Midlands Business Journal April 23, 2021 Vol. 47 No. 17 issue

Page 1

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

5

Technology A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

April 23, 2021

Omaha’s growing tech community means more opportunity by Gabby Hellbusch

As the business ecosystem has evolved, so has Omaha's technology ecosystem, local tech experts say. “Enterprise companies are expanding in cloud and hybrid architectures, software-asa-service startups have matured into thriving companies and smallto-mid-sized companies now rely on IT as a core to delivering their service,” said Ryan Wade, software solutions manager at Lutz. “This trend creates an increased need for tech talent. Currently, there are about 1,800 open job Wade postings each day in Nebraska. We expect the gap to widen further with more businesses offering work-fromhome options for employees and more digital ways to offer services to their customers.” In addition, Wade said Nebraska businesses are not only competing with local companies for IT talent, as global companies like Facebook and Google are offering the ability to work from anywhere, which creates further demand. Over the last 10 to 15 years, Nebraska’s higher education is stepping up its efforts to meet demand as local colleges and universities are expanding programs. “Collaboration across businesses, higher education and government through organizations like the Nebraska Tech Collaborative are putting resources and brainpower behind making Nebraska competitive into the future,” he said. According to Wade, the local ecosystem has a huge opportunity to embrace IT as a competitive advantage, especially across core industries such as finance, insurance and agriculture. From a high level, Ben Jackson, vice president of North America sales at WP Engine, said the last 24 months have completely changed the startup ecosystem with investments from a series of the world’s most recognized firms in Bain Capital and SilverLake, between Hudl, BuilderTrend and Flywheel. “In many ways, we are still undervalued compared to our coastal peers, but we’re seeing a change in market dynamics as we return to a post-pandemic world and I’d expect to see a significant infusion of new capital into our market due to the recent success stories

Ben Jackson, VP of North America sales at WP Engine. and what has been an interesting migration of competing with private equity, giving more talent to lower-density areas like Omaha and advantages to the startup world. Lincoln,” Jackson said. “We’re also seeing a Additionally, coastal jobs will be coming rise in new startups coming through a growing inland, he said. number of capital partnerships: Nebraska An“Talented people can choose their path, gels, Invest Nebraska, Startup Collaborative it’s a candidate marketplace, which lends to and the recent launch of Proven Ventures.” innovation,” Jackson said. He said this means an infusion of capital Tim Hunter, IT manager at Wynne Transinto new markets and venture capital funds port Service, said Omaha is an attractive spot

for tech companies for many reasons, including housing affordability and a short commute. Also, regarding cash, Hunter said entrepreneurs can make a dollar stretch much further in the Midwest than in other regions. “Omaha is a city built on collaboration and partnership, with a strong passion for sustainability,” he said. “However, perhaps one of the best qualities of Omaha is its impressive talent pool.” According to Hunter, Omaha is also differentiated by its quality of life. “The area also isn’t dominated by tech the way the San Francisco Bay Area, also known as Silicon Valley, is,” he said. “You will meet as many people who want to open a microbrewery as create the next great app.” Several things have fueled Omaha’s business growth, including tax incentives, growing infrastructure and a collaborative environment. Over the course of the next few years, he said Omaha will certainly be a city to keep tabs on. “Our passion for our community, our drive for tech advancement and our thirst for forward-thinking innovation are catching the eyes and ears of many across the nation,” Hunter said. “With traditional anchor brands and a booming, up-and-coming tech scene further driving growth, Omaha is poised to be the next, big tech destination.”

Technology — inside APRIL 23, 2021

THE BUSINESS NEWSPAPER OF GREATER OMAHA, LINCOLN AND COUNCIL BLUFFS

THIS WEEK ’S ISSUE:

$2.00

VOL. 47 NO. 17

New plant aids Quin Global with market penetration objective by Richard D. Brown

Alleviating stress for pet owners, Fetch! Pet Care enters Omaha market. – Page 2

40 er d Un 40 At Best Care EAP, Burnett improves community one employee at a time. – Page 4

ng sti m o Bo ouris T

Pent-up demand, signature events are helping to breathe new life into region. – Page 24

A new headquarters, plant and warehouse facility that opened three months ago has enabled Quin Global, which supplies spray canister adhesives nationally, aim for a nearly 40% increase in sales this calendar year. The new structure on five acres at 5510 F St. represents about a $6 million investment by the Richard Petersen family, local owners of the venture. Quin Global has tripled its space with the new building’s 30,000 square feet and Sales Director Rob Halverson, who joined the company three years ago, said the strategy is to bring the Omaha-owned business into direct competition with the industry’s biggest players. “We want to do it better than anybody else and with each customer we want to become their most-valued supplier,” Halverson said. Sales over the past three years have increased by a combined 84% and the firm has gone from one outside sales/factory rep to a network of 11 with new additions being made Continued on page 10.

Sales Director Rob Halverson … New facilities and increased salesforce aimed at building competitive advantage. (Photo by MBJ / Becky McCarville)

With increased need for support, restaurants propel growth for Lincoln’s Decision Logic by Michelle Leach

Born from the late-1990s recession, Decision Logic has in its 23 years grown to serve more than 50 brands and 2,000-plus restaurants. In the past 18 months, it has experienced a record 70% revenue growth. “We onboarded 15 new team members in the last 12 months,” said President and Chief Operating

Officer Mandi Wooledge. As clients of the Lincoln Haymarket-based firm find value in software that is “built by restaurateurs for restaurateurs” to support their staff, Decision Logic has been positioned to augment its staff. “We were already staffing up for a larger customer,” Wooledge Continued on page 10.

Kenny D. McMorris, CEO at Charles Drew Health Center … Professionals in health care and community resources aiding in access to COVID-19 vaccinations.

Health care experts pull back the curtain on what it takes to vaccinate a community by Michelle Leach

President and COO Mandi Wooledge … Firm at intersection of technology and restaurants supports restaurateurs within one of the most pandemic-affected industries.

The administration of vaccine into an upper arm takes just a few moments, but considerable processes and partnerships have to align to make that seemingly straightforward act possible. “No matter what happens on the vaccine front, we still need to have robust and stable pro-

cesses and testing,” said Charles Drew Health Center CEO Kenny D. McMorris. “It’s one of the toolboxes that we need to mitigate the spread.” As one of seven federally-qualified health centers in the state (and 1,400 across the country), CDHC was solid in public health staples like Continued on page 27.


2

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Alleviating stress for pet owners, Fetch! Pet Care enters Omaha market their pets get exercise, mental stimulation and by Gabby Hellbusch Omaha is now home to Fetch! Pet Care, a healthy, balanced diet while the pet owner a franchise business specializing in pet care is away.” As a new, small business owner, she said services. Opened by owner Vanicsa Czarnick in the current challenge is obtaining clientele. “Fetch! Pet Care primarily operates out 2021, the business offers dog walking, pet sitting, “almost overnight” service, day care, of the client’s home,” she said. “Therefore, boarding, puppy care, taxi service, medication clients have to trust that you’ll do what you administration, waste removal and specialty say in every aspect and then some.” Brand recogniservices for wedding, tion and most of all maternity leave, hotel Fetch! Pet Care of Douglastrust, are extremely stay and Realtor serSarpy County essential, according vices. to Czarnick, who has In addition, Fetch! Phone: 402-205-0290 been serving people also offers tools to Opened: February 2021 from a customer serkeep pet owners up Service: variety of pet care services vice standpoint for to date when they’re Goal: grow clientele/business, while over 20 years. away from their an- giving back to community “I’m pounding the imals. Clients can Website: www.fetchpetcare.com/dougpavement and meeting utilize the MyFetch! lassarpy as many people as I app, which has journal notes from each visit, pictures of their pet and can,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot and I conshows when the pet care provider arrived and tinue to learn daily. But, the most important departed from the service at the client’s home. thing I’ve learned is how to treat people. I’m “The majority of our clientele are looking proud of my career and I’m beyond proud to for someone to be an extension of their family be a business owner.” While it’s going to take some time before to help care for their animals when they can’t,” Czarnick said. “Pet health is another reason the economy is back to where it was prior pet owners look to Fetch!. It's no secret that to March 2020, Czarnick said people seem mental health, diet and exercise are just as adjusted to the new norm, on top of vaccines important to animals as people. That’s why pet being administered. Currently, she said the business follows all owners call Fetch! when they want to ensure

Business Minute

Owner Vanicsa Czarnick with Nas, her pit bull mix, who she adopted from the Humane Society in November 2020 … Helping busy pet parents by offering a variety of in-home services. Centers for Disease Control recommendations months,” she said. “From what I’m hearing, and talks openly with clients about cleanliness a good percent of people are more than ready and sanitation. to travel again or go back to working at an “People are going to start doing things office.” they haven’t been able to do in the last 12-16 By or before December 2021, Czarnick has financial goals to replace her income. Additionally, she is planning to register her dog as a therapy animal and donate time at Paid Content hospitals or nursing homes. She also has a goal to hire employees within the next few months. “I want to get to a place in my business where I can be more active in the community,” Czarnick said. “I want to be able to volunteer, donate money, materials or sponsor things in the community.” Testing Department Manager,

Josh Kankovsky Vice President/Materials Thiele Geotech, Inc.

Midlands Business Journal Established in 1975

Associations/Titles: HCC, NSHE, ASHE, LEED AP BD+C Hometown: Papillion, Nebraska Education: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Go Mavs!

How I got into the business: A family friend worked at Thiele. I started working summers as a Field Technician throughout undergrad. Accomplishments or milestones: My biggest accomplishment would be starting out as an entry-level technician and working through different roles to my current position. There was a lot of valuable experience gained at each stage. First job: Camping Department at Bass Pro Shops. Biggest career break: Graduating on the back end of the recession, many companies were apprehensive to add staff. I was fortunate to have established relationships at Thiele.

The toughest part of the job: The seasonal nature and weather reliance of our business can be challenging. The best advice I have received: Dan Thiele always emphasizes the importance of establishing genuine relationships with clients and peers. I think Thiele’s resilience over the last year, in part, validates that approach. About my family: For the time being, it is myself, my loving and very patient wife, Meagan, and our dog Bo. Something else I’d like to accomplish: I would love to shoot par in a round of golf. Anybody who has seen my swing knows this is unlikely. How my business will change in the next decade: I still see the importance of boots-onthe-ground engineering. So, I am not going allin with the remote work trend for our particular industry. However, technology will obviously play a major factor. I think the industry has developed, and is developing, more sophisticated testing and technology needed to provide more detailed data to engineers, materials suppliers,

and producers. From deep foundation installation monitoring equipment to automated laboratory freeze/thaw tests on pavements, I think you will be seeing these sophisticated test methods become more mainstream throughout the industry. Mentor who has helped the most in my career: Steve Weidenhammer was the first engineer I worked under. Practical and extremely knowledgeable in his discipline, he was in the twilight of his career and I was fortunate to learn as much from him as I did. Outside interests: My family built a small lake cabin west of North Bend where we spend time hunting, fishing, and boating. I also like to golf in the warmer months. Favorite vacation spot: Key West, Florida. Other careers I would like to try: If I didn’t get into engineering, I would have studied fish and wildlife management. Favorite cause or charity: Stephen Center. Favorite app: onX Hunt.

Interested in being featured in the Business Minute? Email news@mbj.com for more information.

FOUNDER, Robert Hoig

ADMINISTRATION PUBLISHER, Andrea “Andee” Hoig

EDITORIAL EDITOR & VICE PRESIDENT OF NEWS, Tiffany Brazda EDITORIAL ASSISTANT, Savannah Behrends STAFF WRITER, Becky McCarville

ADVERTISING ADVERTISING CONSULTANT, Julie Whitehead OFFICE OFFICE ASSISTANT, Rosemary Gregurich (402) 330-1760 Zane D. Randall (1925-2006) Co-founder LeAnne M. Iwan (1932-1986) First News Editor

The Midlands Business Journal (ISSN 0194-4525) is published weekly plus one by MBJ Inc. and is available for $2.00 per individual copy or $75 per year. Editorial offices are 1308 S. 119th St., Omaha, NE 68144. Periodical postage paid at Omaha NE POSTMASTER; Send address changes to Midlands Business Journal, 1308 S. 119th St., Omaha, NE 68144. All submissions to the Midlands Business Journal become the property of the Midlands Business Journal and will not be returned.

Written permission must be obtained from Midlands Business Journal and MBJ, Inc., to post any of our stories or other published materials on a website. Under no circumstances, because of spamming potential and other issues, will permission be granted to transmit our stories by email.

-The Publisher.


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

3


4

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

At Best Care EAP, Burnett improves community one employee at a time

Robyn Burnett, manager, account & education services, at an HR conference where she was a presenter … Focusing expertise in mental health on assisting employers in the workplace. (Photo courtesy Best Care EAP)

by Dwain Hebda make it in today. I’m so depressed.’ Robyn Burnett knew early on that she “A lot of workplaces are getting way wanted to pursue a career in mental health, better about this and they’re talking about it, she just didn’t expect to find the audience or but we still have lightyears to go. COVID has delivery mechanism that she did. helped, in a weird way, because everybody has “I had an internship at an acute care suffered in some way, shape or form in the last facility here in Omaha working with adults year. People have been much more open about that was purely by happenstance,” she said. it than they ever have been.” “I always wanted to work with kids, and I got The responsibility of companies to the that internship mainly to suffice my internship health of their employees isn’t just of the ethdesignation. But then I fell in love with work- ical nature, Burnett said. She stressed there’s ing with adults.” a bottom-line component to be realized too. That experience led her to Com“What came out of the late ‘90s munity Alliance, a nonprofit that or late 2000s was more of a behavserved adults with severe mental ioral health approach to the EAP, illness. While there, she noticed the knowing that if people are using or toll the job was taking on staffers they’re not performing well, they’re and it led her to explore Best Care not productive,” she said. “DepresEmployee Assistance Program/ sion is the No. 1 reason why people Methodist Health System to provide call in sick, actually. It’s not due to help for employees who needed it. physical issues.” Four years ago, she joined Best In her role, Burnett has become 2020 Care full-time where she is today a sought-after speaker on topics of the manager of accounts and the educational mental health and the workplace. As such, she services team. sees firsthand the many misconceptions that “It was a perfect fit with [Best Care EAP] are still out there. because I could advocate on a different level “We still are constantly battling with with business owners and CEOs and CFOs employers, HR directors, asking us to put a and HR directors,” she said. “I could show number value behind what we offer,” Burnett them why taking care of their employees is said. “We can put numbers around it and say so important. That’s what got me to this point this is how we know people are struggling today where I’ve become more of a commu- with productivity or they’re calling in sick, nity advocate.” but they’re still saying, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, but Burnett said the EAP industry has come they’re all doing okay right now.’ Well, at least a long way as more companies recognize the as far as they know. important roles they can play in employee “Maybe you have one person utilize it out wellness. of your organization of 25 employees, but that “I think the biggest shadow people are one person was suicidal and this saved their hiding behind is in the workplace,” she said. life. It’s hard to put a figure to that.” “From a personal standpoint, people feel very Burnett has a degree in psychology from comfortable talking about mental health, but University of Nebraska-Lincoln and dual maswe don’t always see that translated directly to ter’s degrees in clinical counseling and comthe workplace. People still do not feel com- munity counseling from Bellevue University. fortable if they are suffering from depression She’s also a licensed professional counselor or anxiety to call their boss and say, ‘I can’t and licensed mental health practitioner.

Proud Sponsors of the 2020 40 Under 40:

2021

Nominations Now Open!

Go to MBJ.com today!


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

5

Technology A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

April 23, 2021

Omaha’s growing tech community means more opportunity by Gabby Hellbusch

As the business ecosystem has evolved, so has Omaha's technology ecosystem, local tech experts say. “Enterprise companies are expanding in cloud and hybrid architectures, software-asa-service startups have matured into thriving companies and smallto-mid-sized companies now rely on IT as a core to delivering their service,” said Ryan Wade, software solutions manager at Lutz. “This trend creates an increased need for tech talent. Currently, there are about 1,800 open job Wade postings each day in Nebraska. We expect the gap to widen further with more businesses offering work-fromhome options for employees and more digital ways to offer services to their customers.” In addition, Wade said Nebraska businesses are not only competing with local companies for IT talent, as global companies like Facebook and Google are offering the ability to work from anywhere, which creates further demand. Over the last 10 to 15 years, Nebraska’s higher education is stepping up its efforts to meet demand as local colleges and universities are expanding programs. “Collaboration across businesses, higher education and government through organizations like the Nebraska Tech Collaborative are putting resources and brainpower behind making Nebraska competitive into the future,” he said. According to Wade, the local ecosystem has a huge opportunity to embrace IT as a competitive advantage, especially across core industries such as finance, insurance and agriculture. From a high level, Ben Jackson, vice president of North America sales at WP Engine, said the last 24 months have completely changed the startup ecosystem with investments from a series of the world’s most recognized firms in Bain Capital and SilverLake, between Hudl, BuilderTrend and Flywheel. “In many ways, we are still undervalued compared to our coastal peers, but we’re seeing a change in market dynamics as we return to a post-pandemic world and I’d expect to see a significant infusion of new capital into our market due to the recent success stories

Ben Jackson, VP of North America sales at WP Engine. and what has been an interesting migration of competing with private equity, giving more talent to lower-density areas like Omaha and advantages to the startup world. Lincoln,” Jackson said. “We’re also seeing a Additionally, coastal jobs will be coming rise in new startups coming through a growing inland, he said. number of capital partnerships: Nebraska An“Talented people can choose their path, gels, Invest Nebraska, Startup Collaborative it’s a candidate marketplace, which lends to and the recent launch of Proven Ventures.” innovation,” Jackson said. He said this means an infusion of capital Tim Hunter, IT manager at Wynne Transinto new markets and venture capital funds port Service, said Omaha is an attractive spot

for tech companies for many reasons, including housing affordability and a short commute. Also, regarding cash, Hunter said entrepreneurs can make a dollar stretch much further in the Midwest than in other regions. “Omaha is a city built on collaboration and partnership, with a strong passion for sustainability,” he said. “However, perhaps one of the best qualities of Omaha is its impressive talent pool.” According to Hunter, Omaha is also differentiated by its quality of life. “The area also isn’t dominated by tech the way the San Francisco Bay Area, also known as Silicon Valley, is,” he said. “You will meet as many people who want to open a microbrewery as create the next great app.” Several things have fueled Omaha’s business growth, including tax incentives, growing infrastructure and a collaborative environment. Over the course of the next few years, he said Omaha will certainly be a city to keep tabs on. “Our passion for our community, our drive for tech advancement and our thirst for forward-thinking innovation are catching the eyes and ears of many across the nation,” Hunter said. “With traditional anchor brands and a booming, up-and-coming tech scene further driving growth, Omaha is poised to be the next, big tech destination.”


6

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal • Technology

Access a key theme as businesses aim for secure, easy-to-navigate solutions by Michelle Leach

Midlands firms are using technology in new ways or leveraging new tech solutions to support positive change within workforces and communities. Late last month, Outlook Business Solutions announced the debut of Ally Support, a subscription-based digital accessibility testing service. “We were going to make the digital world more accessible, one business website at a time,” said Vice President Natalie Hadley. She recalled discussing the market and legal risks of websites and apps that are inaccessible to the 1 in 4 U.S. adults who live with disabilities. “We got a great, enthusiastic response,” Hadley said. “But when it came time to get people to pay us to test their websites and make their websites more accessible, we were not finding a lot of traction.” They worked with a consultant and targeted website developers to create bundled services. “We have all become conditioned to be OK

with a subscription relationship,” she said. “We targeted developers or internal development teams for larger companies to spread the cost of access testing across multiple clients.” Formerly, packages were project-based. Each subscription includes an introductory workshop, help desk, initial assessments, full audits, and detailed reports. “A lot of companies are popping up as a ‘silver bullet solution,’” Hadley said. “But they don’t catch issues related to user Hadley experience. They’re just crawling code. They don’t have human users.” Some solutions may interfere with adaptive technology and pose data security risks. Human testers are so important that, Hadley said, they are seeking testers beyond the visually impaired, accounting for other

adaptive technologies. Outlook Business Solutions forged important partnerships with the likes of legal consultants. “[Accessibility] can’t be an afterthought,” she said. “It can’t be one of the final ‘check boxes;’ it has to be baked in from the very beginning. You need to consider in your audience people who are hearing impaired, or who might be dyslexic … When you bake that in from the beginning, writers and graphic deHogan signers and coders are all on board. Everybody understands what each role is, and it’s so much more cost-effective than getting to the end and having to rework it.” Before COVID-19, Red Branch Media was easing “pain points,” such as bridging the gap between the contingent workforce and in-office staff, according to CEO Maren Hogan.

“Then the whole world became a series of pain points,” she said. Now, the digital media environment is much more about collaboration than a year ago. “We’re lucky in that we’ve always been geographically distanced from our clients, so [we] had already invested in collaborative and transparent solutions in order to get work done properly,” Hogan said. Hogan indicated the company is more empathetic in how technology and advertising is approached; for instance, it’s sensitive to live streaming conference and webinar “fatigue.” “We instructed our clients to find on-demand solutions, e-courses, and even audio only (think Clubhouse and podcasting) to be sensitive to the demands constant work and education from home can bring,” she said. Additionally, its human resources and business-to-business clients were being leaned on far more heavily as their clients laid off people and slashed budgets. She encourages businesses to “try all the things,” (TikTok, Clubhouse, Discord), the definition of “relevant.” “Give every new technology at least a month,” Hogan said. “See if you can learn the ins and outs. If it doesn’t stick around (it’ll likely get bought) then you’ve lost nothing, kept your brain elastic, and can be the go-to person people ask about new tech.” Hogan hopes communities will be democratized. “Everyone keeps wanting to further insulate their communities, particularly from Facebook,” she explained. “While this is good for the groups who are trying to wrest the control they freely gave away for a sophisticated platform, it might make it harder to gain traction in size in the future, or hide certain communities away from those who desperately need access.” CEO Richard Nehrboss indicated The MSR Group team is reinventing market research and how consumer insights are collected; Nehrboss recalled what a careerist with Gallup and McKinsey told him: “They were getting 6 out of 10 people to respond to a survey. Now, you get less than a couple of percent.” Yet, the need to measure, in order to manage and improve is a constant. “What we typically have done is email surveys or phone surveys,” he said. “People don’t like to be bugged with surveys, and it is typically a small sample size. We use artificial intelligence to listen to transactions, and we can report back the metrics.” Instead of a half of a percent response rate, one gets a 100% response. “Everybody is interested in seeing how their customer satisfaction is going,” he said, adding their technological approach has resulted in interest from banks, loan offices, hotels, restaurants, and car rental companies and dealerships, some of which are looking to satisfy compliance requirements. Formerly, its focus was measuring physical, in-person interactions. “[COVID-19] pivoted us toward the drivethrough experiences,” he said. “Now, our technology allows us to listen and track our experience in the drive-through.” For instance, workers may be coached by AI to ask customers if they would like dessert or another product to upsell. At $50/month (per device), Nehrboss indicated the AI and software is within reach Continued on page 9.


Technology • Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

Efforts for equity in technology at the forefront by Brooke Strickland

The pandemic dramatically altered how we do school and how we work. For some people, this was incredibly difficult because access to technology was non-existent or unreliable. Thankfully, there are a variety of local companies and organizations that are ensuring students and professionals working from home have access to the technology they need. Why equitable access to technology matters Technology is a powerful tool that we rely on for dayto-day learning, work, health care, and personal connection. Equitable Stavick access simply means that people have the technological tools they need, either with a computer, smartphone, or tablet. Having these and knowing how to use them effectively is an essential skill in the modern world and unfortunately, access to it is not always equal. Rebecca Stavick, CEO of Community Information Trust, operating Do Space, said, “Too many people in our community have been left behind and do not have reliable and easy access to computers, the internet, and learning opportunities to navigate digital spaces — and too often, those are left behind are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) individuals

or communities. Digital inequity does not just impact individuals, it is a challenge we must tackle as a whole community to ensure everyone in Omaha has a high quality of life.” How local organizations are helping Julie Sigmon, director of Omaha STEM Ecosystem, oversees the citywide partnership that maximizes science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning initiatives that encompass the Greater Omaha area, including 12 school districts. They have implemented unique strategies as well as a system that ensures all students have access to STEM programs, including a Sigmon communication system that has increased access to related resources. “When students have access to technology, and it is used effectively, it can break down barriers and provide equity in learning,” Sigmon said. “Although technology isn’t the only way to assure equity, it does allow students to work from home, learn at their pace and develop a sense of empowerment of their learning through independent projects. “We learned as a community during the pandemic that both business and education are forever changed in the way they teach and do business in the future. The Oma-

ha STEM Ecosystem’s role is building a stronger STEM community by connecting education and business development for tomorrow’s workforce.” Do Space, located at 72nd and Dodge streets, centers on equity in tech. “Do Space is the first technology library in the nation, and we were designed specifically to provide the Omaha community with access to technology, and to provide innovative learning experiences to boost digital skills,” Stavick said. “Thanks to our generous philanthropic community,

7

Do Space is entirely free to the public to ensure there are no barriers to access.” ALLO Communications, a telecommunications company serving parts of Nebraska and Colorado launched a “Community Connect” program in January 2020 that offers 10 years of free Gigabit internet service to more than 70 nonprofits and their communities. The organization also donated upwards of $370,000 to local schools to offer discounted internet service to qualifying households. In a statement provided by ALLO, the organization said, “ALLO believes everyone deserves fair and affordable access Continued on next page.

Do Space serves everyone — people of all ages, backgrounds and levels of technology expertise — in the Omaha area and beyond, and memberships are free. (Photo courtesy of Do Space)


8

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal • Technology

Pandemic creates an incubator for new medical technology by Dwain Hebda

There’s no debating COVID-19 as one of the deadliest global health care crises of the 21st century. But in the wryest of ironies, the pandemic has simultaneously played a major role in the advancement of medical technology. “COVID shed a light on just how important communication platforms are and some inadequacies in current practices,” said Chris Harrison, healthcare solutions expert with Kidwell. “[COVID-19] assisted in ramping up our telehealth and virtual communications offerings through our providers … and allowed, sometimes forced, health care facilities to look into improved ways to communicate in order to provide expert level care and keep their patients healthy.” Harrison said Kidwell responded to these needs accordingly, adopting and deploying the latest technology in service to its clients.

“More systems are moving to a software-based model, which allows for full integration between platforms,” he said. “Nurse call used to be a literal bell that a patient would ring when they needed assistance. With our V O I P We s t - C o m system, patients have the ability to make specific calls like pain, bathroom assist, even requesting more water. We Banghart can pair these with mobile devices which makes a dramatic impact on the workflow of the nursing team.” Jeff Banghart, CEO of MyVitalz, said the company’s product went from convenient to invaluable to many health care providers last year.

“Our cloud-based program allows HIPAA-encrypted data to be transmitted to the cloud from different medical devices,” he said. “We bundle a kit depending on what the disease state is for the patient. We give them a scale, for instance, and a blood pressure kit. If they’re diabetic, we throw in a glucometer. We’ve got about 10 different things we can Mainquist bundle, depending on the patient’s disease state. “They take their own readings from home and all that data goes up to our secure cloud portal. On the other end of that, clinicians, doctors, providers and health care workers log in and get real-time data and make decisions on patients’ health

based on that.” From a timing perspective, MyVitalz was ideally placed, dovetailing neatly into the ongoing explosion of distance medicine. “Our business in the last half of 2020 actually grew five-fold,” Banghart said. “There’s a significant improvement in awareness about what a product like ours can do, not just in the COVID environment but just in general. I think it opened up a lot of people’s eyes to telehealth and what we do, telemonitoring.” Alongside of these advancements comes the need for increased security, said Denise Mainquist, president of ITPAC Consulting. “Secure, remote access to networks was a problem before the pandemic. Often there were few providers/employees with access to the network and they didn’t want to mess with secure connections,” she said. “During the pandemic, remote access was used more often and, in general, access was more secure. More health care organizations had gone to the cloud, so employees may not have needed to access the hospital’s network at all. “Still, there are EMR providers who host applications in the cloud that will not allow multifactor authentication. This is a big risk and something health care organizations should push their vendors on, because multifactor authentication is considered a baseline cybersecurity requirement.” Moving forward, Mainquist said, health care systems must pay closer attention to potential exposures and plan accordingly. “In addition to multifactor authentication, secure messaging is critical,” she said. “Organizations should also really consider Zero Trust network configurations to protect their networks and data. These things will put the organization in control of the security of their data and systems, which will reduce the likelihood of data breaches and data loss.”

Efforts for equity

Continued from preceding page. to high-quality broadband service. Since getting its start in 2003, ALLO has been passionate about helping communities succeed and become future-proof. The pandemic has only heightened this effort.” By keeping equal access to technology in mind, we as a community can transform and positively impact the world, one day at a time. The possibilities are endless.

Follow us on @mbjpublications


Technology • Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

9

Locally developed apps aim to improve customer experience by David Kubicek

By the end of last year, global smart phone usage was expected to hit 3.5 billion, according to Statista. This increasing use of mobile devices may be the primary driver of app use as a means to connect with a company or organization. Slightly more than a year ago, Autism Action Partnership approached Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium about implementing an app to help individuals on the autism spectrum and others who were experiencing sensory issues to have a better experience when visiting the park, according to Dennis Schnurbusch, senior vice president of operations and COO of the zoo. “This is something we’ve been working on for quite a while,” he said. “We’re constantly looking for ways to be as inclusive as we can for all of our guests at the park. “What was so exciting is that we have community organizations such as Autism

Action Partnership that were willing to feedback from people so we can make it as work with us to help make sure that this useful as possible for our guests.” experience was as good as it could be for The free app is available through this segment of our visitors. Google Play and the App Store The app provides an overview and can be found by searching of our park in a way that outOmaha Zoo for All. lines what people might call Autism Action Partnership triggers for sensory-related ishas also worked with the zoo’s sues [such as] sight, sound, and guest services team to provide smell. It’s a guide to help peobackpacks for visitors to check ple understand what they may out that contain items which will expect when they visit each of help those on the autism specour exhibits.” trum be more comfortable, such The app has received a posas noise canceling headphones, itive reception. It was launched sunglasses, and fidget items. Schnurbusch Feb. 26 and is being promoted “The app will help them plan through social media. their visit, so they’re encouraged to visit “Each of these [social media] posts the app before they come out, and if there’s will provide different features on different something that is a trigger for the person aspects of the app so people will get to un- with the sensory need, [the app] can help derstand it a little more,” Schnurbusch said. them avoid that and make their visit more “It’s something we can adjust and tweak enjoyable,” Schnurbusch said. as we go along, and we’re encouraging Pawlytics offers animal rescue software

Access a key theme as businesses aim for secure, easy-to-navigate solutions Continued from page 6. for one-man operations and enterprises alike. “That small fee makes your employee that much better,” he said. Ashley Burton described Eckoh’s industry — payments — as a “slow-moving beast,” experiencing a broad, yet modest shift from traditional to digital and alternative payments like Apple Pay. He described “record-breaking demand” for security and compliance solutions from contact centers, and accelerated need to take payments via digital methods and channels, as workers transitioned to working from home. “Our clients look to us to reduce their risk of sensitive data exposure,” Burton said. “We were able to help by allowing their contact center agents to capture sensitive data, such as credit card or social security numbers, but without the agent having to see or hear the data.” And the data wasn’t handled in an uncontrolled home environment.

Cloud services are important for small- to mid-sized businesses. “Doing everything yourself in your own data centers often burns up more time and resources,” he said. Communicate and process orders via channels such as web chat. And, Burton noted, don’t solve one problem at a time, or treat security and compliance as an “after-thought.” “Some organizations leapt into implementing changes within their contact center or procuring new contact center solutions, only to find that they had then opened up or lost the opportunity to address an area of risk,” he said. In fact, a number of them reached a point where they had to stop taking payments for a time. “They hadn’t adequately secured their voice or web chat solutions, resulting in lost revenue,” Burton said. Organizations that embraced security in their day-to-day operations hit the ground running and adapted quickly, he said.

“With states like California and Virginia leading the way with [California Consumer Privacy Rights Act/Virginia Consumer Data Protection Action], other states are looking to adopt similar measures,” Burton said. “While locally the Nebraska Consumer Data Privacy Act stalled, all businesses would be wellserved by starting to think about how they minimize risk when processing and handling sensitive data.”

that helps its clients centralize and keep their organization’s pet and people records up to date. The software also can create custom forms and applications that can be embedded into the customer’s website. The completed applications will appear in the customer’s database for easy access and management. The Lincoln-based firm’s app allows its customers — animal shelters and animal rescues — to easily store and access data on pets, people, and partner organizations, according to Chief Customer Officer Sara Steinkruger. “You can best think of it as a complex CRM (customer relationship management) system made specifically for professionals in the animal welfare and pet care space,” she said. “Animal shelters and rescues using Pawlytics have the ability to track the pet’s intake and outcome events, medical treatment, people involved with the organization, and more.” The popularity of the firm’s app has grown rapidly since COVID-19 began early last year. “As shelters had to close their doors across the country, there was high demand for an easy-to-use, cloud-based solution that could be utilized by teams that were now comprised of remote workers,” Steinkruger said. “Pawlytics offers its users the ability to collaborate from different locations by centralizing all of the organization's data in one cloud-based application.”

R&D Tax Credit Experts Valuable tax credits for tech companies and many other industries

Is your company missing out? Free Scoping Contact Todd Malouf - Omaha (402) 203-0193 Todd@Warner-Robinson.com

www.Warner-Robinson.com


10

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

With increased need for support, restaurants propel growth for Lincoln’s Decision Logic Continued from page 1. could benefit. Then they started to sell tor, The Garage. Instead, Aviture President recalled, of the onset of the pandemic. outside of the Applebee’s portfolio.” Mark Griffis purchased the firm in 2014 as “Ever since then, we have onboarded Today, the company has reportedly the Birds were looking for an exit strategy. even more team members, and hired more saved operations around $40 million in He serves as CEO. developers, [quality assurance] resources, food labor costs each year. “We shifted into more of an agile delearning management personnel, and cliCloser to home, the brands that use velopment cycle,” Wooledge said of the ent services team members.” Decision Logic include Lazlo’s, Amigos impact Aviture has had on its processes. Those team members include the likes and PepperJax Grill; farther afield, clients “What happens out of that is a lot more of a chef-turned-operations lead, and cli- include large restaurant groups in metro user-friendly technology is adopted … We ent success director areas such as Atlanta almost became a new startup or refresh.” who grew up in the Decision Logic and Phoenix. More recently, Decision Logic had restaurant industry Phone: 888-358-7728 “These are where the opportunity to distinguish itself as a a n d f o r m e r l y d i d Address: 201 N. 7th St., suite 205, Linthe headquarters are “partner,” rather than as a mere “vendor” bookkeeping in the coln 68508 located,” she said. akin to its competitors. industry. “We have a diverse “We had signed a large customer at the Services: back-office software built by “We have this re- restaurateurs for restaurateurs to manage p o r t f o l i o , r e s t a u - beginning of 2020,” Wooledge recalled. ally awesome blend the likes of labor costs, food usage, food r a n t s w i t h f r o m “We were a little scared that the pandemic o f r e s t a u r a n t a n d waste, and sales three locations to was going to cause this customer to go out t e c h n o l o g y e x p e - Website: decisionlogic.co over 500.” of business, but the opposite happened. It rience,” Wooledge Decision Logic’s freed up the clients’ resources. So, they said. relationship with custom software devel- could focus on onboarding the solution. For her part, Wooledge started working opment and consulting firm, Aviture, has It was full steam ahead.” in the industry at 13, waiting tables at the supported its growth. Resonating with a large brand further café in her small Nebraska hometown. “We reached out to Aviture to help us enabled the firm to bring on additional “There is camaraderie,” she said. with some data visualization,” Wooledge smaller brands. “When I got married, there were regulars said. “We had lots of data and info … It’s Wooledge also paused before putting at the wedding. It’s all very familial.” a gift and it’s a curse. The layperson needs out statements to clients. With the exception of one trying year, a lot of training. We engaged with Aviture “A bunch of our competitors were Wooledge’s entire career has been in to help us build some dashboards and with putting out messaging far too early, and it restaurants; in fact, she knew Decision visualizing the data.” was borderline insulting,” she said. “They Logic software first as an end user of the Originally, Decision Logic was slated would say things like, ‘No. 1: Cut your product. to be a company within Aviture’s incuba- staff.’ But restaurants are like family.” “Restaurant technology was so far behind,” she recalled; for instance, the first mobile apps were frowned upon. “You couldn’t look at a phone on the restaurant Continued from page 1. in executing the expansion plans at Quin floor because you may not be doing work. in Portland, Southern California, Texas, Global. You might be on Facebook.” Because Quin Global deals with chemKenosha, Wisconsin and Valdosta, Georgia. The mobile technology allows for Many of the sales are done via distrib- icals — some of which are gases that pose managers who are great with people to utors with the end users being general con- risk of expansion — the building was deremain on the floor, rather than being tractors, flooring specialists, and manufac- signed with three distinct zones, with the “stuck in an office” and stuck to programs turers. Some direct sales are made to select production area essentially sequestered and on a computer that are far from portable. factories that make furniture, mattresses and with special exhaust and explosion-proof Furthermore, Wooledge was intimate- related products. systems. ly familiar with the “archaic process” of Syncquip MeThe Quin Global Quin Global functions such as bundling up printed adhesives developed Phone: 402-731-3636 c h a n i c a l G r o u p ’s discounts, coupons and gift card receipts and marketed under Address: 5510 F St., Omaha 68117 Omaha branch and to assure that numbers matched. Midwest DCM inseveral brand names Services: development and manufac“Cash, checks and coins would have are used for applica- ture of canister sprayed adhesives stalled specialized to be dropped in a safe at night and left tions including instal- Founded: 2009 controls, including at the bank for deposit,” she said. “That’s lation of laminated Employees: 25 eight roof-top units, sketchy for restaurant managers.” a fire-penetration excounter tops, residen- One-year goal: Increase operations Then, that cumbersome paper trail had tial kitchens, roofing, at new Omaha facility while promoting haust system, a hot to be inserted into an accounting system. It and at sites ranging firm’s capabilities with additional sales water boiler system might take months to pull together the data from residential to personnel. with in-floor radiant that represents “business intelligence” and the installation of car- Industry outlook: More environmentalheating and a Honcan now be accessed at one’s fingertips. eywell gas detection pet or tile flooring at ly-friendly products are being rolled out. “But restaurant managers are moment heavily-trafficked fa- Website: www.quinglobal.com system for the proby moment,” Wooledge said. “So, when cilities, ranging from duction area. you’re showing them information that is governmental buildings to convention But the state-of-the-art physical plant over a month old, how do they change that centers. design and operations is just part of the story, behavior when they don’t remember what “If you can dream it, we can get it into Halverson insists. they did two weeks ago? You can’t create a canister from hand-carried seven pounds “Our investment in research and develchanges now when you’re always looking to 300 liters and higher,” Halverson said. opment work enables us to identify our cusin the rearview mirror.” One brand is Tensor, Quin Global’s tomer’s needs,” he said. “We can formulate Decision Logic was born out of these private label. all of our adhesives here and test it at the challenges; the idea was first hatched by Halverson, a California native who customer’s site.” Larry and Nancy Bird. The couple owned a started his career with Air Force service and Often that involves tests using refrigernumber of Applebee’s franchise locations then did vehicle body-frame work before ated trailers. and sought a solution to get information beginning an almost three-decade career as Two employees staff Quin Global’s to their CFO faster. a Snap-On franchisee, later joined Snap- in-house laboratory, which has more than Leadership such as CIO Jim Barber On’s management team as a supervisor of doubled its space with the move to the new went into the field to talk to managers sales for 272 franchisees, and later, asset building. about the likes of food costs, insights manager — overseeing a group of about Such support will be important later which were parlayed into solutions to help 400 entrepreneurs. this spring when Quin Global rolls out its manage rapidly fluctuating commodities. Halverson said the knowledge of the water-based G67 flooring adhesive. The “They saw results,” Wooledge said. construction industry gained earlier in his company is focusing on facilities such as “They thought, ‘I bet other Applebee’s career has been important to his success churches and large convention centers.

Wooledge thoughtfully crafted a message that the firm could be proud of three months down the line. In part, the message read: “We know how difficult it is to take away the parts of your business that bring people together — a place where friends, family, and loved ones can share a really great meal together. We know this because we’re all in the people business; you serve those people great food and drinks, and we serve you the tech to make that easier. We’re in this business because we believe in the power that togetherness can provide.” “Businesses are being judged, because of how they’re handling the pandemic,” Wooledge noted earlier this month. “We’re going to come out of this better.” The team spun up a ready-to-restart program in an abbreviated timeframe, which Griffis had formerly stated include keeping restaurants’ data up-to-date even when they were fully or partially closed “to ensure that they would hit the ground running once they were ready to operate again.” Such support embodies Decision Logic’s approach to clients. “We don’t want be viewed as a vendor; we want to be viewed as a partnership,” Wooledge said. “We take the time to understand their business and their needs.”

New plant aids Quin Global with market penetration objective “Seventy-five percent of our leads come from contractors’ referrals,” Halverson said. “We’re on our way to making Quin Global a household name.” He said the firm also differentiates itself by the availability of field-based factory consultants. Of a team of 11, five operate in the field, three are located in Omaha, and three others operate via phone. “We send our factory reps out with no guarantee of business with our distributor to secure business,” he said. Future growth opportunities could come from cabinet shops, commercial floor installers and roofing contractors. Halverson said it is wrong to view each new product roll-out as being simplistic and routine. “Literally hundreds of hours have gone into our water-based commercial flooring adhesive,” he said. “There’s much more than just putting it into a canister.” Involvement also includes training, taking videos and making adjustments to a product effort so that in the long run, it will perform and contend for best-in-class recognition. Halverson cited numerous on-site visits Quin Global personnel have made to evaluate the performance of Spectra, a flooring industry product. “We’ve tested heat-rated adhesives for elevators in a hotel to government office buildings,” he said. “Add to that a conveyor belt for a grain elevator.” Quin Global’s plant is running at about 50% capacity using one shift. Quin Global is a multi-national manufacturer of adhesive and tool systems. In addition to Omaha, strategic locations include Perth, United Kingdom and Canberra, Australia. The Omaha location is autonomously owned and operated.


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

11

Bitcoin in your brokerage account: how to trade crytocurrencies or buy an ETF by Erin Arvedlund

For Mom-and-Pop investors, it’s getting easier to buy cryptocurrency as part of a traditional stock-and-bond portfolio. But the costs can Financial add up, and it’s key to prepare for a possible tax bill down the road. Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency, has posted an eye-popping rally — it increased in value more than 300% in 2020 and has more than doubled in price so far this year to top $59,000 recently.

If you’re comfortable purchasing crypto such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others, an exchange is the most direct way. Anyone with a credit card and an email address can buy and sell on the many exchanges popping up, such as CoinDesk, Coinbase, Bittrex US, Kraken, Circle Financial and Genesis. “It’s important to do you due diligence about which exchange” you use, said Stephen Stonberg, CFO and COO of Bittrex Global, which also runs the Bittrex U.S. exchange. The company was founded by WELL-PRESERVED

Answers on page 12.

former Amazon and Microsoft executives in 2014. “Some do substantial know-your-customer due diligence. Others just let you open an account with an email address,” he said. The more background the exchange requires, the safer your account will be. But if that’s too risky, there are now a new crop of exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, and investment trusts that hold cryptocurrency as the main asset. These trade like stocks on Wall Street exchanges such as Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange. But the cost is higher as banks and investment firms offer with high fees. GBTC, the Grayscale Bitcoin trust, is one such quasi-ETF, which holds Bitcoin. Brokerage firms generally allow only their wealthiest clients to buy GBTC. Grayscale also filed with regulators to offer other trusts holding cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Horizen, Litecoin, Stellar Lumens and Zcash. Additionally, Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund gives investors exposure to top digital currencies by market capitalization. The Boston-based investment giant Fidelity plans to launch a Bitcoin ETF as well. Fidelity Investments filed with regulators plans to launch an exchange-traded fund that tracks the price of Bitcoin called the Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust, with Fidelity Digital Assets serving as custodian. Shares would track an index of prices from varied Bitcoin markets. Buying cryptocurrencies through your broker can involve paying your regular advisory fees, plus another fee for the exchange-traded fund, said Stonberg, a Philadelphia native and Penn Charter high school graduate. “You’re paying fees already to have someone to do your portfolio allocation, and that’s ok. You’ll pay more, but you’ve chosen to pay more for a sense of safety,” he said. Unlike Wall Street, with a highly regulated system of custodians, brokerages and clearinghouses, cryptocurrency platforms are still emerging. Since 2018, Fidelity has held cryptocurrency for professional investors, and offers them access to the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, the digital currency investment fund. But so far it’s limited to professional investors with high minimums (Fidelity requires $250,000 per investor), which are inaccessible to the average customer. A low-fee, low-cost Bitcoin ETF would change all that. But the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has so far rejected at least nine Bitcoin ETF applications. Other countries have moved ahead, with two Bitcoin ETFs launched in Canada. Coinbase this month will debut its IPO, one way that Main Streeters could buy into the trend. Coinbase was founded in 2012 and has grown to 1,200 employees and 43 million customers. In 2020, it brought in $1.3 billion in revenue and turned a profit of $322 million, mostly from trading revenue. One valuation put Coinbase’s worth at a minimum of $67.6 billion. Phil Gocke and Bill Wu, partners in money advisor Opus Investment, said their

clearing firm TD Ameritrade, doesn’t yet allow trades in Bitcoin. However, their fund is buying shares in the underlying software building block to cryptocurrencies, known as blockchain. “Last December we purchased several blockchain ETFs,” including BLOK, the symbol for Amplify Transformational Data Sharing ETF. BLOK’s largest holdings include MicroStrategy (MSTR) a public company which holds a large amount of Bitcoin on its books. Its expense ratio, or the fee charged every year, totals 0.71%, more than the average mutual fund. “As Bitcoin’s price rose, so too did the stock. In any case, this gave us a backdoor way of investing but with the instant liquidity of a listed ETF,” said Gocke, who is based in Swarthmore. The fund managers bought BLOK in December at $31.84 and then again in February at $53.07. Top holdings of BLOK include Galaxy Digital Holdings; Voyager Digital; and Marathon Digital Holdings; Finally, even Facebook wants into the crypto game. Facebook-backed cryptocurrency Libra has been rebranded “Diem” in an effort to gain regulatory approval. David Marcus, the head of Facebook Financial, also known as F2, said he hopes the cryptocurrency called Diem will hit the market in 2021. Donate Your Crypto Uncle Sam wants its cut of your crypto. The I.R.S. for the first time this year requires cryptocurrency owners to report on federal tax returns. A “virtual currency” question on page 1 of the 1040 “is intentionally obvious. It asks if at any time during 2020 the taxpayer received, sold, sent, exchanged, or otherwise acquired any financial interest in any virtual currency,” said Michael Gillen, head of Daune Morris’s tax practice in Philadelphia. “This highlights a push for compliance in this area, and the IRS is using the question as a reminder for taxpayers to properly report,” he said. But there’s an upside to the big gains in Bitcoin and other currencies—you can donate your profitable crypto as you would any asset that’s grown in value. The National Philanthropic Trust in Jenkintown specializes in setting up donor-advised funds for those who want to give to charity in a tax efficient way. Since 2017, the outfit has been accepting crypto donations. “At that time, the crypto market was booming and towards the end of 2017 donors approached us” about transferring their currency to charity, said Gil Nusbaum, general counsel at National Philanthropic Trust. “Before we said yes, we had to understand the market. We developed a process of accepting and liquidating” cryptocurrencies, since any donation needs to be converted into cash quickly, he said. “With crypto, we had a few big concerns, such as the volatility. We can’t hedge against that. Also, we had to understand the source of the crypto funds.” Nusbaum developed a process for accepting cryptocurrency by accepting it Continued on next page.


12

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Fewer than 1 in 4 workers has gone back to the office as businesses plot a wider reopening by Roger Vincent

People had started showing up to the office again in greater numbers, but fled for home as the recent coronavirus surge shook the region, fresh data show. Still, employers and landlords are betting that workers will want to return as vaccinations increase and Workplace virus fears recede, even though demand to rent space in office buildings continues to shrink. “By the stats, it’s not that encouraging,” said broker Todd Doney of real estate services company CBRE. “We certainly have work ahead of us to get through this. ... But when the governor announced no more COVID restrictions on June 15, that’s light at the end of the tunnel for me.” An average of 24% of employees in 10 major U.S. cities were back to the office as of April 7, down nearly a full percentage point from the week before, according to Kastle Systems, which provides keycard entry systems used by many companies and tracks patterns of workers’ card swipes. In Los Angeles, the average at Kastle’s 148 buildings was 22.1% and, like the national average, took a significant dip during the winter COVID surge, but had been rising again before the latest virus resurgence. Although beneath the U.S. average, L.A.’s offices were more full than five other cities tracked by Kastle, including San Jose at 16.7% and San Francisco at 13.4%. As employees were trickling back to some offices, other workplaces were turning off the lights and turning over the keys. Overall non-rented office space in Los Angeles County reached 17.2% in the first quarter, the highest vacancy level since early 2012, CBRE reported. That reflected a net loss of 1.6 million square feet of leased space, nearly matching the worst quarterly loss during the Great Recession.

Bitcoin in your brokerage Continued from preceding page. via two digital “wallets” called Trezor and Ledger, two widely-used hardware wallets. “They’re essentially thumb drives. Our legal department keeps those in a vault,” Nusbaum said. To liquidate the holdings, National Philanthropic Trust trades on several exchanges, including Kraken, Coinbase, Circle Financial, and Genesis. “We’re constantly exploring these, especially exchanges that can support different tokens” such as Bitcoin and Monero. In 2017, they accepted 9 donations of cryptocurrency; in 2021, they’ve closed five so far this year, he said. “Last week, a donor contributed $100,000 worth of Bitcoin, plus $300 worth of some other coin. We immediately sold both.” National Philanthropic Trusts requires an affidavit and documentation about how donors acquired their crypto. That’s extra work, but the firm accepts other hard-tosell gifts including partnerships in hedge funds; real estate; art work, even antique furniture. The biggest gift of crypto so far? Around $3.7 million in Bitcoin in 2017. ©2021 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Signings of office leases have been falling for about a year as companies sent employees home to work or laid them off in the face of a sharp economic downturn spurred by the virus. Many tenants reduced their office footprints as their leases rolled over, while others put their unused space on the market for sublease. Tenants looking to get some money for offices they were not using had 7.3 million feet available for sublease in the first quarter, about 15% of the total space available for rent — high by historic standards. The number of leases being signed remained low, as tenants avoided long-term decisions in favor of short-term renewals when their leases expired. Despite the economic headwinds, the average asking rate climbed slightly to $3.90 per square foot per month in the first quarter, reflecting higher quality space coming available and the reluctance of landlords to drop their rates. Instead, landlords offered tenants inducements to sign leases such as months of free rent or generous allowances to build out their offices. Uber, Google, Facebook and Microsoft are among the companies that have reopened offices or are on the verge of doing so, according to media reports. And recent surveys have shown that many companies and their workers are eager or at least willing to get back to the office. A February survey commissioned by software company Eden Workplace found 85% of office workers are looking forward to being back at work, with many of them saying that they miss socializing with their colleagues. A customer poll by marketing data provider ZoomInfo in February found that more than half plan to be back in the office by June, with IT firms leading the way. The worry for landlords is how much space tenants think they need going forward and whether they still want to work in city centers that many can reach only by long commutes. It is a given among industry observers that remote work has been normalized to the point that white-collar companies will commonly allow their employees to work from home a few days a week in the future. Some workers may no longer have to come to the office at all. That’s a substantial change in the office world from previous recessions, which also produced dramatic cutbacks in space leasing as companies went under or contracted their staffs. Recovery from this downturn will look different as companies reevaluate their needs. A big unknown is how businesses will configure their office space in a post-pandemic world. Will companies need less room if people are working at home sometimes, or must they have a devoted desk waiting for each worker when they do come in? Will workers still be seated close to each other as they have been in many offices in recent years, or must they have more elbow room to feel safe from viruses? “Most of our tenants are making some changes to their physical office layouts,” landlord Bert Dezzutti said, but the longterm impacts of those changes on building occupancy “haven’t sorted themselves out yet.” Flexible work schedules “are here to

stay,” said Dezzutti, head of Southern California operations for Brookfield Properties, the dominant office landlord in downtown Los Angeles. Many bosses, nevertheless, remain keen on preserving the office footprints they have. A recent survey by consulting firm KPMG found that only 17% of chief executives are looking to downsize their office space as a result of the pandemic, a steep drop from August, when 69% said they planned to shrink their offices. Before they return to the office, though, the majority of chief executives would like to see more than 50% of the general population vaccinated. They especially want to see their own employees get COVID-preventing shots — 90% of bosses said they are considering asking employees to report to them when they have been vaccinated, which may guide decisions on when companies return to their offices. For the last six months or so, tenants in Brookfield’s high-rises have been inhabiting about 12% to 16% of their space, Dezzutti said. He expects that number to climb now that local officials have doubled office population allowed for nonessential businesses to 50% as part of easing COVID restrictions. Doney predicted that many companies will reduce the size of their offices in the future as remote labor becomes routine, but that they will return to working together for the most part. “As more people get vaccinated and get more comfortable, they will do more things, including going to the office,” he said. “Zoom meetings are terrific, but sometimes that magic occurs in person before a meeting starts or after it ends.”

People will come back to the office over the summer, he said, but the return will be substantial after Labor Day when the working-age population is largely inoculated and children are back in school. An autumn renaissance of office attendance is also expected by Kastle Systems Chairman Mark Ein. “You’re going to see an increase of some magnitude starting at the beginning of the summer,” Ein said. Then, “barring something unforeseen, there should be a huge surge coming back in the fall when virtually everyone is vaccinated.” Cities where workers commute more by car than by public transit tend to have the most people in the office these days, Ein said. Offices in Houston and Dallas are the fullest in the country at close to 40% inhabited. Having your COVID shots will become mandatory for many, he said, potentially enforced by voiding the keycards of the unprotected. “There are going to be a lot of companies who are going to decide that they only want people to come back to the office who are vaccinated,” Ein said. Human beings have not been fundamentally changed by the coronavirus, Dezzutti said, and will again seek each other’s company in busy metropolises. “In history, there has been no pandemic or plague or natural disaster that’s killed off the city,” he said. “Our need to live and work in urban clusters, and the concentration of people and economic activity that occurs there, is just too strong.” ©2021 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS

Puzzle on page 11.


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 • Legal notices LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES MBJ legal notice instructions The following are some guidelines to consider when posting legal notices with the Midlands Business Journal: 1. Submit a written notice in either Microsoft Word or as a PDF document to the Legal Department at legals@mbj.com. For trade names, submit a copy of approved (bar code in upper right hand corner) Application For Registration of Trade Name from the Secretary of State to the same email address. Please include your billing address and the desired duration you’d like your notice to run (trade names run for only one week). As a publisher and not a legal advisor we print notices exactly as they are submitted and therefor only comp reruns when the notice was rejected or messed up due to a MBJ error. All companies submitting notices are responsible for ensuring the content fits with the State’s requirements and are responsible for the cost of republishing the notice if it is rejected due to misinformation or missing information 2. You will receive a confirmation and price quote. Legal notices, except for trade names, are charged per line. The flat fee for a trade name is $50. Payment options are cash or check. 3. Deadline is noon on Tuesday for a notice to start publishing that Friday. 4. All costs include fees to file the notice with the Secretary of State and/or any appropriate courts. 5. You will receive a paid invoice copy the first week it runs.

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF LITTLE POPPIES FABRIC, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Little Poppies Fabric, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 18751 Orchard Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68135. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

Timothy J. Buckley, Attorney for Personal Representative SMITH, SLUSKY, POHREN, & ROGERS, LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR21-477 Estate of Mildred M. Fanciullo, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on March 25, 2021, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, the Registrar issued a written statement of Informal Probate of the Will of said Decedent and that Mary M. Shipp, whose address is 15052 Boyd Street, Omaha, NE 68116, was informally appointed by the Registrar as Personal Representative of the Estate. Creditors of this estate must file their claims with this Court, located at Courtroom No. 330, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before June 8, 2021 or be forever barred. CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

LAMSON DUGAN & MURRAY LLP, Attorneys 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: You are hereby notified that the following described property will be sold by Daniel C. Pauley, Trustee, at public auction to the highest bidder at the Farnam Street Level of the Douglas County City County Building, 1819 Farnam Street, Omaha, Nebraska, 68183 on May 12, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. 6518 Sprague Street, Omaha, NE 68104 Legally described as: All of Lot 20, Block 4 and that part of Lot 8, block 5, Camenzind Heights, an Addition to the City of Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point 105 feet North of the Southeast corner of Lot 8, Block 5; thence in a Northwesterly direction, 40 feet to a point on the South side of Sahler Street Cul-De-Sac; thence 8 feet in a straight line to the extreme Northeast corner of Lot 8; thence South along the East line of Lot 8, Block 5, 43.5 feet to the point of beginning. The highest bidder will deposit with the Trustee on the day and time of the sale, a cashier’s check in the amount of $10,000.00 with the remainder to be received by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the sale, except this requirement is waived when the highest bidder is the beneficiary. The purchaser shall be responsible for all applicable fees or taxes, including the documentary stamp tax. This sale is made without any warranties as to title or condition of the property. Daniel C. Pauley By: Jackson E. Stokes, #27102 LAMSON DUGAN & MURRAY LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114 First publication March 19, 2021, final April 23, 2021

MARTIN P. PELSTER, Attorney CROKER, HUCK, KASHER, DeWITT, ANDERSON & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PERKINS CHERRY RIDGE FARMS, LLC The name of the limited liability company is Perkins Cherry Ridge Farms, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 608 North 114th Street, Omaha, NE 68154. The name and address of the initial agent for service of process is Martin P. Pelster, 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, NE 68124. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF N68DC, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that N68DC, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114 and designating its registered agent as Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C. a limited liability organization with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

SCOTT A. MEYERSON, Esq. LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF DMVP 3 LAND LLC DMVP 3 Land LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), filed its STATEMENT OF DISSOLUTION with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 25, 2021. Persons with claims against the Company must present such claim to: DMVP 3 Land LLC, c/o Tucker B. Magid, 12915 West Dodge Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. Claims against the Company must include the following information: (i) claimant’s name, address and telephone number during business hours; (ii) any facts, which may support the claim, and (iii) any amounts allegedly owed by the Company under the claim. Claims not including this information will not be reviewed. Any claims against this Company will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce such claims is commenced within five (5) years after the date this Notice is last published. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

SCOTT A. MEYERSON, Esq. LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF VPMB TWO LLC VPMB Two LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), filed its STATEMENT OF DISSOLUTION with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 25, 2021. Persons with claims against the Company must present such claim to: VPMB Two LLC, c/o Tucker B. Magid, 12915 West Dodge Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. Claims against the Company must include the following information: (i) claimant’s name, address and telephone number during business hours; (ii) any facts, which may support the claim, and (iii) any amounts allegedly owed by the Company under the claim. Claims not including this information will not be reviewed. Any claims against this Company will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce such claims is commenced within five (5) years after the date this Notice is last published. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

SCOTT A. MEYERSON, Esq. LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF VPMB TWO LAND COMPANY LLC VPMB Two Land Company LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), filed its STATEMENT OF DISSOLUTION with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 25, 2021. Persons with claims against the Company must present such claim to: VPMB Two Land Company LLC, c/o Tucker B. Magid, 12915 West Dodge Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. Claims against the Company must include the following information: (i) claimant’s name, address and telephone number during business hours; (ii) any facts, which may support the claim, and (iii) any amounts allegedly owed by the Company under the claim. Claims not including this information will not be reviewed. Any claims against this Company will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce such claims is commenced within five (5) years after the date this Notice is last published. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

13

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that SREI, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska with the following registered agent and registered office: Julie Wilson, 101 South 108th Avenue, Suite 101, Omaha, NE 68154. The designated office is 101 South 108th Avenue, Suite 101, Omaha, NE 68154. The general nature of the business to be transacted is any or all lawful business. The business commenced on January 6, 2021, and it shall continue in perpetuity. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

SEAN D. MOYLAN, Attorney MOYLAN LAW, LLC 1010 South 120th Street, Suite 320 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BWHWY36, LLC The name of the Company is BWHWY36, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company. The initial registered agent is Sean Moylan located at 1010 S. 120th Street, Suite #320, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The initial designated office of the Company is located at 5931 N. 295th Street, Valley, Nebraska 68064. Perpetual existence commenced on March 23, 2021. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: North O Print Company Name of Applicant: Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership Address:2406 Fowler Avenue Omaha NE 68111 Applicant is a Corporation If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Nebraska Date of first use of name in Nebraska: Upon Filing General nature of business: Printing shop AARON BOWEN Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative April 23, 2021

SMITH SLUSKY POHREN & ROGERS LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NEXTGEN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, with its initial designated office at 1299 Farnam, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska, 68102, was organized in the State of Nebraska to engage in any lawful business permitted under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The registered agent is Shaun M. James, 8712 West Dodge Road – Suite 400, Omaha, Nebraska, 68114. The perpetual existence commenced February 17, 2021. Its affairs are to be conducted by its Members pursuant to an Operating Agreement duly adopted by the Company. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF WAKEFIELD REALTY, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is Wakefield Realty, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara MedberyPrchal, P.C., L.L.O., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 605 Maple Street, Kennard, NE 68034. Brodie Wakefield, Member First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

RICHARD A. TROIA, Attorney RICHARD TROIA LAW 9802 Nicholas Street, Suite 375 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-2168 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF ALLIANCE LIFE SKILLS INC. Notice is hereby given of the formation of a non-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the non-profit corporation is Alliance Life Skills Inc. The address of the company’s initial designated office is 16532 Drocas Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The name and address of the registered agent is Richard A. Troia, 9802 Nicholas Street, Suite 375, Omaha, NE 68114-2168. The general nature of the business to be transacted is all lawful business. The company commenced existence on February 24, 2021 and shall have perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Board of Directors and such Officers as prescribed by the Articles of Incorporation. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021


14

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Legal notices LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE TERMINATION OF NOTICE OF COMMENCEMENT TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, TAKE NOTICE: The Contracting Owner identified below gives notice that it caused to be filed a Termination of Notice of Commencement on the 6th of April, 2021, containing the following information: Contracting owner: Richland Homes, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company Real Estate: Lot 135, Westbury Creek, a Subdivision as surveyed, in Douglas County, Nebraska. The Real Property or its address is commonly known as 4222 S 213th Terrace, Elkhorn, NE 68022 Contracting owner's interest in the subject real estate: Simple Title holder (if different from contracting owner):

N/A

The notice of commencement was recorded on February 17, 2021, as instrument number 2021020761 and is terminated as of May 14, 2021. This termination applies only to the following described real estate: Lot 135, Westbury Creek, a Subdivision as surveyed, in Douglas County, Nebraska. All lien claims for which a notice of lien is not recorded by the termination date may be defeated by a transfer of the real estate. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ARKFELD ACRES, LLC Notice is hereby given that ARKFELD ACRES, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized under Nebraska laws and commenced business on June 3, 2010. The registered agent of the limited liability company is Andy Arkfeld and his office is located at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ARKFELD REAL ESTATE, LLC Notice is hereby given that ARKFELD REAL ESTATE, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized under Nebraska laws and commenced business on April 18, 2012. The registered agent of the limited liability company is Andy Arkfeld and his office is located at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ARKFELD WEALTH STRATEGIES, LLC Notice is hereby given that ARKFELD WEALTH STRATEGIES, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized under Nebraska laws and commenced business on April 11, 2012. The registered agent of the limited liability company is Andy Arkfeld and his office is located at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ALLURE STUDIO, LLC Notice is hereby given that ALLURE STUDIO, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized under Nebraska laws and commenced business on June 21, 2013. The registered agent of the limited liability company is Andy Arkfeld and his office is located at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TABLE ROCK RENTALS, LLC Notice is hereby given that TABLE ROCK RENTALS, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized under Nebraska laws and commenced business on September 30, 2020. The registered agent of the limited liability company is Andy Arkfeld and his office is located at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SMALL BLACK COFFEE BY BJ’S, LLC The name of the Company is Small Black Coffee by BJ’s, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 6716 Northridge Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68112. The Registered Agent and Office of the Company is: Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. This limited liability company commenced business on April 3, 2021. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

STEVEN G. RANUM, Attorney CROKER, HUCK LAW FIRM 2120 S. 72ND STREET, SUITE 1200 OMAHA, NEBRASKA 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ONE FOR ALL, LLC The name of the limited liability company is One For All, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 4519 North 36th Avenue, Omaha, NE 68111. The name and address of the initial agent for service of process is Steven G. Ranum, 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, NE 68124 First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Very Good Investments, LLC has organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office of the Company is 9955 Frederick Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The initial registered office of the Company is 9955 Frederick Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the name of the initial registered agent of the Company at such address is Colin Nabity. The purpose for which the Company is organized is to engage in any and all lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Certificate of Organization was executed on the 23rd day of March 2021. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Rubicon Business Brokers Name of Applicant: Swanson Holdings, Inc Address:16119 Ohern St Omaha NE 68135 Applicant is a Corporation If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Nebraska Date of first use of name in Nebraska: 02/14/2021 General nature of business: Business Brokerage JONATHAN SWANSON Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative April 23, 2021

MATTHEW T. PAYNE, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PQ PHASE 2 HOLDINGS, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of PQ Phase 2 Holdings, LLC: 1. The name of the limited liability company is PQ Phase 2 Holdings, LLC; and 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 4880 S. 131st Street, Suite 3, Omaha, Nebraska 68137, and the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is Gerald S. Reimer, 4880 S. 131st Street, Suite 3, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

Darren R. Carlson, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BOONE OGDEN ORGANIC, LLC Notice is hereby given that BOONE OGDEN ORGANIC, LLC is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The Company’s initial registered agent in the State of Nebraska is Darren R. Carlson, whose address is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful business and activity, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Members from time to time, and which are not prohibited by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The Company commenced with filing its Certificate of Organization on April 3, 2021, and shall have a perpetual period of duration. The Company is a Member Managed Limited Liability Company. Darren R. Carlson, Organizer First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF THE ALREADY BRAND, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that THE ALREADY BRAND, INC., is incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a registered office at 3018 South 87th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The registered agent is ANTHONY L. GROSS. The general nature of the business is to operate a general marketing business, to own, operate and perform services of every kind and nature whatsoever, which are not inconsistent with law, which are necessary, suitable, proper, convenient or expedient to the operation of a general marketing business. The authorized capital stock is $10,000.00, consisting of 10,000 shares of stock having a par value of $1.00 each, which stock shall be paid for wholly or partly by cash, by labor, by personal property and by real property. The corporation became a corporate body on April 2, 2021, and upon its Articles being filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 10, 2021, and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by a Board of Directors, the number of directors to be provided in the By-Laws, and the officers shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as shall be designated in the By-Laws. ANTHONY L. GROSS, Incorporator CATHERINE L. WHITE, Incorporator 3018 South 87th Street, Omaha, NE 68124 First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

JENNIFER L. RATTNER, Esq. RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF LIVE LIFESTYLE, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Live Lifestyle, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 21337 Castlerock Lane, Gretna, Nebraska 68028. The Registered Agent of the Company is Jennifer L. Rattner, Ringenberg & Rattner Law, LLC, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

Notice of Organization of Spectrum Snoball, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that a Nebraska Limited Liability Company has been formed under the Nebraska Limited Liability Company Act. The name of the limited liability company is Spectrum Snoball, LLC. The designated office is 9318 Pratt Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68134. The general nature of the business to be transacted is sales of food and beverage and any other lawful purpose. The organization commenced on March 31, 2021 and will have perpetual existence. The company’s affairs are to be conducted by the following members: Derek L. Ford Marguerite L. Ford First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

STEVEN G. RANUM, Attorney CROKER, HUCK LAW FIRM 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BYERS UAS, LLC The name of the limited liability company is Byers UAS, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 18331 Polk Street, Omaha, NE 68135. The name and address of the initial agent for service of process is Steven G. Ranum, 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, NE 68124. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that BIG FUNDAMENTAL LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska with the following registered agent and registered office: Joe Finocchiaro, 17007 Howard Plaza, Omaha, NE 68118. The designated office is 17007 Howard Plaza, Omaha, NE 68118. The general nature of the business to be transacted is any or all lawful business. The business commenced on April 30, 2019, and it shall continue in perpetuity. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Stream Care Exteriors, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the Company is 5553 N 34th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68111. The Registered Agent of the Company is Nicolas Ramirez Franco, 5553 N 34th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68111. The Company was formed on March 31, 2021. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 • Legal notices LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES SCOTT A. MEYERSON, Esq. LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GLUTEN FREE REVIEWED LLC Notice is hereby given that Gluten Free Reviewed LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial designated office is 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, NE 68114. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial agent for service of process is 5601 S. 59th Street, Suite C, Lincoln, Nebraska 68516 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Registered Agent Solutions, Inc. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Grass Cut Right Inc, whose Registered Agent is Nathan Essink, and whose Registered Office is located at 6411 S 140th Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68137, was formed on February 25, 2021 to engage in any lawful business in the State of Nebraska. The corporation has authorized and issued 1,0000 shares of common stock at a value of $1.00 per share. The name and address of the incorporator is Thomas E. Whitmore, 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. Thomas E. Whitmore, Incorporator First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Attorneys 13330 California Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF DRAIN RITE GUTTERS & ROOFING LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Drain Rite Gutters & Roofing LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on March 16, 2021 (the “Company”). The Company has designated its registered agent as Benjamin Ryan Wright with registered office at 2724 N. 191st Avenue, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The Company’s initial designated office is at 300 Oakcreek Drive #3, Lincoln, Nebraska 68528. The Company shall be governed by one or more managers. The general nature of business is any lawful purpose. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF HANSEN-MUELLER CO. Notice if hereby given that the Articles of Incorporation of HansenMueller Co. have been amended and restated in their entirety as follows: Articles 1 states the name of the Corporation as Hansen-Mueller Co. Article 2 states the registered Office of the Corporation is 12231 Emmet Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68164, and the registered agent at such address is Jack L. Hansen. Articles 3 states the purpose. Article 4 states that the Corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 shares of common stock, having a par value of $1.00. Article 5 states that the Corporation shall have perpetual existence. Article 6 states the provisions relating to amending the Articles and Bylaws. Article 7 states the provisions relating to director liability. The Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 4, 2021. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

ERIN K. ARTZ, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE INCORPORATION OF NOW INITIATIVE Notice is hereby given that a non-profit corporation has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska and that the name of the corporation is NOW Initiative. The corporation is a public benefit corporation and will not have members. The name and street address of the corporation’s initial registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc., 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The name and address of the incorporator is LDM Business Services, Inc., 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, NE 68114. LDM Business Services, Inc., Incorporator First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CAPITAL INSURANCE, LLC Notice is hereby given that CAPITAL INSURANCE, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized under Nebraska laws and commenced business on July 9, 2019. The registered agent of the limited liability company is Andy Arkfeld and his office is located at 3512 N 163rd Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Heartland Lettering, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the Company is 21820 G Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68022. The Registered Agent of the Company is Corporation Consultants, 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Company was formed on April 7, 2021. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

Alton E. Mitchell, Attorney at Law, LLC 1905 Harney Street, Suite 711 Omaha, Nebraska, 68102 Notice of Organization of Hawthorne Properties LLC Notice is hereby given that a Limited Liability Company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial Registered Agent is: Jonathan Dugan 4009 Izard Street Omaha, NE 68131 The address of the initial Designated Office is: Hawthorne Properties LLC 4009 Izard Street Omaha, NE 68131 The Certificate of Organization was filed with the Secretary of State on March 30, 2021. The Company has perpetual existence; the general nature of its business is real estate investment. Company business will be conducted by its Manager as described in the Company’s Operating Agreement. Alton E. Mitchell, Authorized Representative First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

Alton E. Mitchell, Attorney at Law, LLC 1905 Harney Street, Suite 711 Omaha, Nebraska, 68102 Notice of Organization of Auburn Central Apartments, LLC Notice is hereby given that a Limited Liability Company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial Registered Agent is: Alton E. Mitchell 1905 Harney Street, Suite 711 Omaha, NE 68102 The address of the initial Designated Office is: Auburn Central Apartments, LLC 1905 Harney Street, Suite 712 Omaha, NE 68102 The Certificate of Organization was filed with the Secretary of State on November 23, 2021. The Company has perpetual existence; the general nature of its business is real estate investment. Company business will be conducted by its Manager as described in the Company’s Operating Agreement. Alton E. Mitchell, Authorized Representative First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

Darren R Carlson, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ULYSSES BLUE RIVER, LLC Notice is hereby given that ULYSSES BLUE RIVER, LLC is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The Company’s initial registered agent in the State of Nebraska is Darren R Carlson, whose address is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful business and activity, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Members from time to time, and which are not prohibited by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The Company commenced with filing its Certificate of Organization on February 22, 2021, and shall have a perpetual period of duration. The Company is a Member Managed Limited Liability Company. Darren R Carlson, Organizer First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

15

MATTHEW T. PAYNE, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PQ PHASE 1 HOLDINGS, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of PQ Phase 1 Holdings, LLC: 1. The name of the limited liability company is PQ Phase 1 Holdings, LLC; and 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 4880 S. 131st Street, Suite 3, Omaha, Nebraska 68137, and the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is Gerald S. Reimer, 4880 S. 131st Street, Suite 3, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

AMANDA M. FORKER, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 4333 S 24 LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of 4333 S 24 LLC. 1. The name of the limited liability company is 4333 S 24 LLC. 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 10250 Regency Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. 3. The name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is Incorp Services, 5601 S 59th Street, Suite C, Lincoln, Nebraska 68516-2340. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Backlund Animal Clinic Name of Applicant: RVG, LLC Address: 18142 Wright Street, Omaha, NE 68130 Applicant is a Limited Liability Company If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Nebraska Date of first use of name in Nebraska: December 2, 2008 General nature of business: Veterinary clinic JOANNE C. GAINES, DMV Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative April 23, 2021

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C. 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GIRLS NIGHT OUT FITNESS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Girls Night Out Fitness, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114 and designating its registered agent as Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C. a limited liability organization with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

Darren R Carlson, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF NEBRASKA ORGANIC PRESERVE, LLC Notice is hereby given that NEBRASKA ORGANIC PRESERVE, LLC is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The Company’s initial registered agent in the State of Nebraska is: Darren R Carlson, whose address is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful business and activity, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Members from time to time, and which are not prohibited by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The Company commenced with filing its Certificate of Organization on 2021, and shall have a perpetual period of duration. The Company is a Member Managed Limited Liability Company. Darren R Carlson, Organizer First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

Notice is Hereby Given that Tree Brand Tees LLC, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on 1/21/2021. The Designated Office: 2321 Big Sky Drive, Papillion, NE 68046. Registered Agent: Registered Agents Inc., 530 S. 13th St., Ste 100, Lincoln, NE 68508. General nature of business clothing. The company shall be Member Managed. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021


16

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Legal notices LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CRUX CONSULTING, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is Crux Consulting, LLC. The company will be rendering engineering, design, and professional consulting services. The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Shane Cherney, 18312 Harney Street, Elkhorn NE, 68022-5753. The designated office is located at 18312 Harney Street, Elkhorn NE, 68022-5753. Shane Cherney, Organizer First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

Edward W. Hasenjager, Attorney for the Applicant 3934 North 90 Street Omaha, Nebraska 68134 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR20-1766 Estate of DUANE F. ATEN, Deceased Notice is hereby given that, on December 11, 2020, in the County Court of Douglas County, DARCY R. ATEN, whose address is 8015 South 167 Street, Nebraska, 68136 has been informally appointed as Personal Representative. Creditors of this estate must file their claims with this Court, located at Courtroom No. 330, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before June 15, 2021 or be forever barred. CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF COLON AND RECTAL SURGERY INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Colon and Rectal Surgery Inc., a Nebraska corporation (“Corporation”), has filed Articles of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 4, 2021, with an effective date of April 30, 2021, and the Corporation is in the process of voluntary dissolution. The terms and conditions of such dissolution are, in general, that all debts and obligations of the Corporation are to be fully paid and satisfied or adequate provision is to be made therefore. The President, Dr. Garnet J. Blatchford, will wind up and liquidate the Corporation’s business and affairs. The Corporation has no assets or liabilities as of the date hereof. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

ERIN K. ARTZ, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF FIREFLY ENTERPRISES, P.C. Notice is hereby given that a professional corporation has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, on April 7, 2021, and that the name of the corporation is Firefly Enterprises, P.C. The corporation is authorized to issue 1,000 shares of common stock. The street address of the corporation 7960 S. 45th Avenue, Bellevue, Nebraska 68157. The name and street address of the corporation’s initial registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc., 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The name and address of the incorporator is Mary Jane Zeller, 7960 S. 45th Avenue, Bellevue, Nebraska 68157. Mary Jane Zeller, Incorporator First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

Darren R. Carlson, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PINNACLE DRIVE CAPITAL, LLC Notice is hereby given that PINNACLE DRIVE CAPITAL, LLC is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office is 607 Pinnacle Drive, Suite E, Papillion, Nebraska 68046. The Company’s initial registered agent in the State of Nebraska is Douglas A. Hailey, whose address is 10207 S. 124th Street, Papillion, NE 68046. The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful business and activity, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Members from time to time, and which are not prohibited by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The Company commenced with filing its Certificate of Organization on April 7, 2021, and shall have a perpetual period of duration. The Company is a Member Managed Limited Liability Company. Douglas A. Hailey, Organizer First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION The Pearson Family Foundation has been incorporated under the Nebraska Nonprofit Corporation Act. The corporation is a public benefit corporation. The street address of the corporation’s initial registered office is 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska, 68114; and the name of the initial registered agent of the corporation at that office is Thomas J. Malicki. The corporation is organized for charitable, religious, educational, literary, and scientific purposes. The name and street address of the incorporator of the corporation is Thomas J. Malicki, 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska, 68114. The corporation will not have members. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

ANDREW J. HUBER, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF 110 CLUB INVESTMENTS, LLC Notice is hereby given of the formation of a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the limited liability company is 110 Club Investments, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 17008 Sprague Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc, 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The general nature of the business is any or all lawful business. The company commenced existence on April 3, 2021 and shall have a perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Members, as prescribed by the Operating Agreement. LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of J&V Cleaning, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is J&V Cleaning, LLC. Registered agent and office of J&V Cleaning, LLC is Jovita Sanchez and Vanessa Degante at J&V Cleaning, LLC. The designated address is 3217 K Street, Omaha, NE 68107. Initial members: Jovita Sanchez and Vanessa Degante. General nature of the business is to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute. The LLC was organized in April 2021 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

ERIN K. ARTZ, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF DESIGN LEVEL 4 STUDIO, LLC Notice is hereby given of the formation of a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the limited liability company is Design Level 4 Studio, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 1227 S. 109th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc, 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The general nature of the business is any or all lawful business. The company commenced existence on March 30, 2021 and shall have a perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Members, as prescribed by the Operating Agreement. LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Waitt Optum, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, filed its Statement of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 11, 2021, and the company is in the process of voluntary dissolution. The terms and conditions of such dissolution are, in general, that all debts and obligations of the company are to be fully paid and satisfied or adequate provision is to be made therefore, and that the balance of any remaining assets are to be distributed to its Member. John Schuele, as the authorized representative, will wind up and liquidate the company’s business and affairs. If you have a claim against the company, please provide the following information with respect to your claim: (1) your name or the name of your entity; (2) the nature of your claim; (3) the amount of your claim; and (4) the date your claim arose. All claims shall be mailed to 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 425, Omaha, NE 68124. A claim against the company is barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five (5) years after the publication date of the third required notice. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF SLOAN RECORDS MANAGEMENT, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Sloan Records Management, Inc., a Nebraska corporation (“Corporation”), has filed Articles of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 8, 2021, and the Corporation is in the process of voluntary dissolution. The terms and conditions of such dissolution are, in general, that all debts and obligations of the Corporation are to be fully paid and satisfied or adequate provision is to be made therefore. Stewart E. Sloan, M.D., President of the Corporation, will wind up and liquidate the Corporation’s business and affairs. The Corporation has no assets or liabilities as of the date hereof. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

DANIEL C. PAULEY, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF HAWKINS HOME INSPECTIONS, LLC Notice is hereby given of the formation of a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the limited liability company is HAWKINS HOME INSPECTIONS, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 217 N Molley St., Bennington, NE 68007. The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc, 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The general nature of the business is any or all lawful business. The company commenced existence on March 23, 2021 and shall have a perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Members, as prescribed by the Operating Agreement. LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

Darren R Carlson, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF HUCKLEBERRY FLATS HUNT CLUB, LLC Notice is hereby given that HUCKLEBERRY FLATS HUNT CLUB, LLC is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The Company’s initial registered agent in the State of Nebraska is Darren R Carlson, whose address is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful business and activity, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Members from time to time, and which are not prohibited by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The Company commenced with filing its Certificate of Organization on April 8, 2021, and shall have a perpetual period of duration. The Company is a Member Managed Limited Liability Company. Darren R Carlson, Organizer First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

BENJAMIN J. PICK, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CASCADE COMMERCIAL, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of Cascade Commercial, LLC. 1. The name of the limited liability company is Cascade Commercial, LLC. 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114. 3. The name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is Benjamin J. Pick, 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

THOMAS H. PENKE, Attorney 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Flat Head Hunt Club, LLC, has organized pursuant to R.R.S. Section 21-101 et seq. The registered office is 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68154 and the registered agent at that address is Thomas H. Penke. The nature of the business to be transacted is any lawful business. The Designated office address is 18440 Thayer Street, Bennington Nebraska 68007. The company commenced business on January 1, 2021 and is perpetual. The affairs of the company are to be conducted by the President, Secretary and Treasurer. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 • Legal notices LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is Hereby Given that NUR TRANSPORTS, LLC, has been Organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on 03/12/2020. The Designated Office: 10104 Grand Plz, Omaha, NE 68134. Registered Agent: Registered Agents Inc., 530 S. 13th Street, STE 100, Lincoln, NE 68508. The General nature of business is Transports Service. The Company shall be manager-managed by: Tyrell M. Donald. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of J&M Landscaping, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is J&M Landscaping, LLC. Registered agent and office of J&M Landscaping, LLC is Heriberto V Lopez at J&M Landscaping, LLC. The designated address is 12620 Aurora Plaza Lot. 280, Omaha, NE 68164. Initial members: Heriberto V Lopez. General nature of the business is to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute. The LLC was organized in April 2021 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

KENDRA RINGENBERG, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF POWER DRIVE HOLDINGS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Power Drive Holdings, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 222 S. 15th Street, Suite 1404S, Omaha, Nebraska 68102. The Registered Agent of the Company is Kendra Ringenberg, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

SMITH SLUSKY POHREN & ROGERS LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NZUSA of Omaha LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, with its initial designated office at 1299 Farnam Street – Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska, 68102, was organized in the State of Nebraska to engage in any lawful business permitted under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The registered agent is Shaun M. James, Smith Slusky Law, 8712 West Dodge Road – Suite 400, Omaha, Nebraska, 68114. The perpetual existence commenced February 26, 2021. Its affairs are to be conducted by its Members pursuant to an Operating Agreement duly adopted by the Company. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF DELETED SCENE, L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that DELETED SCENE, L.L.C., is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a designated and regis¬tered office at 2627 North 103rd Court, Omaha, Nebraska 68134. The affairs of the company are to be conducted by the manager and registered officer, JACOB M. MASLO. The Limited Liability Company is organized to transact any and all business, and perform services of every kind and nature whatsoever, which are not inconsistent with law. The Limited Liability Company commenced doing business on March 4, 2021, and filed Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 2, 2021, and shall have perpetual existence. JACOB M. MASLO, Organizational Member 2627 North 103rd Court, Omaha, Nebraska 68134 First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Alumni Association of Omaha, NE, INC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Alumni Association of Omaha, NE, Inc. has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska as a public benefit nonprofit corporation. No members permitted. The registered agent is Mark W. Slobotski at the registered office address of 9215 Fremont Street, Omaha, NE 68122. The names and addresses of the Incorporators are: Mark Slobotski, 9215 Fremont St., Omaha, NE 68122; Anthony Buxter, 6606 S. 109th St, Omaha, NE 68137; and John White, 1739 Grant St., Blair, NE 68008. The Corporation was commenced on January 15, 2021. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

Jodie Haferbier McGill, Attorney McGill Law, P.C., L.L.O. 1411 M. 72nd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68114 LEGAL NOTICE TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: You are hereby notified that the Limited Liability Company created on December 12, 2018 between Jill Hull and Patrick Safford known as Parkville Media, L.L.C., doing business at 2809 S 160th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, will be dissolved by mutual consent of the incorporators as of 04/05/2021. There are no debts owed to Parkville Media, L.L.C. All claims against Parkville Media, L.L.C. will be received at the following address: Attention: Jodie Haferbier McGill, McGill Law, P.C., L.L.O., 1411 N 72nd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. Dated this 13th day of April, 2021. Jodie Haferbier McGill First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

JUSTIN A. SHELDON, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PRIORITY ONE WEB SOLUTIONS LLC Notice is hereby given that PRIORITY ONE WEB SOLUTIONS LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The address of the initial designated office of the company is 9830 Laurel Avenue, Omaha, NE 68134. The agent for service of process for the Company is VW Agents LLC located at 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3, Omaha, NE 68118. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that The One Nanny Agency LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the Company is 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Registered Agent of the Company is Corporation Consultants, 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Company was formed on April 1, 2021. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

SEAN D. MOYLAN, Attorney MOYLAN LAW, LLC 1010 South 120th Street, Suite 320 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF McENGEL, LLC The name of the Company is McEngel, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company. The initial registered agent is Sean Moylan located at 1010 S. 120th Street, Suite #320, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The initial designated office of the Company is located at 7502 N. 281st Avenue, Valley Nebraska, 68064. Perpetual existence commenced April 12, 2021. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF HBP ENTERPRISES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that HBP Enterprises, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 10406 Oak Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124 and designating its registered agent as Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C. a limited liability organization with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 16. 2021, final April 30, 2021

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TRIPLE G INDUSTRIAL, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Triple G Industrial, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 1013 South 123rd Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68154 and designating its registered agent as Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C. a limited liability organization with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 16. 2021, final April 30, 2021

17

KENDRA RINGENBERG, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF QUEBEC STREET CARWASH, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Quebec Street Carwash, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 222 S. 15th Street, Suite 1404S, Omaha, Nebraska 68102. The Registered Agent of the Company is Kendra Ringenberg, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

BENJAMIN J. PICK, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ROYCE 144 CANOPY, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of Royce 144 Canopy, LLC: 1. The name of the limited liability company is Royce 144 Canopy, LLC; and 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 12910 Pierce Street, Suite 110, Omaha, Nebraska 68144, and the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is James D. Buser, 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Funraising solutions, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the Company is 13315 N 225th Street, Bennington, Nebraska 68007. The Registered Agent of the Company is Kevin R. Shultz, 13315 N 225th Street, Bennington, Nebraska 68007. The Company was formed on April 5, 2021. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

Jeffrey T. Palzer, Attorney KELLOGG & PALZER, P.C. 10828 Old Mill Road, Suite 6 Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2647 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF HEMP BATCH TRACKER, INC. 1. The name of the corporation is HEMP BATCH TRACKER, INC. 2. The registered office of the Corporation is 13963 Jaynes Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68164. The registered agent at that office is Gordon Summers. 3. The general nature of the corporation is software to support tracking of legal hemp and accompanying testing certificates. 4. The corporation shall have 10,000 shares of common stock, each having a par value of $1.00 are authorized to be issued at such time and upon such conditions as the Board of Directors shall determine. 5. The corporation commenced on March 19, 2021, and shall have perpetual existence 6. The affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by the President, Secretary, Treasurer, and such other officers as the Board of Directors shall determine. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

BENJAMIN C. DEAVER, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF OMAHA POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION Notice is hereby given of incorporation of Omaha Police Officers Association Foundation under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: 1. The name of the corporation is Omaha Police Officers Association Foundation. 2. The Omaha Police Officers Association Foundation is a public benefit corporation. 3. The street address of the Corporation's initial registered office is 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The name of its initial registered agent at that office is Benjamin C. Deaver. 4. The name and address of the incorporator is as follows: James P. Maguire 13445 Cryer Avenue Omaha, NE 68144 5. The Corporation shall engage in any lawful business for which a corporation may be formed under the Nebraska Nonprofit Corporation Act. 6. The Corporation shall not have members. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021


18

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Legal notices LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF KING SILVERBACK, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is KING SILVERBACK, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara Medbery-Prchal, P.C., L.L.O., 14737 Sprague Street, Omaha, NE 68116. The designated office is located at 14737 Sprague Street, Omaha, NE 68116. Steve Douthit, Member First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

JENNIFER L. RATTNER, Esq. RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 308KIDS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that 308KIDS, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 2806 N. 179th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The Registered Agent of the Company is Jennifer L. Rattner, Esq., Ringenberg & Rattner Law, LLC, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF EMPIRE CAPITAL REAL ESTATE, LLC The name of the Company is Empire Capital Real Estate, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 6601 Rainwood Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68152. The Registered Agent and Office of the Company is: Tristan T. Warrick, 6601 Rainwood Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68152. This limited liability company commenced business on March 18, 2021. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF THE TAGGE*RUTHERFORD GROUP INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Articles of Incorporation of The Tagge*Rutherford Group Inc., a Nebraska corporation, have been amended to change the name of the corporation to: TR Financial Group, Inc. The Articles of Amendment were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on January 21, 2021. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Foodies World LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the Company is 2571 S 177th Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. The Registered Agent of the Company is Nan Shao, 17318 Harney Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. The Company was formed on April 12, 2021. First publication April 9, 2021, final April 23, 2021

SMITH SLUSKY POHREN & ROGERS LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION GREENSLATE DEVELOPMENT 2, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, with its initial designed office at 3814 Farnam Street – Suite 203, Omaha, Nebraska, 68131, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The registered agent is Shaun M. James, Smith Slusky Law, 8712 West Dodge Road – Suite 400, Omaha, Nebraska, 68114. The Limited Liability Company shall engage in any lawful business for which a limited liability company may be formed under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The perpetual existence commenced February 11, 2021. Its affairs are to be conducted by its Members pursuant to an Operating Agreement duly adopted by the Company. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TRIPLE M HOLDINGS LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Triple M Holdings LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 1877 South 107th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF EVELATED DEVELOPMENT GROUP, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Elevated Development Group, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 4512 S 68th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68117. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 12, 2021. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF INWARD INQUIRY, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Inward Inquiry, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address is 501 N 51 St, Omaha, NE 68132. The Registered Agent is Tim Hancock 6056 Country Club Oaks Place, Omaha, NE 68152. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TRIPLE G TATTOO, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Triple G Tattoo, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 1013 South 123rd Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68154 and designating its registered agent as Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C. a limited liability organization with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Pursuant to the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act the following notice is given: (1) Name of Limited Liability Company: EMPOWERED HEALTH LLC; (2) Street Address of the Designated Office: 1225 N, 131st St. Omaha, NE 68154; (3) Name and Address of the company’s agent for service of process:, Kathryn M. Sampson 1225 N, 131st St. Omaha, NE 68154; (4) General Nature of Business: Transact any lawful business except banking or insurance; (5) Time of Commencement and termination: Commencement upon Issuance of a Certificate of Organization (March 15, 2021), with perpetual duration First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given of the organization of Sparkygolf, LLC, with its registered office address at 222 South 15th Street, Suite 316, Omaha, Nebraska 68102 and the registered agent at that address being Joseph P. Naatz. The designated office location of the Company is 641 North 47th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132. The purpose or purposes for which this Company is formed is to own, conduct, operate, maintain and carry on the business of golf instruction and game improvement for all levels of players through traditional and non-traditional instruction and golf fitness instruction; and to conduct all things incidental and necessary to said operations and all related matters, including sales and promotions thereof, whether in this State or any other and to conduct all related activities allowed by the Nebraska Statutes in the conduct of said activities. The Company shall conduct the transactions of all or any lawful business or engagement in any commercial venture permitted by the Nebraska Limited Liability Company Act, as amended, and all other applicable laws. The initial capital of the Company has been contributed and evidence of membership in the Company will be issued by the Management Board. The Company commenced doing business on December 7, 2020, and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company shall be conducted by a Management Board and such other Officers and Managers as may be provided for in the Operating Agreement of the Company. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

CHARLES E. DORWART, Attorney MASSIH LAW, LLC 226 N. 114th Street Omaha, NE 68154 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR21-91 Estate of Andrew H. Goranson, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on January 26th, 2021, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, the Registrar issued a written statement of Informal Probate of the Intestacy of said Decedent and that Abby M Goranson, of 444 S. 88th Street, Omaha, NE 68114 was informally appointed by the Registrar as Personal Representative of the Estate. Creditors of this estate must file their claims with this Court, located at Courtroom No. 330, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before June 15, 2021 or be forever barred. CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Style Me Crazy Huxley, LLC a Nebraska limited liability company, filed its Statement of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 3, 2021, and the company is in the process of voluntary dissolution. The terms and conditions of such dissolution are, in general, that all debts and obligations of the company are to be fully paid and satisfied or adequate provision is to be made therefore, and that the balance of any remaining assets are to be distributed to its Members. Stephanie Holt, Authorized Person, will wind up and liquidate the company’s business and affairs. If you have a claim against Style Me Crazy Huxley, LLC, please provide the following information with respect to your claim: 1) your name or the name of your entity; 2) the nature of your claim; 3) the amount of your claim; and 4) the date your claim arose. All claims shall be mailed to DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. A claim against Style Me Crazy Huxley, LLC is barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five (5) years after the publication date of the third required notice. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: North O Print Co. Name of Applicant: Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership Address: 2406 Fowler Avenue Omaha NE 68111 Applicant is a Corporation If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Nebraska Date of first use of name in Nebraska: Upon Filing General nature of business: Printing shop AARON BOWEN Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative April 23, 2021

KENDRA RINGENBERG, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF RENDON CROWLEY ROAD CARWASH, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Rendon Crowley Road Carwash, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 222 S. 15th Street, Suite 1404S, Omaha, Nebraska 68102. The Registered Agent of the Company is Kendra Ringenberg, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

KATHRYN J. DERR, Attorney BERKSHIRE & BURMEISTER 1301 South 75th Street, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TOP BALL PICKS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that TOP BALL PICKS, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The address of the initial designated office of the company is 1301 S 75th Street, Ste. 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The registered office of the Company is 1301 S 75th St. Ste. 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the agent at such office is Kathryn J. Derr. The general nature of the business to be transacted by the company is any lawful business which may be carried on by a limited liability company organized under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The company commenced operations on April 7, 2021 and shall have a perpetual duration. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 • Legal notices LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION HAWKINS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Articles of Incorporation of Hawkins Construction Company have been amended to reflect that that the Corporation shall now have the authority to issue 10,000 shares of voting common stock and 990,000 shares of nonvoting common stock, all at a par value of $1.00. The Amendment was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 12, 2021. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

KENDRA RINGENBERG, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 5900 QUEBEC STREET CARWASH RE, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that 5900 Quebec Street Carwash RE, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 222 S. 15th Street, Suite 1404S, Omaha, Nebraska 68102. The Registered Agent of the Company is Kendra Ringenberg, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF RIVERPLACE ROWS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Riverplace Rows, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 6324 South 118th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

AMANDA M. FORKER, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF LIVE EASY, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of Live Easy, LLC. 1. The name of the limited liability company is Live Easy, LLC. 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 10250 Regency Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. 3. The name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is Incorp Services, 5601 S 59th Street, Suite C, Lincoln, Nebraska 68516-2340. First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

ANDREW J. HUBER, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF PLAN BOLD LIFE, LLC Notice is hereby given of the formation of a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the limited liability company is Plan Bold Life, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is20757 Nancy Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc, 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The general nature of the business is any or all lawful business. The company commenced existence on April 10, 2021 and shall have a perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Members, as prescribed by the Operating Agreement. LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

Notice of Organization Love, London LLC Notice is hereby given that Love, London LLC a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its initial designated office at 1701 S. 17th Street #2C, Lincoln, NE, 68502 and with its initial agent for service of process as Dana London, 1701 S. 17th Street #2C, Lincoln, NE, 68502 Leandra London, Member First publication April 16, 2021, final April 30, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF K5 ALIVE LLC Notice is hereby given that a limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is K5 Alive LLC. The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Shane Kohl, 12907 North Shore Drive, Springfield, NE 68059. The designated office is located at 12907 North Shore Drive, Springfield, NE 68059. Shane Kohl, Member First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BATTMAN’S LAWN AND LANDSCAPE, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Battman’s Lawn and Landscape, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 1416 Road M450, McCool Junction, NE 68401 and designating its registered agent as Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C. a limited liability organization, with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CORTNEY EDWARDS REAL ESTATE, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is Cortney Edwards Real Estate, LLC. The company practices the profession of real estate sales. The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara Medbery-Prchal, P.C., L.L.O., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 5017 California Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132. Cortney Edwards, Member First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

MATTHEW T. PAYNE, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CASA RIO GJ, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of Casa Rio GJ, LLC. 1. The name of the limited liability company is Casa Rio GJ, LLC. 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 9310 Davenport Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68114, and the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is Matthew T. Payne, 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

MARY E. VANDENACK, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF MOSH INVESTMENTS LLC Notice is hereby given that MOSH INVESTMENTS LLC has amended and restated its Certificate of Organization as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The amended notice of organization reflects the change of Designated Address from 14017 William Circle, Omaha, NE 68144 to 1214 South 138th Street, Omaha, NE 68144 and the change of Registered Agent Address from 14017 William Circle, Omaha, NE 68144 to 1214 South 138th Street, Omaha, NE 68144. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Attorneys 13330 California Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an Amended Certificate of Organization for Rveal Media, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 2, 2021 wherein the name of the Company was changed to Rveal Companies LLC. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

19

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION in the STATE OF NEBRASKA of AKSARBEN EQUINE, INC. Notice is hereby given that the AKSARBEN EQUINE, INC., a nonprofit corporation, has been incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska on April 15, 2021, when the Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Secretary of State. The corporation is a public benefit corporation and shall have no members. The address of the initial registered office of the corporation is 10308 S 23rd St., Bellevue, NE 68123, and the name of its initial registered agent at such address is John Hassett The names and address of the incorporator is: Kyle Allen 10308 S 23rd St Bellevue, NE 68123 First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

NOTICE OF CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF DL RENOVATIONS LLC A Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given DL RENOVATIONS LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office of the company in the state of Nebraska is PO Box 361 Bennet, NE 68317. The name and address of the registered agent is AF Bookkeeping Services, Inc, 11811 I Street, STE 204, Omaha, NE 68137. The Certificate of Organization was filed with the State of Nebraska on April 14, 2021. Layne Reed Organizer First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

SMITH SLUSKY POHREN & ROGERS LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION WAVY VACATION GETAWAYS LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, with its initial designated office at 10806 S. 174th Ave., Omaha, Nebraska, 68136, was organized in the State of Nebraska to engage in any lawful business permitted under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The registered agent is Shaun M. James, Smith Slusky Law, 8712 West Dodge Road – Suite 400, Omaha, Nebraska, 68114. The perpetual existence commenced February 25, 2021. Its affairs are to be conducted by its Members pursuant to an Operating Agreement duly adopted by the Company. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Attorneys 13330 California Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Rveal Media LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on April 10, 2021 (the “Company”). The Company has designated its registered agent as Kappes Chatfield, with registered office at 5324 S. 162nd Avenue, Omaha, NE 68135. The Company’s initial designated office is at 5324 S. 162nd Avenue, Omaha, NE 68135. The Company shall be governed by its members. The general nature of business is any lawful purpose. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Attorneys 13330 California Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Rveal Films LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on April 10, 2021 (the “Company”). The Company has designated its registered agent as Kappes Chatfield, with registered office at 5324 S. 162nd Avenue, Omaha, NE 68135. The Company’s initial designated office is at 5324 S. 162nd Avenue, Omaha, NE 68135. The Company shall be governed by its members. The general nature of business is any lawful purpose. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Attorneys 13330 California Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that VideoScale LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on April 10, 2021 (the “Company”). The Company has designated its registered agent as Kappes Chatfield, with registered office at 5324 S. 162nd Avenue, Omaha, NE 68135. The Company’s initial designated office is at 5324 S. 162nd Avenue, Omaha, NE 68135. The Company shall be governed by its members. The general nature of business is any lawful purpose. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021


20

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Legal notices LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES BROWN & WOLFF, LLC 1925 North 120th Street Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF FIGHTING BUNNIES YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAM, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Fighting Bunnies Youth Football Program, Inc., a Nebraska nonprofit corporation, is incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The address of the registered office is 1925 North 120th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154 and the registered agent of said corporation is Paul M. Brown. The corporation is a public benefit corporation, and the general nature of its business is any and all business which is lawful under the Nebraska Nonprofit Corporation Act. The corporation commenced its existence on March 12, 2021. The corporation shall not have members. The affairs of the corporation are be conducted by a Board of Directors, and by the officers which shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and such other officers as shall be designated in the Bylaws. INCORPORATOR: Paul M. Brown 1925 N. 120th St. Omaha, NE 68154 First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Jesus Territory Ministries Name of Applicant: Dora Hagge Address: 1224 Sheridan Drive, Hastings, NE 68901 Applicant is an Individual If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Date of first use of name in Nebraska: January 24, 2019 General nature of business: Christian artist, author speaker, Bible Study instructor DORA HAGGE Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative April 23, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of PDT Construction, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is PDT Construction, LLC. Registered agent and office of PDT Construction, LLC is Santiago Reyna Salinas at 5313 A Street, Omaha, NE 68106 . The designated address is 5313 A Street, Omaha, NE 68106. Initial members: Santiago Reyna Salinas. General nature of the business is to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute. The LLC was organized in March 2021 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

MARY E. VANDENACK, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF ABLEBAKER LLC Notice is hereby given that ABLEBAKER LLC has amended its Certificate of Organization as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The amended notice of organization reflects the change of entity name from ABLEBAKER LLC to SYNERGISTIC ESTATE AND CARE COORDINATION LLC. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ELISA DAVIES LAW, LLC: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Elisa Davies Law, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the professional limited liability company is 506 North Elmwood Road, Omaha, Nebraska, 68132. The registered agent and address of the professional limited liability company is Elisa Davies, 506 North Elmwood Road, Omaha, Nebraska, 68132. The company has been organized to render professional legal services. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

Notice is Hereby Given that J&D Residential Cleaning LLC. has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office of this LLC is 3531 Allendale Dr., Lincoln, NE 68516. The Name of the agent is Juanita Garner whose address is 3531 Allendale Dr., Lincoln, NE 68516. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF DOMESTICATION OF RD SOLES AND ASSOCIATES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that RD Soles and Associates, LLC has domesticated to the State of Nebraska from the State of Virginia. The Designated Office of the Company is 15821 Jackson Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. The Registered Office of the Company is: 15821 Jackson Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68118, and the Registered Agent at such address is Robert D. Soles. The domestication was accomplished by the filing of Articles of Domestication and Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 11, 2021. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Art By Design Studio Name of Applicant: Dora Hagge Address: 1224 Sheridan Drive, Hastings, NE 68901 Applicant is an Individual If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Date of first use of name in Nebraska: January 1, 1980 General nature of business: Artist, sale of paintings, books, cards, teaching materials and other items DORA HAGGE Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative April 23, 2021

JUSTIN A. SHELDON, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SAND CONSULTING LLC Notice is hereby given that SAND CONSULTING LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The address of the initial designated office of the company is 6340 William Street, Omaha, NE 68106. The agent for service of process for the Company is Lydia Sand located at 6340 William Street, Omaha, NE 68106. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that THE ALLIGATOR+THE BUTTERFLY LLC (the“Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the Company is 11725 S 111th Street, Papillion, Nebraska 68046. The Registered Agent of the Company is Sandy Ryder, 11725 S 111th Street, Papillion, Nebraska 68046. The Company was formed on April 16, 2021. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MOTOKOMA, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that MOTOKOMA, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 13575 Lynam Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68138. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 W. Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

MARY E. VANDENACK, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF EDUCATION EXPLORERS LEARNING CENTER INC. Notice is hereby given that the Articles of Incorporation of Education Explorers Learning Center Inc., a Nebraska corporation, (the “Corporation”) have been amended and restated in their entirety by the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation filed on April 15, 2021, which revised the registered agent and stated purpose of the Corporation. The street address of the Corporation’s registered office is 556 N. 21st Street, Blair, NE 68008 and the name of the registered agent at that office is Ashley Miskowiec. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION [RESTATED] Notice is hereby given that Extreme Care Exteriors, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the Company is 5553 N 34th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68111. The Registered Agent of the Company is Nicolas Ramirez Franco, 5553 N 34th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68111. The Company was Amended on April 16, 2021. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Attorneys 13330 California Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CHA REMODELING LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that CHA Remodeling LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on April 17, 2021 (the “Company”). The Company has designated its registered agent as Curt Hofer, with registered office at 16820 Frances Street, Suite 102, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. The Company’s initial designated office is at 16820 Frances Street, Suite 102, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. The Company shall be governed by one or more managers. The general nature of business is any lawful purpose. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF LILINERS CLEANING SERVICES, LLC Notice is hereby given that Liliners Cleaning Services LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 5432 Fontenelle Blvd, Omaha, NE 68111. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized under Nebraska laws and its duration is perpetual commencing from April 07, 2021. Its affairs are to be conducted by the manager Milka Tapia-Ruiz. Its registered agent is Eya Assignon , 1941 South 42nd street, ste 514, Omaha NE 68105 . First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF REEFER HOLDINGS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Reefer Holdings, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 13986 Valley Ridge Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68138. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

BOYD85, L.L.C. 7914 W. Dodge Road, Ste 514 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BOYD85, L.L.C. A Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that Boyd85, L.L.C., a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 7914 West Dodge Road, Ste. 514, Omaha, Nebraska, 68114. The general nature of its business is to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Certificate of Organization was filed in the office of the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 4, 2021, the Company commenced business thereon and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by the Members. Alvin C. Okereke, Organizer First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF T & J STAUFFER, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that T & J Stauffer, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 17510 V Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68135. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 15, 2021. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 • Legal notices LEGAL NOTICES BEYOND LIVING DEVELOPMENT GROUP, L.L.C. 7914 W. Dodge Road, Ste 514 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BEYOND LIVING DEVELOPMENT GROUP, L.L.C. A Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that Beyond Living Development Group, L.L.C., a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 7914 West Dodge Road, Ste. 514, Omaha, Nebraska, 68114. The general nature of its business is to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Certificate of Organization was filed in the office of the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 4, 2021, the Company commenced business thereon and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by the Members. Alvin C. Okereke, Organizer First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

STATUS QUON’T, L.L.C. 7914 W. Dodge Road, Ste 514 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF STATUS QUON’T, L.L.C. A Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that Status Quon’t, L.L.C., a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 7914 West Dodge Road, Ste. 514, Omaha, Nebraska, 68114. The general nature of its business is to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Certificate of Organization was filed in the office of the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 11, 2021, the Company commenced business thereon and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by the Members. Alvin C. Okereke, Organizer First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

WHAT AM I, L.L.C. 7914 W. Dodge Road, Ste 514 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF WHAT AM I, L.L.C. A Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that What Am I, L.L.C., a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 7914 West Dodge Road, Ste. 514, Omaha, Nebraska, 68114. The general nature of its business is to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Certificate of Organization was filed in the office of the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 12, 2021, the Company commenced business thereon and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by the Members. Alvin C. Okereke, Organizer First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

MONTE L. SCHATZ, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MIDWEST FSRM LLC Notice is hereby given that MIDWEST FSRM LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The address of the initial designated office of the company is 3414 North 161st Avenue, Omaha, NE 68116. The agent for service of process for the Company is VW Agents LLC located at 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3, Omaha, NE 68118. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF FUSION WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Fusion Workforce Solutions, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 11808 Grant Street, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68164. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 20, 2021. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

Russell S. Daub Attorney at Law 2800 S. 110th Court, Suite 1 Omaha, Nebraska 68144-4818 NOTICE OF RESTATED ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT TO THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF DESTINY THEATER, INC. Notice is hereby given of the Restated Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation of DESTINY THEATER, INC, to change its name to DESTINY CAFÉ & COMMUNITY CENTER, INC. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION ZEB, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the company is 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The name and street and mailing address of the initial registered agent of the company for service of process are Thomas J. Malicki, Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman LLP, 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 23, 2021, final May 7, 2021

Attention Law Firms

Email your legal notices to legals@mbj.com You will receive a confirmation email stating when it will begin publication. ContactBeth us today Contact today at at legals@mbj.com legals@mbj.com for more information for more information

Midlands

Business Journal

(402) 330-1760 www.mbj.com

21

Good luck finding a cheap rental car. A shortage is driving up prices by Ron Hurtibise

It’s not only tourists finding themselves out of luck amid a shortage of rental cars in vacation hot spots like Florida, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii. When builder Ricky Ringer needed to rent a car to haul some building materials to his job site a few weeks ago, he was stunned to find nothing available at rental car agencies. Not in Okeechobee where he lives. Not in Palm Beach Auto County. Not in Orlando. “Nobody had one from Jacksonville to Fort Lauderdale,” the Davie native said. At the Enterprise Rent-a-Car office nearest him in Okeechobee, he spotted six cars in a back parking lot. “They said they hadn’t been cleaned and needed oil changes. I offered to drive one up to the oil change place myself.” In the midst of our vaccine-fueled reemergence into normal life, stir-crazy consumers are finding one element of the mobility we took for granted in pre-pandemic times — a wide range of rental cars available for affordable rates — won’t be recovering anytime soon. What that means for South Florida residents with their own cars and an extra bedroom: Your houseguests might be asking for your keys. Demand for rental cars in Florida surged in the weeks between President’s Day weekend in mid-February through Easter weekend in early April. Analysts blame a unique confluence of factors: Rental car agencies sold off 30% to 40% of their fleets when demand plummeted last spring. No one anticipated how many tourists would flee locked-down northern cities for hot spots this spring. Meanwhile, a semiconductor shortage has stalled newcar production at Ford and GM, raising prices and preventing rental companies from rebuilding their inventories prior to the current boom. Jonathan Weinberg, CEO of rental car aggregation website AutoSlash.com, said he was stunned on President’s Day weekend to discover that rental vehicles were sold out at 18 of 20 Florida airports. The situation worsened as Spring Break beckoned cooped-up northerners to Florida in droves, triggering a run on rentals not only at airport locations, but in-town agencies as well. When vehicles were available, they were going for as much as $500 a day, Weinberg said. While inventories have returned to South Florida rental agencies in the tourism lull between Easter and Memorial Day, rates are two to three times as high as a year ago. Weinberg expects the shortage and high prices to linger through the summer as northern tourism spots reopen and rental car companies shift their inventories north to meet the demand. Enterprise’s website on Friday showed no cars available to rent for the weekend at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. A search for last-minute weekend rentals on travel site Orbitz.com turned up just 15 results from Sixt Rent a Car, including a Volkswagen Jetta for $494 a day, a Toyota Tacoma pickup for $492 a day and a full-size Chevy Tahoe SUV for $858 a day. What’s really strange, Weinberg said, is that some airlines are offering one-way fares for as low as $50 or $60 to travelers who arrive at their destinations to find daily rental rates at 10 times the cost of their tickets. Traci and Duane Borgman, on vacation from Michigan, are getting restless at a Weston resort after an airport rental agency failed to deliver the SUV they booked. “Now we’re on our third day without being able to go anywhere,” Traci Borgman said Thursday. “So much for a very needed vacation.” Months of shortages Travelers should anticipate strong car rental demand to last several months and book their cars as early as possible, said Lauren Luster, communications director for Hertz, which declared bankruptcy during the quarantine and sold off much of its fleet last year at bargain prices. “We’re seeing a surge in demand for leisure travel in vacation destinations, including Florida, across the car rental industry,” Luster said by email. “This is encouraging given where the industry was during this time a year ago, and we’re happy to help Continued on page 26.


22

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Slow condo price growth may be opportunity for first-time homebuyers by Zach Wichter

The hot housing market isn’t totally even, and some cities and kinds of properties are seeing bigger price gains than others. In particular, condominium prices across the board are rising less than those Real Estate for single-family homes, according to recent data from Black Knight. The data firm reports that single-family home prices grew by 12.3 percent on average in 2020 — the highest appreciation rate since 1992 — but condos aren’t gaining as quickly. This could be an opportunity, especially for first-time homebuyers, in a market that is starved for inventory and where bidding wars are commonplace in many areas. What’s going on with condo pricing? Condo pricing was soft in 2020, according to Andy Walden, vice president of market research at Black Knight. “What we’re seeing right now is an extremely hot housing market, but it’s really being driven primarily by single-family residences,” he said. Although single-family prices rose by 12.3 percent last year on average, condo prices only increased by about 6.4 percent. “That in and of itself is interesting, but when you take a 30-year look at the housing market, the way the housing market typically works is that when the housing market is hot you tend to see condos outpace single-families,” Walden said. “Given how hot the housing market is right now, you’d expect condos to outpace single-families, but they’re running at roughly half that rate.” He said he suspects that the trend is mostly driven by people leaving the densest parts of cities for areas where they can buy properties with a little more space. Single-family homes were especially popular in 2020 as people sought extra rooms and ditched their commutes. “Folks that lived in those urban areas or worked in those urban areas have maybe seen a dislocation or a change in lifestyle because of the COVID pandemic,” Walden said. “Now maybe they want a home office or things of that nature, so you’re seeing a broader change in dynamic in the market as a whole.” Why does it matter? Condo prices are often on the extreme ends of the market, according to Walden: higher when the market is high, and lower when the market is low, so it’s rare for condo prices to diverge from the rest of the market the way they’re doing now. “There’s really dueling forces putting pressure up on home prices right now. It’s record-low interest rates that we saw last year and there’s lack of supply out there in the market, which has worsened in the single-family space over the last couple of months,” he said. “Both of those things are putting upward pressure on prices in the single-family space. In the condo space, it’s a little bit less pressure on the side of inventory, so we can kind of narrow it down and isolate the interest rate impact a little bit more and maybe glean some upcoming inflection points about the single-family market based on what we’re seeing in condos.” The housing shortage is not a new issue, but a hot market has intensified its impact this year, and there’s little hope the trend will reverse in the near term. However, condos are generally more available than single-family homes given current real estate trends, so that’s part of what is driving the pricing disparity. “Supply/demand imbalance is noticeably different in condos versus single-families; I think you’re going to see that throughout at

least 2021. That’s really the big question in the market right now. Where do you see that inflow of inventory coming from?” Walden said. “One of the potentials was that distressed inventory sitting out there in the market because of forbearance plan extensions, that’s not likely to come if at all until late 2021, early 2022. The other potential inflow was missed listings from last year and the natural rebound in new listing volumes this year, we haven’t seen that yet,” he added. “In fact, we’re seeing new listing volumes down for this year. We haven’t seen the answer start to show itself yet in terms of where that inventory is going to come from.” In some especially competitive housing markets, condo prices are trending even lower than the national average. According to Black Knight’s data, single-family home prices in San Francisco were up 11 percent year-over-year, but condo prices were actually down. Meanwhile, in nearby San Jose, single-family home prices were again up by around 11 percent, but condo

prices only rose about 2 percent year-over-year. “There’s five key markets: San Francisco, San Jose, New York, Boston and Seattle where you’re all seeing single-families appreciate 9 to 10 percent faster than condos,” Walden said Can first-time homebuyers benefit from this trend? First-time homebuyers always stand to benefit when any segment of the housing market shows relative affordability. First-timers are also usually more likely to be interested in condos to begin with. But are first-time buyers still following that trend during the pandemic? The relatively soft prices “may suggest that they’re not as interested in urban areas as they have been in the past. It could potentially be an opportunity for some of those homebuyers,” Walden said. “For some of the folks that are out there who are really struggling and looking at inventory or finding homes for sale, you may see first-time homebuyers stretch back into that condo space depending on what happens with

single-family residences inventory levels this year.” With high housing competition this spring, first-time buyers are likely to need any advantages they can get to close the deal. Check out Bankrate’s tips for first-time homebuyers if you’re not sure where to start. Bottom line Condo prices aren’t rising as quickly as single-family home prices in the current real estate market, which highlights changing property preferences among buyers and could present opportunities for prospective first-timers who are still comfortable living in dense urban areas. It may be too early to say if the condo pricing trend portends any other shifts in the real estate market, but one thing is certain: Competition for housing will remain high at virtually every price point this spring. ©2021 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Tech tools help deepen citizen input in drafting laws abroad and in US states by Gopal Ratnam

Earlier this month, New Jersey’s Department of Education launched a citizen engagement process asking students, teachers and parents to vote on ideas for changes that officials should considTechnology er as the state reopens its schools after the pandemic closed classrooms for a year. The project, managed by The Governance Lab at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering, is part of a monthlong nationwide effort using an online survey tool called All Our Ideas to help state education officials prioritize policymaking based on ideas solicited from those who are directly affected by the policies. Among the thousands of votes cast for various ideas nationwide, teachers and parents backed changes that would teach more problem-solving skills to kids. But students backed a different idea as the most important: making sure that kids have social and emotional skills, as well as “self-awareness and empathy.” A government body soliciting ideas from those who are directly affected, via online technology, is one small example of greater citizen participation in governance that advocates hope can grow at both state and federal levels. Although some U.S. states are taking small steps toward engaging their citizens more through technology, democracies such as Taiwan and Brazil are making greater strides in using technology to include citizens in drafting national legislation that helps break the traditional monopoly on the process by powerful vested interests. “There are people who now have access and want to be ‘in the room where it happens’ and who don’t want other people to have access,” said Beth Simone Noveck, director of the Governance Lab, which advocates using tech tools to broaden the democratic process around the world. “That’s why it’s important to create multiplicity of avenues for participation,” so average citizens who are directly affected by rules and laws can have an equal footing with the powerful, she said. Artificial-intelligence-based platforms available today can aid in crowdsourcing by helping gather, categorize and summarize opinions from large audiences, as well as extract new information to assist policymakers,

Noveck said. The case of Taiwan Taiwan has taken crowdsourcing legislative ideas to a new height. Using a variety of open-source engagement and consultation tools that are collectively known as the vTaiwan process, government ministries, elected representatives, experts, civil society groups, businesses and ordinary citizens come together to produce legislation. The need for an open consultation process stemmed from the 2014 Sunflower Student Movement, when groups of students and others occupied the Taiwanese parliament to protest the fast-tracking of a trade agreement with China with little public review. After the country’s parliament acceded to the demands, the “consensus opinion was that instead of people having to occupy the parliament every time there’s a controversial, emergent issue, it might actually work better if we have a consultation mechanism in the very beginning of the issue rather than at the end,” said Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s digital minister. The vTaiwan process focuses mostly on digital economy issues and has addressed 26 different legislative proposals, with 80 percent resulting in legislation or government action, according to the project’s website. In one well-known case from 2016, the vTaiwan process was used to determine how to regulate Uber. During a four-week process, as many as 4,000 people participated in consultations using Polis, a machine-learning-based platform that gathers and analyzes opinions from a large number of participants. Taiwan’s government then ratified into legislation the four broad consensus items that emerged from the consultation process. Non-digital-economy issues, such as environmental issues and marriage equality, are handled in Join, a process similar to vTaiwan that is managed by the country’s public service officials, Tang said. To ensure that only Taiwanese citizens participate in the process, users must have a SIM card issued by one of the five telecom companies in the country and registered users get a confirmation code sent to their phone, Tang said. “There’s actually a surprisingly high difficulty in obtaining thousands of SIM cards” for anyone trying to impersonate or interfere in the process, she said.

All the open-source software platforms are run on government-operated cloud infrastructure and tested for cyber weakness, she said. The case of Brazil At about the same time that Taiwan’s Sunflower movement was unfolding, in Brazil then-President Dilma Rousseff signed into law the country’s internet bill of rights in April 2014. The bill was drafted and refined through a consultative process that included not only legal and technical experts but average citizens as well, said Debora Albu, program coordinator at the Institute for Technology and Society of Rio, also known as ITS. The institute was involved in designing the platform for seeking public participation, Albu said. “From then onwards, we wanted to continue developing projects that incorporated this idea of collective intelligence built into the development of legislation or public policies,” Albu said. In 2015, ITS launched a project called Mudamos, which initially involved a web platform that hosted debates on public policy issues, and later an app that Brazilians can use to propose legislation and collect signatures from fellow citizens to back their proposals. While Brazil’s constitution allows its citizens to propose legislation at the local, state and even federal level, and draw support by gathering signatures, the right has remained largely unused because the task of collecting and verifying signatures has been daunting in the absence of technology, Albu said. Brazilian citizens can download the Mudamos app on their smartphones and register with their electoral identification number, name and address, which are verified with the country’s electoral body. The app then issues a cryptographic key, half of which is stored on the phone; the other is kept with Mudamos and used to verify a signature as authentic. Since its launch in 2017, the app has been downloaded 800,000 times and as many as 90 legislative proposals at the local, state and federal levels are in various stages of gathering signatures, Albu said. A federal bill needs 1.5 million signatures to be considered by the country’s National Congress. Although Brazil and Taiwan share some commonalities in citizen participation, Continued on page 26.


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

23

Celebrating Career Development Construction A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include:

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include:

Construction industry update • State of construction careers • Infrastructure Residential construction demand • Lens on safety on construction sites • Emerging trends Environmental construction • Changing look of commercial spaces

Local jobs outlook • Rethinking corporate professional development programs in age of working from home Leadership development • Programs from area higher education institutions Women in the workforce: The pandemic has greatly affected women, we offer tips on regaining a career after leaving the workforce

Issue Date: May 7 • Ad Deadline: April 29

Issue Date: May 14 • Ad Deadline: May 6

Legal Banking Trends

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include:

Topics may include:

Legal industry outlook • Legal careers • Firms committing to diversity and inclusion Growing specialized legal services: what areas of law are seeing higher demand Legal implications for businesses post COVID-19: vaccinations, masks and more

Banking industry overview • The future of in-person and digital banking Investment banking • Rate environment update • Growth of FinTech Banks expanding physical presence • Cybersecurity in age of increased online banking Latest in small business banking: what business owners should know from PPP loans and beyond

Issue Date: May 14 • Ad Deadline: May 6

Issue Date: May 21 • Ad Deadline: May 13

To advertise your company’s products or services in one of our upcoming sections, contact our Director of Advertising at karla@mbj.com.


BTOoOuSrTIN G i s m 24

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

April 23, 2021

Pent-up demand, signature events are helping to breathe new life into region by Michelle Leach

Fittingly, the spring season is presenting an opportunity for renewal in terms of metro tourism and the businesses that rely on this industry. “Our hopes are that people will come back into the area, because of pent-up demand,” said Mark Eckman, executive director with the Council Bluffs Convention and Visitors Bureau. Partly, he noted its spring campaign Johnson is planning safe, outdoor ideas; for instance, featured attractions include Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, public art stops throughout the city, Wabash Trace Nature Trail, Hitchcock Nature Center and its neighbor, Honey Creek Creamery, which hosts “goat yoga” (it is what it sounds like — yoga, plus baby goats or “kids”). “People are discovering their city and county park systems,” Eckman said. “They want to escape their four walls.” The spring campaign represents the third such initiative since the pandemic for the CBCVB; last summer and fall, reunions, staycations and get-away trips were promoted via digital and non-digital channels. The latter two groups gained traction. “We generated more impressions through digital ads and had a much lower click-through rate,” he said. “So, we were getting impressions but not getting follow-through action.” He attributes this to messaging being crowded out by political ads and online shopping. This spring, it is targeting Nebraska communities such as the tri-cities of Grand Island, Hastings and Kearney. It is generally broadening its campaign messages to appeal to out-of-state cities such as Sioux Falls, St. Joseph and, possibly, Kansas City. “We want to make sure that people know where Council Bluffs is,” Eckman said. For this reason, messaging includes the likes of the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium and the Old Market, alongside unique treasures such as the Loess Hills and shared attractions such as the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.

dia that customizes ads based on consumer preferences and tracks visits to the city and spending by travelers who received this advertising. Tourism Economics projects the meetings industry will not fully recover until 2024. Youth and amateur sports have already provided a “welcome shot in the arm” for the economy; for instance, in the Visit Omaha write-up, it was noted that Durand the Northern Light Qualifier youth volleyball tournament brought in 280 teams and almost 3,800 athletes in January. Hotel revenue jumped by 72% the week of the tournament. Greater Omaha Chamber leadership also indicated that they and the members they represent are excited and prepared to take on the summer onslaught of sports events. “Omaha is in a phenomenal period of opportunity,” said W. Todd Johnson, senior vice president of economic development. “As we look ahead to summer, it’s clear our many events are an important factor Continued on next page.

Mark Eckman, executive director of the Council Bluffs Convention and Visitors Bureau. Going into the summer campaign, it is In 2019, meetings and events brought in leapfrogging over signature events, such $121 million. As promising as that sounds, as the NCAA Men’s College World Series Visit Omaha cited Destinations Analyst and U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, as these findings that nearly half of Americans are events have traditionally been a boom to avoiding travel until vaccines are widely Council Bluffs hotels and other businesses, available. given convenient transportation options It was further noted that leisure travel and proximity. In fact, throughout these will lead the recovery. So, Visit Omaha is campaigns, discounted room rates have targeting leisure travelers with digital mebeen promoted. “Right now, the capacity is set at 50% for CHI Health Center Arena for the Olympic Swim Trials,” Eckman said recently. “That is less than ideal for event organizers, but the last thing we want to do is make the pandemic worse.” He referenced both safety protocols for indoor events, as well as other outdoor attractions such as the West Nishnabotna River Water Trail. Across the river, Interim Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jasmyn Goodwin directed toward Visit Omaha’s 2021 Travel and Tourism Trends update. The updated noted traveler sentiment is “slowly improving,” with the vaccine rollout. “Pair that with pent-up demand and a solid 2021 calendar of events, and this year certainly provides hope for our industry,” she said. Reportedly, 54 meetings and events are on the books for this year, fueling more Goat yoga with the kids (baby goats) at Honey Creek Creamery. (Photo courtesy of than $161 million into the local economy. Council Bluffs Convention and Visitors Bureau)


Boosting Tourism • Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

Local businesses prepare for tourism season by Gabby Hellbusch

As the weather heats up, local businesses and festivals are gearing up for seasonal tourism. Mark Donovan, president of Magical Journeys Carriage Service, said he is optimistic about business this year. “I am preparing for this season to be increasingly robust,” Donovan said. “I’m adding an additional beautiful paint/draft cross to my magnificent herd of Belgians, Clydesdales and Shires so we will have more than excess horsepower to draft their part time schedules and meet increased business.” Also, Donovan has hired an additional driver for the eclectic crew of top hatted carriage drivers. Donovan said he’s cautiously optimistic as COVID-19 rolls out. “I think you will see a boom in recreational activities as people are dying to get out and socialize,” he said. “I truly think this crisis has changed the normal meaning of business as usual. We take for granted the simple pleasures of life until we can’t do them. Business has been impacted by the pandemic. In order to survive, local business benefits from increased tourism.” Alan Rust, chief experience officer at Nebraska Tour Company, said the business has been fortunate to have been able to offer walking tours throughout the pandemic following safety protocols. Additionally, the last year has been spent updating and revising to improve, in-

Signature events Continued from preceding page. in accelerating the region’s prosperity.” In addition to the CWS and U.S. Swim Trials, Johnson highlighted the hosting of the National NCAA Volleyball Championships and the Sr. USGA Golf tournament. “The workforce in Omaha is more than ready to host,” he said. “Add to this our area businesses’ commitment to this region, to their employees and to each other, and we are fortunate to have the drive, grit and enthusiasm to keep our collective momentum.” Winsley Durand intimately understands what it takes to build capacity and break down barriers that stand in the way of opportunities as the executive director of the Chamber’s REACH program, which provides training for entrepreneurs and contractors in construction. “Our small businesses are a tremendous source of innovation and they are the job creation engine for our economy,” he said. “Entrepreneurs not only have solutions, but the flexibility and nimbleness to quickly adjust to changes in the marketplace and implement those solutions.” Construction represents “secondary” employment generated by travel, alongside sectors such as finance, insurance and real estate, and manufacturing. In all, the Nebraska Tourism Commission in its November 2020 report notes that, across industries, travel generated almost 59,000 jobs directly and secondarily in 2019. Four out of the five jobs that are generated directly by travel spending are reportedly in the leisure and hospitality spaces.

cluding a new website layout for easier bookings. “We have made updates to some of the tours to make them new for 2021,” Rust said. “Our tour team has also spent time making updates to how we present some of our tour Rust content. Our walking tours are available now with private options available for guests that want extra health safety. We look forward to meeting guests from Nebraska, the Midwest and throughout America.” He said it will be important for local businesses to welcome locals, as well as regional travelers in summer 2021.

“The connections customers and guests make with businesses coming out of lockdown can form a loyalty bond that can last for years to come,” Rust said. “Businesses will need to continue to ensure safety, as well as create new Schlegelmilch reasons to attract new customers and entice those from the past to come back. Many businesses have learned successful new ways to do business in 2020 and they shouldn’t leave those behind. We look forward to meeting our guests to introduce them to unknown secrets and intriguing stories.” Danelle Schlegelmilch, public relations

25

director at Junkstock, said the festival team is busy preparing Sycamore Farms for its spring edition of Junkstock, which will be held on April 30 - May 2 and May 7-9, 2021. “This is a big year for us since Junkstock is celebrating our 10th anniversary,” she said. “What started with a small sale in a chicken coop has grown from 29 to 200 vendors and makers filling a 135-acre century-old horse farm.” Schlegelmilch said local festivals like Junkstock depend on tourism and community support to survive. “When people come to Junkstock they are not only supporting our small family-owned businesses, they are rallying behind hundreds of small businesses,” she said. “They are showing lots of love to local makers, vendors, food trucks, musicians and artists that help support their dreams and families. Shopping small creates a huge ripple for so many creative folks who call Junkstock home.”

Public interest building in live events, conventions for later this year by Dwain Hebda

Local event professionals say the public is ready to bring back conventions, trade shows and other public happenings as early as this year, but variables exist that could alter that optimistic timeline. “Corporate events are eager to return, but of course, must be done as safely as possible,” said Jaycee Stephens, event production director for planit inc. “The return to in-person is predicted to be gradual, focusing on smaller, more curated gatherings or multiple regional events across the country to replace one large singular national event. “Individual event planning timelines are across the board and largely depends on the wants and needs of attendees. If clients continue to incorporate a fully virtual or hybrid in-person-and-virtual event, it can require a more extensive planning period and resources than traditional in-person events.” Jessica Brummer, director of communication for the Durham Museum, said with the exception of weddings, event business is still in a holding pattern. But museum-sponsored events and exhibits are starting to see stepped-up attendance. “The museum is open and operating and we are seeing a good number of visitors. We’re back to where we had hoped to be hosting those exhibitions,” she said. “Our tours, lectures and ticketed events are still being done in a virtual format, although we’re continuing to evaluate that as we move into summer. “I don’t see the virtual offering going away, maybe ever, as it certainly allows people the opportunity to participate. At the end of May, we are going to try our historic trolley tours at half capacity, with cleaning measures and masks and things like that. We’re bringing that back in person in a different format.” Some organizations and venues have already created a template for hosting in-person events, depending on the nature of the group. “Given we are an outdoor venue, we attract more groups looking for in-person events where they have enough room for large groups of people to attend while still being socially distant. From that

standpoint, people are excited to get back to in-person events,” said Andrea Bedore, assistant general manager for sales for

Stephens Brummer the Omaha Storm Chasers. “Last year, we hosted over 180 events at Werner Park, including high school baseball, American Legion baseball, curbside to-gos and other special events. “We have a new set of policies that exist for any event held at Werner Park. Everything from how we sell and provide tickets, to what happens at the concession stand and the overall fan experience has been thought through and addressed in a way to keep our fans as safe as possible.” Bob Mancuso, Jr., CFO of Mid-America Expositions, Inc. and chairman of the

Greater Omaha Sports Committee, said as the first major events occur this spring, they will likely serve as the bellwether for more to follow. “The Omaha Health and Wellness Expo is scheduled for May 15 and 16 at the Ramada Convention Center at 72nd and Grover,” he said. “Many exhibitors want to get out, showcase their products and serMancuso, Jr. vices and show people they are still in business. “High school and college sports are returning and that helps people feel more comfortable and get a little more back to normal. As events continue to open up in a live format, some will keep the virtual option for people who cannot attend or do not want to for health issues. But in general, people are looking forward to live events and being in person. It’s fun; people can have a good time and enjoy themselves knowing event planners are still following all health guidelines and plan to continue to meet and exceed those type of guidelines.”


26

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Tech tools help Continued from page 22. Brazilians have problems with unequal access to technology that limits citizens’ participation, whereas Taiwan, a wealthy small island, provides all its citizens with unparalleled access to high-speed broadband. “Broadband is a human right” in Taiwan, Tang said. “There’s no broadband inequality. Even on the top of Taiwan, almost 4,000 meters high, you’re guaranteed to have that broadband connection.” Brazil confronts regional discrepancies in internet access, with richer regions in the south and southeast having greater connectivity, whereas areas in the north and northeast, bordering the Amazon rainforest, have poor Internet access, which limits participation, Albu said. Brazil also confronts the challenge of training public officials about the utility of tech tools in their decision-making, said Marco Konopacki, a senior adviser for public participation in the city of Niteroi. While Brazil’s constitution calls for citizen participation, the country hasn’t offered adequate training programs to build a participatory culture, Konopacki said. To be effective, “digital tools have to be connected to a participatory culture” in which public officials know how to involve citizens in the legislative and rule-making process, Konopacki said. Editor’s note: This is the first part in a two-part series on how foreign and state legislatures are using new technologies to bring more citizen participation into lawmaking. The post Tech tools help deepen citizen input in drafting laws abroad and in U.S. states appeared first on Roll Call. (c)2021 CQ Roll Call Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

This food tech startup wants to keep the world’s bananas and avocados fresher longer by Robert Channick

Hazel Technologies, a Chicago-based startup that created a small drop-in packet to keep bananas and other produce from turning prematurely brown, is starting to produce a lot of green. Startups The 6-year-old company announced Tuesday it raised $70 million in a completed investment round, financing ambitions to grow Hazel into an international food tech powerhouse. “For the next five years or so, we will be launching our products in every major agronomy on Earth,” said Hazel CEO Aidan Mouat, 34. “That’s kind of the brand ambition for the moment.” The mission is to extend the life of billions of pounds of fresh produce each year, preventing spoilage from grower to grocer to your kitchen counter. Hazel works with more than 160 companies across 12 countries, with major customers such as Mission Avocado, the world’s largest distributor of fresh avocados; Zespri, the world’s biggest kiwifruit distributor; and Oppy, Canada’s largest produce distributor. The product delivers an odorless vapor in sugar-packet sized inserts called sachets. When dropped in bulk boxes of produce, the sachet can as much as triple shelf life, the company said. In addition to growers, several national grocery chains use the Hazel product to keep produce fresher longer. Founded in 2015 by a group of Northwestern University graduate students, Hazel expects to double its head count to about 60 employees this year — most at its headquarters at University Technology Park, a startup innovation hub on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus. The company is outgrowing its current headquarters and plans to relocate to a larger Chicago space within the next 12 months, Mouat said.

Home

Improvement A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

In 2019, 35% of all food in the U.S. went unsold or uneaten, and the food waste problem was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to ReFED, a Berkeley, Calif.-based nonprofit that seeks solutions to reduce food waste. Most of wasted food ends up in landfills. This year, Hazel projects its product will be used with more than 6.3 billion pounds of produce, preventing more than 500 million pounds from going to waste. The company said it is profitable and revenues, which tripled last year, are under $10 million. By 2025, Mouat projects annual revenue to hit $130 million, with most of the growth coming from international expansion. “The international market for us is very, very large,” said Mouat, an Atlanta native who graduated from Northwestern with a doctorate in chemistry in 2016. About 70% of Hazel’s revenue is generated in North America, with about 30% coming from South Africa, the Dominican Republic, New Zealand and Peru. By 2025, Mouat expects to be in 20 countries, with international business accounting for 75% of annual revenue.

Good luck finding a cheap rental car Continued from page 21. travelers return to the road safely.” She recommended that travelers check out rental car agencies located in neighborhoods if airport lots are sold out. But even that’s no guarantee, as an Orbitz.com search on Friday for a last-minute weekend rental turned up no vehicles from well-known companies. A search for cars available to rent from neighborhood locations for the following weekend, however, turned up economy cars from Hertz for $78 a day, a midsize Toyota Corolla for $83 a day from Hertz, and a midsize pickup for $85 a day from Budget. With taxes and fees, consumers can expect to pay around $100 a day. That’s a lot more than before the pandemic, but far less than $500. With increased demand driving up prices, independent entrepreneurs who make cars available through Turo, the so-called Airbnb of car rentals, are reaping the benefits. Anthony Paulino of Orlando says demand is booming for use of the four vehicles he owns — two Chevy Equinox compact SUVs, a Chevy Corvette sport sedan, and a Mercedes C Class sedan. His daily rates range from $45 for the Equinox models to $182 for the Corvette. Consumers book the cars through Turo’s smartphone app, which directs them to their location in Orlando’s airport terminals. Paulino says he’s booking reservations APRIL 26, 2019 ss Journal •

SING

PAID ADVERTI

Issue Date: April 30 • Ad Deadline: April 22

11

EDUCATION Promotion

tation additional accredil for charge of any at after the Counci education courses efforts needed of Educator. In Frey has taught and graduate level. the Accreditation dean, Frey will the undergraduate dean, Frey will Marlene his role as interim on faculty, lead the interim the In his role as on faculty, lead Knight oversee the educati nal accreditation additio oversee the educati nal accreditation ment after charge of any additio Client Develop efforts needed charge of any Council for the for r l after Manage the Counci efforts needed son the Accreditation Lamp Rynear the Accreditation , of Educator of Educator Marlene Knight onon-site Preparation’s Preparation’s on the professor of chair work site visit, and visit, and work ion te education and ion of gradua expans e possible expans on of undergraduate s possibl on the s in the future. of graduate educati education program r at future. education program sity, a faculty membe hired programs in the faculty member at at Doane Univer Frey has been was a of the 2013 when he Frey has been he was hired interim dean Doane since professor of education. has been named ion, effective July since 2013 whenor of education. te Doane as an associa education courses at the te profess College of Educat tment comes after as an associa education courses at Frey has taught graduate level. In his taught 1. Knight’s appoin to replace Dr. Lyn has level. and te Frey and gradua undergraduate a six-month search June. dean. the undergraduate dean, Frey will is retiring in role as interim interim Forester, who a faculty member at the In his role as on faculty, lead was hired Frey has been oversee the educati 2013 when she SERVICES Doane since professor of education. FINANCIAL te BANKING & as an associa GY SERVICES Promotion TECHNOLO Brad CES Promotion HEALTH SERVI Hammitt Tim

RUCTION G & CONST ENGINEERIN New Hire

Wisnieski

Tim Meyers

t State Presiden Nebraska WellCare of

Home improvement industry and the pandemic • Interior design Popular remodeling trends • Paying for home renovations: cash, credit or loan The less glamorous side of home improvements: the necessities to keep your house updated

through November from tourists and locals “who all say the same thing — ‘I found out about Turo because of the shortage’ and then finding out about the price difference.’” Tips for renting Here are tips for finding rental cars without overpaying: Plan ahead and make sure you can find a vehicle in your price range before booking your flight and hotel. Avoid prepaying because prices might drop before you travel, and many rental car agencies offer the ability to pay when you get the car. Don’t limit your search to on-site agencies at airports. Rates can be significantly lower in surrounding areas, and the savings could be worth the price of a cab or car-share ride to get there. Don’t be desperate enough to rent from a no-name rental car company that you’re never heard of. Some of these companies will seem to offer great prices in search results, then load on hidden fees that exceed the come-on price. If you are tempted to rent from an unfamiliar company, check out its Better Business Bureau reviews first and be sure to take a lot of photos of the vehicle before you drive it away. Some companies are notorious for blaming you for damage caused by previous renters. ©2021 South Florida Sun Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Midlands Busine

ht In the Spotlig

Promotion

Topics may include:

The company has raised more than $87 million to date, including the $70 million round led by Pontifax AgTech, a California-based investment firm. “It’s just a massive growing market opportunity,” said Tim Bluth, vice president at Pontifax AgTech, who praised the Hazel product for its ease of use and low cost. “And I think, most importantly, is it works.” Beyond geographic expansion, Hazel has products in development to extend the shelf life of everything from berries to potatoes. The company is developing its first non-crop usage to reduce meat spoilage. Hazel is working on a consumer version of its satchets that should hit store shelves within the next two years, Mouat said. “We’ll probably try to dress it up a little bit for home use,” Mouat said. “But essentially, you could buy a ripe banana at a grocery store, bring it home and make it last for an extra two weeks using our technology on your countertop.” Chicago Tribune Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

WellCare of named Nebraska has state Tim Meyers as president. Meyers oversees the overall g operations, includin nce, network complia ry strategy, regulato and marketing, sales ment, management, manage l medica s, provider relation LRQV LQ YHUQPHQW UHODW ¿QDQFH DQG JR joining WellCare of Nebraska. Before held vice president Nebraska, Meyers where he was positions at Aetna, underwriting. for ible respons

r Operations Manage logies Parallel Techno

logies Parallel Techno has promoted to Tim Wisnieski r. operations manage the Based out of company’s Omaha H WKH RYHUVH VNL ZLOO projects RI¿FH :LVQLH g automation delivery of buildin I¿FLHQF\ UHGXFHG QHUJ\ H WKDW LPSURYH H ted disparate building costs and integra He is responsible for s. control system satisfaction through ensuring client delivered on time and projects that are

Promotion

Katherin Warren

t, Vice Presiden Operations Director KidGlov

Katherine Warrened has been promot nt, to vice preside r. operations directo role Her primary LWKLQ D G HI¿FLHQF\ Z WR EXLO at all ZLOO EH work culture” “best places to ns while continuing to KidGlov locatio director on a number t serve as accoun has more than 15 She with of accounts. nce working years of experie e teams and at the brands on in-hous agency level.

G SERVICES

ADVERTISIN Promotion

of the Interim Dean n College of Educatio ity Doane Univers

Dr. Tim Frey, professor of chair education and of undergraduate s education program

ity, has been named at Doane Univers College of Education, the interim dean of Frey’s appointment 1. to replace effective July six-month search in June. comes after a r, who is retiring Dr. Lyn Foreste faculty member at a hired Frey has been when he was on. 2013 since Doane professor of educatiat the as an associate on courses educati taught In his Frey has and graduate level. oversee the undergraduate dean, Frey will role as interim lead the charge of any education faculty, tation efforts needed additional accredifor the Accreditation l after the Counci tion’s on-site visit, on of of Educator Prepara possible expansi and work on the on programs in the future. graduate educatifaculty member at rcial a Head of Comme hired Frey has been Real when he was on. Mortgage and Doane since 2013 ents professor of educatiat the Estate Investm as an associate education courses Mutual of Omaha Frey has taught graduate level. In his the aduate and Omaha of oversee undergr Mutual dean, Frey will Brad role as interim lead the charge of any has promoted of on faculty, Hammitt to head ge educati al accreditation efforts needed itation addition commercial mortga l for the Accred after the Counci tion’s on-site visit, investments. of Educator Prepara and real estate l nationa the on leads and work Hammitt rcial based comme the possible correspondent- program and is expansion of on mortgage lending mortgage portfolio the graduate educati responsible for has more than 30 tt programs in the strategy. Hammi in the commercial nce future. years of experie industry. mortgage lending

on budget.

G SERVICES

ADVERTISIN

Dr. Tim Frey

G SERVICES

ADVERTISIN Promotion

Kelley Peterson

Jen Landis

rcial Head of Comme Real Mortgage and ents Estate Investm

t, Nonprofit Vice Presiden Creative Director KidGlov

RS

MBJ SUBSCRIBE

Do you have an address/ ? contact change

has Kelley Peterson to vice been promoted nience R¿W For your conve te been SUHVLGHQW QRQSU Jen Landis has upda . She creative director you can now promoted to vice e by simply will lead creative QWV your records president, executiv ¿W DFFRX . She new info to G*ORY¶V QRQSUR creative director emailing any VWUDWHJLHV IRU .L her expertise through bj.com or creative v’s sharing ns@m also KidGlo g while subscriptio Loveland, will lead and grow and national speakin t of the tly to our , Omaha and in local, regional ing teams in Lincoln navigating direc out She is a past presiden engagements. emphasis on develop Council of filling onal Chapters Colorado, with website and and has worked within for more National Professi ng Association new ideas. She the American Marketi of experience in an update form. advertising industry marketing and is the current president of 20 years brands. has more than their and years advance 20 tions than sing helping organiza the American Adverti 30-1760 . m/briefs | 402-3 Federation Lincoln | www.mbj.co

TO SUBMIT

KidGlov

bj.com

Spotlight@m RMATION:

YOUR INFO

In the Spotlight Have big hiring plans for 2021? Purchase a package now and save. Six-packs are available for $360 (savings of $90) or 12-packs are available for $720 (savings of $180). Have questions or want to reserve space for the In the Spotlight section? E-mail Spotlight@mbj.com for pricing and scheduling.


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

27

Health care experts pull back the curtain on what it takes to vaccinate a community Continued from page 1. infection control. “Our health center has been at the forefront of addressing health disparities for nearly 40 years,” McMorris said. “But we had to really adjust how we provide services. The well child, woman exams and dental cleanings and exams, all of that had a pause.” The organization consolidated service sites, worked with vendors to get personal protective equipment and pivoted to virtual visits. In middle to late February 2020, the team knew there was “something a little different” about this virus, versus others they’ve dealt with; the organization’s first positive test followed March 16 last year. “Fast forward a couple of months, and the availability of testing supplies began to improve,” he said. CDHC overcame unique challenges presented by its diverse population; for instance, interpreters were hired to overcome language barriers. “We mobilized them immediately to get to a harder-to-reach population,” he said. “With the historical mistrust that people of color have for the health care delivery system, it was important to get information out in a timely fashion. “What I’ve always known, in my work, it’s more about the messenger and less about the message. Far too often, health care is not inclusive of the population in terms of meeting them where they are.” As of early this month, CDHC has reportedly provided 13,200-plus COVID-19 tests, which are now processed in a timelier fashion as the in-state lab testing infrastructure is now in place. McMorris also noted that it has implemented curbside testing and rapid antigen testing. “We are doing roughly 175 tests a week,” he said. “At one point, we were doing 250 to 270 a day.” The center began administering the Moderna two-dose vaccine to its staff in December. “Sixty-five percent of our workforce has received the initial dose, and about 53% are fully vaccinated,” he said. “We have provided 4,871 initial and 2,158 second doses.” Historical vaccine hesitancy couples with the 80% of CDHC’s population who has one or two diagnosable comorbidities, which has been associated with more severe COVID symptoms. “Across the country, Black and brown folks were dying and being hospitalized at a higher rate,” he said. “So, there were some concerns about the availability and timing of the vaccine to those particular populations.” McMorris said CDHC has the capacity to do about 1,200 vaccinations each week. “We’re right at an inflection point,” he said. “There is an uptake of vaccine and an uptake of cases, and with variants, we could be looking at another spike. So, it’s going to be so important to maintain the mask-wearing and distancing.” McMorris further reinforced the importance of having a health care “home.” He cited New England Journal of Medicine findings, which note that around 30% of individuals have some type of lingering “long-haul” symptoms. “It could be a challenge for overall health,” he said. “You need to have a personal relationship with a health care provider. You can’t just ‘go get a vaccine.’”

Do Space is opening up access to Kohll acknowledged a lot of vaccine COVID-19 vaccine among those members of skeptics exist. the community who do not have the hardware “The U.S. vaccine safety system works to or connectivity to register online. make sure that all vaccines are as safe as pos“Do Space is a technology library that sible,” he said. “Safety has been a top priority offers free access to computers and as federal agencies work with vacinternet access to everyone in the cine manufacturers to develop and community,” said Rebecca Stavick, authorize a COVID-19 vaccine.” CEO of Community Information All Food and Drug AdministraTrust, which runs Do Space. “If tion authorized vaccines have been members of our community need tested in large clinical trials. access to a computer in order to “Data from the manufactures sign up for a vaccination, they’re show that the known and potential welcome to drop in to Do Space harms of becoming infected with and use our equipment for free. the coronavirus outweigh the poDo Space supports the vaccination tential safety risks of the vaccines,” effort and is proud to offer technolKohll said. Kohll ogy services which help support the Earlier this week, Supervisor health of our community.” Leah Casanave confirmed that many of the TotalWellness had done over 20 onsite concerns the Douglas County Health Departclinics in two weeks for organizations rangment and its partner, Prime Therapeutics, have ing from Airlite Plastics to J. Skinner Bakery heard revolve around side effects. as of late March. And, last Wednesday, the “We make sure to inform all the patients corporate wellness company announced it that side effects may happen and that they only was opening up curbside vaccinations at its last 24 to 48 hours,” she said. “We also let them headquarters. know that many people don’t experience any “We have over 23 years of managing flu side effects or very mild ones.” shot events, so we understand all the details Prime’s Principal Clinical Development that go into a successful vaccination event,” Pharmacist Melissa Graham had reached out said founder and President Alan Kohll. “We to Douglas County as it was seeking volunalready had a strong infrastructure, which teers to help draw up vaccines at clinics. meant that we could pivot to COVID-19 shots “I knew that Prime had a unique setup, relatively easily. Our clients also see us vacwhere we have about 25 non-traditional pharcination experts. So, we have been a valuable macists at our Omaha location, non-traditional resource to them as they navigate the new meaning that we work mostly during the week, COVID-19 vaccines.” daytime hours,” Graham said. “We knew we

had an opportunity to step out of our day-today work and help.” Casanave reached out within a day; partly, it was noted that the Pfizer vaccine has an extra step that pharmacists are uniquely qualified to assist with. “Because a thorough background check is needed to allow volunteers to administer the vaccine, our group of Prime pharmacists were recruited to help draw up the syringes,” Graham said. “This allows us to be able to be flexible and help where needed. We arrive a few hours before the clinic opens so we can get a good supply started.” Within four hours, with two to pharmacists, around 800 syringes can be drawn up. “We are pretty selective when it comes to choosing folks who help us draw up the vaccine,” Casanave said. “We keep our group small so that we have a controlled environment and know how much to draw up for specific clinics. As the clinic times nears the end, our team begins to slow down on drawing up vaccine so that we are sure to never waste anything. They start to thaw and draw up one vial at a time so we can ensure we don't have extra.” Graham said she has seen three clinics that have given 3,000 to 4,5000 vaccines in an eight-hour period. “We have been able to help take the stress off retail pharmacists, nurses and others by volunteering,” she said. “It has been a great way for the health care community to work together and vaccinate nearly one-third of our state-wide population thus far.”

Marketing agencies boost small businesses by David Kubicek

Agencies use the same methods to promote small businesses as they use to promote large ones, but businesses of any size must know their target audience before implementing a public relations and marketing plan. Small companies often have more of a niche audience, which is an important consideration for marketers, according to Gina Pappas, owner of Pappas Marketing Communications (formerly Albers Communications Group). Any communication tool or type of media can be scaled to meet the needs of a small business. An agency may not need to do a national press release distribution, as it would for a large firm, but the media relations piece can be scaled down to local news media, so it more effectively reaches the small company’s target audience. “What I always dig into is, where and how does their target audience consume news?” Pappas said. “Do they read the newspaper and watch local TV news? Do they get their news by scrolling Twitter? Knowing your target audience, understanding their media consumption habits, and developing a strategy to reach them in that space is valuable for customizing a PR plan for any business of any size, but especially for small businesses. “Any good PR or communications plan is going to start with planning and strategy exercises to solidify your business’s identity. You have to know exactly who you are as a business before you can effectively tell others.” KidGov President Lyn Wineman said

that a firm’s marketing goals should come directly from its business strategy. “Your plan should be focused and include key metrics to achieve,” she said. “Small businesses can have an advantage in that there are fewer decision-makers so

Pappas Wineman it can be easier to get crystal clear on your purpose and points of differentiation. The disadvantage comes in the area of budget. A lesser budget requires greater focus and creativity to achieve the desired outcome.” Digital marketing and social media are often great vehicles for a small business because they are very targeted, flexible and cost efficient. “Regardless of the medium, you need to make sure that you have a strategy in place and that you are not just blindly throwing your money into advertising,” Wineman said. “It’s easy to spend a little money here and a little money there, and it all adds up. Without a solid plan in place, you could be wasting those funds. At KidGlov, we like to say that branding is not just for the big dogs. A business with a strong brand has the advantages of commanding a higher

price, warding off competitive threats, and setting the stage for a more positive internal culture.” Daake Principal Greg Daake said customer experience expectations transcend scale of the business and industry, but promoting a small company versus a large one may lean towards personalization, such as one-on-one interaction, family-feel, and specialization versus wide breadth of offering. “Some mass marketing avenues are probably out of the Daake question economically, but you can lean on social media, digital and — most powerfully — develop a wordof-mouth program that incentivizes your best customers to share their stories of how you delighted them throughout their own network,” Daake said. “Many, many people will drive across town for that world-class taco joint, so when considering how to talk about your small business, put it in terms of what makes you the world’s greatest. Why are you most certainly worth driving across town for? And, can you share a few stories — ideally in a customer's own words — on how that is really true? “Every business of every size, to stay in business, has a magic wand — some sort of secret sauce that someone, somewhere needs or wants. Focus on that and hopefully it's as different as possible from the competition — or make it so.”


28

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

UPCOMING

SECTIONS

IN THE MIDLANDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

APRIL 30

INVESTING FOR RETIREMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT MAY 7

CELEBRATING CONSTRUCTION MAY 14

CAREER DEVELOPMENT To advertise your company’s products or services in one of our upcoming sections, contact our Director of Advertising Karla Steele - karla@mbj.com Space and materials deadline is the Friday prior to the publication date. You may email us your insertion orders directly, or fax them to us at (402) 758-9315. We will acknowledge receiving your instructions.

REGIONAL LANDSCAPES

Briefs…

Investors Realty brokers were recently honored by the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors for its annual Top 50 Transaction Lists of 2020. Kevin Stratman and Ryan Zabrowski were honored for the closing of a 750,000-square-foot lease in Omaha. Zabrowski was honored for the closing of a 93,342-square-foot lease in Bellevue and a 90,362-square-foot sale in Omaha. Tim Kerrigan and Zabrowski were honored for the closing of a 63,860-square-foot sale in Omaha. Kerrigan and JP Raynor were honored for the closing of a 51,700-squarefoot lease in Omaha. Omaha National Insurance Company, an Omaha-based workers compensation and payroll services provider, has signed a lease to occupy 9010 West Dodge Rd. The building overlooks the high-profile intersection of 90th Street and West Dodge Road. The move will allow the company to continue growing its employee workforce, which has reached 150 and is expected to top 200 by the end of 2021. Omaha National is currently located in the Metropolitan Business Center near 108th & L streets. Omaha National anticipates moving in summer 2021. Updates to the building include interior renovations to maximize the natural light of the central atrium as well as exterior updates including new signage. The Celebration of Safety is an annual event hosted by the National Safety Council – Nebraska Chapter to recognize companies and individuals who don’t take shortcuts with safety. Riekes Equipment has an exemplary safety record that is better than national average compared to their industry classification and will be recognized at the event for a second time. This year 114 companies will be honored virtually as Nebraska’s Safest Companies for their dedication to outstanding safety programs. These companies have implemented safety initiatives designed to reduce injuries and save lives. As of March 31, 2021, TS Prosperity Group has acquired Callahan Financial Planning, an independent fiduciary financial adviser, providing retirement planning and investment management services with nine full time employees located in three states. This partnership will double the size of the combined businesses to an estimated $450 million in assets under management, and help the firms provide trustee services, enhanced tax planning and improved technology to clients. Callahan Financial Planning will stay a separately identifiable division of TS Banking Group, registered as an independent investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. An American Sign Language version of the Operator’s License Knowledge Test statewide is now available at the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. The American Sign Language version of the written test was launched at several pilot locations in November 2020 and deployed statewide in December. The test, available through the Nebraska DMV’s automated testing tablets, features videos of an interpreter signing test questions on screen. The new test was made possible through the DMV’s collaboration with the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and partnership with test provider Idemia. A complete list of locations and the availability of testing is online.

Education notes…

Savannah Gerlach of DeWitt, Nebraska, is the inaugural recipient of the Steve Nelson Yeutter Institute International Trade Internship Award. The award honors Steve Nelson, a longtime Nebraska Farm Bureau leader, as it helps students gain valuable experience in the nation’s capital. The award will provide Gerlach with $6,000 to intern full-time with the Washington International Trade Association this summer in Washington, D.C. She will gain valuable exposure to and experience with trade policy issues and trade leaders in business, agriculture, law, academia, non-governmental organizations, embassies, and the U.S. Government. Santosh Pitla, associate professor of biological systems engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, can picture a future in which swarms of small autonomous robots roll through a corn or soybean field planting seeds or applying fertilizers. These highly sensitive robots could detect conditions — soil makeup and moisture, for example — across a given field and apply varying amounts of inputs across the field, tailored to the conditions. A new $452,783 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will fund research that could bring these robots a step closer to reality. Kids Can Community Center has awarded Monica Wells with the 2021 Can Do Educator Award. Wells works at Nelson Mandela Elementary School as the family liaison and school counselor. She provides academic, career, college access/affordability/admission, and social-emotional competencies to all students through a school-counseling program.

Health care notes…

The collective partnership of the Douglas, Sarpy/Cass, and Pottawattamie Health Departments, along with The Wellbeing Partners, MAPA, and UNMC College of Continued on next page. MEETINGS AND SEMINARS Tuesday, April 27 Holmes Murphy is hosting a free webinar on “The Pandemic’s Disproportionate Impact on Women in the Workplace: What You Need to Know” from 11 a.m. to noon. Speakers include Annie Dittberner, account executive for employee benefits at Holmes Murphy, and Ali Payne, president and organization engagement/shareholder for ethOs. Registration is available online. Thursday, April 29 The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business are presenting the 17th Annual Women in Business Leadership Series. The virtual series is free to attend and registration is online. The second session, from noon to 1 p.m., will feature keynote speaker Marianne Chance who will be talking about emotional intelligence. Families who are caring for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s are invited to attend a free family dementia education class. Sponsored by the HomeCare Advocacy Network, the session will be held from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the HCAN office, 3610 N. 163rd Plaza, Suite 101 or virtually via Zoom. It’s open to the public — desserts and drinks will be provided. For more information or to secure a spot, call 402- 359-1996 or email l.lundeen@hcanthrive.com.


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

29

REGIONAL LANDSCAPES Continued from preceding page. Public Health, is releasing the first-ever Metro Region Community Health Improvement Plan to address mental health. Over 3,500 community members and organizations were involved in the collection and analysis of data, selection of the priority area, and shaping of the CHIP’s goals and strategies. The report outlines a commitment to prioritize and improve mental health across the region using these shared strategic priorities: Reduce stigma of mental health and substance use disorders; increase connections to mental health and preventive resources; connect people to increased social supports; and reduce trauma. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has contracted with Creighton University and its clinical partner, CHI Health, to perform COVID-19 variant testing to help with the state’s COVID-19 response. Creighton University has the expertise and capacity to test all positive COVID-19 PCR results from CHI Health Laboratory, up to 100 positive COVID-19 samples per week, to determine if positive samples are a variant of the virus. When a variant is detected in a case of COVID-19, it becomes a priority for contact tracing to control variant spread.

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and University of Nebraska Medical Center have signed an amended Institutional Affiliation. This update contemporizes the IAA, originally approved in 2007. Children’s and UNMC have jointly recruited more than 20 faculty members annually for the past several years. In 2021, there are plans to welcome 40 new pediatric specialists. The IAA has also been foundational to the creation and growth of the Child Health Research Institute, resulting in increased pediatric research trials and funding, as well as the development of key fellowship programs. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Mental Health Matters is a statewide campaign to destigmatize mental health through community conversations, marketing, education, and personal connections with The Wellbeing Initiative, Inc. The campaign begins with the release of filmed interviews with community leaders sharing a collective call to action to start the conversation. Community forums and surveys with adults and youth engage the community while the website provides educational opportunities for families and businesses. Free yard signs and fliers to the community are being offered.

Subscribe and pay online

Goodwill Industries, Inc., serving Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, has made several changes to its board of trustees for 2021. Board members Erin Limas, chief financial officer at Borsheim’s Jewelry Company, and Scott Semrad, principal at the Urban Village Development, stepped down from the board. The board approved two new members: Leah Vetter, area president of the heartland branch at Gallagher Benefit Services, and Paul Lanphier, executive director of the Hope Center for Kids. The board also approved another new member, Robyn Burnett, accounts and education services manager at Best Care EAP for Methodist Health System. The board voted to retain its current chair, James H. Rich, founder of Percipio Partners, for the 2021 calendar year. Kids Can Community Center named Amy Coacher the 2021 Can Do Mentor Award. Coacher and her mentee, Eliana, have been matched for over two years. She started down a new career path last year as a buyer at Mulhall’s Nursery. Her love of learning and passion for education brought her to Kids Can. This award, sponsored by Union Pacific, recognizes the power of the individual as a key component to strengthening communities. ACCESSbank upgraded its entire phone system and agreed to donate its old phone system, worth $15,000, to Project Harmony. It will also be donating the phone system server, which brings the total of the donation to $22,000. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands received a donation of 525 literacy kits thanks to United Way of the Midlands’ Emerging Leaders and community sponsors. Fill the Shelves was supported by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, who matched the first 250 kits purchased, and supporting sponsors, Nelson, Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group and the Next Chapter Books and Gifts. The Emerging Leaders assembled the kits on United Way’s Day of Action, a community-wide fundrais-

today at MBJ.com

Midlands Business

Journal • NOVEMBER 24, 2017 •

27

November 24, 2017

5055 Building at Bryan Health’s East Campus (Courtesy of Davis Design)

Unique Midlands by Michelle Leach

Boys Town Clinic (Courtesy of Calvin L. Hinz Architects)

features, robust economy

Sandhills Publishing Cyber Center Rendering (Courtesy of Sinclair Hille)

result in multi-sector

Mixed use building rendering (Courtesy of Studio 951)

Private giving and an economy that any one industry isn’t may stays,” but the level be Midlands “mainDundee harkening and the sheer need of cross-sector activity back for talent to meet in communities that to communities withdemand for services are newer-emerging sprung up on streetcar phenomenon or bus lines. for area firms. He also speaks to “The architecture, engineering and lifestyle and the built a “balance in terms of construction industry the movement from environment”; consider Greater Omaha region is very strong in the and now “hybrids,” cubicles to open spaces at the moment,” said conference rooms which combine smaller BCDM Principal and areas where and employees can still have Director John that sense of community Sullivan, who also isolated but also privacy Sarpy County’s highas needed. growth. “We’re moving Further, Sullivan to that direction, notes strength “nearnot because it’s the trend ly across the board” but because it’s — from office the and right thing,” he said. institutional to private The architecture sectors such as reliand engineering Palandri side gious projects which, of the construction he said, is “unusual” and “won’t last forever.” industry was described “The economic development as “robust,” into and growth of the metro-area Smith the has been steady and Design Senior Associatefinal quarter by Davis and the diversification strong, and Senior Architect of the area economy Greg Smith. — both of those factors add up to good by Sullivan: John Sullivan, principal and things happening “Several projects in the metro, and designed recently director at BCDM “One of the things still in hopes of breaking that’s not about necessarily true are Architects. that’s unique across the state, Omaha is there is ground this fall and many especially and strong philanthropic environments, and a shift in if you’re in an ag private support for what people ects of the large Downtown Lincoln area and go into central expect.” key projects.” projwestern Nebraska are gaining inertia,” or AO’s … he said. Palandri speaks to modities-driven areas,”and some of the com- Palandri Managing Principal Randall trying to attract millen- remodel market is also strong “The interior J. nials and a has seen the uptick and this will keep contractors busy lifestyle He also referenced he said. in growth that became noticeable during winter months.” urban centers are shift, whereby the more the many pockets around two years growth, from newer Many in demand from a of main steady ago rehousing Telegraph large-scale projects, such as the to Aksarben Village, areas such as Blackstone attributes in more recent months, which he perspective and offices that speak District’s Marilyn at the stage where particularly to infill-type generation are in-demand to this Moore sion of that development extenprojects. from a workplace School/YMCA, Hudl, and Nelnet, Middle “There have come to form; however, of the projects featured is occurring. Some opment,” is a lot more emphasis on redevel- perspective. He also speaks, not Smith said necessarily he said. “What really to “vintage” or here in this section reflect another “traditional” construction mains work in the build-outs. there still redrove it was, there was prominent trend He referenced work at Bryan Health’s mentioned apartmentsa pent-up demand for market-rate materials but to, perhaps, more “traditional” East neighborhoodand in more walkable-type and community-building, new LES Operations Center, Campus, the of with areas and projects for Eustis Autobody such as Benson, at 98th Street and Blackstone and Highway Continued on next page.

opportunities

Architecture — inside NOVEMBER 24, 2017

THIS WEEK 'S ISSUE:

THE BUSINESS NEWSPAPER OF GREATER OMAHA, LINCOLN AND COUNCIL BLUFFS

Technology upgrad by Richard D. Brown

es keep Interstate

$2.00

VOL. 43 NO. 47

Printing competitive

Interstate Printing ha-based firm founded Co., an Omaby a German immigrant with Business & Industrial a special interest in publishing ethnic Parks/Leasing newspapers, has used its family-ownership as an anchor, placed strong equipment upgrades, emphasis on and maintained a comprehensive Green Arrow Junk list Co. aims to reduce has enabled it to growof services that household, landfill clutter. – Page of its commercial with the needs Business & Industrial 2 printing clients, which are located Park/Leasing throughout much of the country. — inside “For our 100 years OCTOBER 20, we have main2017 tained a low-key approach, which has enabled us to attract THIS WEEK 'S ISSUE: with jobs that we business clients can on,” said William do a good job F. Peter, a third generation family member who became president five years ago. “With each job we to say, ‘This came want to be able from us’ and that both our client and Persistence paves way for will be pleased with their customers 40 for Contemporary Art’s The Union the results,” he community der continued. impact. Un 40 – Page 3 Peter, who formerly practiced law full-time before uncle Eugene Peter succeeding his who retired from Locally owned Aksarben the business at age 88 five years ago, serves large demographicCinema From left, Continued on page with amenities. 8. reached its Senior VP of Sales Jim Mancuso centennial year – Page 2 with investments and President William Peter … in new tech. The printing company has (Photo by MBJ / Becky McCarville) in 28

40

der Un

40

• OCTOBER 20, 2017 • Midlands Business

Journal

October 20, 2017

No slowdown in demand by Michelle Leach

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

as availability presents

ongoing challenges

More buildings may economy with upside be coming out of potential.” ground, but demand the NAI NP Dodge also being constructed remains brisk. “Demand for commercial at described the leasing Associate Kyle Pelster Opportunities are Highway Crossing.” Edney indicated real estate market as “very tight.” loans is very strong,” this is driving “At any given and landlords leasing available for tenants such as the said Stephanie Moline, executive vice president aforementioned R&R. projects, to them. time, there are around These challenges ing with First National of Enterprise Lend- 100 aren’t limited to properties, give or Bank. “Commercial A; Edney recalled and industrial loan how the Kellogg Class take, listed/available demand is growing, building at 10203 Crown at a much slower but in the Omaha/Council Point Ave. near pace.” Fort Blair High Road She said some of had “multiple offers and Bluffs couple of weeks.” in a in late 2016 is being the capital investment said. market,” he “Having said absorbed. “There isn’t much “It would appear that, finding the of that type of product out there, either,” coris lagging the capital the anticipated revenue rect he said. square footage, expenditures,” Moline He also spoke to said. location, rental rates tures, such as greater demand for certain feaGrowth of C&I loans, clear heights and she said, remains and building layout dock doors — driven larger about the same as can be very difficult.” by requirements a year companies such as “Agribusiness loans ago. as He referred to are up year over year and using third-partyAmazon are growing and commercial Moline more providers. real estate is up Edney “We’re also seeing year over more construction in the last year — year,” she said. Pelster with a lot of interest owner/user buildings “We are finally seeing from investors that Generally, businesses but some spec are an increase in new in spec industrial space are optimistic buildings as well. industrial properties,”looking to invest about potential tax on the market again “The new Facebook he said. “A reform. after a slowdown of that interest is project will “This would cause in new spec coming from outside lot new infrastructure some monies to along the Highwayadd past,” he said. “The increases projects in the the Midwest.” of repatriated and improving be in term length, 50 rental rates working capital corridor,” Pelster said. “This will Edney referred to and operating expenses and money that can break way to cap rates and be used for acquisitions for new projects and industrial continue ROI as lower steadily rise. or additional investment on the coasts, making one’s parks in that in equipment and/ area.” “The rest of the market Omaha attractive as a secondary or people,” she said. seems to be catch- to He Chicago, New York or tertiary market more entrants into “There continues to be created said Thrasher and Freightliner have ing up with the rental rates we or Denver. are Regarding “behind-the-scenes” from loan productionthe local market; both leaving large new buildings for themselves, of the new construction projects.” seeing out vacancies in their offices OMNE Partners indusprevious locations. Moline is encouraged and FinTechs.” EVP Matt Edney Continued on page “Brook Valley continues Class A industrial by new market 30. entrants as: “People availability remains said to be the leader believe this is a vibrant in new industrial construction hard to find.” “really projects,” Pelster said. “The “And that type R&R Commerce of product is moving Park is pretty quick,” he said.

n me ss Wo ine Bus

Women’s representation in leadership: Ripples adding up to a sea change? – Page 4

in Omaha

Archrival updates 10-year-old Haymarket space, establishes Los Angeles presence by Michelle Leach

Archrival’s renovated space as one space,” said Clint! RunLincoln ge, headquarters at 720 founder and the unique mix of O St. speaks to director. “We managing creative a mature wanted our space years old and counting firm — 20 be a little further to along the business — and energetic startup spirit chain … and at that has resulted one point that was in campaigns with an ‘aspirational’ Redbull, space, it became Motorola, and expansion Adidas, us and we outgrew with sister mature it. It’s more offices and teams of a business than in the space gon, and Los Angeles.Portland, Ore- felt like.” “We’ve been here The Haymarket for over 10 years, and wanted Archrival’s niche space breathes to rethink the entire in youth cultureContinued on page 10.

yee plo s Em efit Ben

Harness technology to overcome capacity constraints, attract business year-round – Page 6

President Nick upon 30-plus years Cusick … Equipment manufacturer builds soccer; tennis courtof innovation with safety features in volleyball, sports like pickleball.renovations to accommodate rising interest in

Bison makes gains Nebraskan Michael Forsberg focuses as new gyms built lens on Great Plains amid popularity of conservation. sports like pickleball – Page 34 by Michelle Leach

Founder/Managi ng Creative Director Communications Clint! Runge Amy with focus on youth Filipi … Brand communications with Head of culture. firm flourishes

Depending on where pared to that,” said President Nick across Bison’s divisions one looks Cusick, who indicated its focus and product lines, the Lincoln-based was on other areas. “Even without manufacturer’s growth is up at least 5 to a lot of direct marketing emphasis, 10 percent to 30 percent our site furnishing business, BRP, following or amid dealer base and ownership was up 5 to 10 percent.” transitions, and Falling under custom a business unit redesign. trial job shop manufacturerindusIM“Bison overall, its SCORP’s holding company umline, had an incredibleown product brella, wholly-owned year prior subsidiary and this last year was flat com- Bison is joined by SNA Sports Continued on page 10.

THE BUSINESS NEWSPAPER OF GREATER OMAHA, LINCOLN AND COUNCIL BLUFFS

Lamp Rynearson by Richard D. Brown

Drone and innovative scanning technology is giving Lamp Rynearson, Omaha-based civil engineering, a 58-year-old landscape architecture, construction and surveying firm, administration a competitive advantage as it completes a wide range of private and public sector projects. Nancy Pridal, a professional engineer and 20-year son employee who Lamp Rynearto president of the was promoted firm in August, stresses that leading the latest technologywith the use of the employee-owned has enabled increase its revenues company to by more than 100 percent over the while the employee past 10 years creased by 45 percent.count has in“With the investment we’ve made, we want to be viable in the future with the technology provided,” Pridal said. “For example, we can scan a mound and get the typographic data and in scanning stockpiles we can get quantities.” The purchase of a second drone Continued on page 12.

competes with innova

$2.00

VOL. 43 NO. 42

tive technology

President Nancy

Pridal … Leveraging

La Casa Pizzaria dishes out more options to customers from online orders to food by Michelle Leach truck

tech investments

for variety of projects. (Photo by MBJ / Becky McCarville)

La Casa Pizzaria Jesse. “Being a family restaurant, is evolving with offerings on wheels — its food our staff lives for interaction.” truck — and via She indicated there technologies such is a balas online ordering, ancing act for the third-generafocused on customerwhile staying tion, family-owned service from and operated the family that restaurant, which has been dishing is still located at out its Neapolitan-style 4432 pizza for the Leavenworth St. in Omaha — almost 75 years. same location that reportedly “Technology plays caught on so well that a part,” said General Manager/Treasure Patane and his family Founder Joe r Nicole “ran out of Continued on page 18.

Ashley Abel, property manager with Cushman Lund Co., for 1415 & Wakefield/ @ The Yard, demonstrates app during the IOTAS’ property grand opening event for the complex.

Smart-enabled apartment community delivers plug and play app to renters by Becky McCarville

General Manager/Treasur er Nicole — from food truck to website and menu Jesse … A heaping of “new” on service, Neapolitan-style updates — blends with focus pizza and pasta.

At the recent grand lifestyle. opening of 1415 @ The Yard The platform also apartment comprovides data plex at 14th and Cuming streets, to property managers so they can property manager Ashley Abel with monitor and control energy usage, Cushman & Wakefield/Lund rent units Co., streamlinefaster through automation, logged onto the property labor costs and add dashboard value to launch the smart apartment app to properties. designed by Portland-based “It helps run the property IOTAS more (Internet of Things As a Service), efficiently,” Abel said, adding that demonstrating the she can control ease new tenant can control at which a ing, heating vacant units’ lightand air conditioning, automated technologyand integrate monitor maintenance to fit their issues as well Continued on page 39.

SAVE TIME, MONEY AND HASSLE WITH AN ANNUAL Midlands

Business Journal

SUBSCRIPTION • Midlands Business Journal/one year ($75) • MBJ/two years ($140) • MBJ/three years ($190) LOOKING FOR BACK ISSUES OF THE MBJ?

NOW ORDER THEM ONLINE AT MBJ.COM

ing and volunteerism day to support agencies that are serving those affected by COVID-19. The kits contain two books, a math workbook, activity sheets related to literacy, a “reading encouragement” note written by a volunteer, financial literacy comics, crayons and pencils.

Arts and events…

The West Omaha Chamber is hosting its Awards Gala on April 27 at The Relevant Center. Starting at 5:30 p.m. there will be cocktails and a silent auction, followed by dinner at 6:30, the show at 7 p.m. and an after party at 8:30 p.m. The 90-minute show features surprise guests, live music, prizes, awards and more. This is the Chamber’s largest fundraising event. A list of awards nominees are available online and tickets are available online. At the next University of Nebraska

Medical Center McGoogan Library Speaker Series event, Lydia Kang, M.D., UNMC assistant professor of internal medicine, will discuss the historical breadth of how medical treatments have evolved over time, and why some are still alive today. Kang, a Nebraska Book Award-winning and best-selling author, will speak on the topic of “Quackery Through the Ages” at the April 29 event, to be held virtually from 12:15-1:15 p.m. The Bemis is hosting a virtual event for the release of alum Erik DeLuca’s Youtube album “Seeds of Perpetuity.” DeLuca will moderate a discussion with friends Pallavi Sen, Autumn Wallace, and Kolbienn Hugi on how seeds and plants work to inspire the critical and creative process. The event is on April 29 at 8 p.m. and registration can be found online.

Pass the Word Paid Content

Activities of nonprofits…

Five Points Bank Breaks Ground on New Elkhorn Branch Location Five Points Bank is excited to announce the ground breaking of its new bank branch in Elkhorn at 10:30 a.m. on April 9, 2021. The new 11,000-square-foot facility will be located at 1303 N. 205th Street. “Five Points Bank is tremendously excited to expand our bank’s footprint into the Elkhorn market – especially during this historic 50thanniversary year,” said Five Points Bank Chairman & CEO Tom Kelley. The Elkhorn branch will be Five Points Bank’s 14th branch in Nebraska and third branch location in the Omaha Metropolitan area. Five Points Bank also has locations in Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, Lincoln, and Sumner. The two-story building will serve as a traditional bank branch on the main level, with the upper level home to the Omaha-based Five Points Bank mortgage team. In addition, several members of the bank’s compliance and operations teams will

also office out of this new location. Michelle Sawicki, a seventeen-year Five Points Bank team member and Vice President/Mortgage Division Manager, will oversee the bank’s Mortgage Division from the new Elkhorn branch. “We are thrilled to base Five Points Bank’s Omaha mortgage operations from this convenient location,” Sawicki said about the bank’s new branch, which is located just a few blocks north of West Dodge Road off of 204th Street. Vice President Andy Sajevic, who will oversee commercial lending at this new Elkhorn location, commented, “Five Points Bank is looking forward to having a branch here and becoming a member of the fast growing and vibrant Elkhorn community.” Five Points Bank’s Elkhorn branch will be constructed by Gosch & Sons, Inc. d/b/a G&S, Inc. The architect for the project is Stanley J. How Architects.

Submit your paid announcements to the Spotlight@mbj.com


30

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Nominations Now Open! Go to MBJ.com today!


Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 23, 2021 •

31

In the Spotlight Paid Content

CONSTRUCTION

BANKING

Hired

Appointed

Krysti Cunningham Senior Vice President, Chief Risk Officer Security National Bank

Security National Bank has appointed Krysti Cunningham as senior vice president, chief risk officer. Cunningham attended the Graduate School of Banking in Colorado and has over 27 years of banking and leadership experience, emphasizing compliance and risk management practices. She currently serves on

numerous banking and community boards, including the American Bankers Association Regulatory Compliance Advisory Board, Kansas-Nebraska School of Banking Compliance/ Operations Board, the Omaha-Council Bluffs Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Combined Health Agencies Drive Board. Cunningham is a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) and Certified AntiMoney Laundering Specialist (CAMS). Security National Bank is one of the Midwest’s largest privately-held community banks with over $1 billion in assets. The bank has 14 locations in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area; West Des Moines, Iowa; and Dallas. The

bank was named 2021 “Best of Omaha – Best Bank” by Omaha Magazine. For 56 years, the bank has offered comprehensive financial solutions for personal, private and business banking, treasury management, wealth management, employee benefits and mortgage needs. Visit SNBconnect. com for more information.

managing product pricing, experience analysis, financial projections, and valuation. Prior to joining CSO, she held executive level positions with Medico Insurance Company and Mutual of Omaha. Burns became a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in 2001 and has been a member of the American Academy of Actuaries since 2000. CSO is a mutually owned insurance company with nearly 90 years of successful business practice. CSO possesses an exceptionally strong financial base and in 2020, CSO and its subsidiaries, Censtat Life Assurance Company

and Censtat Casualty Company, were assigned an A.M. Best Financial Strength credit rating of A- (Excellent). CSO has a diversified product portfolio with a common focus to serve its accounts, policyholders and agents with the highest level of service. For more information, visit www.cso.com.

INSURANCE Selected

Jill M. Burns Vice President, Chief Actuary Central State Health & Life Co. of Omaha

Central States Health & Life Co. of Omaha (CSO) is pleased to announce Jill M. Burns, F.S.A., M.A.A.A., has been named Vice President and Chief Actuary. Burns joined CSO’s actuarial department in 2013 and most recently held the position of 2nd Vice President, Product Actuary. In her new capacity, Burns leads the actuarial department,

Submit your company’s employee announcements to Spotlight@mbj.com

Subscribers Do you have an address/ contact change? Update your records by simply navigating directly to MBJ.com and fill out an update form.

(402) 330-1760 • www.mbj.com

Joe Lercara Superintendent The Graham Group, Inc.

The Graham Group, Inc. Construction Division in Omaha is excited to announce Joe Lercara has joined the team as a Superintendent. He came to Graham with previous construction experience.


32

• APRIL 23, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.