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• AUGUST 13, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal
Philanthropy & Charity A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal
August 13, 2021
Metro lives up to philanthropic reputation; strategic thinking underscored by Michelle Leach
Omaha’s famously philanthropic spirit has persisted through the “new normal” and is poised to do so through whatever the “next normal” brings. “Nebraskans are known for hard work and for pitching in to help a friend or stranger whenever needed,” said Aksarben Foundation Vice President Julie Klug. “This generosity of spirit is felt throughout community giving as well … there was tremendous traction and growth heading into 2020.” Despite the pandemic, she said $1 million-plus scholarships were awarded to Nebraska and western Iowa students. “Being mindful of the disruption in ‘business as usual’ and in the direct impact to operations and income, Aksarben elected not to hold our annual fundraising event — although we could have hosted it virtually — feeling it best to wait and celebrate the return to normalcy as a community,” she said. “We experienced no disruption in our giving back to the communities of Nebraska and western Iowa.” In all, scholarship and community grants impacted more than 450 students and projects in Nebraska, support attributed, partly, to legacy and multi-generational family donors. As travel has resumed, Klug noted meeting with former Aksarben scholars, families who have shown at the Aksarben
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Vic Gutman, president of Vic Gutman & Associates. (Photo by Monica Sempek) Stock Show for generations, or the grand- to the impacts of the pandemic,” said Ally niece of an Aksarben Ball “Princess.” Freeman, director of communications. The Omaha Community Foundation’s Acknowledging how the pandemic COVID-19 Response Fund reported 6,500- widened inequalities and increased demand plus community members donated $1.5 mil- for services, the second fund has reportedly lion to 51 local nonprofits in need in 2020. received more than $2.7 million in requests The fund evolved with the OCF’s launch of from 100-plus nonprofits. Twenty-one nonthe Community Resilience Fund in April. profits have received grants totaling upwards “The Resilience Fund is focused on of $285,000. In July, OCF announced nine more long-term needs as nonprofits and our local nonprofits received grants from totaling community continues to recover and respond around $98,000 to support arts and culture,
housing, learning recovery, mental health and workforce efforts. Freeman noted anyone in the community can contribute. Manager Brian Gough said Hancock Dana’s clients have answered the call of many local nonprofits’ requests for additional support; he, too, referred to donations to the COVID-19 Response Fund. “This fund was set up to help direct support to organizations in the local community, who are serving those most impacted by COVID-19,” he said. “This fund has been able to distribute significant dollars to other organizations.” Vic Gutman & Associates’ services including fundraising, such as grants and capital campaigns management. “I’ve always known Omaha has a very generous philanthropic community that has supported so many good causes over the generations and, during last year in the thick of things when businesses were closing down and nonprofits had to close or scale down (or scale up in the case of food pantries) … there was the potential that many nonprofits in Omaha would have to fold,” said Vic Gutman, president of Vic Gutman & Associates. “That didn’t happen, but only because the philanthropic community stepped up.” Of more than two dozen clients, Gutman said almost all received funds that they didn’t apply for, from foundations that helped to keep them afloat. He also referenced the likes of Payment Protection Plan loans. “The special COVID grants were made without restriction,” he added. “That is a nonprofit organization’s dream. These organizations and their employees are the people who are on the ground, serving others, and they were allowed to use the money as they saw fit.” In 2020, SpartanNash reportedly raised almost $371,000 to nonprofits through its Direct Your Dollars program, aligning with $345,000 and $451,000 in 2018 and 2019, respectively. In Nebraska, through SpartanNash and its foundation, more than $120,000 is contributed annually to 20-plus nonprofits, according to Adrienne Chance, Foundation executive director and vice president, communications. “Our support ranges from large-scale sponsorships and grants to supporting local schools, youth athletics, culinary schools Continued on next page.
Philanthropy & Charity — inside AUGUST 13, 2021
THE BUSINESS NEWSPAPER OF GREATER OMAHA, LINCOLN AND COUNCIL BLUFFS
$2.00
VOL. 47 NO. 33
Schrier Automotive uses online inventory for national reach
THIS WEEK ’S ISSUE:
by Richard D. Brown
Dundee Candle Co. gives customers unique build-your-own scent experience. – Page 2
40 er d Un 40 Event Vesta’s Prystai followed early example of entrepreneurism. – Page 4
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Taking care of business regardless of where your employees work. – Page 5
Although that unmistakable “Be a Schrier buyer!” pitch is wellknown throughout eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa, Schrier Automotive owner Jeff Schrier is using an online presence to buy and sell low-mileage used vehicles to customers in more than 40 states. The 61-year-old Lincoln native who entered the auto sales business in 1984 and shortly thereafter moved to Omaha, purchased multiple new vehicle dealerships in Omaha and the surrounding area. “At the peak in the ‘90s we owned 10 franchises, plus four used car stores — three in Omaha and one in Council Bluffs, plus 250 rental cars,” Schrier said. Although successful in the multiple franchise ventures, about 20 years ago Schrier looked at the evolving automotive dealership landscape nationally and mused about how the changes in the business would impact him and how hard he was working. He visited dealerships throughContinued on page 9.
Owner Jeff Schrier is aiming to build large inventory of used cars. (Photo by Monica Sempek)
Investments, partnerships support Monolith’s unique green processes by Michelle Leach
We are surrounded by Monolith’s handiwork. Most just don’t realize it. Similar to graphite, the carbon black material that this Lincoln-headquartered chemical and engineering company produces is present in the electronic devices that we can’t live without (keyboards) and the transportation that gets us from “Point A” to “Point B” (tires). The distinguishing factor, however, isn’t so much
the product that is made. But, as Executive Vice President Amy Ostermeyer tells it, Monolith’s differentiator comes down to how that product is made: through a proprietary clean and environmentally responsible process. “The world literally goes around because of carbon black,” she said. “We’re excited to bring the product to market in a way where it doesn’t have a harmful Continued on page 10.
The Workshop team focuses on increasing communication for large organizations. (Photo courtesy of Workshop)
Newly founded Workshop eases communication for employers by Gabby Hellbusch
Executive Vice President Amy Ostermeyer looks to spur environmental, economic transformation with chemical and energy company’s propriety green process. (Photo courtesy of Monolith)
After much success building positive, engaged company cultures throughout their careers, friends and business partners Dusty Davidson, Derek Homann, Rick Knudston and Ben Stevinson set out on another innovative adventure by founding Workshop, an internal communications platform targeting companies with more than 500 employees. Davidson, CEO/co-founder,
said the four founders saw an opportunity to create a solution for a challenge that nearly every large company faces and make that experience better. As companies scale and become larger, Davidson said communication often breaks down, making it even more critical for employees to have easy access to pertinent information. “At its core, Workshop is Continued on page 11.