The fleet management business was a natural extension of the investigative business. Over the years we’ve used GPS technology extensively in investigations and felt that we could apply that experience towards leveraging its use to help our clients run their businesses more efficiently.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - Learning to delegate. As I’m sure many other small business owners can relate, I often fall into the trap of wanting to do it all myself.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? Staying in business for 14 years. When I first ventured out on my own, I had no idea how difficult it is to keep a business running successfully.

Tell us a little about your family. - My wife Kristy and I have been married for 26 years and have three great kids. Our oldest, Derek, graduated from UNL and now lives and works in Chicago. Our middle child, Taylor, will be starting her junior her year at Wayne State and Bradley, the youngest, will be a freshman at Papillion La Vista High School.

What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? The day I took the plunge and started my own business. Prior to that, all I could think about was being a business owner and it was very consuming. I was very happy to finally be able to focus that idea and energy into building a business.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - If it’s a weekend and I’m local I love to drink good beer and either fire up the smoker or grill. If it’s time away on vacation, then fishing in South Dakota or Cabo, Mexico.

What are you the most proud of? - My family. I have two brothers and a sister, all married with children and one with grandchildren. We all get along great, have great kids and love getting together.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - The best single piece of advice came from my dad, “A little learning can be a dangerous thing.” Basically meaning if you are going to jump into something get thoroughly educated, otherwise you’ll know just enough to get you in trouble.

If you could have a super power, what would it be? - The ability to fly. I like getting from point A to B as quickly as I can.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? - An arborist. I love nature, especially trees.

What is your favorite movie? - Top Gun. What is your favorite local restaurant? - Nettie’s Fine Mexican Food in Bellevue. I love a great, handmade margarita with a side of enchilada.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? - At (402) 596-2880, via email at info@nykfleet.com, or visit our website at www.nykfleet.com.

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KRISTIE Kristie Silva

MANPOWER Manpower has been a leader in the search and staffing industry since 1948. Kristie Silva is the Talent Acquisition Generalist with Manpower’s Omaha office, located at 707 N. 98th Street.

Tell us a little about your business. - Manpower is more than a staffing provider; we are a full service workforce solution provider. Located in 83 countries, we have a strong footprint with over 400 offices in North America. Manpower employs over 3.5 million associates worldwide and in 2014 placed over 3,000 people into permanent positions in North America alone. We offer temporary staffing solutions, direct placement and temporaryto-hire solutions as well. Assessments are used to measure each associate’s skills; these assessments are job-related, reliable, and predictive of on-the-job performance. We believe in the philosophy of presenting the best candidates, not necessarily the first candidate and handle all front end recruiting and screening.

Manpower has been in Omaha since 1995.

How did you get started in the business? - I got started in the business in Topeka, KS at a Manpower franchise in 2006 and found that I love helping companies find employees as well as helping people find new employment opportunities and further their careers. The variety of people I get to meet, both clients and job seekers, keeps me motivated. Over the years I have been blessed to share in many success stories.

What has been your most important achievement professionally?

- I have many family members, including my husband, who have served in the military and take great pride in helping our service men and women, and their family members, find work.

Tell us a little about your family. - I have been married for 8 years to my husband, Andre. We have 2 children, Mikey and Mia, and a fish that Mikey named Bluey (yes, he really is blue).

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - I enjoy bicycling and hiking or just relaxing with family and friends.

What are you the most proud of? - I am most proud of my children of course. Seriously though, I am also thankful every day for a job I enjoy that allows me to help others, so I’m very proud of that as well.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - There is no secret recipe for success; hard work and tenacity are required.

If you could have a super power, what would it be? - It would be helpful to read minds in my profession however I’m not sure it would be so helpful outside of work.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? - I think it would be fun to be an architect and design uber-modern office buildings or high-end waterfront condominiums.

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

- Feel free to email me at kristie.silva@manpower.com or I can be reached by calling the Manpower office number (402) 397-5455, which would likely be the best method of contact. To apply for employment, our application website is www.manpowerjobs.com!

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Strictly Business AUGUST 2016

MIKE Mike Prendergast

MODERN CONCEPTS TILE Modern Concepts Tile is a locally owned and operated contractor specializing in custom design tilework for residential and commercial projects. Mike Prendergast is the co-owner of Modern Concepts Tile.

Tell us a little about your business. - Our goal is to provide the highest quality workmanship with custom tie and design to fit the needs of our customers. We try to stay on the cutting-edge of our trade and offer any services that pertain to tile.

How did you get started in the business? - My cousin and business partner Danny got me the job when I was 19 back in 1999.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – Running a business on our own; covering all aspects from bookkeeping to installation to estimating jobs and keeping the work going.

What has been your most important achievement professionally?

- Partnering up with my cousin and best friend. We work very well together and complement each other’s style to make the business work well.

Tell us a little about your family. – I’m the oldest of three with one brother and one sister. I have three boys of my own that are 12, 10, and 2.

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

- Having children changed everything in my life.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - I enjoy playing sports so golfing, baseball, and sand volleyball are at the top of the list.

What are you most proud of? - My children and my business.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - Keep the quality of your work there and it will keep the work coming.

If you could choose only one descriptive work to be remembered as, what would it be? – Respectful.

If you had a theme song, what would it be? – The Way It Is by Bruce Hornsby & the Range.

If you could have a super power, what would it be? - To fly.

What talent would you most like to have? - Being a professional caliber athlete.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? - Massage Therapist.

What local non-profit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - My mother died of brain cancer and my dad survived lymphoma so supporting cancer research is a big deal to me.

What is your favorite book or last good book you’ve read? - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton.

What is your favorite movie? - Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

What is your favorite TV show? - Game of Thrones.

What is your favorite local restaurant? - Spaghetti Works.

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? - Ryne Sandberg from the Chicago Cubs, who was my favorite player in the world growing up.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – Feel free to call me at (402) 578-3777, email me at mct.mike@cox. net, or find us on Facebook.

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SANDLER TRAINING

402-403-4334

by Karl Schaphorst, President • www.karlschaphorst.sandler.com

Professional Saleswomen: Equal Business Stature

So, if all things are equal--equal opportunity, equal time, equal obstacles to overcome and so on--who would win the sales contest? Would it be the male sales professional or the female sales professional? Certainly you can find success in both ranks, but the market does not treat the man/ woman professional the same, which I suppose can be considered unfair. Nevertheless, understanding the challenges and how to overcome them make this a non-issue. In this article, we will focus on the professional saleswoman.

Almost all sales engagements have the prospect taking the position of authority and the salesperson taking the position of submission. However, this posture is unfavorable for the sales professional since this often results in servicing prospects that do not purchase in the end. High performance comes when the sales professional can tactfully establish equal-business stature between themselves and the prospect. For the woman sales professional, establishing equal-business stature can be more challenging mainly because of traditional belief systems that encourage even more the authority role of the prospect and the servant role of the salesperson. If this sounds politically incorrect and upsets you some, allow me to apologize. Remember what was mentioned earlier in that the sales professional, man or woman, needs to understand the challenges in their market and thus overcome them, because they can be overcome.

I introduce you to Nancy, a professional mortgage loan officer who is an expert in her field and can find solutions to mortgage challenges when many other loan officers cannot. She works very hard, puts in a lot of hours, but earns a wage that is less than what she wants. Over and over Nancy would demonstrate her expertise by pulling together information, doing the research, bringing in the right partners and delivering a workable solution even on the most difficult of circumstances. Then she learns that her prospect has auctioned off her intellectual property to a lower rate mortgage provider and the opportunity is gone. The prospect was in control (authority) and Nancy became a servant (submission).

The engagement often started with the prospect calling Nancy and saying “What are your rates?” For weeks, I instructed Nancy to demand equal-business stature by responding with “We have the highest rates in town.” Nancy was not comfortable with such an assertive stance since for years, she was playing the role of servant, but she got out of her comfort zone and started to push back.

Something remarkable started to happen. Prospects didn’t hang up on her.

They didn’t pursue the lower rate mortgage companies. Instead, they wanted to know why her rates were so high which then began a sales conversation where Nancy was in control. The prospects that were not interested in Nancy’s high rates moved on without consuming any of Nancy’s time. Those were the same prospects that would have put her to work (servant), consumed her time, and still would have auction off her information to the low rate provider. But her new posture has funneled the rate shoppers to her competitors and funneled the prospects that wanted her expertise into an equal-business stature sales conversation that more often than not resulted in business. Just last month with her newfound selling posture, Nancy earned commissions that are three-times larger than her historical averages.

Another thing that helped Nancy was a change in her mindset when it came to sales. While it wasn’t completely true, Nancy started to believe that she was financially independent and that she didn’t need the business. This shift in mindset allowed her not to be fearful of losing business she didn’t have and to be more assertive when talking with prospects thus avoiding falling into the submissive role of servant. She found herself working only on deals that closed and those that were shoppers were quickly dismissed.

High performance sales is available to all selling professionals. If you play the submissive servant role in the sales dance, you will sell, but it will take a lot of time and energy and high performance is difficult to achieve. If you tactfully demand equal-business stature in your sales conversation, you will see how easy it is to become the high performance saleswoman (or salesman) that you always wanted to be.

Sandler Training is a global training organization with over three decades of experience and proven results. Sandler provides sales and management training and consulting services for small- to mediumsized businesses (SMBs) as well as corporate training for Fortune 1000 companies. For more information, please contact Karl Schaphorst at (402) 403-4334 or by email at kschaphorst@sandler.com. You can also follow his blog at karlschaphorst.sandler.com

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PERSONNEL NEWS

Nebraska Kidney Association Elects New Officers and Board Members The Nebraska Kidney Association (www.kidneyne.org) has announced the election of new officers for the coming 2016-2017 year.

Jeff Ahl of Lincoln has been elected president. He is an architect with Arcuretecture, Inc. of Lincoln, NE and works for the State of Nebraska.

Kerry Heinrich has been elected vice president. She is the Integrated Marketing Director of H&A Media Group.

Jen Cunningham of Omaha has been re-elected treasurer. She is the Strategic Relationship Partner of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska.

Newly elected to the Nebraska Kidney Association board of directors is Michelle Gilliland, Manager of Dialysis Access Initiatives - Fresenius Medical Care.

Midlands Financial Professionals Qualify for MDRT Three members of the Midlands Financial team have qualified for inclusion in the Million Dollar Round Table.

Founded in 1927, the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), The Premier Association of Financial Professionals®, is a global, independent association of more than 42,000 of the world’s leading life insurance and financial services professionals from more than 470 companies in 71 countries. MDRT members demonstrate exceptional professional knowledge, strict ethical conduct, and outstanding client service.

MDRT membership is recognized internationally as the standard of professionalism in the life insurance and financial services business.

LeaAnn M. Moore

Stephen D. Andersen

Stephen D. Andersen* is a 44-year Qualifying and Life member of MDRT with ten Top of the Table and 14 Court of the Table qualifications.

Tony J. Ojeda* has seven years on Court of the Table while being a Qualifying and Life member of MDRT for 15 years.

Founded in 1969, Midlands Financial offers financial services, including individual investment and retirement services, succession planning and retirement plans. In 2014 Tony J. Ojeda Midlands Financial merged with UNICO Group. This merger formed a regional leader for insurance and financial growth. With clients ranging from Fortune 500 giants to local retail shops, UNICO’s risk advisors have extensive experience in custom strategies that generate long-term value. For more information about retirement services provided through Midlands Financial, call (402) 434-8050 or visit the website at www.midfin.com. *Securities and investment advisory services are offered solely through Ameritas Investment Corp. (AIC). Member FINRA/SIPC. AIC, UNICO Group and Midlands Financial are not affiliated. Additional products and services may be available through Midlands Financial that are not offered through AIC.

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F i ve Po i n t s B a n k we l c o m e s D e n ny O’Donnell as Vice President of Mortgage Lending in the Omaha Market.

O’Donnell brings more than 25 years of mortgage/banking experience to Five Points Bank and as a vice president he is responsible for all residential lending in the Omaha metro area. His mortgage lending experience provides him the ability to offer professional and customercentric banking relationships. O’Donnell is experienced in all types of mortgage loans including; Conventional, FHA, USDA, NIFA, VA, and Portfolio loans. Denny graduated with a degree in Finance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a member of the Nebraska Mortgage Association.

Five Points Bank is a 45-year old community and family owned bank. As of December 31, 2015, Five Points Bank had total assets of $986 million and total deposits of $817 million making it one of the largest Nebraska-based banks in the State. The bank has been rated a five-star bank by both Bauer Financial Inc. and Bankrate; recently, it was named one of the Top 100 Performing Banks for its peer group in the United States by SNL Financial - the only Nebraska bank to achieve this ranking. Five Points Bank is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. Visit www.5pointsbank.com for more information.

Jones Automotive Announces Sales Leadership Transition Jones Automotive has announced that Rick “Q” Quistad, who has played a key role in the growth of the business for almost a decade with his most recent position being Vice President of Sales & Marketing, has stepped down from his position to pursue an exciting business ownership opportunity.

Top of the Table and Court of the Table are MDRT’s top membership levels comprised of the world’s most successful life insurance and financial service professionals. Achieving membership in MDRT is a career milestone.

LeaAnn M. Moore* has qualified for MDRT’s Top of the Table for her fifth consecutive year and was part of Court of the Table her first year of membership.

Five Points Bank Welcomes Denny O’Donnell

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Rick has been part of the Jones Automotive family since December 7, 2007 and has been a shareholder since 2009. He has been instrumental in helping develop the company’s police, fire and rescue equipment business and the amber, warning, safety lighting business. Rick will definitely be missed but his co-workers at Jones Automotive certainly wish him well with his new venture. He will be starting his own company as an Independent Sales Representative beginning with Federal Signal Amber and Fire division product.

Rick “Q” Quistad

Rick’s assistant, Shawn M. Weyh, has been with Jones Automotive since April 1, 2016 and has assumed his former position as of July 5, 2016. Shawn got her start in her Shawn M. Weyh family’s paving business, Omaha Paving Company, and has worked in sales ever since. She has sold custom printing, phone systems and most recently digital security/surveillance and access control systems. Shawn has hit the ground running for Jones Automotive and they are already confident that she is going to be an excellent addition to the sales staff.

Jones Automotive is a locally owned and operated shop that has been serving clients in the Omaha Metro since 1950. For more information, please call (402) 345-8383 or find them online at www.jonesauto.com.

PERSONNEL NEWS

Jeff Killeen Joins Engineered Controls Engineered Controls, Inc. is proud to announce the recent addition of Jeff Killeen as Manager of Business Development.

Based out of their Corporate Headquarters in Omaha, Killeen’s role will be to help develop and implement growth opportunities throughout all areas of the organization with the goal of creating long-term value for both the customer and the organization alike.

Jeff comes to ECI with 10+ years of experience in the healthcare technology field where he managed a wide variety of technologies across a complex healthcare system. He graduated from Missouri State University and later received his Phar.D. from University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE. Jeff brings with him significant experience in project management, executive leadership, technology integration, and team development to his new role. He believes in a customer-focused approach based on communications, quality and overall value.

Engineered Controls is a leading building control technology contractor whose goal is to provide customers with products and services that create efficient, safe and comfortable building environments. ECI has been honored multiple times as the “National Contractor of the Year” by Honeywell, one of their national partners. Engineered Controls, Inc. has more than 85 employees with offices in Omaha, Lincoln and Des Moines.

To contact Jeff, please call him directly at (402) 990-2126 or you can reach him at jkilleen@engineeredcontrols.com. Learn more about Engineered Controls online at engineeredcontrols.com.

Deb Thomas Named UNMC Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance Deb Thomas has been named vice chancellor for business and finance for the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Thomas has been the interim vice chancellor since June 2015, when UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold. M.D., named her to succeed vice chancellor Don Leuenberger following his retirement. Leuenberger was named to the vice chancellor post in 1988.

In her role as vice chancellor, Thomas is responsible for all campus facilities, budget, human resources, information technology, finance/business services, security and legal service. More than 600 people are included in these departments.

Before becoming interim vice chancellor for business and finance, Thomas served as the senior associate vice chancellor. She has been with UNMC since 2006, when she joined as associate vice chancellor for finance and business services. Before joining UNMC, Thomas spent seven years as the assistant vice president for administration for the University of Nebraska, Central Administration.

Her career also includes more than 20 years in state government, including serving as policy secretary for the Nebraska Health and Human Services System, director of the Department of Administrative Services and director of several individual agencies within the Health and Human Services System, including Medicaid. She worked for both Republican Gov. Kay Orr and Democratic Gov. Ben Nelson. Thomas also served as counsel for the Revenue and Executive Committee for the non-partisan Nebraska Legislature, as well as lobbying for the non-partisan City Council of Lincoln.

Thomas graduated with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Illinois State University and earned a master of public administration degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Omaha Lawyer Brandon Dickerson Receives National Honor for Nonprofit Work The American Bar Association has named Omaha lawyer Brandon Dickerson as the 2016 recipient of its Nonprofit Organizations Subcommittee’s Outstanding Young Lawyer Award.

Dickerson, a partner at the Omaha law firm Likes Meyerson Hatch LLC (www. lmhlawfirm.com), works with local and national nonprofit organizations, including community hospitals, on such matters as corporate governance, regulatory compliance, executive compensation and business transactions.

He is a 2007 graduate of the Creighton University School of Law, where he received the Judge Donald P. Lay Law Review Student Prize for his contributions to the Creighton Law Review. In 2015 and 2016, Dickerson was selected by his peers for inclusion as a Great Plains Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in the specialty of Mergers and Acquisitions.

The American Bar Association’s Nonprofit Organizations Subcommittee grants its Outstanding Young Lawyer Award to recognize an attorney who has made outstanding contributions to the nonprofit sector and/ or the development of nonprofit law. It is one of five national awards the committee grants to lawyers in the nonprofit sector.

Other 2016 award recipients are Omaha native Thomas A. Troyer of Washington, D.C. (Vanguard Award for lifetime achievement); Judith Andrews of Seattle and Gene Takagi of San Francisco (co-recipients of the Outstanding Lawyer Award), and Shari Hibbert of Houston (Outstanding In-House Counsel Award).

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PERSONNEL NEWS Lamp Rynearson Adds to Landscape Architecture Staff, Expands Services

Millard Public Schools Foundation Board of Directors Appoints Ross Jernstrom

Lamp Rynearson, a civil engineering firm offering p l a n n i n g , landscape arc hitecture, d e s i g n , s u r vey and construction administration services for public infrastructure and private development and redevelopment projects, has expanded its Landscape Architecture practice area.

Ross Jernstrom has joined the Millard Public Sc hools Foundation Board of Directors.

The seven-person team includes two landscape architects, a landscape planner/wetland specialist, an urban designer/horticultural specialist, graphic designers, and a GIS specialist. The firm’s Landscape Architecture Practice is led by Regan Pence, PLA. “Serving clients and the community with imaginative approaches to design challenges is what the expansion of this team is all about. Taking a client’s idea from start to finish, telling a story spatially while functioning practically is what we’re after as design professionals.”

Pence, a Certified Playground Safety Inspector and Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) Certified Landscape Architect, has experience across the Midwest, West and West Coasts. He is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Urban Land Institute (ULI), and a Board member for the City of Omaha’s Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission (LHPC).

Lamp Rynearson has been headquartered in the greater Omaha area since 1959. The firm has four office locations and 150 employees. For more information, visit www.lra-inc.com.

James Hajek Joins Proxibid as Chief Financial Officer Proxibid, the world’s most trusted online Marketplace for buying and selling highly valued items, has announced that James Hajek joined the company as Chief Financial Officer to lead Proxibid’s financial operations and investor relations teams. Hajek brings with him a wealth of experience in positioning investorbacked companies for growth, managing private equity relationships, and working proactively with executive and management teams to achieve profitability.

Hajek joins Proxibid from Corepoint Health, LLC, where he served as Chief Financial Officer responsible for all financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, treasury, tax, investor relations, debt compliance, contracts, and all aspects of HR, legal and risk management. Prior to Corepoint Health, Hajek was Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance and Operations for Pivot3, Inc., where he helped the company grow its revenues and finalize a growth capital equity round with Samsung Ventures. He also served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance and Strategic Programs at GE Asset intelligence, Inc., Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Terion, Inc. and has held financial leadership positions at Marconi, and CS Wireless Systems, Inc. Founded in 2001, Proxibid is headquartered in Omaha with offices in South Sioux City, NE and London, England. More than $4 billion in inventory passes through Proxibid’s Marketplace annually via live and timed auctions, and Buy Now and Make Offer capabilities, across 15 categories. For more information about Proxibid, please visit www.proxibid.com.

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Jernstrom is the sports director and main anchor for WOWT at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. For 15 years he produced and anchored the award-winning “Sunday Sports Extra” - a 30-minute show that was the highest rated sports show in Omaha.

Jernstrom is a native Omahan and has been involved with the Millard Public Schools for many years serving on strategic planning and communications advisory committees. His wife Julie is a teacher in Millard. Their son and daughter both graduated from Millard.

The Millard Public Schools Foundation invests in programs that bring educational opportunities and expanded services to Millard students at every grade level.

For more information, visit www.mpsfoundation.org.

Madonna Fit for Work Announces Promotion, New Hire Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital is proud to announce the promotion of Karen Rehm as manager of Madonna Fit for Work.

Rehm has more than 26 years of experience in corporate wellness, employee engagement and work-related safety. She has served as president of WorkWell, Inc. and was a member of the WorkWell board of directors. Rehm has worked for Madonna eight years. Madonna FFW specializes in occupational health, corporate wellness services and results-based programming.

Karen Rehm

Madonna Fit for Work also welcomes Megan Ksionzek as the new corporate wellness coordinator.

Ksionzek was born and raised in Lincoln, Neb., and graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2012. Ksionzek completed her undergraduate wellness internship with Lincoln Industries. She is a NASM certified personal trainer, NSHC certified health coach and Life Fitness certified small group trainer. Ksionzek will coordinate FFW Megan Ksionzek wellness and occupational health client wellness events and risk reduction programs.

Madonna Fit for Work is a continuum of corporate services focused on health and wellness, injury prevention and injury management.

The multi-faceted Fit for Work program combines occupational health, wellness, safety and coordination of workers compensation with the expert services conveniently available from Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, Madonna TherapyPlus outpatient clinics and Madonna ProActive.

To find out more about Madonna Fit for Work, please call the Corporate Services Hotline at (402) 420-0002 or visit www. madonna.org/outpatient/fit.

PERSONNEL NEWS Alzheimer’s Association Welcomes Erinn Drouin as Walk Director The Alzheimer’s Association, Nebraska Chapter is excited to announce that Erinn Drouin has joined the team as the new Walk Director. “We are excited to have Erinn join our team. Her experience and enthusiasm will be a tremendous asset to the Association,” said Lisa Sypal, Regional Director of Development. This position will oversee the Nebraska Chapter’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s program and serve as the lead staff for the Omaha walk.

Erinn comes to the Alzheimer’s Association from the American Cancer Society in Omaha, where she spent the last year working as a Community Manager for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Events. Erinn relocated to Omaha from New Hampshire in 2015, where she was successfully managing a $900k Making Strides Against Breast Cancer portfolio. Since taking on her role with ACS in Nebraska, she has had year-over-year event growth in sponsorship, revenue, and teams. Erinn lives in Omaha with her husband and two children.

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease. There are 11 Walks across the state of Nebraska from August to October. Learn more or register your team today at www.alz.org/walk.

To join the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, contact Erinn at ehdrouin@ alz.org or call (402) 502-4300.

UNICO Group Advisors Qualify for MDRT Two advisors with UNICO Group have qualified for inclusion in the Million Dollar Round Table.

Founded in 1927, the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), The Premier Association of Financial Professionals®, is a global, independent association of more than 42,000 of the world’s leading life insurance and financial services professionals from more than 470 companies in 71 countries. MDRT members demonstrate exceptional professional knowledge, strict ethical conduct, and outstanding client service.

MDRT membership is recognized internationally as the standard of professionalism in the life insurance and financial services business.

Achieving membership in MDRT is a career milestone.

Mick Sibbel

The Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) has announced that it has named a new director – just the second in the center’s nearly 40-year history.

Catherine Lang, who most recently served as the vice president of Accelerate Nebraska, will take over as NBDC statewide director on Dec. 1 of this year after serving two months as director designate. In her role at Accelerate Nebraska, Lang connected educational institutions with business and community efforts to support workplace development and share best practices leveraging private, philanthropic and public resources to improve the state’s education and economic systems.

Catherine Lang

Lang earned her J.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Law and has served in a number of governmental roles, including Director of the Property Tax Division of the Nebraska Department of Revenue, Commissioner of Labor for the Nebraska Department of Labor, and Director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. She is a board member for Robert Bernier Nebraska’s AIM Institute, the vice chair for Humanities Nebraska, and a member of the Nebraska State Bar Association, just to name some of her community leadership positions.

In her new role, Lang will not only lead statewide outreach for NBDC, but will also work to build new collaborative efforts across all four of the University of Nebraska campuses to support the center’s mission.

Lang will be replacing Robert Bernier, who is retiring after serving as NBDC director since 1979. He is the longest-serving director of a business development center in the U.S. Bernier will continue to provide consultation and support for NBDC in various capacities after stepping down as director.

Bernier, who also served as assistant dean for UNO CBA, has formerly served as president of the Association of Small Business Development Centers, as well as earning national recognitions including the Leavey Award for Excellence in Private Enterprise Education from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge and the Equal Opportunity for Women in Business Innovation Award from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – International. He earned an MBA in finance and a Ph.D. from UNO. Since its founding in 1977, NBDC has operated with a statewide mission out of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s (UNO) College of Business Administration (CBA). Currently, the center has service centers in seven cities outside of Omaha: Chadron, Grand Island, Kearney, Lincoln, North Platte, Scottsbluff, and Wayne.

Mick Sibbel has qualified for his first year on Court of the Table of MDRT. He provides life, disability and long term care solutions to clients on both a group and individual policy level.

Kevin Harrington has qualified for his first year of MDRT. He provides life, disability and supplemental worksite policy solutions to clients throughout Nebraska and surrounding states.

NBDC Names Catherine Lang New Director

Since 2002, NBDC has served more than 62,000 clients, helping them contribute more than $5 billion to the Nebraska economy, through professional development, training, operational improvements, funding opportunities and applied research. Find out more about NBDC online at nbdc.unomaha.edu.

Kevin Harrington

UNICO Group, Inc. is a full-service insurance and financial services agency. Services at UNICO range from commercial insurance, workers’ comp and employee benefits to personal insurance, financial planning, human resource solutions and wellness solutions. With four locations and more than 100 team members across seven states, UNICO is an industry leader in the Midwest. More information about UNICO Group can be found at unicogroup.com.

It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know & Who Knows You! At Strictly Business Magazine, we strive to recognize local businessmen and women for their significant awards, promotions, achievements, and/ or efforts in partnership with other organizations and the Omaha Metro community. If you know of someone who meets these criteria and wish to include their news in our publication, please call (402) 466-3330 or submit your news via our website at www.strictlybusinessomaha.com.

AUGUST 2016 Strictly Business 29

NON-PROFIT NEWS Tickets Now Available for 2016 Evening Among Angels Event

CSF Scholarships Awarded for 2016-17 School Year

Plan to join for the 2016 Evening Among Angels, a benefit dinner supporting Angels Among Us.

Children’s Scholarship Fund of Omaha (CSF) is pleased to a n n o u n c e fo r t h e 2016-17 school year it awarded nearly $2.7 million in K-8 grade scholarships to over 1,800 students from low income families in Omaha and northeast Nebraska.

This important fundraising e ve n t w i l l b e h e l d o n September 30, 2016 at the Hilton Hotel, downtown Omaha.

An Evening Among Angels is being presented by Pinnacle Bank and honorary chairs for the event are Sid and Dawn Dinsdale and will feature cocktails, dinner and silent and live auctions and inspiring stories of the families served. Master of Ceremonies is Mary Nelson from KMTV’s The Morning Blend. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased by visiting the Angels Among Us website at myangelsamongus.org, on the Upcoming Events page.

Angels Among Us financially supports families battling a pediatric cancer diagnosis living in or being treated in Nebraska. Families are identified through the social work offices of Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine. Angels Among Us helps bridge the financial gap caused by a pediatric cancer diagnosis. Over the last ten years, Angels Among Us has supported over 275 families with over $1.1 million in support.

For more information or to learn more about Angels Among Us, please call Susie Nelson, Executive Director at (402) 934-0999 or email susan@myangelsamongus.org.

Save The Date: Bridges to Hope to Host “Take What You Want and Pay What You Can” Sale Because of the generosity of the Lincoln, Omaha and surrounding communities, Bridges to Hope’s wa r e h o u s e i s BURSTING AT THE SEAMS! As a result, the organization plans to open its warehouse to the rest of the community by sharing this overflow, asking only for FREEWILL DONATIONS. Pick out as much as you would like and pay as much as you feel you can. There will be clothing, furniture, office chairs and other miscellaneous household items to choose from.

The sale will take place at Bridges to Hope’s warehouse, located at 3107 S. 6th Street in Lincoln, on Thursday, September 8th from 2-7 p.m. and Friday, September 9th from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Money raised will be used to cover overhead costs of maintaining Bridges to Hope’s warehouse, a non-profit agency serving men and women soon to be or recently released from correctional institutions throughout Nebraska. The goal is to create and sustain joint efforts to prevent Reentrants from falling back into their criminal behaviors and to lower the recidivism rate. This is done by providing Reentrants with everything they need to start up a new home. Furniture, clothing, household items and hygiene products are a few of the items provided to them at no cost. All items are donated by community members.

To learn more, call (402) 420-5696 or visit bridgestohopene.org.

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CSF believes that all families, regardless of income, should be able to choose the best educational setting for their children. CSF provides tuition assistance scholarships so children from low-income families can access the private or parochial K-8 education of their choice. CSF is destination neutral and has no religious affiliation— children attend approximately 80 different schools across Omaha and northeast Nebraska.

CSF is an independent, non-denominational organization that relies solely upon private donations. If you or your company are interested in making a donation or receiving more information, please contact Mary Boyle at Mary.Boyle@csfomaha.org or by calling (402) 8194990.

For more information on the Children’s Scholarship Fund you can visit their website at www.csfomaha.org.

$175K Grant Awarded to Omaha Home for Boys for Program Funding The Omaha Home fo r B oy s ( w w w. omahahomeforboys. org) is proud to announce it was recently awarded a $175,000 grant from the United Way of the Midlands.

Thanks to the generosity of United Way donors, the Omaha Home for Boys will be able to fund a workforce readiness program and provide basic needs (housing, food, access to medical care and basic safety) for youth in its Jacobs’ Place Transitional Living and Branching Out Independent Living programs and provide education support services for youth in its Residential Care program.

Jacobs’ Place is a transitional living program for young adults ages 17-20 with the end-goal being to help them become productive and successful as they transition into independent living. Branching Out is an independent living program that benefits youth and young adults ages 14-24 who live independently or in foster care but need assistance with life skills development, education, scholarships and other social services.

With the help of this grant, the Omaha Home for Boys is able to offer educational support services that work to improve literacy skills, prevent truancy by providing accountability, move youth closer to grade-level expectations and increase the number of graduation credits accrued.

Through the workforce readiness program, Jacobs’ Place and Branching Out program staff will receive intensive guidance to improve employability by supporting youth in completing their high school educations or earning a GED. The program also works to connect youth to post-secondary education or vocational training and teach them employability skills.

NON-PROFIT NEWS $514K Grant Awarded to Family Housing Advisory Services

Kids Can! Community Center Announces New After School Program Site

Family Housing Advisory Services (FHAS; www.fhasinc.org | www. omaha100.org) is pleased to announce it was recently awarded a $514,000 grant from the United Way of the Midlands. Thanks to the generosity of the United Way donors, 1,500 households will have their fair housing issues resolved, 202 extremely lowincome individuals will begin saving on a regular basis for the first time, 500 families will find or retain affordable housing, 110 families will purchase housing, 15 individuals will avoid foreclosure, and over 2,200 residents will claim the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Kids Can! Community Center is pleased to announce the addition of an after school program at Wakonda Elementary School. As of August 1st, 2016 Kids Can! will become the lead agency in providing programming and oversight to the after school and summer program in partnership with Collective for Youth. The addition of the Wakonda Elementary site, located 4845 Curtis Avenue in Omaha, will allow Kids Can! to expand its mission and make a positive impact on an increased number of students. Students in the after school program will receive high quality programming delivered by caring adults. Kids Can! is excited to help support the great work being done by Wakonda administration and staff in supporting the positive development of students.

FHAS offers a unique combination of life-changing programs for lowerincome families. The Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition provides free income tax preparation, saving low-to-moderate income persons an average of $256 in tax preparation fees each and allowing them to access tax credits and other refunds that will lift many above the poverty line in the largest poverty-reduction program in the United States. The Fair Housing Center of Nebraska & Iowa helps residents resolve housing issues, veterans access housing services, and the disabled receive reasonable accommodations to remain in their homes. The Financial Fitness & Asset Management Program helps families become financially fit, develop and maintain a budget, review and repair their credit, save on a regular basis, and acquire sustainable assets to increase their independence. The Homeowner Education Program develops successful first-generation homeowners through thorough education and homeownership preparation, changing mindsets and legacies from poverty to prosperity. The Tenant Services Program prevents homelessness, stabilizes families, and incentivizes families to begin the healthy habit of saving for the first time.

ServeNebraska Accepting Nominations to Honor Outstanding Volunteers

Kids Can! Community Center is a youth serving agency whose mission is to empower children and parents to reach their potential. For more information, please contact Josh Gillman at (402) 731-6988, via email at jgillman@kidscanomaha.com, or visit the website at www. kidscanomaha.org.

Go Red For Women This August Feel the beat Aug. 30 as the American Heart Association hosts the annual Omaha Go Red For Women Expo locally sponsored

by M e t h o d i s t Health System with media sponsors KMTV Action 3 News, Star 104.5 and metroMAGAZINE. The event, chaired by Union Pacific’s Diane Duren, is at the Embassy Suites in La Vista.

Organizations, businesses, civic clubs, and schools, are encouraged to submit nominations for the annual ServeNebraska Step Forward Awards which recognizes outstanding individuals and groups for significant contributions made through volunteerism.

The Expo begins at 4:30 p.m. with an electronic silent auction, health fair and educational hot topic sessions by chefs Ben Jordan and Justin Beller, personal trainer and group fitness instructor Sasha Day and aerials instructor Lyndi Rongisch.

ServeNebraska is honored to have Governor Pete Ricketts personally involved in this program. Once the nomination period closes on September 1, 2016, Governor Ricketts will thoughtfully review submissions and select those deserving of recognition. The award winners will be announced during a luncheon banquet on Friday, October 28, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., at Quarry Oaks Golf Club in Ashland, Nebraska.

The night continues with a plated dinner, a live auction and an inspiring survivor story, this year highlighting Papillion’s Tamsen Butler, who had a stroke in 2015.

Nominations will be accepted in the following categories: Adult Volunteer, Youth Volunteer, Volunteer Group, Corporate Community Volunteer, National Service Volunteer (AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, or VISTA), Veteran Volunteer, Disaster Volunteer (person or group), Community Media Partner and Lifetime Achievement. Nominators will have the opportunity to provide details that demonstrate leadership, innovation and dedication in service to others which may pertain to a special project or ongoing activities that address community needs.

For more information about ServeNebraska and the Step Forward Awards, or to submit a nomination or make reservations for the award event, visit www.serve.nebraska.gov. The website includes information about the 2015 Step Froward Award recipients.

I n d i v i d u a l t i c ke t s a n d t a b l e s a r e a va i l a b l e n ow a t OmahaGoRedForWomen.org. Event sponsorships are also available.

Proceeds benefit the lifesaving mission of the American Heart Association. Last year, the Association invested nearly $2.4 million in 14 new and continuing studies in Nebraska alone.

The Go Red For Women Expo is a part of the American Heart Association’s national movement, sponsored by Macy’s, to end heart disease and stroke in women.

Approximately 90-percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease but many are unaware. Risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, physical inactivity, obesity and tobacco use.

The Expo aims to raise awareness and change the startling statistics.

Heart disease kills more women than all types of cancer combined.

AUGUST 2016 Strictly Business 31

NON-PROFIT NEWS

Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging to Host Fundraising Walkathon

Fundraising Dinner Focuses on Preserving Sarpy County Newspapers

Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging (ENOA) Nutrition Division, in partnership with the City of Omaha Parks and Recreation, is pleased to bring you the 2nd annual Fundraising Walkathon to help support ENOA’s 28 senior centers in the five-county area. The walk will be held on Saturday, August 20, 2016 at Benson Park in the historic Benson area. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m.; the event will begin at 9 a.m. and will also include a Lifestyle Expo which will be open until noon.

Funds raised will help update programming, entertainment, and bring in additional resources that will assist the seniors with maintaining their independence in their homes as long as possible. Register today to receive the Early Bird Special of $15! Every registration comes with a FREE water bottle, FREE lunch, FREE raffle entry, and a FREE bag!

A limited amount of tickets for the Sarpy County Museum’s August 6 fundraising dinner are still available. This years’ theme is “Save the Papers” and will focus on the long-term project to preserve and digitize the over 100 years’ worth of county newspapers. The collection includes the Papillion Times, Bellevue Press, Bellevue Guide, and Bellevue Leader.

The newspapers are a wealth of knowledge of family, school, church, sport, business, and community history. The deteriorating newspapers will be digitally scanned and the files made searchable, allowing for both greater longevity and accessibility to our local history.

ENOA Nutrition provides nutritional support to those over the age of 60 through the use of the senior centers. These locations serve as more than just a place to receive a nutritious meal; seniors are able to be a part of something to give them purpose through volunteer opportunities and socialization while also having access to community resources and assistance with aging issues.

For additional registration or event details, please contact Yvette Steffen at (402) 444-6513 or via email at yvette.steffen@ nebraska.gov. For more information about ENOA’s Fundraising Walkathon, please visit www.enoa.org or www.stepoutforseniors. weebly.com.

Project Harmony Dedicated to Keeping Children Safe During Back-to-School Season Did you know that 32 percent of attempted abductions happen when a child is going to and from school or a school-related activity? Project Harmony (www.projectharmony.com) urges families to educate themselves about c hild safety as back-to-school season is one of the most important times of the year to be informed and prepared. Below are a few common tricks identified by The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) used by child abductors. Review the tactics below with your children and practice a response. The more children practice, the better prepared they will be in a real situation.

THE OFFER: A Child is offered something desirable-like candy, money, toys or a ride. Children should not accept gifts without your permission. Use teachable moments, like when a friend or relative offers a gift, to practice this concept.

THE ANIMAL TRICK: A cute or interesting animal. Teach your children to never enter anyone’s vehicle or home without your permission.

THE EMERGENCY TRICK: Someone fakes an emergency and offers to take the child to another location. Instruct your child never to go anywhere with anyone without asking the permission of the adult in charge.

THE “BAD” CHILD TRICK: Someone accuses the child of doing something wrong and says the child must go with him/her. Teach your child to always check with you or the adult in charge before going anywhere with anyone.

THE FRIEND TRICK: A person tells the child he/she has been sent by the child’s parent. Sometimes the person actually does know the parent. Talk to your child’s school about obtaining permission from you before releasing your child to anyone.

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Cost for the event, catered by Dickey’s Barbecue Pit of Bellevue, is $30 per person or a table of 6 for $150. Entertainment will be provided by Michael Murphy, a folk musician based in Omaha. Tickets are available at the museum payable by cash, check or credit/debit card. Participants will also enjoy a wine pull, door prizes and raffle opportunities at the fundraiser. The dinner is being held at Bellevue University on the lower level of the administration building. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. with dinner served at 5:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Melissa Nelson at (402) 292-1880 or via email at museum@sarpymuseum.org.

Kiwanis Club Supports ALLPLAY Members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha recently spent several hours on various Saturday mornings volunteering at the ALLPLAY barrier-free sports complex within Seymour Smith Park. Volunteer opportunities included helping at the concession stand, “buddying up” with one of the ball players, or assisting in the overall operation. ALLPLAY’s Miracle Baseball League provides the opportunity to children, young adults, and adults with special needs to play baseball.

The league will have a Fall season as well, and Kiwanis Club members are excited to volunteer again to assist those with mobility impairments and other disabilities enjoy America’s favorite pastime.

Kiwanis meetings are Mondays at noon at the German American Society.

Visit KCOGO.com for more information on meetings and the organization.

Nebraska Ataxia’s An Evening of Firsts Fundraising Event Set for September 24th Nebraska Ataxia, Inc. (501)(c)(3) is an Omaha-based charitable organization that is dedicated to helping people suffering with ataxia lead fuller and more meaningful lives. Planning is currently underway for its main fundraising event - Nebraska Ataxia - An Evening of Firsts dinner and auction, which is scheduled for Saturday, September 24, 2016.

Ataxia is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by loss of muscle control. Early signs include difficulty walking due to an unbalanced gait as well as problems with speech, fine motor skills, and swallowing.

People with ataxia often end up leading lives confined to a wheelchair.

The Nebraska Ataxia - An Evening of Firsts event will be held at the Creighton Prep High School Commons Room. The evening features a cocktail hour, buffet, silent and live auctions. The estimated 350 guests represent persons and families suffering from ataxia, medical professionals and corporate leaders from the Omaha area. Tickets are available at www.qtego.net/qlink/neataxia.

Nebraska Ataxia’s mission is to provide mobility aids such as canes, walkers and wheelchairs; physical therapy, water therapy, assistance with medication costs and ADA accessibility modifications such as grab bars and wheelchair ramps. Nebraska Ataxia is entirely volunteer operated, which keeps operating expenses to a minimum.

For additional information please contact Linda Snider at (402) 9796331, info@nebraskaataxia.org, or visit www.nebraskaataxia.org.

NON-PROFIT NEWS

Santa Monica Receives CARF Accreditation Santa Monica is excited to announce that they were recently awarded a threeyear accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for Residential Treatment: Alcohol and Other Drugs/ Addictions. CARF’s mission is to promote quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services and continuous improvement that centers on enhancing the lives of persons served. Santa Monica’s CARF accreditation period was effective beginning in May of 2016.

Founded in 1972, Santa Monica has partnered with over 2,700 women on their journey to recovery from addiction and alcoholism. Reuniting families, reintegrating productive women to the community and providing exceptional service has been the vision of Santa Monica and continues to be for the future. Santa Monica will also expand services this year to provide a step down level of care that’s between its Halfway House program and independent living.

If you would like to know more about Santa Monica, feel free to call (402) 558-7088, email heather@santamonica.omhcoxmail.com, or visit Santa Monica’s website at www.santamonicahouse.org.

Community Health Charities of Nebraska Adds Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska as 19th Member Charity Community Health Charities of Nebraska (CHC-NE) has announced that the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska (BIA-NE) is the newest charity to join the statewide fundraising federation. With this addition, there are now 19 member charities that provide support for those with chronic health issues across the state of Nebraska, effective July 1, 2016.

The BIA-NE is committed to creating a better future for all Nebraskans with brain injuries and is the only non-profit exclusively dedicated to brain injury in the state. BIA-NE is serving the brain injury population by working to secure and develop community-based services and provide support groups and access to pertinent information, medical resources and service referrals. The organization also helps educate professionals who work with children and adults with brain injury.

Community Health Charities of Nebraska is a fundraising federation of premier non-profit health charities raising charitable contributions primarily through annual corporate employee giving campaigns. CHCNE works to improve the lives of Nebraskans affected by a disability or chronic disease by uniting caring donors in the workplace with health issues and causes important to them and their families. In addition to funding for research, operations and client services, donations received

by CHC-NE provide support services and public health education programs.

Other member health charities include: The ALS Association Mid-America Chapter; Alzheimer’s Association Nebraska Chapter; American Diabetes Association of Nebraska; American Lung Association in Nebraska; Arthritis Foundation, Heartland Region, Nebraska; Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, Nebraska/Iowa Chapter; Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Nebraska Chapter; JDRF International - Heartland Chapter, Lincoln and Greater Nebraska; The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; March of Dimes, Nebraska & Western Iowa Market; Muscular Dystrophy Association of Nebraska; National MS Society, Mid America Chapter; Nebraska AIDS Project; Nebraska Chapter – National Hemophilia Foundation; Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association; Nebraska Kidney Association Inc.; Susan G. Komen® Nebraska; and United Cerebral Palsy of Nebraska.

For more information about CHC-NE and the work of its member charities, go to www.chcne.org and www.facebook.com/CHCNebraska.com or call (800) 990-2423.

IREM® Nebraska Chapter 12 to Host Annual Charity Golf Tournament IREM® Nebraska Chapter 12 (www.iremne.org) invites golfers to the annual Golf for Special Olympics Nebraska (www.sone.org).

Proceeds from this tournament will be used to support Special Olympics statewide. A portion of the proceeds will go toward scholarships to benefit professional advancement in IREM®. The golf tournament will be held on Thursday, August 18th at Tiburon Golf Club. IREM® Nebraska Chapter 12 will sponsor this event in conjunction with Corporate Co-Sponsor Cox and Cox Business. Other major sponsors include Omni Engineering, Inc., Sol Lewis Engineering Co. and Beacon Management.

The entry fee is $160 per golfer which includes green fees with cart, driving range, box lunch, drink ticket and dinner. Registration will begin at 10 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 11 a.m. Participants will be able to enter various competitions held in conjunction with the tournament for prizes, including hole-in-one, longest drive and closest to the pin contests. A silent auction for will also be held. Following the tournament, there will be an awards ceremony and recognition dinner.

A limited number of golf sponsorships are still available. Please contact Tiffany Behrens at (402) 592-4499 for more information.

WasteCap Presents Community Education 101 Webinar Series Wa s t e C a p N e b r a s k a h a s announced an upcoming Community Education 101 webinar set to take place on Wednesday, August 10 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CST. Every successful recycling program starts with education. Education both increases participation and revenues, and reduces contamination and costs. But it’s far more than just publishing your recycling guidelines. You need to sell the community on why recycling matters, how to do it right, and most importantly, how to see their discards not as trash, but as valuable resources for your local economy. This webinar will focus on the best channels to get your word out and the key messages to motivate your community, and provide effective strategies and tools. To register, please visit https:// attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7090005391447508228.

WasteCap Nebraska’s mission is to eliminate waste in Nebraska. A statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, WasteCap Nebraska advances sustainable practices for businesses and communities through innovation, education and policy change. For more information, visit www.wastecapne.org.

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NON-PROFIT NEWS Tickets Still Available for The Hope Center for Kids Gala

Kwik Shop Fundraising Campaign to Again Benefit Heartland Family Service

A limited number of tickets are still available for The Hope Center for Kids 9th Annual Gala, which will be held at Embassy Suites in La Vista on Friday, September 30.

Area Kwik Shop stores will host the 7th annual “Make a Difference with a Dollar” competitive fundraising campaign during the month of August. Throughout the entire month, employees will invite their customers to donate a dollar with their purchases to help support the clients of Heartland Family Service (heartlandfamilyservice.org).

The evening celebrates the transformational work The Hope does in Omaha and Fremont and helps fund the organization’s year-round programs that impact over 2,700 youth, children and families. Find out about remaining sponsorship opportunities and get your tickets today by visiting https://goo.gl/Z2AM3O. The formal evening will begin with a cocktail reception followed by dinner and the featured program. Donald Miller, the New York Times best-selling author of “Blue Like Jazz” and “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years,” will share how our life stories can have a positive and inspiring impact on the next generation through messages of HOPE.

Because Kwik Shop’s business is related to auto ownership, the fundraiser contributes to the Heartland Family Service Ways to Work program, which offers low-interest auto loans to working families with challenging credit in Omaha, Council Bluffs and the surrounding areas. Proceeds from stores in Fremont will go toward supporting the Heartland Family Service Jefferson House Children’s Shelter and Group Home, which serves youth in and near Dodge County.

The Hope Center for Kids faithfully inspires hope in the lives of youth and children in our community through education, employability, collaboration and faith.

Last year, Kwik Shop donated a record $51,571.36 from the fundraising campaign for Heartland Family Service programming.

In 2014, the campaign raised $40,438.89.

For more information about The Hope Center for Kids, please visit www.hopecenterforkids.com or call (402) 341-4673.

“The work the Kwik Shop organization does makes it possible for Heartland Family Service to continue to assist families to become financially self-sufficient,” Ways to Work Program Director Lisa Picker said.

MLCDC 2016 Job Fair and Expo Conference: “Our Next Bold Move” Midlands Latino Community Development Corporation will have its 9th Job Fair and Expo Conference on August 25th from 8:00 to 4:00 p.m.at the Livestock Exc hange BuildingBallroom floor, 4920 S 30th Street, Omaha.

The Job Fair and Expo Conference provides an excellent opportunity for government, community, corporate and small business leaders to come together to learn new ways to build on their relationships and enhance their combined impact on the city of Omaha.

Martha Arroyave, Director of the Department of Economic Integration at Conexión Américas in Nashville, Tennessee will open the conference with its presentation “Belong, Contribute and Succeed”. Karlus L. Cozart, Sr., Director of Economic Inclusion from OPS will present “PIE 4 Success”. Roberto Barragan, President of Valley Economic Development Center (VEDC) in California, will be the speaker during the luncheon time. VEDC has loaned more than $360 million to 100,000-plus small businesses and created more than 27,000 jobs in minority communities in U.S.A. David Thomas, Assistant Planning Director in the Omaha City Planning Department will present “Holistic Neighborhood Revitalization”. The Expo Conference will also cover the following topics: Securing your Financial Security, Get Found on Google Search and Maps, How to Use the Internet to Promote Your Business, and Branding 360˚. The conference will close with a roundtable about Economic Inclusivity in the city of Omaha.

For more information and registration, visit www.midlandslatinocdc.org.

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Omaha Association of Health Underwriters Recognized With Gold Certification The Omaha Association of Health Underwriters (OAHU) was recently recognized with Gold Certification.

OAHU was recognized for this award as part of NAHU’s Chapter Certification Program, which is an ongoing program that recognizes excelling chapters throughout the calendar year.

“The leadership of NAHU members has a far-reaching impact on providing for the healthcare needs of individuals, families and business in their communities. We are grateful for the Omaha Chapter’s hard work with chapter development and recognize them for their efforts with this well-deserved award,” said NAHU CEO Janet Trautwein.

“The Omaha Association of Health Underwriters exemplifies the dedication to providing the best opportunities for our members through their dedication to chapter development,” said Sam Nigro, who served as OAHU president for the 2015-16 year that concluded March 31st. “This year, OAHU organized five charity events in our local community, and hosted over 10 hours of Continuing Education Credits to increase and maintain NAHU memberships. These projects and many others have set a standard of excellence in the health insurance industry that we are proud to represent.”

The National Association of Health Underwriters represents more than 100,000 licensed health insurance agents, brokers, general agents, consultants and benefit professionals through more than 200 chapters across America. More than 200 health insurance professionals are members of the Omaha Chapter.

For more information, please call Ashely Adam at (402) 445-5720 or email her at ashely_n_adam@uhc.com.

HEALTH NEWS Board of Regents Approve Creation of UNMC Department of Dermatology

Nebraska Cancer Specialists Selected for Initiative Promoting Better Cancer Care

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved a request on May 25 by the University of Nebraska Medical Center to establish a Department of Dermatology in the UNMC College of Medicine.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that it has selected Nebraska Cancer Specialists as one of nearly 200 physician group practices and 17 health insurance companies to participate in a care delivery model that supports and encourages higher quality, more coordinated cancer care. The Medicare arm of the Oncology Care Model includes more than 3,200 oncologists and will cover approximately 155,000 Medicare beneficiaries nationwide.

Currently, Nebraska has about one dermatologist for every 52,000 people – the poorest ratio of any state in the Midwest region. The American Professors of Dermatology recommends a goal of having one dermatologist for every 20,000 to 30,000 people. Dermatology services are in high demand, driven by the rising occurrence of skin cancer, the aging of the population and increasing demand for cosmetic procedures.

Creation of the department will begin with recruitment of a department chair followed by a small number of faculty with focused subspecialty interests within dermatology. The department will then quickly move toward the establishment of a dermatology residency training program and eventually subspecialty fellowships.

The creation of a Department of Dermatology also is critical to better meeting the needs of patients at UNMC’s major clinical partners – Nebraska Medicine, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and the VA-Nebraska/Western Iowa.

This marks the second new department created by the UNMC College of Medicine in the past year. In June 2015, the Board of Regents approved creation of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Medical Nutrition Scholarship Established, Inaugural Recipients Announced The University of Nebraska Medical C e n t e r C o l l e ge o f Allied Health Professions has announced the endowment of the Stork Ro b e r t s o n M e d i c a l Nutrition Scholarship.

The scholarship is named in part for the late Sandra Stork, longtime Rich and Carol Smiley of Tekamah, director of clinical representing Sandra Stork’s family, joined dietetics at UNMC, who Barbara Robertson, center, at UNMC’s grew up in the Tekamah, celebration of the endowment of the Stork NE area. She served as Robertson Medical Nutrition Scholarship. a faculty member at UNMC from 1970 through the mid ‘80s and continued to train UNMC faculty into the 2000s.

Stork died in 2014 at age 70. The Sandra S. Stork Charitable Trust will help fund medical nutrition education for a Nebraska student.

Barbara Robertson, one of Stork’s former students, a close colleague and friend, matched it with her own money to help fund a student from out of state.

Originally from Wyoming, Robertson completed her dietetic internship at UNMC in 1982 and started working there as a clinician and clinical/classroom instructor immediately following graduation. She continues to serve as a clinical preceptor.

Laura Evans of Columbus, NE, and Elizabeth Tiffany of St. Joseph, MN are the inaugural recipients of the Stork Robertson Medical Nutrition Scholarship. Two recipients will be chosen each year for the partial scholarships.

The Oncology Care Model is one of the first CMS physicianled specialty care models and builds on lessons learned from other innovative programs and private-sector models. Practices participating in the five-year Oncology Care Model will provide treatment following nationally recognized clinical guidelines for beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy, with an emphasis on person-centered care. They will also provide enhanced services to beneficiaries who are in the Oncology Care Model to help them receive timely, coordinated treatment.

The names of those practices and payers participating in the Oncology Care Model, and more information about the model, can be found on the model’s website: http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/ Oncology-Care/. The Oncology Care Model began on July 1, 2016 and runs through June 30, 2021.

Nebraska Cancer Specialists is a subspecialty practice of 13 collaborating physicians who are devoted to oncology and hematology, providing state of the art medical treatment and compassionate care in both outpatient offices and hospital settings.

For more information, please visit nebraskacancer.com.

Free Educational Series Targets Caregivers of Dementia Patients Registration is underway for a free educational series that will help caregivers understand how to provide the best possible care for their loved ones with dementia. “Learning to Live with Dementia” focuses on the various types of dementia and how to manage symptoms.

The workshops will be held on the second Saturday morning of the month in September and October at the Servite Center of Compassion.

The four components of the program are: Dementia Basics – Focuses on four types of dementia; Mystery and Reality of Living with Different Dementias – Covers the symptoms, behaviors and preserved skills of the four types of dementia; Person-Centered Care – Discusses the importance of short-term and long-term individual planning for both the caregiver and the care receiver; Compassionate Care - Outlines resources available for support and talks about the “Compassionate Journey.”

Nancy Flaherty, MS, a certified dementia practitioner (CDP), is presenter for the series. She has extensive experience working with family caregivers and facilitating caregiver groups. Monthly Solutions groups provide opportunities for caregivers who have completed the Learning to Live with Dementia series to discuss topics related to caregiving.

Fall Series: Sept. 10 and Oct. 8 at the Servite Center of Compassion, 7400 Military Ave. To register, contact Sister Margaret Stratman at (402) 951-3026 or scc@osms.org. Registration is limited, and those who sign up are asked to attend both sessions. Visit ppavv for more information.

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Auto Care

Back to School: Tips for Drivers

The time has come for many to go back to school, with students traveling to their respective campuses from near and far. Whether you’re the one getting ready to attend school or you’re a parent who is sending a child off to college, this month is a busy time and while you are getting everything in place, don’t forget to add vehicle maintenance and any related preparation to your checklist!

Attend to Basic Maintenance - Get that oil change and tire rotation done before your free time dwindles down to being non-existent. You’ll want to check all of the fluid levels, exterior lights, tire pressure/tread depth/condition, and air filter, which is generally performed at the same time as an oil change but can be done at any time. This is something you can learn to do on your own, which will likely be useful in the future, or simply stop by your mechanic shop for a quick visit and they’ll gladly check it for you AND show you how to do it on your own if you’re interested. With inclement weather on the way, if you can’t remember the last time you changed your wiper blades, make the minimal investment in a new pair. Also, check the dash—is there a light on? Don’t ignore it! These are just a few examples of simple things that can cause big problems if not addressed, and by taking care of them, you’ll be ensuring that you stay safely on the road and extend the life of your vehicle.

Familiarize Yourself With Your Vehicle - As previously touched upon, it helps to have a general understanding of the major components of your vehicle and recommended intervals for replacement and/or maintenance. Most major repairs can be prevented by following manufacturer recommendations, as the initial issue usually compounds to affect other parts and systems if left unaddressed. Parents, make sure your kids know the basics such as where to find the spare tire, hazard lights, owner’s manual, and maybe even a spare key. Also, designate a place where the registration and proof of insurance can be easily retrieved if it needs to be produced during a traffic stop or in the event of an accident.

Be Prepared - There are items that you should make sure you have on-hand in the vehicle. An auto safety kit is a great investment, or you can make your own and include items such as jumper cables, a flashlight and blanket, ice scraper, first aid kit, multi-purpose tool, and anything else that you’d need in the event of an emergency.

Accidents happen, so it’s important to have the proper information on-hand as well. This includes emergency contact, personal information and medical alerts, insurance agent, doctor, towing company, destination to have the vehicle towed for repairs (which will likely be your preferred collision repair center), and so on. It’s also helpful to have all of this compiled in one place, and much like the registration/proof of insurance documents, stored in the vehicle somewhere that’s easily accessible.

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CLIENT SPOTLIGHT AUGUST 2016 Strictly Business

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Buying a

Home

Buying a home, no matter whether it’s a very first or you’ve gone through the process multiple times, is an exciting journey and among the most fulfilling milestones to be reached in life. While the process is complicated, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be stressful and certainly shouldn’t be feared. Rather, working with the amazing professionals we have right here in the Omaha area will allow you to have the best possible experience while also avoiding any pitfalls that may present themselves along the way.

First Step: Financing Indeed, as many of our local real estate agents will agree, securing financing is a major part of the buying process. As another area that’s complicated to anyone not actively involved in the industry, you’ll want to be sure you’re working with a knowledgeable lending professional that has plenty of experience with the mortgage process.

Jesse Ostdiek of Pinnacle Bank offers the following information for potential homebuyers: “Start working with a lender early on in the process, before looking at new homes. This ensures a buyer is pre-approved and ready to write an offer, which gives them negotiating strength over other potential buyers who haven’t taken this crucial first step. It also ensures that the party has accurate costs, cash needed to close amount, and monthly payment numbers before deciding on the right home.

To get pre-approved, a borrower completes Jesse Ostdiek a mortgage loan application and submits it to Pinnacle Bank a lender. The lender then will pull credit and communicate with the borrower to request additional documentation such as pay stubs, W-2s, tax returns, etc. A lender cannot require those documents but a borrower should understand a lender’s pre-approval is only as good as the information on the application. It is recommended that a borrower provide and the lender should review all verifying documentation before submitting an offer. The mortgage process can be complicated and documentation heavy so starting early on and discussing the process with a lender will provide them with a better overall customer experience in the end.

Affordability is different for each borrower, so what a borrower regards as an affordable monthly payment and what they may get pre-approved for are usually different numbers. As such, it’s very important that potential homebuyers work their monthly budget numbers to determine a payment range that they feel confident with regardless of what a bank may provide pre-approval for initially.

Generally speaking, debt-to-income levels should not exceed 36%, although with other positive factors such as high credit score, reserves in savings, large down payment, and so on, a borrower’s debt to income can be approved above 40%. Fannie Mae’s max debt-to-income ratio is 45%. Borrowers can compute their own debt-to-income ratio by dividing their total minimum monthly payments for credit-reported trade lines such as a mortgage, auto, student loans and revolving accounts by their gross monthly income. So if a borrower’s monthly minimum debt payments total $2000 and their gross (before taxes) pay per month is $6000, their debt to income will be 33% ($2000/$6000).

An example is as follows: Annual Gross Pay: $72,000 = Monthly Gross Pay: $6000 Proposed new house payment: $1,200 Current Auto monthly payments: $500 Student Loan payments: $200 Credit Card payments: $100 Total minimum monthly debt: $2,000

So, $2,000 / $6,000 = 33% There are other loan products that offer low down payment options, such as VA financing which offers 0% down, no mortgage insurance for qualified veterans, and FHA financing which requires only 3.5% down. In addition for rural areas, there is a USDA rural development loan which features 100% financing as well. To find the best option, home buyers should discuss with their loan officer. Some of these loans may allow for higher debt to income ratios (up to 50%) with significant additional positive factors.”

He further advises, “It is essential that borrowers maintain regular communication (at least once a week) with their Realtor and mortgage loan officer. Both work very hard to provide regular communication but it is a partnership between the three, which requires working together on all sides for a positive customer experience. To the borrower, this is the most important event usually in their lives. To a loan officer, it may be one of 20-30 loans in process. So while the loan officer will work very hard to provide regular communication and status updates, it is very important that the borrower stays an engaged, active participant and communicator with their lender and Realtor as well.

There are a significant number of steps and processes that happen behind the scenes that take time so understanding those stages and timeframes is essential to a great mortgage experience and to ensure closing happens on time. Government regulations changed October of 2015 which now mandates that mortgage lenders and banks must provide borrowers the final numbers via a Closing Disclosure at least 3 business days prior to closing. This helps ensure the buyers receive and have time to understand their numbers before getting to the closing table but it also impacts closing timeframes as lenders have 3 days less now to work with in the process. So borrowers, be aware that a more realistic closing period to insure a smooth transaction is 40-45 days as opposed to 35-40 that we’ve seen in the past.

With these new regulations, lenders are now held more accountable for accuracy of their numbers and on fees where the borrower isn’t allowed to select or shop for; they have zero tolerance from initial loan estimate to final numbers. On others where they are allowed to shop and choose the lenders vendor for the service, banks have a 10% tolerance. For all other fees where borrower can shop and then chooses a vendor not on the lenders list, these numbers can change without any limitation. These new regulations provide additional comfort to home buyers who may be nervous about the process, costs and interest rate.

Speaking of which, interest rates are near all-time lows so it’s never been less expensive to borrower money. This doesn’t mean everyone should march out to buy a new home; borrowers should always be financially savvy and make sure they’re living within their means. However if you’ve been thinking that it may be time for a change, or interested in cutting interest and your loan term down so you pay less interest, or you would like to take some cash out of the equity in your home for a project, now is the time to do it.”

Your lender will probably share with you Rule # 1 once you’re in serious house-buying mode, and especially once you’re under contract to buy a house: Don’t use your credit or do anything out of the ordinary financially AUGUST 2016 Strictly Business

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without talking to your lender to make sure it won’t affect the loan process.

Don’t go buy a new car, new furniture or run up a $7,500 vacation on your Visa. Instead, wait until the house closes. Changing jobs is also discouraged; if it’s unavoidable, make sure to alert your lender ASAP. It is also better when the loan underwriting process is local, accessible, reasonable, and can adapt quickly because the federal regulations lenders have to abide by now are very cumbersome and time-consuming.

Furthermore, funny little unexpected requirements just pop up at the last minute, so be prepared to respond to your lender quickly when they request information. Unfortunately, most of us are not carrying around $100,000 - $1,000,000 in cash so taking out a mortgage is the other option – be prepared to breath deep and be patient with the process.

If you don’t already have a go-to financial professional or institution, seek a reliable, trustworthy lender referral from your Realtor®.

Second Step: Shopping After you’ve met with your lender, worked out the numbers, and have your pre-qualification letter in-hand, next comes the fun part—house shopping! During this phase, you’ll want to work with a real estate agent who is familiar with the local market and can offer plenty of expertise and guidance, ensuring you ultimately make an educated decision that’s in your best interest.

As it’s a seller’s market for the most part these days, promptly obtaining a letter of prequalification before house shopping is important and there are a few other things to consider too. Making low-ball offers and asking for closing costs is, most of the time, not the best strategy to get the result you want, which is to buy the home you love. If you love it, other people probably do too. It is competitive out there but now is still a great time to buy a home. Rates continue to stay low and relatively speaking, home prices are reasonable compared to national averages.

The most common misconception when it comes to real estate is that buyers have to pay a commission in order to be represented. This is completely false; Buyer’s Agents are compensated through the proceeds of the sale. In other words, the seller typically contracts with a Listing

Agent for a specific percentage, and upon closing the sale, the Listing Agent pays the Buyer’s Agent a portion of the percentage contracted with the seller. As a home buyer you have a right to representation, so you might as well take advantage!

Third Step: Closing After shopping around and finding the home that’s perfect for you, the buying process isn’t just a simple transaction of money and then both parties call it a day. There are certain steps such as putting in an offer, the home inspection, getting all details confirmed and paperwork in line, and then closing to make it official.

There are many things that could potentially affect your decision to buy a home, and a home inspection is a critical part of full disclosure so that you can evaluate the positives along with any negatives.

Along the same lines of knowing what to expect in the future as was mentioned regarding obtaining pre-qualification in order to establish a budget, towards the end of the home buying process, you’ll want to ensure that a whole house inspection is performed so that you’re alerted of any potential issues and know what to expect as far as maintenance and replacement in the future. A whole home inspection includes electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning systems, structural components, interior and exterior finishes, roofing, grounds and landscaping. An inspection can uncover defects or issues with a home that the buyer (and many times the seller) is not aware of so that these issues can be dealt with prior to purchase. Additionally, other inspections such as termite, radon testing, mold, lead paint, and asbestos may be asked for as the need arises.

A home inspection is usually done as part of the negotiation phase during the purchase process. You’ll want to schedule your home inspection as soon as possible after getting your offer accepted; usually home inspectors are in high demand and booked out several weeks. When choosing a home inspector, look for one who has years of experience and credentialing with a national association, such as International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), or National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI). Also, look at the education and experience of the inspector; if possible, select one who is certified or a Master Inspector (meaning years of education and experience).

Remember, while a home inspection is comprehensive, it is not invasive.

This means your inspector will review readily accessible areas of a home, but will not dismantle water pipes to look at the insides, video scope a sewer line, water test a furnace heat exchanger, or any other invasive, exhaustive analysis of parts of the home. Those types of inspections are specialized and far beyond what a home inspector does. The home inspector often will refer you to a specialist for further evaluation if a component is suspect. Also, a home inspection is not a guarantee that nothing will go wrong with your house; you can purchase a home warranty to help cover things that may break or go bad. These are usually for one year and can be renewed. Ask your Realtor or representative at your title company for more information on home warranties. On older homes or ones with equipment over 20 years old, they are often a very wise investment.

Components in a house have a lifespan, and your home inspector can identify the age of components and help you formulate a game plan on when to plan to remodel, replace, or upgrade components such as shingles, a water heater, or an HVAC system.

This is important, especially if major systems have to be upgraded in the first few years of ownership as it helps the buyers to know what major expenses they may be facing on a particular house.

After the deal is done, it’s time to move. This will also be different for each homebuyer, ranging from those who are moving to their first home to expanding families or downsizing empty-nesters, just to name a few examples of variance. Moving can be quite the undertaking, Tyler Whalen so most times its best not to go it alone and to Two Men And A have a strategy in place prior to moving day.

Truck Omaha

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“I always advise people to really plan ahead of time and educate themselves on what type of service they will need on moving day,” says Tyler Whalen, co-owner of the Two Men And A Truck Omaha franchise. “I see a lot of people wait until a week prior to the move and both the availability for the particular day and accommodating the service that works the best becomes an issue. As a general rule the more prepared you are, the easier the transition will be. It’s a popular assumption that calling for general pricing is the first step, but in all actuality every move is different so we tailor every estimate to the specific needs of the client. You’ll want to be prepared to provide key details, including both locations, whether you’re doing the packing or you’d like us to do the packing for you, and an itemized list of items to be moved that’s as accurate as possible. The list would include large items, estimated number of boxes, and any items that require special care.

We carry a full line of boxes and packing supplies along with offering a complimentary delivery service of those items for any customer that has a booked move with us. We can deliver a bulk amount of boxes, and then take any extras with us after the move so that the customer only pays for the boxes that they actually use. This prevents a lot of hassle and I can assure you we have everything on-hand that you could possibly need, all you have to do is ask!

Finally, as a word of caution specifically regarding packing, avoid leaving a lot of loose items that aren’t in boxes or properly protected.

This makes the move much more time consuming along with the chances for damage being much higher. If it’s small enough to fit in a box it should be in one, and it will make for a much more efficient move, which will also save you money on the overall cost.”

Right after the purchase of a new home, many will opt to buy new furniture, appliances, and may even get started on improvements, whether indicated by the home inspection or areas that the homeowner wants to update based on their taste and preferences. There are also the less obvious things that you’ll notice once you actually live in your home; water quality is a prime example.

“Buying a new home is a huge investment alone, and then oftentimes the new owner will also be investing in new appliances on top of that,” says Eric Schnakenberg of Aqua Systems. “An easy way to protect your investment is to have a water softener installed. Hard water causes mineral build-up inside the appliances, so with a water softener that issue will be eliminated, extending the life of major appliances such as the washing machine, dishwasher, refrigerator if it has a water dispenser and ice machine, and even Eric Schnakenberg your water heater.

Aqua Systems A water softener system will actually provide a monetary return on investment because you’ll use less cleaning products.

This will not only save you money but will also decrease your family’s exposure to chemicals and save you time on cleaning because you’ll be doing less scrubbing!

He adds, “If there is an existing water softener system in the house, it’s important to have it checked over to make sure the settings are correct.

A lot of times they are set up for the number of people in the house, so we’ll come in and reprogram them based on your family size and usage.

Older systems are designed as “timer systems”, meaning they clean every so often regardless of usage, while newer systems are “on-demand systems”, which go by usage and only clean as needed. Furthermore, most homes built from 2005 on are set up for soft water by default. So if you have an older system, you may benefit from a more updated, efficient system and if you’re buying an older home, it’s likely something that’s not been incorporated and well worth addressing.”

While some homes are move-in ready, others are intended to be fixeruppers. Either way, you’ll likely want to make improvements to your property in the future. Before you start any projects, you’ll want to know exactly where your property lines. In fact, you may even want to know this information before you purchase the house if it’s contingent on improvements that need to be made to the property.

“Don’t rely on the previous owners’ attempt to demarcate the property

lines with fences, retaining walls, plant beds and landscaping, etc. It can be a potential waste of money to rely on these ‘fixtures’ and continue to improve upon the property without actually knowing where the property corners are located,” emphasizes Toni Montana, owner of Land Survey Inc. “A boundary survey will clear the path for future improvements with peace of mind, mentally and legally. My suggestion is to obtain a boundary survey certificate. This legally binding document will alleviate any concerns Toni Montana or questions as to where your property corners Land Survey Inc. are. Also, the certificate is filed with the county and helps minimize any future disputes. Property owners need to know where their boundaries are, as this knowledge can allay disputes with neighbors, clear up murky or unclear lines, and give property owners the knowledge, empowerment, and sense of relief that they are doing the right thing.”

Buying a home is one of, if not the biggest, purchase a person will make in his or her lifetime. As such, it only makes sense to do everything possible to ensure that the decision you make on a home is a result of the proper knowledge being applied and the necessary steps being completed.

There are plenty of great homes on the market in the Omaha area and we not only hope you find the perfect one for you and your family, but that the process of buying a home is something that you’ll thoroughly enjoy and a memory of a life-changing experience that you’ll look back on fondly. The Omaha Metro is indeed a wonderful place to call home, so best of luck to all of you home buyers out there—but of course, you won’t need much luck if you have skill and experience on your side!

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Wedding Planning

Getting married is a pillar life moment, which is what makes the wedding celebration so exciting and memorable. Whether you are the person who has been wishfully planning all of the details since a young age or you are the person who is newly engaged and about to embark on the wedding planning journey with little to nothing in mind aside from the “I Do’s”, there are experienced professionals in all areas of the wedding industry right here in the Omaha Metro who that are able to provide or connect you with the necessary resources, help you to evaluate the wide variety of options that are available to find what best represents you as a couple, and guide you through all of the decisions (and deadlines) involved in making that special day absolute perfection.

For any future bride looking for inspiration, Pinterest is a great social media outlet that is well-known as an online hub for sharing all sorts of wedding ideas. According to a recent poll citing the activity of Pinterest users, the key components of the wedding festivities are food, venue, attire and most importantly, the experience for both the wedding party and the guests.

These factors are pivotal to the ceremony, as well as shaping it with the events leading up to and after the actual wedding itself.

Setting The Stage No two weddings are the same, mainly due to all of the various amenities and add-ons available for this type of event today. Nice additions and thoughtful components are a big part of creating that idyllic moment in time.

Whether it’s adding a tent because there is predicted rain, or choosing a venue that offers other related services such as catering or decoration, any effort that is made towards making your wedding easier and more beautiful is always beneficial and makes the day even more special.

Booking a venue is what will determine the majority of the other details, so it must be one of the first things done. Moreover, the sooner the better in most cases simply due to the high demand, not only during wedding season but all year long now. While there are many excellent venues within the city to choose from, there are a couple of gems that are just close enough to be convenient but just far enough out to give you a countryside feel that’s just right for weddings.

With multiple sites located across the stunning 260-acre Arbor Day Farm property that are ideal for hosting any of your wedding festivities along with a full line-up of amenities, Lied Lodge & Conference Center makes it easy to take care of the rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, reception, brunch and gift opening the next day--all in one central location. It is a hassle-free way to keep your focus where it should be with no worry about logistics, parking, and travel time. This is convenient not only for the wedding party, but for the guests also. The beauty of nature provides the perfect setting for any ceremony or reception, and you’ll definitely find that here. Each available area on the property is unique, ranging from the rustic barn to the historic mansion.

“My advice to any couple seeking a wedding venue is to visit it in person for a guided tour,” advises Patricia Pierce of Lied Lodge & Conference Center at Arbor Day Farm. “The best place to start is looking online, but seeing a venue in person is a must. A personal tour of the venue allows the couple to meet the staff they will be working with on all of the details for their big day. We’ll be with you every step of the way, offering experienced support and service.”

Rustic-chic influences are still quite popular, and Patricia Pierce that look can easily be nailed at Bellevue Berry Lied Lodge & Conference Farm & Pumpkin Ranch, allowing you to make Center at Arbor Day Farm your most creative of wedding dreams come true. There are four different event facilities to choose from on the property; which one you choose is largely dependent on how many guests you’ll be accommodating. With any of the four spaces, there is both indoor and outdoor entertaining space available for the exclusive use of the party who has booked it—you can relax around a fire outside or party all night inside, or both! All guests have full access to the property, which allows everyone to venture out and explore too. This is especially nice for those with kids, as there are several play areas within close proximity to the barns.

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The barns not only offer flexibility with respect to use of space, but also provide a blank slate as far as decoration. Each barn can go from informal to very formal; the transformation ultimately depends on the couple’s preferences.

With the freedom to decorate yourself or request the help of their house designer, replicating the image that you love is guaranteed to be a huge success. Along with Bellevue Berry Farm & Pumpkin Ranch’s in-house catering and bartending services, there are plenty of opportunities to add your own special touches.

Tyson Schaefer of Bellevue Berry Farm & Tyson Schaefer Pumpkin Ranch explains, “We have a wonderful Bellevue Berry Farm house barbeque recipe that’s always the most & Pumpkin Ranch popular choice for weddings year after year, but we are also able to offer really good authentic Mexican courses as well as some Italian dishes. We love requests in the kitchen too, and if you give us a recommendation or recipe, we will do our best to accommodate!”

For those who aren’t fond of the idea of intense planning and coordinating the efforts of many for the better part of a year in most cases, a venue that is able to help you make it all happen is a much more attractive option.

While many venues are able to accommodate most if not all requests, and can also point you in the direction of vendors if it’s something that’s not handled in-house, some simply have more resources in place to cover all of the bases better than others.

Once you know what’s available from your venue, you may have to fill in some gaps. A great business to consider when looking for items to spruce up your event is Honeyman Rent-All. With a division dedicated to serving wedding clients in the Omaha area since 1968, Honeyman Rent-All is a trusted resource for party and event rentals. No wedding or event is too big or too small and with plenty of experience, they are very helpful when deciding what you will need or want to incorporate. They also prove to be very helpful if certain supplies or pieces are not already supplied at a venue. This makes them a must have addition to your wedding to make all of your dreams come true!

With the variety of items available to rent at Honeyman Rent-All, a whole wedding can be created at a fraction of the overall cost of buying certain items outright. Honeyman Rent-All is here to help you literally transform your backyard into the wedding setting of your dreams. Build your ideal wedding by incorporating one of their arches, beaded chandeliers, tents, canopies, or other decorative options.

Honeyman Rent-All does not stop at decor. Particularly since backyard weddings and receptions have been trending, sometimes there is work to be done in order to get the property ready for the event. Honeyman Rent-All offers equipment rentals that are perfect for venue preparation, whether you wish to use some of their tools to plant flowers at the location or simply want to do some landscaping.

So, while you could choose to host your guests at any number of places in the Omaha Metro, sometimes the best ones allow you to capitalize on all of the beauty that nature has to offer!

Entertaining Your Guests The venue, fare and bar offerings are the major aspects of entertaining that ensure a pleasant and memorable time is had by all guests in attendance.

Since we’ve discussed the venue, let’s move on to the other two!

The Omaha Metro is full of culinary talent, so anticipating which caterer the happy couple will choose is always exciting. The suspense of the cake design and flavor and any other desserts definitely add to the excitement of the big day, along with any number of special touches with the presentation.

While some venues provide catering and bar services for those who book the space, others may not, so it is important to secure your venue first in order to find out what is offered and/or allowed. Each caterer and venue is unique from the next, so as previously advised, you will want to arrange a meeting to check everything out on-site before making the final decision if at all possible.

Catering is an area where there is a lot of diversity and as such, there are plenty of options to fit any taste and budget. That being said, the more you have to choose from at each price point the greater chance you’ll have of arriving at a meal that matches both. Just Good Meat is a perfect example, with the ability to customize a meal that incorporates any type of meat you

imaginable, along with offering a large selection of homemade sides, and even options as to how it is ultimately served. For the backyard or outdoor reception, Just Good Meat can bring its food truck on-site, or as with any wedding, their staff can set up a spread or perform a full meal service. If you are working with a limited budget, you can choose to have someone stop by the store and pick up your order, which will be ready to set up and serve when you arrive at your destination.

When it comes time to establish a budget, catering is typically one of the first areas to work the numbers depending on whether it’s provided by your venue or not. “While on average plates can run from $15 to $20, our plates typically cost between $8 to $10, and sometimes even less!” says Sean Fuller, owner of Just Good Meat. “Yet, this price point is not at the expense of excellent quality fare, leaving your guests with full stomachs and smiles. We strive to make the entire experience very convenient and positive.

Planning a wedding and wedding reception can Sean Fuller be so much fun as it’s full of possibilities, but that Just Good Meat can also makes things stressful at times. Choosing a business with plenty of experience and solid offerings can help relieve so much of that stress so that families can relax and enjoy themselves, because that’s the whole point.”

Another great catering provider in Omaha as well as Lincoln and surrounding areas is Attitude on Food. The established catering professionals at Attitude on Food take great pride in delivering an event experience that is both creative and professional. Caitlin Knopik of Attitude on Food Catering shares, “Our whole team is committed to executing a flawless and stress-free event for our clients and their guests. Attitude on Food has many years of experience coordinating a variety of events and service styles. People love our champagne chicken and short ribs!

Caitlin Knopik Our interactive macaroni and cheese station Attitude on Food is another crowd pleaser, and on the lighter side, our hors d’oeuvres combine flavors both familiar and unique. We are a full-service catering company, and with the recent addition of a food truck, we have access to a mobile kitchen if needed. While catering is our passion, we are also event planners by nature. We are here to help you coordinate everything from rentals to service style and menu planning, and are dedicated to ensuring your event runs smoothly. As with any professional in the wedding industry, it’s important to work with an event planner you can trust. With years of experience, this is a person who will know what works, what doesn’t work, and what has the potential to be disastrous. By letting them guide you through all of the details and remaining open to suggestions, you’ll not only have the best possible results but will likely come across things that you hadn’t even considered.”

As for the drinks, you’ll want to carefully consider quantity and assortment.

It really can be tricky to estimate the total amount of certain beverages that will be needed, and with staying on budget in mind as well, having a professional help you get everything set up is very helpful here too. Aside from ensuring you have enough to accommodate your guest list, having a

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nice selection is another way to ensure your guests are well taken care of and able to thoroughly enjoy themselves.

For planning purposes when it comes to your bar service, Cornhusker Beverage & Bridal makes it a point to target four main age groups at a wedding event. They account for how many people are going to be less than 21 years old, 21-35 years old, 35-55 years old, and 55 and older. As a general rule, the group consuming the most alcohol at a typical wedding is the 21-35 year olds.

One of the easiest ways to ensure that the beverages you chose to provide are on par with your guests’ preferences, Jim Sobczyk of Cornhusker Beverage & Bridal explains, is knowing your audience. “It is important that there are options for each age group at the party. By breaking your guests into the four groups as previously noted, you are able to draw conclusions about how much of certain beverages should be bought. Obviously for the individuals less than 21, you’ll want to factor in punch, juice or soda as no alcohol is going to be Jim Sobczyk consumed. Yet, for those 21 to 35 years old it is Cornhusker Beverage the exact opposite. They are consuming the most & Bridal at the party and the 35 to 55 year olds are right there behind them. But, the 21 to 35 year olds are typically drinking more name brand beer and liquor than the other age groups. Predictably, the 55 year olds and older are the first ones to leave and do not drink as much in general. They lean towards liquor opposed to beer.”

Another factor to consider when selecting beer is whether or not the bride and groom want cans/bottles or kegs. Kegs are good for some parties, but not cost-effective for all. If there is an uncertainty of the number of guests and worry about leftovers, then cans or bottles are probably a better route. This idea carries over to engagement parties as well. In fact, in certain cultures the engagement party is even bigger, with more beverages being poured, than the wedding reception itself. This is because the engagement party is a good way to have fun and introduce people to one another before the wedding day arrives.

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For those on a budget, a trend in the beverage business that Sobczyk specified mentioned is having a signature drink if you are not interested in stocking a full bar for your guests. “This is perfect for the individuals who only want beer and wine at their wedding, but do not want to leave those who like liquor in the dust. People always have their own idea of what they like to drink, so it is important to cater to that.”

After the Big Day While the main focus of planning will be on the wedding and the reception, there are a few key things that will happen right after the fact that should also be at the forefront, particularly wedding garment preservation and of course, the honeymoon!

A honeymoon, for many, is just as important as the wedding itself, so planning and packing in advance is pivotal and something you will not regret adding to your list of wedding to-do’s.

Many people have bucket lists and things that they want to get the chance to do that they have never done before. A wonderful and adventurous honeymoon is a great chance to experience that with your significant other.

The world of travel has become so much easier; you pick the destination, anywhere is within reach. For many Americans, global travel is at the top of the list. You’ll want to set a travel budget in conjunction with your wedding budget, and then once you have that number, a travel agent can advise you in regards to your options based on everything that you outline regarding to what you want out of the trip. A travel agent can also put you on the list to alert you when deals come up for trips that fit your prerequisites, as many specials regularly come across their radar that aren’t necessarily made accessible to the public.

Travel agents want you to tell them any and all of your wishes and dreams for this trip so that they are able to apply their expertise to help make Kris Reddy those a reality, according to Kris Reddy of The Vacation Store & The Cruise Company. “A big The Vacation Store & part of what we do is seeing and experiencing The Cruise Company

the world, and then sharing that with others who want to do the same. Our team has over 100 years of combined experience to offer, which is helpful in all types of scenarios. We can advise as to the ideal time of year to travel to a particular destination, such as avoiding hurricane season for instance.

In addition to our past experiences, we are constantly researching what is going on in the most popular destinations. As such, we are able to tell you if a resort is under construction or if an area has undergone some sort of damage or is dangerous for whatever reason. It is all about comparison in the travel world, so there is usually more than one option that is exciting.”

While a person is able to do a lot of research online today, it does not really take your specific input and utilize all of those important connections that travel agents have in the industry to get the best output, such as a certain flight, arrival, or location. Case in point, your flight could be scheduled specifically for you to arrive at customs at a less trafficked time in the evening as opposed to putting you right in the thick of it during the business day.

The professionals at The Vacation Store & The Cruise Company also can assist with the planning of destination weddings, which is another big trend that seems to be more popular every year. With the ability to book group lodging, transportation and activities, which ultimately affects pricing, it is a great way to share both your wedding celebration and a once-in-alifetime travel experience with your loved ones that’s generally not any more expensive than a wedding ceremony close to home. The Vacation Store & Cruise Company regularly interacts with numerous resorts and cruise lines that they have a working relationship with, so they have the ability to do more than just booking your travel, including making specific arrangements or even on-site assistance to ensure your group will share many memorable moments together.

With everything happening so quickly and a lot to take in, it is to be expected that there are a few things that can fall to the wayside if you are not careful. The bride’s gown is one of the most memorable garments that she will wear in her lifetime, so it is of the utmost important to ensure it remains as beautiful as it was on the wedding day. Stillettos Dryclean Delivery offers professional cleaning and preservation services, making it easy to check this off the list. As purchasing a nice suit as an investment to wear in the future has become just as popular as a suit or tuxedo rental for the gentlemen, Stilettos dependable dry cleaning services with the added convenience of delivery is also perfect for a much-needed post-wedding cleaning and pressing.

John Perlebach of Stilettos Dryclean Delivery advises that upcoming winter weddings may also present a challenge as far as attire is concerned.

“Winter weddings in the Midwest require the consideration of weather in the planning process.

Heels are difficult in snow and ice. Think about giving UGGs or similar boots as a gift for your bridesmaids! They are warm, comfortable, and unlike the dress that they’ll wear one time, UGGs will actually be worn again after the wedding.

After all of the excitement, bring your UGGs into Stilettos and have us clean them; they will feel John Perlebach and look like new!”

Stilettos Dryclean Delivery Before the big day, if any of your garments need pressing or cleaning, make sure to give yourself time to have your garment processed and returned. In the final days of planning, you should not be worrying about when to pick up the dresses and suits if at all possible. It is important that after having garments cleaned, they are removed from the garment bags to avoid wrinkles but stored in a safe place where there isn’t a lot of action.

Much like beauty, the perfect wedding is in the eye of the beholder.

While there are set guidelines to follow throughout the planning process to ensure everything is booked and in line as it should be, many of the decisions are made based on the vision of the two people getting married, and that is generally going to be different for each couple. It is common to stress about the details, but too much worrying will make the planning process and execution far less enjoyable. Utilizing our local professionals for guidance as well as their services will not only ensure that your wedding is the happiest day of your life, but also that your engagement period and months spent wedding planning feel more like a dream as opposed to a nightmare. No matter where the help is needed-- assistance in preparing is happily given to those who ask the professionals who specialize in the key components of weddings.

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Buying/Selling a Business At any given time there are a number of business transactions going on in the prospering commercial landscape found in the Omaha Metro, with buyers looking for opportunities matching up with sellers who are moving on to other things. At either end of the spectrum there are many variables to consider and items needed to be brought to the table for a successful transaction.

Luckily for those who aren’t familiar with the process and for those who are alike, there are experienced professionals in the Omaha Metro to help at any stage of the game. All things considered, buying or selling a business is complicated enough a process that it isn’t something that’s advisable to go about doing on your own.

Before even taking the steps towards buying or selling a business, it is imperative that you understand the current economic conditions and how they could potentially come into play. The seasonality of a business, possible rising interest rates, market competition, life cycle of a particular business, necessary capital expenditures, and government regulations are a few key examples. In order to accurately assess these types of variables and any others of relevance, working with a professional business brokerage proves to be an asset in the process.

Similar to buying a home, representing yourself is discouraged because there are so many moving parts and critical details to evaluate. A professional business brokerage is very familiar with the process of buying and selling a business as they do these activities for a living. This expertise will save you a lot of money and issues in the long run, guaranteed.

No Coast Business Advisors offers buyer representation in addition to helping parties who want to sell their business find a qualified buyer and get the deal done.

“Before actually pulling the trigger on buying a business, I’d offer anyone three tips towards having a seamless exchange; require proof of any key details that would affect the transaction, at closing before you sign, confirm that all of the equipment works (you have already done your walk-through, but once you sign you are purchasing it as it is represented), and lastly, talk to the bank early and often--especially if you Jethro Hopkins are buying something you are not paying No Coast Business Advisors cash for!” advises Jethro Hopkins of No Coast Business Advisors. “Buyers should always do their due diligence. For example, you can pull a previous year’s tax returns on a business to make sure that they match up with the returns that the seller is giving to you.

You would be surprised how easy it is to change these with a computer. Or, if they are only giving you profit and loss reports you can pull the tax returns yourself once you have a signed offer.

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The takeaway here is to make sure that everything is as it should be before you go through with such a major transaction. These are things that are second-nature for a professional to check.

When it comes to selling a business, there are many things that a professional business brokerage will handle. This might include establishing a market value, knowing which business a bank will loan on and what dollar amounts are available for loans, protecting the confidentiality of the seller, conducting background checks to confirm that the buyers are qualified before proceeding so nobody’s time is wasted, utilizing lenders and alternative forms of financing, and more. Additionally, these professionals are the ones who tend to catch the mistakes as they comb through the details with a fine-tooth comb.

As the seller’s representative, everything goes through the broker, which helps to eliminate any number of hassles from fielding incoming phone calls to get all of the necessary items in order and meeting with the other parties who are a part of the transaction. Here’s what it looks like for a business owner who is actively trying to sell his/her business without any outside assistance: you are not only fulfilling your role as owner and performing any other jobs as you would normally, but you are putting yourself in a position where you will also be fielding all of the random inquiries and putting together the promotional items as well as figuring out legal paperwork, accounting, and responsible for addressing anything that comes up in a timely manner…and so on.

Direct representation also ensures the necessary confidentiality is upheld, which is important with financial information being disclosed, as well as the potential impact of the sale on employees and customers. When people find out a business may be for sale, any number of things can definitely go awry.

A good broker’s primary duty is to protect you, and then to sell your business.

Regardless of whether you’re on the buying or selling end, it never hurts to have a professional review the deal that you are going to be potentially making. You do not necessarily have to hire one to work for you from start to finish, but at minimum, most competent brokers will sit down, and for a small fee, review and discuss everything.”

Not all business brokerages are created equal: As with any evaluating anyone you are choosing to do business with, it is important to know all costs you may incur in order to avoid the hidden ones. Particularly with respect to sellers, Hopkins further advises, “If we can’t sell it, we do not get paid. Advertising is one area in particular that can be murky as to who is responsible for payment. At No Coast Business Advisors, marketing the business through the appropriate channels is complimentary to those who are utilizing our services as a part of the package.”

Timing is also an important factor. “Small businesses are selling and this is the time of the year when the most buyers come out, but yet there are the least amount of sellers,” Hopkins explains.

“If you are looking to sell, June, July, and August are the optimal months to get your businesses listed. If your paperwork is in order and I have what I need—the past three year’s tax returns, current year and previous year profit and loss, inventory, and asset reports/lists-- then after a meeting with an owner, I can list the business within 48 hours, so there’s still time to hit that window.”

Franchises in particular present an excellent opportunity for potential buyers because they already come complete with infrastructure that has been proven to be successful for many other business owners as well as offering continued support long after the sale is completed. If you’re purchasing an existing franchise, this also comes with an established client base and a business that is already generating revenue, along with the staff and inventory remaining with the business, all of which are on the plus side in terms of setting the stage for a smooth transition.

It’s important to note that not just anyone can purchase a franchise—an in-depth screening process is conducted prior to determining whether a candidate is qualified.

“The franchise will be actively involved in the sale, as adding a business to the company’s portfolio or taking over an existing franchise is something that should be a good match for both parties,” says Scott Thompson of Pr emium Franchise Brands. “This is the case with our professional grade cleaning franchises Jan-Pro Cleaning Systems and Maid Right; we will facilitate the sale.

Within our 8-step mutual process, the first step is ensuring that the candidate is Scott Thompson qualified by meeting for pre-qualification and then a franchise application prior to Premium Franchise Brands moving forward. Once that is established, we then move forward to assess financials, address operations requirements, and conduct due diligence. After all requirements are satisfied and the sale is final, the new owner will benefit from the support of the franchise all the way; initially this includes two weeks of operational training provided by our field service directors.”

He adds, “For those in the Omaha area looking for to purchase an established local franchise, we have an opportunity available as Jan-Pro, which has been serving clients since February of 2003, is currently on the market. If you’d like to know more, please contact me at (678) 336-1780 or scott.thompson@ premiumfranchisebrands.com.”

Indeed, while what happens during the transaction is of great importance, what happens afterwards is significant too as far

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as the buyer is concerned. When assuming ownership of an existing business, a time of transition is to be expected and with that, changes are almost always inevitable. As with branding, location is another signature component of a business that could be subject to change under new ownership.

A new business owner is going to make the decision to either keep the business in its current location and eventually expand, or alternatively, move or down size depending on the company’s needs and direction for the future. Whether a business is downsizing or expanding, HIP OffiCenters is there to help.

Particularly for those in the Omaha Metro, HIP offers virtual offices so that a company outside of the market can have a presence in Lincoln, which would be helpful to those who are looking to expand after purchase.

“In addition to offering space and a wealth of amenities in our Executive Office Suite that’s centrally located in Lincoln, which we’ve designed to be ideal spot for business owners who need to conduct business here, we also provide vir tual offices,” explains Michael Holroyd of HIP OffiCenters. “We’ve designed the space and offerings based on what would be ideal for a business owner, filling in the gaps that we’ve identified as being critical to Michael Holroyd operations. While renting from us, there HIP OffiCenters are no upfront costs that one finds with build outs and adding infrastructure.

High-speed fiber optic internet, an executive conference room, copy center, kitchen facilities, janitorial services, all utilities paid and free parking are all available on-site and included in your rent. Virtual offices in particular allow companies to expand their business into new areas without taking on more space. The purpose of our business is to make work life easier, so companies can focus on growing and managing their businesses.”

If you’re staying in the existing location, the furnishings will either stay with the business as a part of the sale or will leave with the previous owner. For the latter, you’ll need to move quickly on getting everything in place so that the environment is functional and inviting. While you might have the budget to buy new items, keep in mind that finding quality items at auction is a great way to save money that you could be investing in other parts of the business. As for sellers, liquidating assets at auction is often a necessary part of the exit process.

Tom Rine of Rine Auctioneers explains, “Depending on the situation of course, we are able to assist with liquidation and turning assets into cash. Most of our experience has been with liquidating items commonly found in commercial settings, industrial equipment, and office equipment. If you just bought a business and still need to furnish it, or even advice as to what would look nice in the space or best fit your business’s needs, feel free to contact us for a consultation and we will help you find high-end furniture at a good price.”

Once your location has been established and you’re all set up, you’ll want to focus on promoting where you are at so that people know that you are still open for business and where they can find you when they need you.

As searching for a business online one of, if not the most, popular way for people to find out information, you’ll want to ensure that all details of your online presence are accurate and reflect the business and brand under its new ownership. To meet this objective, you might even want to consider incorporating a new 360 degree image tour of the new space online.

“Customers like to know what they are getting into before going

into a business, but muc h to their disadvantage, many businesses often over look their online presence,” emphasizes Lori Black of MIT Images 360. “If the interior of a business is appealing to a person checking it out online, they are far more likely to actually go there. Adding a virtual tour to your website also improves your presence on Google, and thus, your chances of being noticed online in the first place.”

Lori Black MIT Images 360

With the Google Street View Trusted Tour, your business’s interior will be visible on Google Search, Google Maps, and Google+.

Additionally, MIT Images 360 can help with getting a business on Google My Business, Google+ page setup and management, blog writing, and video production.

Black notes, “Most businesses ignore their Google+ presence all together, and Google+ pages are very important when it comes to your Google rankings. Google is the number one search engine today. It’s how people find the businesses they use. Let’s face it, all businesses want to show up higher in Google search rankings. Enhancing your presence on Google can only improve your status with Google.”

One of the most pivotal aspects of a functioning business is its staff. A great team is required for day-to-day business and its success overall. When a business changes hands, while the current employees may choose or be offered the opportunity to stay, they may also opt to leave to pursue other opportunities for any number of reasons or the buyer may choose to let them go in favor of assembling their own team. As the sale of a business marks a time of transition, no matter the conditions of the sale, you’ll likely be addressing turnover. If your needs are few, then many times it is much easier to locate those key people that share your vision through networking, friends, and family.

However, sometimes there are instances when more expertise is required to find the right people and that is where a professional employment agency can be of great assistance.

There are certain instances when it may be favorable to partner with a company who can handle specific tasks, outsourcing them as opposed to adding to your staff. For example, utilizing an answering service is a helpful way for a new business owner to ensure that excellent customer service is maintained during transition and that no balls are dropped or critical calls are missed. Executive Answering Service offers friendly telephone receptionists who can answer your phones whenever you cannot whether you are on the other line, out of the office, with a client or spending treasured time with your family/friends. Many callers will hang up and call someone else when they receive a AUGUST 2016 Strictly Business

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voice mail or busy signal, resulting in what could be hundreds of dollars of lost business!

“Hiring, training and then the overhead cost for a friendly and customer service oriented telephone receptionist - including salary, benefits, etc. - is expensive!” says Megan LipertMurphy of Executive Answering Service. “Our operators can obtain messages and/or seamlessly transfer calls to you or your staff, just as if they are working directly in your office.

They are trained to be the best virtual receptionists in the industry. We don’t Megan Lipert-Murphy want to be just your answering service, Executive Answering Service our goal is to be a part of your team and your customers are our number one priority. Executive Answering Service is able to offer the quality of service that is aligned with your reputation and the communication technology that your business requires.”

Bookkeeping and payroll for employees is another area where you could choose to add to your staff, or alternatively, hire a company to handle it for you.

The associates at Payroll Professionals are experienced at helping new business owners with their bookkeeping systems and with the set-up of their payroll, and they will go the extra mile just to make sure your job as a new business owner is less stressful. “At Payroll Professionals we are able to set up bookkeeping systems along with implementing any other software systems that would benefit the business,” explains Kelly Burns of Payroll Professionals. “Additionally, Kelly Burns if an existing bookkeeping system is Payroll Professionals in place that is working well for the business, we can help a new business owner by taking that over after it officially changes hands and evaluating whether any adjustments should be made. For any new business owner, it’s critical to get set up with the right agencies and professionals who will be able to help with areas that aren’t in that person’s particular skill set.”

As a word of caution to sellers, Burns also notes, “A common mistake we see when individuals are trying to sell their business is that they forget it is necessary to settle and close company accounts and notify the correct agencies regarding the ownership transition before completely removing themselves from the business.”

As yet another example of a need that would likely be determined after the sale, if you’re purchasing a business with a fleet and there’s no system in place for management, that’s something to look into as well.

Chad Harmening Now You Know Fleet Management

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Now You Know Fleet Management works with businesses in Omaha and surrounding areas to help them cut costs and run their fleets of transport more efficiently. “We provide cuttingedge GPS tracking tools and fleet management software that is able to not only save business owners money on fuel, but also increase employee productivity and enhance employee utilization,” advises Chad Harmening of Now You Know Fleet Management. “Our webbased software and mobile app allows

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you to track your business’s vehicles in a real-time environment and communicate with employees on-the-go.” With the help of NYK Fleet Management, there are hundreds of tasks that you can perform with a few clicks that will save you great amounts of time and money in the long run. You are also able to receive daily and monthly reports on fuel, routing, driver statistics, time, employee hours, and GPS tracking, amongst other things.

Once you’ve got the key players in place, from here on out it’s your job as the new business owner to develop the talent of your staff.

“Our team works with organizations of all sizes that want to develop great leadership for today and assure a continuum of leadership for tomorrow,” emphasizes Rose Mary Hefley of Achievement Unlimited, Inc. “It’s critical for new business owners to have the tools they need to lead the organization, and for their employees to have the tools that they need to do their jobs. To succeed, you have to have the right people in the right place doing Rose Mary Hefley the right thing at the right time, and that will likely present a challenge at first Achievement Unlimited, Inc. to a new business owner. We will work alongside you to implement a communication process, develop your business plan, and create benchmarking tools that will enable you to meet your objectives moving forward. This will start with identifying essential factors such as mission, vision, and purpose—who are you serving and why are you serving them?

How do you fit into the marketplace, where do you stand with the competition, and how can you set yourself apart? There can be a lot of unknowns when taking over ownership of a business, and particularly for those who don’t have a business background, leadership development is key to being able to address them in a way that yields optimal results for all involved.”

As you can see, there are so many things to be considered and that would be of value to those buying or selling a business, just as much during the process as after the transaction has concluded. Bottom line: When the opportunity comes about to either buy or sell, don’t go it alone. There are many experienced professionals in the Omaha Metro that can offer help on either side, and who want to see you succeed in your efforts!

EXPERTS WANTED Strictly Business Magazine is seeking experts to feature in print, online, in person & on social media in 2016.

We are looking for experts and professionals in healthcare, financial, trade, retail, construction, government and business. People with outstanding knowledge and expertise in their field to advise our readers.

If you are an expert and desire to increase your visibility and credibility in the Omaha marketplace, we would like to talk to you and your organization.

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ARE YOU READY TO START SOMETHING? START TURNING IDEAS INTO ACTION

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