Sarpy County Business Hall of Fame 2016

5tNt 5 Kim Ahlers Jim & Sharon Shaw Bob McKinney Bank of Nebraska Rick & Rita Sanders

May 11, 2016 | A supplement of Suburban Newspapers

sarpy county business hall of fame Pubilished

by Suburban Newspapers Inc. and the Omaha World-Herald, 1314 Douglas St., Suite 600, Omaha NE 68102. To advertise with us, call 402444-1248.

Section editor/ designer: Tom Knox; special sections editor: Chris Christen; special project manager: Paul Swanson; retail advertising manager: Dan Matuella

Hall of Fame recognizes inductees’ impact The five members of this year’s class are more than worthy of the recognition

Previous honorees have set the bar high for recognizing those who work to make Sarpy County grow and prosper.

This year’s honorees meet that bar.

Suburban Newsapers Inc., in partnership with title sponsor Bellevue University and event

sponsor CASA, recognizes the contributions of the honorees.

Members of this year’s group are immortalized with plaques on a wall inside the Durham Center Building on the Bellevue University Campus.

The 2016 honorees Rick and Rita Sanders

Kim Ahlers

Bob McKinney

Soaring Wings

Bank of Nebraska

Richmont Village Retirment Living has become a cornerstone in Bellevue.

Kajoma’s Boutique in downtown Papillion is as vibrant as its owner.

The customer comes first at McKinney’s Food Center in Gretna.

Family-run winery got its start long ago, when the founder was a teen.

A community and small business champion for more than 40 years.

The induction ceremony The ceremony will happens May 18 inside the John B. Muller Administration Services Building on the Bellevue University campus on Galvin Road. Social hour begins at 4 p.m., following with the ceremony at 4:30 p.m.

Hard work and dedication are their own rewards. A little recognition is always nice, too.

Congratulations to this year’s inductees of the Sarpy County Business Hall of Fame.

Proud sponsor of the Sarpy County Business Hall of Fame.

Bob McKinney, McKinney’s Food Center Jim & Sharon Shaw, Soaring Wings Vineyard Rick & Rita Sanders, Richmont Village Kim Ahlers, Kajoma’s Boutique and Bank of Nebraska

Congratulations, Rick and Rita!

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Congratulations Rick and Rita Sanders.

Thank you for your commitment to our community and congratulations to all of the 2016 inductees!

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Rick and Rita Sanders built a ‘family’ business Richmont Village Retirement Living has become a cornerstone in Bellevue

By Eugene Curtin Suburban Newspapers Inc. The motorist heading south on Fort Crook Road just past Cornhusker Road, should he glance to his right, will see a nondescript row of storefronts offering comic books, T-shirts, furniture and daycare.

Adjacent to that office strip is one of Bellevue’s most impressive complexes.

It’s called Richmont Village Retirement Living.

Standing tall and still gleaming with newness, it dominates Fort Crook Road north of the office strip. The complex, which will soon be joined by the Richmont Terrace Assisted Living and Memory Care, includes several senior townhomes and, along its intersection with Cornhusker Road, boasts a modern strip mall soon to be joined by a

See Sanders: Page 5

Hours: M-F 7:30AM – 5:00PM – 10106 South 15th St (North West corner of 15th & Cornhusker)

Bellevue Community Foundation

Congratulations Rick and Rita Sanders

R O F U O Y K N THA !

P I H S R E D A E YOUR L Congratulations Rick & Mayor Rita Sanders and all of the 2016 Hall of Fame inductees!

Thank you for all you do for our community. Congratulations to you and to all 2016 Hall of Fame inductees w w w.b ellevuecommunityfoundation.org

210 WEST MISSION AVENUE - BELLEVUE, NE 68005 - 402.293.3000

Sanders: Transforming a corner of the city Continued from Page 4

second.

It is one of Bellevue’s most elegant corners and carries an estimated valuation for tax purposes around the $25 million mark.

There is romance to this picture, first because the nondescript row of storefronts gave birth to its magnificent neighbor, and second because the owners of both entities are the husband-and-wife team of Rick and Rita Sanders.

As with all tall oaks the story of Richmont Village begins with an acorn — in this case, Rick’s decision in the 1980s, while working as an attorney, to buy the strip mall. It was in foreclosure and needed a coat of paint, which he and Rita personally provided.

It was then that they seriously contemplated purchasing the 13 acres sitting directly next to them, serviced by an impressive flow of traffic.

“It was October or November, and it was getting really cold, so we had a time crunch to get the building painted by hand, and we were watching all this traffic driving by,” Rita said.

The land was a remnant of the old

Petersen farm, which once stretched east to the Baker’s supermarket along Harvell Drive.

Rick made a deal with the Petersen family, although at considerable risk considering the land was full of unconsolidated dirt transferred from Southroads Mall. Unconsolidated dirt needs a lot of expensive work before it can support a building.

To cut a long story short, the work was done, and ground on Richmont Village was broken in 2000, with the building opening for business in 2002.

It was a success story neither envisioned when Rick arrived in Bellevue from Stockton, Kansas, in 1981, and Rita arrived from Livermore, California, a year later.

They met through school gatherings, car pools that delivered their respective children from prior marriages to soccer games, and through playing together on a co-ed soccer team.

It was while bicycling across Iowa in the annual RAGBRAI event that Rick noticed the prevalence of retirement communities.

Why not build a retirement community on their newly acquired

Special congratulations to Rick & Mayor Rita Sanders!

They broke ground for Richmont Village in 2000, adding the assisted living and memory care center this year property, he suggested, when he got back.

“We sat there in the dirt, and he said, ‘We’re going to do senior living,’” Rita said. “And I said ‘nooo.’

And he said, ‘How hard can it be?’ and so we did it.”

The community they have built has all the flavor of a family, Rita said, even though, given the nature of the business, there is sadness.

“We are very hands-on,” she said.

“We have both done everything, from cleaning and unplugging toilets to cooking to taking people to doctor appointments and holding their hands when they die.

“It’s tough, and initially I said, ‘I can’t do this. I can’t hold one more hand.’ But it’s really just as natural as being born. We’re all going to die, and so the question is, how do we bridge that gap?

“That’s what happens here. It’s family.”

E u g ene C urtin / S U B U R B A N N E W S P A P E R S I N C .

Rick and Rita Sanders pose at the recently opened Richmont Terrace Assisted Living and Memory Care.

Congratulations Rick and Rita Sanders!

From your Friends on Fort Crook!

THE GREATER BELLEVUE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE would like to congratulate all the 2016 Sarpy County Business Hall of Fame Inductees.

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We appreciate your contributions to the county and are proud to support business growth in our communities.

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Congratulations

2016 INDUCTEES

SARPY COUNTY

BUSINESS Hall of Fame Legends Leaders

Legends Leaders Bob McKinney Rick and Rita Sanders Jim and Sharon Shaw

We appreciate all you do for

Bank of Nebraska

SARPY COUNTY and your support of

MIDLANDS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

BOB MCKINNEY of Fame Inducted into Hall

Kim Ahlers

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S TO THE SARPY COUNTY

RICK & RITA SANDERS Inducted into Hall of Fam e

BUSINESS

KIM AHLERS of Fame Inducted into Hall

5 SARPY COUNTY BUSINESS LEADERS

e

of Fam Inducted into Hall

H A L L O F FA M E

INDUCTEES From

at Bellevue University

BANK OF NEBRASKA Inducted into Hall of Fam e

Springfield

JIM AND SHARON SHAW Inducted into Hall of Fam e

Kim Ahlers a champion for downtown Papillion

By Rachel George

Suburban Newspapers Inc.

Owner of Kajoma’s Boutique has created an energetic and warm vibe inside her store

R achel Geor g e / suburban newspapers inc .

Kim Ahlers opened Kajoma’s Boutique in downtown Papillion in 2006 and has been a champion for the downtown district.

There’s an inviting shop on the corner of First and Washington streets. Here, you can often find Kim Ahlers, a personality as bubbly and warm as Kajoma’s Boutique itself.

Ahlers opened Kajoma’s — named after her three children Kalena, Jordan and Maddie — almost 10 years ago. She acquired the building in March 2006, opening her doors for the first time in July.

From day one, Ahlers has championed for the downtown district. She helped form the Historic Downtown Papillion Business Association, serving as president and actively promoting business and community events.

Ahlers was born in Omaha but moved to Papillion in eighth grade, attending high school in the area and living on the West Coast before returning to Papillion.

“I’ve been here for a long time,” she said.

A business trip to Kansas originally sparked Ahlers’ desire to open a boutique.

“I would go into all of the cute little See Ahlers: Page 9

The T Th h Historic Downtown Papillion Business Association would like to congratulate Kim Ahlers for her induction in the Sarpy County Business Hall of Fame!

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KIM AHLERS

Your Downtown Businesses... Serving Papillion

Ahlers: Downtown boutique is as lively as its owner Continued from Page 8

boutiques and I thought, ‘Who shops here?’” she said. “If they can make it here in the middle of nowhere, I thought we could do this Papillion.”

At the time, a boutique was just what Papillion needed, Ahlers said.

“I wanted to bring unique, fun fashions to Papillion, but I wanted to be really warm and welcoming,” Ahlers said. “We wanted everyone to come here.”

“Nobody needs to dress up to come shopping. I think that’s a big misconception with boutiques.”

That misconception, along with a sort of persona that some boutiques portray, was something Ahlers aimed to correct with Kajoma’s.

Last June, Ahlers opened a second Kajoma’s location, in west Omaha’s Grayhawk Pointe.

“This is still home,” she said of the Papillion boutique, which she calls her “warm and cozy” store compared to her “bright and cheery” newer location.

“As time went on, I realized my passion for downtown Papillion,” Ahlers said. “I just really feel like we’ve got such a nice community, heartfelt

feeling here.”

That passion for the area led Ahlers to get involved with the Historic Downtown Papillion Business Association, now in its third year.

Ahlers said the group works together to build a stronger downtown, supporting and promoting events like the Sip and Walk and art strolls to create “buzz” and reintroduce people to what downtown has to offer.

Aside from her presence in the association, Ahlers is involved in numerous other community efforts, from the First Street Plaza talks and planning, to working on promotion for the Parks and Recreation ballot initiative. She was recognized as a community leader

by Harry Bossard American Legion Post 32 and has received recognition from the City of Papillion as a community sponsor.

Ahlers also helps partner the association with the city to create more unified events, such as farmers markets, are bringing business into downtown shops as well.

Kajoma’s has won many Sarpy County People’s Choice Awards and Best of Omaha awards.

“I’m just very honored to be induct-

“I wanted to bring unique, fun fashions to Papillion, but I wanted to be really warm and welcoming. We wanted everyone to come here.”

Kim Ahlers

ed into the Sarpy County Business Hall of Fame,” Ahlers said. “I was just so touched.

You work so hard every day, all day long, trying to do the best you can do for your business and community. It’s kind of nice to know that somebody actually noticed. I hope to keep going to make Sarpy County and downtown Papillion the best place ever.”

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McKinney’s Food Center a testament to community

By Susan Skinner Suburban Newspapers Inc.

Bob McKinney’s philosophy is to, above all, take care of the customer

S usan S kinner / suburban newspapers inc .

Bob McKinney, owner of McKinney’s Food Center in Gretna, with his 1930 Model A Ford Huckster.

For more than 40 years, Bob McKinney has owned and operated an independent grocery store in Sarpy County.

“It’s pretty rare for someone to be here 40 years,” McKinney said. “It’s pretty competitive. There’s nothing easy about it. We’re a dying breed.”

Today, McKinney’s Food Center is a fixture in Gretna, where it has stood near the intersection of Nebraska Highway 370 and Highway 31/6 for the past 20 years. Before that, the store operated as McKinney’s Tara Foods for 20 years in Papillion.

McKinney’s formula for such longevity is to focus on the customers.

“This place is a people business,” McKinney said. “If you don’t like the people, you’re in the wrong business.”

For McKinney and his staff of 35 full- and part-time employees, it’s the details that count.

“We still try to do stuff the old-fashioned way,” McKinney said. “We try to do things the chain stores aren’t going to do for customers. In a way, we create See McKinney: Page 11

TO THE HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Building relationships that build your business…

it’s the American Way. Congratulations to Jim and Sharon Shaw of Soaring Wings Vineyards and Bob McKinney of McKinney’s Food Center for being inducted into the Sarpy County Business Hall of Fame!

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McKinney: Focus is on the customer Continued from Page 10

our own niche.�

The store employees carry customers’ groceries to their cars, and the meat counter offers fresh ground and store-cut meat for sale to meet customer’s expectations, McKinney said.

Focusing on customers also means playing a role in the community. McKinney and his family live in Gretna, and the store supports local organizations, such as the fire department, schools and churches. “I enjoy the people,� McKinney said. ‘It’s always something for the community.�

From the start in Papillion more than 40 years ago, the grocery store has been a family business.

McKinney’s wife, Mary, has been involved in the store since the beginning and his children, David McKinney and Cindy Hanson, also have been through the years. Now McKinney’s teenage granddaughter, Miranda Hanson, has joined the business as a part-time worker. “It’s truly a family business,�

McKinney said. “Right now we have three generations in the store.�

Even with three generations involved in the business, McKinney has no plans to retire. “There’s no exit plan,� McKinney said with a smile. “If I retired, I don’t know what I’d do.�

McKinney doesn’t play golf, hunt or fish, though he does enjoy the vintage Ford Model A cars that he owns and drives. “I enjoy the cars in the summer,� said McKinney, a member of the Meadowlark Model A Ford Club. “They’ve been a fun hobby.�

As part of the car club, he and his wife participate in activities such as the Gretna Days parade, the Gretna High School Skills USA program’s car show and a few other events. They also have traveled with the group to various sites around the region.

For now, that is enough for McKinney, who finds the grocery business is where he wants to be. “I just kind of enjoy what I do,� he said. “There have been up times and down times, but you learn you can survive it. In some respects, I would consider myself a survivor.�

Congratulations to the 2016 Hall of Fame Inductees!

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Congrats, Bob McKinney!

The Gretna Area Chamber of Commerce congratulates Bob McKinney on his induction into the Sarpy County Business Hall of Fame! Bob is continually giving to the Gretna community and was a dedicated chamber member for years. He and his wife, Mary, are steadfast in their generosity to area non-profits, allowing them to utilize McKinney’s Food Center for various fund raisers. Our sincere thanks to Bob McKinney for your dedication to the people of Gretna!�

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Family’s passion lets Soaring Wings take flight “We used to have mulberry trees, and I heard you could turn mulberries into wine.”

Jim Shaw

Congratulations 2016 Inductees!

By Eric Taylor

Jim Shaw has been creating wines since he was a teen, now his wife and son are in the vintner game

Suburban Newspapers Inc. It’s a good thing Jim Shaw’s mother didn’t put an end to his wine-making days when he was 13.

“We used to have mulberry trees, and I heard you could turn mulberries into wine,” Shaw said.

“So I started squeezing the berries and used bread yeast to make wine.

“Then I started doing the same thing with cider. I used to do all this in my fort, but I had to move the supplies to my closet. That’s when my mom caught me with five bottles.”

From those early days, Shaw’s passion for wine-making would eventually lead him and his wife, Sharon, to open Soaring Wings Vineyard & Brewing in 2004. A dozen years and many awards and satisfied customers later, the Shaws have honed Soaring Wings into one of the top vineyards in Nebraska.

Their hard work and vision have See Soaring Wings: Page 13

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Soaring Wings: A leap of faith Continued from Page 12

earned them a place in the Sarpy County Business Hall of Fame.

Shaw has been a commercial pilot with Delta Air Lines for nearly 30 years and spent seven years in the United States Air Force. But when he wasn’t in the air, you could find him making his own wine or brewing his own beer.

“I always making my own wine or beer,” Shaw said.

“Then I started looking for a backup plan when I knew I’d be done flying.”

Shaw began searching for land where he could turn his passion into a business. In 2001, he purchased 30 acres just south of Springfield.

“We looked all around Omaha and Sarpy County and it took us about a year to find the site,” he said. “It was close to Omaha and had close highway access.

“The funniest part was the look on the farmer’s face when

I told him I was going to grow grapes. I didn’t know much about growing grapes, so I spent the first couple of years researching.”

He also had to convince Sharon.

“She grew up on a farm, and she didn’t want to farm again,” he said. “But I jumped off a cliff and she held on to my hand.”

After three years of planting and planning, Soaring Wings opened to the public in 2004. It was one of about five vineyards in Nebraska at the time, a number that has climbed to about 30.

While Jim still spends half his week as a pilot, Sharon is a part of the daily operation along with their son, Jeremy, who is an assistant vintner.

Over the years, the Shaws’ wines have captured numerous awards at local and national levels. They currently have 22 different wines available at Soaring Wings along

with eight different beers, which Jim began making about three years ago.

Soaring Wings is home to many weddings, business gatherings, family outings and provides couples or families a chance to get away. There are many different events throughout the season and live music on the weekends.

“This is mostly what I envisioned when we opened,” he said. “We’ve made a few additions, and the people in the area have supported us very well.”

He’s also had the support of Sharon since starting his venture more than a dozen years ago.

“I like being around her,” he said. “When you run a small business, there is no such thing as a vacation.

We’ve had hard times, but we’ve been able to get through them. I see myself flying for about three more years, then I will segue to this full time.”

A rnold C lark P hoto g raph y

Sharon and Jim Shaw have earned numerous awards for their wine since opening Soaring Wings Vineyard in 2004.

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By Kelsey Stewart Suburban Newspapers Inc. When Bank of Nebraska first opened in 1974, it wasn’t far from neighboring corn fields.

But as the city of La Vista grew, so did the bank.

Bank of Nebraska went from offering personal banking to becoming a leader in getting small businesses off the ground.

“We really started out as a small retail bank servicing the needs of the community,” said Mike Choiniere, Bank of Nebraska president and CEO. “We’ve matured from a small consumer bank to a small commercial bank. We’re kind of small-business specialists.”

At the time of opening, it was difficult to get a bank up and running, said Mike Hogan, chairman of the bank’s board of directors.

See Bank of Nebraska: Page 15

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K else y S tewart / suburban newspapers inc .

Michael Choiniere, left, and Mike Hogan in front of Bank of Nebraska’s La Vista branch. Choiniere, the bank’s president and CEO, and Hogan, chairman of the bank’s board of directors, said the bank has grown to suit the needs of the surrounding community.

Bank of Nebraska: Friend of the community Continued from Page 14

He and other organizers met resistance from other area banks that didn’t want the extra competition.

But they got off the ground and offered personal banking services. As the community grew, they added a mortgage center in 1980. They’ve since added three branches — one in Bellevue and two in Omaha. They’ve even been able to extend some of their services to other states.

Now, they’ve come to specialize in helping small business owners. The majority of the small businesses they assist are based in Sarpy County.

“It’s a real blessing to help businesses grow from nothing and expand to become major employers in the area,” Choiniere said.

At times, Bank of Nebraska has to compete against major retail banks that make a point of selling convenience to customers.

But Bank of Nebraska makes a point to develop relationships with customers.

“Where we win every time is with person-to-person contact with the businesses and fast response on their needs,” Choiniere said. “We get to know our businesses and their owners very well. It’s those synergies that allow us to not only be responsive, but to be very powerful in our servicing of them and providing them with products that they need.”

Bank of Nebraska also has made an effort to be involved in the community. The bank is involved with various area chambers of commerce, community foundations and schools foundations. They’ve since struck up a partnership with the City of La Vista during the city’s annual Salute to Summer festival, and the city’s concert and movie series.

The bank has been recognized by several of its community partners and has received numerous banking awards.

In the course of the bank’s more than 40year history in the area, Hogan and Choiniere have seen plenty of changes in the world of banking.

A big change now underway is the use of technology in banking. Bank of Nebraska is constantly introducing new technology to make banking more convenient for customers.

“It’s a lot of fun to be with a small community bank,” Choiniere said. “You have a lot more impact and it’s a lot more challenging. We are able to compete and provide the same services that the big boys do.”

While the bank is able to compete, people are most important, from its various customers to all 47 employees.

“The bank has done well,” Hogan said.

“We have very great employees who have helped us expand, and we now have a good presence in Douglas County and Omaha as well.”