Midlands Business Journal April 26, 2019 Vol. 45 No. 17 issue by Midlands Business Journal

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

Legal Profession A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

April 26, 2019

Legal professional holding its own against waves of retirement by Dwain Hebda

Despite large numbers of retirees among baby boomer-aged attorneys, local firms are weathering the exodus with relative ease. Dennis Mann, firm administrator with Woods & Aitken, gave credit to the state’s law schools. “At the UNL Law College Awards Luncheon recentl y, D e a n R i c h a r d Moberly shared that applicants into UNL Law School have increased 30% over the past few years when across the nation that number is flat, and overall in the Midwest that number is down 2%,” he Mann said. “In 2016, job placement for UNL Law School graduates was 72% 10 months after graduation; the class of 2018 has a 94% placement.” Mann said the oncoming generation displays qualities that make them an instant asset to any firm. “What we are seeing in our new associates and law clerks is a heartfelt desire to help people, to make a difference in the world and to be deeply engaged in their community,” he said. “Our mission is to mentor them effectively and to involve them in meaningful, challenging and rewarding work right away. We couldn’t be more pleased with the skills, contributions and character of our associates.” Michael Stageman, founder of Stageman Law, is one attorney of the new generation. He said he’s had no difficulty finding mentors, which he considers valuable. “The community of us who actually go to court and have trials and stand in front of a judge every day is a very small community,” he said. “As a result, people know each other and that makes it easier to find mentors. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have offices next to a couple guys, one’s been practicing for over 30 years and the other one’s been practicing probably over 50 years. That’s been helpful to me having people around who have been practicing 30, 40, 50 years. There’s really not a lot that they haven’t seen multiple times.”

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complex matters, but it can also lead to too much reliance on looking something simple up, rather than knowing the answer.” Use of technology provides other potential operations quandary if not monitored closely, said J. Scott Paul, partner with McGrath North and sitting president

Dave Sommers, executive director of the Omaha Bar Association. In some cases, however, getting the of technology and flexibility of time for generations on the same page within a firm family commitments.” Sommers noted many of today’s modcan take a little maneuvering. “Law practices are more on the conser- ern conveniences present a double-edged vative end of changing our way of doing sword for new barristers. “The ease at which younger attorneys things,” said Dave Sommers, executive director of the Omaha Bar Association. can look up a statute, regulation or court “There can be some difficulties and ‘lost in opinion has in some cases ‘short-cirtranslation’ moments between younger at- cuited’ the emphasis on memorizing the torneys and their older managing partners, law,” he said. “It can be more cost-efsuch as dress code, working remotely, use fective in research costs for clients on

Stageman Paul of the Nebraska State Bar Association. “We see so much more emphasis on the impact on technology in the way we practice our profession,” he said. “Technology provides opportunities to be more efficient and more accurate in client communications and also allows us to provide better services to clients. With that type of innovation comes the increased need to maintain confidentiality and information security.” Ironically, issues concerning information security also represent one of the fastest-growing legal specialties in the local market. “The area of cybersecurity has broad implications in many different areas of the law,” Paul said. “I also think that’s where the most growth potential is.”

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Legal Profession — inside APRIL 26, 2019

THE BUSINESS NEWSPAPER OF GREATER OMAHA, LINCOLN AND COUNCIL BLUFFS

THIS WEEK 'S ISSUE:

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VOL. 45 NO. 17

OrthoNebraska grows with physician-owned hospital by Richard D. Brown

Maresco’s Italian Market delivers a piece of Italy to metro area. – Page 2

40 er d Un 40 All roads led to Council Bluffs for Henkes. – Page 3

g tisin ver ns d A o g, oti etin Prom k r Ma &

As digital channels grow, advertising, marketing and PR industry seeks the right balance. – Page 9

While OrthoNebraska, a comprehensive orthopedic practice with Omaha roots going back to 1938, has grown to the point of topping 175,000 patient visits annually, CEO Levi J. Scheppers points to the 2004 opening of the now OrthoNebraska Hospital as being perhaps the seminal reason behind the firm’s steady growth of 8% annually. “Having the hospital right here (two buildings totaling 178,000 square feet just north of Oak View Mall) offers a more personalized and truly seamless experience for patients,” Scheppers said. The 15-year-old hospital offers an orthopedic clinic, emergency room, imaging, physical therapy, rheumatology and orthopedic urgent care with evening hours that can accommodate injuries at after-school athletic practices. Twenty-five OrthoNebraska physicians own the clinic and Continued on page 8.

From left, President-OrthoNebraska Clinic Dr. Ryan Arnold, Chairman of the Board-OrthoNebraska Hospital Dr. Charles Burt, and CEO-OrthoNebraska Levi J. Scheppers ... The orthopedic organization (Photo by MBJ / Becky McCarville) continues to expand its hospital’s capabilities.

Advance Services Inc. to add offices nationally, emphasizes industry trends by Michelle Leach

In its 25 years, metro Omaha-based Advance Services, Inc. has grown to 50 branches, 17 onsite locations, and more than a dozen remote professional recruiters across 44 states and Puerto Rico. This is momentum that shows no signs of waning as the staffing solutions provider plans on opening two new offices in Missouri and Idaho in the next 60 to 90 days.

“We’re not just sitting back and saying, ‘It’s been 25 years — it’s business as usual,’ we’re always looking for and improving processes, technology, and staying up with all the recruiting and hiring trends,” said Peggy Sandall-Bertrand, executive director. Sandall-Bertrand noted that broader economic dynamics have supported growth for the company Continued on page 8. From left: Remoter.Tech founder April Goettle, Do Space Executive Director Rebecca Stavick, HerHeadquarters founder Carina Glover and researcher Bianca Zongrone Jefferson … Finding ways to elevate women in the local tech community through research and collaboration.

Do Space spurs conversation with new Women Innovators Fellowship by Savannah Behrends

From left, Founder Paul Sandall and Executive Director Peggy Sandall-Bertrand … Staffing solutions provider keeps finger on pulse of recruiting trends to meet customer-partner needs in “gig economy.”

While more emphasis has been placed on inclusivity and STEM initiatives, Omaha women in tech roles continue to be underrepresented making up only 24% of local positions. Understanding why is one initiative of the 2019 Do Space Women Innovators Fellowship. “I wanted to create a fellow-

ship program that goes beyond just talking and takes action to develop women leaders at the local level,” said Rebecca Stavick, executive director of Do Space. “It's my hope that the Do Space Women Innovators Fellowship will inspire other businesses and organizations to also invest in talented women Continued on page 27.

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Maresco’s Italian Market delivers a piece of Italy to metro area by Gabby Christensen

When it comes to Italian culture and cuisine, Omaha area residents need to look no further than Maresco’s Italian Market, according to owner/founder Ethel Merriman, who has steadily grown the operation by providing a variety of unique specialty foods and imports delivered directly from different regions of Italy.

Maresco’s Italian Market Phone: 402-991-9987 Address: 2821 S 108th St. Omaha 68144 Founded: December 2016 Service: deli market serving a large variety of specialty foods and imports from different regions of Italy Goal: To eventually expand into other markets. Website: http://marescos.com

Merriman, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of Bologna, first envisioned the business after moving from San Diego to Omaha five years ago. She struggled to find ingredients in the metro area for some of the dishes she wanted to make. This sparked an idea and soon — after taking an extensive trip throughout Europe and researching markets and delis — Maresco’s Italian Market was born. Located in Rockbrook Village, the store features a deli counter, hot entrees, daily specials, sandwiches, soups, salads, spirits and Italian goods imported straight from Italy. The store also offers pasta making classes by appointment, ready-made entrees and catering options. Additionally, when representatives of

Owner Ethel Merriman … Offering niche grocery items has boosted sales for the specialty shop. winemakers from Italy come through Omaha “We feel we are working hard to fulfill a throughout the year, Merriman said the shop niche that Omaha needed,” Merriman said. hosts special tasting events to highlight the “We pay attention to what our customers wines. need and what they are asking for.” Sometimes, Merriman said winemakers The store has no set demographic and even casually stop by, in which customers she believes the location is ideal because it in the store may still enjoy a taste and offer allows the business to draw people from all their opinions. across the city.

The Midlands Business Journal's

Business Minute Name: Mark Ellsworth. Age: 65.  Title: CPA/owner. Place of employment: Mark J. Ellsworth PLC, Bennington, Nebraska. Associations/ Titles: American Institute of CPAs, Iowa Society of CPAs (life member), Rotary Club of Omaha West/ Treasurer, NAMIC Merit Society, West O Chamber of ComEllsworth merce. Hometown: Bennington.  Education: Professional Accounting Certificate, Nettleton Business College. How I got into the business: I was hired by a CPA firm in Sheldon, Iowa, shortly after I completed my post-secondary education. Biggest career break: Being admitted as partner into the CPA firm that still bears my name (Cain, Ellsworth & Co., LLP – Sheldon, Iowa).  The toughest part of the job: Learning to say “no” to all kinds of things.

Mark Ellsworth, CPA/owner, Mark J. Ellsworth PLC

The best advice I have received: In all things, “be true to yourself.”  About my family: My wife, Marsha, was my high school sweetheart. We have been married over 45 years. My son, Ryan, is a graduate of Iowa State University and is an architect with OPN in Des Moines, Iowa. My daughter, Marisa, is a graduate of Drake University with an advanced degree from Purdue University. She is married to Alan Gift, a Ph.D. and chemistry professor at UNO. They have two children, Tyler, 9, and Sienna, 6, and an adorable new puppy, Tippy.  Something else I’d like to accomplish: Live to see a cure for all cancer. Book I finished reading recently: “The Prosperous Coach.” Something about me not everyone knows: I once threw six touchdown passes in a high school football game.  How my business will change in the next decade: Technology is likely to impact everything. While things like AI might have the power to disrupt the advisory and coaching profession, I think it’s more likely

She said inquisitive guests even stop by the store to ask for recipes, advice or speciality products as they take on a new Italian dish. Merriman said she’s always glad to help her customers enhance their food. “I’ve noticed a trend in which people are really paying attention to food,” Merriman said. “People are watching what they put in their body and they are becoming more inspired to create new meals. I’m truly fascinated and impressed with the meals our customers tell us they’re making. They’re usually trying something that’s very inventive. I love it.” Although she sees a lot of repeat customers, Merriman said she also sees new faces frequently. “Every day we have people come in and tell us that they’ve never been here before, but someone had told them they must try it,” Merriman said. “It’s great to hear that from customers.” Planning for the future, Merriman said she’s looking to possibly expand into other markets by adding a new location, whether it be in the Omaha metro area or out of state. As with all business owners, Merriman also faces some typical challenges, such as the tight labor market in Omaha. “We’re always looking for good employees that fit our business model,” Merriman said. Without a doubt, though, she said the rewards outweigh any obstacles. “It might sound cliche, but our customers are the absolute best part,” Merriman said. “We are so very thankful and blessed that the community has embraced us as they have. We love serving up a taste of Italy right here in Omaha.”

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to provide coaches with access to tools that will enhance their ability to deliver more valuable services to their clients.  Mentor who has helped the most in my career: Dean Keith. Mr. Keith was my high school basketball coach. He taught me the importance of teamwork, setting and achieving goals, and good sportsmanship. Qualities that became cornerstones of my leadership style throughout my career. Outside interests: Time with my family, sports fan, volunteer projects, personal money management.  Pet peeves: “Know-it-alls,” people who dominate a conversation talking about themselves, and people who refuse to take accountability for their actions. Favorite vacation spot: Ireland.  Other careers I would like to try: Teaching.  Favorite movie: “Remember the Titans.” Favorite cause or charity: St. Baldrick’s Foundation (funding pediatric cancer research).  Favorite app: The Score (sports app). (Interested in being featured in the Business Minute? Email news@mbj.com for more information.)

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Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

All roads led to Council Bluffs for Henkes Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of profiles featuring Midlands Business Journal 40 Under 40 award winners — entrepreneurs, business owners, managers and professionals under 40 years of age.

by Dwain Hebda

Despite taking the scenic route to get to the Iowa West Foundation, Matthew Henkes knows he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be. The California-born Henkes received part of his education in New York and Washington D.C. before jumping abroad to serve several points of call in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. All of which has given him a unique perspective in his work with the foundation, for which he serves as vice president of grants and initiatives. “I used to have to drop in and out of a lot of subject areas and used to have to drop in and out of a lot of cultures,” he said. “I do work in rural and urban areas and I deal with a lot of communities that have a strong identity because they’re communities that have been around for a long time and have close-knit members. “Getting to walk in and feel comfortable learning about how people see themselves, I think, is important because there’s a lot of great things around here. It’s such an exciting place to be. I’ve really enjoyed getting to be part of a new culture, yet part of the U.S. identity, the breadbasket of the country.” In his role, Henkes leads a grants team that has awarded 80 grants totaling over $14

Vice President of Grants and Initiatives Matthew Henkes … Leading the charge in addressing the need for grants throughout region. million. He also oversees both grants manage- change in a community in three to five years ment and the development of programmatic is challenging. You’re usually just getting portfolios. He serves as the program officer started at that point. for the Iowa West Foundation, place-making “We have a responsibility to drive projstrategic focus areas and supporting its work ects in the community, to be leaders and say, in economic development and education ‘Why would we spend 10 years trying to solve throughout the metropolitan region. He believes in playing an active role in these worthwhile projects rather than just providing the funding and then sitting on the sidelines. “When we were working internationally, we worked in a very short-term way,” he said. “It would be projects that were three to five years and trying to do really significant

a problem if we can really try to organize ourselves to address it in five years?’ Bringing that thinking about how do we bring urgency to the work that we do is something that helped me to match up well with the people I work with at the foundation and the role that our board is asking our foundation to play in the community.” One thing separating the Iowa West Foundation from other organizations is the scope of the projects it gets involved with. Where other foundations may take a hyper-focused approach on just one slice of the community, much of Iowa West Foundation’s work addresses the broader picture. “As a place-based foundation, we have a sense, from what the community is telling us, of what the important issues are and we work with the people here at the place they’re at,” he said. “We have a lot of conversations with our partners in the community that go really deep into a subject, but it may take convening multiple nonprofits together to say we’re all involved in this area of early childhood education or we’re all involved in community development and housing. “We don’t feel like we’re where we want to be yet in terms of moving the dial, so the challenge for the future is how do we talk better and communicate better and organize ourselves differently so that we can improve the impact that we’re having in the community? That’s been a really well-received conversation among local nonprofits.”

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• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

The bane of every driver’s existence, potholes, a boost to some businesses by Michelle Leach

Few things sum up the potholes situation quite like an Omaha Storm Chasers’ tweet that asserted: “this season on June 31st, we will be playing as the Omaha Potholes!” That April Fool’s Day prank was parlayed into a potholes promo at the ballfield, with sales of potholes-themed gear going toward flood relief efforts. “I’ve never seen it this bad, this is historic,” said Matt Jensen, president and CEO of 46-year-old Jensen Tire & Auto. “We’re seeing all kinds of damage, tire and wheel, front-end, and shock and strut.” Moreover, there is the damage one may not see right now — until drivers hit the road for vacation; for instance, a bruised sidewall may not rear its ugly head until this summer. As the rubber heats up, this damaged portion of the tire that doesn’t have steel reinforcement is prone to blowouts. T.O. Haas Tire & Auto Marketing Manager Fred Knight said it’s not unusual to replace tires and wheels once the snow clears and the ice melts. “But this year was particularly bad,” he said, when asked to sum up the damage his Lincoln stores’ crew has seen this season. “We had a much higher number of damaged/ruined tires and wheels.” Knight said the stores experienced more business February compared to previous years, as the heavy snowfall and ice generated tire sales that otherwise may have been put off until spring. “We normally see a push in tire sales in late fall just as the weather starts to take a turn for the worse, and then January and February are usually pretty quiet, but this year was different,” he said. “March typically starts off a little slow and then picks

Matt Jensen, president and CEO of Jensen Tire & Auto. the western and northern part of the state up as the weather warms. This year the first has kept the farmers and ranchers from half of March was busy due to the damage moving forward with their normal activities from the roads, and the latter half of the that time of year.” month was slower mostly due to the fact Tire damage from potholes generally that the flooding and additional snowfall in

includes impact breaks — a big hole on the sidewall. “The wheel damage is a result of that tire immediately losing all air pressure, thereby allowing the rim to make contact with the edge of the pothole,” Knight said. “Other items we see being affected are suspension parts like shocks and struts and, of course, wheel alignment being thrown out of calibration.” Thompson, Dreessen & Dorner Professional Engineer Kurt Rohn noted, while memories are short, water is the perennial “enemy” in the geotechnical engineering world. When coupled with the cold, lenses or small localized plates or deposits of ice accumulate. “Since the concrete is porous, it may look nice from the outside, but it can get wet from the inside and sometimes those ice lenses ‘win,’ and bust out — and the concrete can’t handle the pressure,” Rohn said. Likewise, damage can also occur in the summer due to the expansion effect of the heat. “There were a few wet years there, and maybe only minor damage, but every time you patch around the problem, it continues to fester,” he said. “You drive over it and think it’s nice and smooth.” Generally, Rohn said temporary patches can deteriorate rapidly. It’s the age-old problem: Available monies put the brakes on full repairs, and infrastructure certainly isn’t getting any younger. “As far as new technologies, there are some different materials that can be used to reduce how impermeable it is, and to reduce the internal blowouts,” he said. “And there are creative ways to reinforce the joints.” Rohn also referenced the importance of the public understanding that good, quality roads cost money. At the time of this writing, the city of Omaha featured “Pothole Complaints Declining” on its home page, and noted the number of pothole repairs far exceeded the number of new pothole reports between April 4 to 11. For that week, 3,175 potholes were reported, while 6,020 were repaired. Between March 18 to 27, the city noted there were 7,407 reported potholes and 5,550 repaired. Furthermore, the city reported in late March that 59 claims were received for vehicle damage caused by potholes, at a cost of $28,831.90 between January 1 to March 18, with an average repair cost of $533.92. Jensen encourages drivers to not delay in getting their vehicles checked out, especially before the heat of the summer and road trips. It’s a good practice to have tires inspected, rotated, and balanced every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Knight, too, encourages keeping vehicles in the best possible condition (pressures set to specification, including the spare, headlights and wipers working). Don’t forget the travel emergency kit to contend with weather- and road-related conditions. AAA also offers additional tips on protecting vehicles from the “worst” potholes damage at Exchange.AAA.com.

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

Legal Profession A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

April 26, 2019

Legal professional holding its own against waves of retirement by Dwain Hebda

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

• Legal Profession

Law schools offering more practical classes by David Kubicek

Although law schools continue to offer traditional core studies like property, civil procedure and constitutional law, over the past five years they have begun to offer more skill classes. “The focus remains on research and writing, but [the practical and skill classes] will create better, more prepared students coming out of law school,” said David Goeschel, the recruiting committee chair at Koley Jessen. He has also seen an uptick in outreach to employers — more job fairs, more opportunities created on campus for students to interact with future employers, and more contact between students and employers. “There always needs to be a focus on things students can control,” Goeschel said. “First and foremost is excelling in the classroom, which is always in the forefront of any employer’s decision-making process. I like to see examples of leadership throughout their lives and careers. And I like to see [job applicants] who have a willingness to work and who have intellectual curiosity — seeking out opportunities to learn more about the law and demonstrating that in interviews.”

At the beginning of each year, the Career Development Office at the University of Nebraska College of Law asks students to engage in a self-assessment process that helps them identify and then market their strengths,

Goeschel Everman said Tasha Everman, assistant dean of career development. “Through a series of programs, small and large group events, and one-on-one counseling sessions, we work with each student to narrow their focus and design a plan that is right for them,” she said. “We counsel students to take advantage of clerkships, externships and clinical

options to also gain the practical experience that employers are looking for.” From the class of 2018, over 60% of the graduates joined private practice law firms, 18% are working for the government, and another 15% went straight into a business role. “Although 29% of our employed 2018 graduates landed in Omaha and another 26% stayed in Lincoln, the class as a whole was spread out over 15 different states as well as Washington, D.C.,” Everman said. Kelly Students can increase their competitiveness by using their time in law school to develop key skills that are not taught in foundational legal coursework but are necessary to a successful career. For example, active listening is a key skill that can be developed through classes like mediation or negotiations, as well as by participation in extracurricular activities such as the Client Counseling Competition. “It’s imperative that students learn how to network effectively,” Everman said. “We

assist students by hosting numerous networking events and helping them connect with our dedicated alumni. The reality is that people hire people, and a great resume will only get you so far.” Health law, poverty law, immigration and international law are examples of the more recent programs designed to better prepare Creighton University School of Law graduates for a changing job market, according to Interim Dean Michael J. Kelly. “There has also been a dramatic expansion of opportunities for all Creighton law students to engage in a much more diverse variety of traditional and innovative career modeling internships, externships and clerkships with firms, the judiciary, corporations and nonprofit organizations,” he said. Through Creighton’s decade-old Government Organization and Leadership (GOAL) program, a law student can earn two degrees in three years — a J.D. and an M.S. “The keystone to this experiential program is the semester our students work 40 hours per week in a legal office at a federal agency or on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for four months in their 3L year,” Kelly said. In addition to being paired with an alumni mentor and attending many networking events, students take classes in D.C. on ethics for government lawyers and counsel roles in government.

Leadership initiatives help women advance within the legal profession by Gabby Christensen

As the number of women entering the legal profession increases, so do the number of women’s initiatives and leadership opportunities in the field, according to area firms. Angela Madathil, attorney at Goosmann Law, said there are several initiatives to empower women in the legal profession. For example, she said the University of Nebraska-Lincoln offers two different Leadership Cohorts — one designed to Madathil help newer associates early in their careers and another geared for mid-career attorneys and new partners. Additionally, she said the Women and the Law Section of the Nebraska State Bar Association works to bring women together through events and the Association of In-House Counsel is a great way for in-house folks to develop. “It can be very difficult for women to continue in the legal profession as they have children or care for aging parents,” Madathil said. “Goosmann Law Firm is a certified women-owned business and I am thankful to have joined their team who is supportive of working mothers and cheers loud for the women on their team. Connecting with other women attorneys provides a great sounding board and support system. I believe having these networks helps women to remember they are not alone.” Kimberly A. McKelvey, director of strategic focus and director of inclusiveness and diversity at Kutak Rock, said every year, more women enter the practice of law and an estimated 60% of practicing attorneys in the United States are women. Kutak Rock has long focused on recruiting,

hiring, and retention of women and, as a result, currently has the highest percentage of women equity partners in all but two law firms in the United States with over 300 attorneys, she said. McKelvey said firms across the country have adopted various women’s programs to increase their percentage of women attorneys, partners and leaders. For example, Kutak Rock uses programming as one component of the firm’s efforts in this regard; the other component is Dunne a focus on continuous strategic and structured improvement. “At Kutak Rock, a steady focus on recruiting, hiring and retaining women for over 50 years has resulted in women comprising over 30% of the firm’s governance committees, executive committee, regional managing partners, committee chairs, partners, associates and 2018 new attorney hires,” McKelvey said. Angela Dunne, managing partner at Koenig Dunne, said one new initiative being launched is the “New! Now. Next?” Women’s Leadership Initiative by the Nebraska College of Law. The New! Associate Acceleration Academy is designed for women in their first few years of practice, while the Now. Leadership Cohort is geared for women who are seven to 15 years into their career. “Next? Lunch Series is designed to appeal to women who are highly accomplished in their respective careers, but are interested in the next challenge,” she said. Angela Lennon, partner at Koenig Dunne, said women’s initiatives impact the legal proContinued on next page.

Legal Profession •

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

Businesses small and large face growing cybersecurity issues by Jasmine Heimgartner

In an era of evolving technologies and seemingly unlimited data and information, businesses of every size can enhance efficiency, productivity and overall operations. Along with that massive amount of data comes the issue of keeping it secure. “If you consider all those large companies that could devote massive resources and still get breached, having a breach is inevitable,” said Joseph Lazzarotti, attorney, Jackson Lewis P.C. “You can’t just have what you think are security measures. You also have to be ready for when something happens. When companies aren’t prepared, it takes them longer to respond. To be in the best defensible position means having a good plan in advance, practicing it and going through it so the members of the team know their roles.” Since data is everywhere, there has been a growing concern of how it is being handled,

processed and shared. No matter the type of business, improperly protecting sensitive information is detrimental. “Many businesses do not have significant internal resources to address growing cybersecurity concerns and often struggle with determining where to even start,” said Tom Kelley, partner, McGrath North. “A good starting place is to simply acknowledge cyber Lazzarotti concerns on the front end when making any business decision. This could be as simple as following three golden rules. First, collect only the personal information about individuals the business needs. Second, hold on to such personal information

Leadership initiatives help women advance Continued from preceding page. fession in a number of ways. “It feels as of late there has been a resurgence of looking to women in the law for leadership and ensuring longevity of women in practice by keeping focus on women having balance, access to leadership roles in firms and equity in compensation,” she said. Lennon, along with founding partner Susan Koenig, are past presidents of the Nebraska Women’s Bar Association. They said they have noticed that despite progress, there remain too few women in top

leadership roles in professional organizations and women continue to receive lower compensation than their male counterparts at all levels. “As the women running the largest exclusively women-owned law firm in Omaha, we know the unique and multiple directions women get pulled in with raising families, practicing law and making leadership a priority,” Koenig said. “We know the initiatives and learning life skills of balance, knowing how and when to say no, and how to show our courage to step into unchartered territory is what makes great leadership both possible and enduring.”

only as long as the business has a legitimate business, legal and/or regulatory need. Third, use such personal information only when it is

Kelley Pieper necessary.” Over the past 10 years, there has been an uptick in legislation around data. “The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014 was intended to assist in the development of enhanced national standards for cybersecurity across industries and also for the public sector,” said James Pieper, attorney, Vandenack Weaver. “In response, the National Institute of Standards and Technology produced an initial framework in 2014 that was updated and expanded in 2017. The key elements of the framework consist of five concurrent and continuous functions — identify, protect, detect, respond, recover.” With California’s new privacy law and provision legislation, the California Consumer Protection Act, set for Jan. 1, 2020 implementation, will likely have far-reaching effects. The law also sets the stage for other states to follow suit. For businesses, this may mean rethinking how they use information, which includes

third-party partners. Protocols are needed for not only commonalities like email and networks but also point-of-sale and biometric systems. The devices used to access information also needs to be considered. “Many companies allow using personal smartphones for business. You could wind up with data stored on [it]. What if that employee leaves, or the phone is lost? What happens to the old phone if they get a new one? What happens to that data,” Lazzarotti said. “We also have gotten better at letting employees work remotely. There are many collaborative apps to help people work seamlessly and share information. These apps were designed for productivity and not necessarily security.” Emerging technologies aim to tackle the cybersecurity challenge. “One fast-developing area of new technology is blockchain, which creates a ‘distributed ledger’ on which information can be verified from the ‘consensus’ among a large number of computers, as opposed to a single centralized database,” Pieper said. “Blockchain has many advantages with respect to cybersecurity. Since information is stored on a distributed basis, a hacker cannot change a ledger entry without changing it on each computer that is part of the chain, which is an impossible task. Nevertheless, blockchain depends heavily on encryption and on approval of transactions by consensus, both of which can create different cybersecurity issues and be subject to new modes of manipulation. As businesses adopt more technologies using blockchain, they will need to be aware of the potentially unusual types of cybersecurity issues that can arise.”

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Advance Services Inc. to add offices nationally, emphasizes industry trends Continued from page 1. founded by her brother, Paul Sandall, and his wife, Gretchen, in Norfolk, Nebraska in 1994; for instance, Sandall-Bertrand referred to an evolving service carved out around four years ago: ASInc’s remote department.

Advance Services Inc. Phone: 402-331-3499 Address: 12702 Westport Parkway, suite 201, La Vista 68138 Services: staffing solutions, including planned and seasonal, special projects, fulltime, professional placements, long-term Founded: 1994 by Gretchen and Paul Sandall in Norfolk, Nebraska Website: www.advanceservices.com

“Certain upper-level skilled positions were left unfulfilled in the market,” she said. “We hired professional recruiters to mine for applicants for those positions — not your entry-level, more your management — and above-type of positions. Remote recruiting is more the contract or contingent labor, more that ‘gig economy.’” A “big buzzword,” she said, the gig economy refers to the prevalence of short-term/ freelance contracts. “Companies might do contract-laborers for a one-year project,” she said. “The model we have fits perfectly within that; it’s a duration project — not temp-to-hire — and they can get those ‘subject matter experts.’” From its 12702 Westport Parkway nerve center, Advance Services employs 250 internal employees; an average of 5,500 temps annually (8,000 at peak); and has sent out more than 28,000 W-2s for tax year 2018. For reference, a May 2014 feature article noted ASInc. employed 180 internal staff and 3,800 temps (peaking at 6,000). Growth that necessitates and supports talent is due to “a handful” of factors, according to Sandall-Bertrand. “We’ve expanded to new areas and that increases our market share in those towns as we add additional brick and mortar offices in new states,” she said. “The economy has really been very contingent worker-friendly, and has embraced and seen the benefits of using temporary [talent], you can use it for those seasonal peaks.” Likewise, Sandall-Bertrand emphasized a day-in, day-out focus on understanding customers’ needs, be it a 24-year partner or one-year customer. “We’re not just filling a space; we’re introducing somebody to a potential career or a good work situation,” she said. While Sandall-Bertrand hesitated to get into specifics, she confirmed in late April that Advance Services is poised to open the Missouri and Idaho offices this summer. “We go to new locations at the request of existing customers,” she said; for example, growing customers may have out-of-state facilities and take ASInc’s expertise with them as they expand. A nod to its breadth of service offerings, Sandall-Bertrand said onsite offices allow the company to manage recruiting and like services exclusively for said customer. “A customer has asked us to do that and typically we might look at the headcount … and coordinate the activities of the contingent workforce,” she said. Its local administrative team and professional recruiting division footprint is

employees to come home from work the same way they came to work.” The program is headed by 20-year Advance Services employee, Vice President Dave Warren. Warren’s fellow VPs include John Fuller and Frank Sandall (both 24-year ASInc veterans). “We’ve really been able to — not just as a family but all staff — hone in on where their strengths really are, and they can become that subject matter expert,” she said. In the past five years, Paul Sandall said the company has expanded its overall administrative team represented by Sandall-Bertrand and the VPs (“building a foundation for the future”). While also referencing its early April gala, Sandall said Advance Services is “celebrating silver, going for gold.” “Part of my responsibility over the years

has been to be able to cast a vision large enough to get everybody’s attention, but the success has been to also implement it,” he said. “And all the strengths that can be identified of Advance Services are directly related to the strength of the team. We’re still one big happy family, more literally than most people realize.” Sandall-Bertrand confirmed that Sandall has three siblings, a son and daughter, daughter-in-law, two nieces and four nephews — all working at ASInc. She said other groups of families work for the company, too. There is no silver bullet to achieve family business harmony; however, Sandall quipped, “To work with family and be successful, you have to be very deliberate about ‘assigned value.’ Each person has a position in the company that has value, and that value is recognized.”

Continued from page 1. and turn off pain receptors at the site. Using have a majority stake in the hospital. The a needle cooled with nitrous oxide and with the help of ultrasound, surgeons are able to business employs more than 650. OrthoNebraska, one of the largest ortho- pinpoint the peripheral nerves in the knee pedic and musculoskeletal practices in the and “freeze” them to mask the pain. All is state, has clinics in Norfolk, Fremont, Blair, done within a clinical office or procedural Council Bluffs, midtown Omaha, Papillion, environment that takes about 30 minutes. Iovera, a conservative step prior to and Fairfax, Missouri. A ribbon cutting on the most recent lo- knee replacement — done without full cation at 90th St. and Highway 370 in Sarpy surgical intervention — reduces pain for the patient, according County was held this to Scheppers. month. In addition OrthoNebraska Charles F. Burt, to regularly sched- Phone: 402-609-1600 M.D., a Nebraska uled office visits with Address: 2808 S. 143rd Plaza, Omaha native with a Doctor physicians, the new 68144 of Medicine with dislocation also doubles Services: comprehensive orthopedics tinction from UNL, as OrthoNebraska’s Founded: 1938 has a practice largesecond orthopedics Employees: 650 throughout eastern ly focused on knee urgent care location Nebraska, western Iowa and northwest and shoulder surgery, with hours seven Missouri with an emphasis on days a week. One-year goal: Evaluate additional locahip arthroscopy and Scheppers, a na- tions to better serve patients. hip preservation. tive of Gering, Neb. Industry outlook: Pediatric and senior The former colwho joined OrthoNe- services offer plenty of growth opportunilege basketball player braska in May 2015, ties. and team physician oversees the firm’s Website: www.orthonebraska.com for the now-defunct operations that include 25 ortho surgeons, two rheumatolo- Omaha Nighthawks specializes in hip gists, a neurosurgeon and several hundred scope — a minimally-invasive surgery using a microscope. The process leaves a paraprofessional and support personnel. His most recent hire, an orthopedic spine small incision and scar and increasingly is being used to repair damage to the hip surgeon, starts this fall. Within the physician group are addi- joint, typically caused by a sudden injury tional specialties that range from pain man- or repeated strain during the use of the joint over time. agement to some psychiatric perspectives. “The challenge for OrthoNebraska is Scheppers, a 2000 University of Nebraska-Lincoln business graduate with an how quickly we move to meet the demands MBA from the University of Iowa, said of our patient,” Burt said. “By looking at another differentiator for OrthoNebraska is patient feedback, our locations, flexibility its search for the latest technology that can among other things, we keep chipping away at digital strategy that will deliver expectaaid patient care. But that comes with a heavy dose of tions. We’ve moved the meter dramatically.” On the hospital side, while technology skepticism from both administrators and and innovative procedures continue to imphysicians. “We are very judicious in vetting tech- prove outcomes for a growing number of nology and we have a process by which we patients, Ryan M. Arnold, M.D. — a sports do that well before we deploy it,” he said. medicine and cartilage reconstruction spe“We ask if it advanced outcomes, and in cialist — believes the specialization around the opinion of the administrative team and which OrthoNebraska has built is being clinic team, does its use make patient care augmented by an initiative that has doctors formally collaborating every six months on and recovery better.” One example came in February 2018 best practices for each procedure. For example, Arnold and Burt cited when OrthoNebraska became one of the first clinics in the nation to offer iovera, procedures that while being done separately an in-office treatment that uses the body’s by up to seven or eight doctors would have natural response to cold to treat knee pain some variation in the materials used and

also other things done to get the end result. Doctors doing knee replacements were putting two different types of injections into the knee. “Everybody had their own little own little cocktail they thought was the best for the mitigation of pain,” Burt said. “The costs ranged widely.” Burt and Arnold said colleagues came to a consensus. “With our teams we’ve moved to a more joint management approach by putting in a contract/compact for each surgeon and patient prior to surgery,” Scheppers said. “And with the opioid crisis outside the operating room we’re trying to minimize the amount of narcotic pain medication. By coming to a consensus with the best-practices the length of stay for our patients is down more than 20% over the past two years.” Arnold, an Omaha native who did his residency in orthopedic surgery at UNMC and who later was an assistant team physician for the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta Thrashers of the NHL, said OrthoNebraska physicians introduced the use of video analysis software three years ago for therapists. At least 15 doctors at OrthoNebraska use the video analysis to evaluate how their patients are jumping, running, and the risk of re-injury, among other things. “Technology is rapidly evolving and is leading to better care management and convenience for our patients,” Arnold said. Older patients find patient portals helpful and with the expansion of OrthoNebraska’s urgent care, they are finding they don’t have to wait two weeks to come in after a pickleball injury suffered while playing tennis or racquetball. Lifestyle changes are likely to keep the OrthoNebraska specialists nimble as they see increased patients with thumb pain. Hand therapist Tara Otis reported recently that due to the amount of time people are spending on their phones, more thumb pain is being incurred. Wear and tear can lead to osteoarthritis in the bones of the thumb due to the higher amount of texting being done and other phone/computer usage. More attention is being paid to working smarter rather than harder, she said. Taping techniques and various splints are available for the management of day-to-day thumb pain.

further evolving from its corporate office in La Vista. “To effectively support our rapid business growth, we had to employ more staff and expand into additional office space,” Sandall-Bertrand said. “The first phase of the expansion will be completed in the next couple of months.” Paul Sandall referenced ASInc’s being on the forefront of developing what he characterized as a unique workers’ comp-related package for its customer-partners to mitigate risk. Sandall-Bertrand expanded upon the program. “Our injury prevention program is more than something that we put down on paper or into a manual,” she said. “It is a culture that we have developed with our customers over the last 25 years. We want all of our

OrthoNebraska grows with physician-owned hospital

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

g n i t e k r a M

G N I S I T Prom ER

V D A

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

otions April 26, 2019

As digital channels grow, advertising, marketing and PR industry seeks the right balance by Dwain Hebda

Seeking to find an effective balance between traditional media and digital channels has been the watchword for advertising, marketing and PR professionals of late. Experts still advocate a mix of both worlds in serving clients, but the percentages have changed dramatically. “There still is, and always will be, a place for mass media in anyone’s marketing mix,” said Dan Rutledge, president and owner of Right Idea Media & Creative. “But the world has become such an ‘on-demand’ place that if you are not Mausbach present in a consumer’s mind at the moment they decide to move through the bottom of the sales funnel, you don’t stand a chance of gaining them as a customer. “Ideally, we use mass media at the top of the funnel to create awareness then employ different strategies to establish a one-to-one relationship with the consumer as they move toward making a purchase.” Clients are aware of the potential impact of digital advertising and are diverting larger

Soul & Swag’s Cola Svec, left, and Angie Svec. “To address these issues, Ervin & Smith shares of their budget toward them. However, there still exists some distinct challenges is partnering with clients and in-house for many companies associated with this marketing teams to develop and execute new marketplace; for starters, judging the integrated strategies that drive revenue. We effectiveness of a campaign in terms of work with our clients to establish KPIs and create real-time data dashboards so clients economic impact. “The ability to tie marketing and media can quickly see the impact marketing has on spends back to business results is one of their business.” Another challenge to achieving success the biggest challenges today,” said Heidi Mausbach, president and CEO of Ervin & in the digital space is the technology that’s Smith. “In addition, the industry is constant- been developed to prohibit digital ads from ly changing, so it’s difficult to find talent and reaching the consumer in the first place. “One of the most significant trends in partners who understand how to implement integrated strategies and technology solu- the industry is ad blocking,” said Jackie Miller, CMO at Bozell. “The adoption of tions that meet customer expectations.

adblockers has become increasingly more popular among millennials and we are adapting to how people connect with our brands to increase reach and frequency of our marketing messages. To do this, Bozell is including more and more native placements to our media plans. “Native ads also create an opportunity for the marketer to not just tell consumers about its products or services, but allows them to show it through longer content in context and provide value and utility for consumers beyond selling.” All of these technological tools havMiller en’t replaced one of the most fundamental marketing strategies — promotional items — however, even this area of marketing has encountered radical changes in thinking. “A recent article by Fast Company’s Elizabeth Segran entitled, ‘It’s Time to Stop Spending Billions on Cheap Conference Swag’ was a little bit of a bash on the promotional industry, however, it was a great wakeup call as well,” said Cola Svec, president of Soul & Swag. “We’re at a time when people want experiences and exciting branded merchandise. No one wants to receive a cheap pen and notepad at a conference. “I believe Generation Z is going to upset the fruit basket even more. I love embracing their thoughts and perspectives, but it doesn’t go without challenges. If you’re trying to market to this age range, it is crucial to acknowledge their ideas and emotional connections. The last thing we want is for our client to hand out a product that goes directly into the donation pile, or worse, the garbage.”

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Hand that’s feeding the world is getting bit.’ Farmers cope with floods, trade war by Crystal Thomas and Bryan Lowry

The two grain bins on Bruce Biermann’s farm near Corning, Missouri, could not withstand the strong currents of the Missouri River. With four feet of water pressing from the outside and grain swelling from moisture inside, the bins burst. Agriculture At 71, Biermann is looking at more than a $100,000 loss. And he’s not “in this boat alone” — a bit of humor that helps keep him afloat in a very troubling time. Like many farmers in the Missouri River basin, Biermann had been holding on to crops for better prices after years of depressed markets. In his case, 8,200 bushels of soybeans and 12,000 bushels of corn. Farmers were already grappling with the financial strain from low prices, a consequence of President Donald Trump’s decision to escalate a trade fight with China and other major trading partners. Then, the flood happened. Now, farmers like Biermann have little recourse for recouping their losses through the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s $3 billion Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program doesn’t cover crops that have been stored, something Midwest lawmakers are scrambling to change. “It seems like the hand that’s feeding the world is getting bit,” Biermann said. “Farmers can only hang on for so long.” As farmers follow the fallout from Trump’s trade war, they are also anxiously awaiting Congress to take action to help them recover from the flooding. A partisan standoff over aid to Puerto Rico could prolong their wait, but lawmakers from the Midwest are pushing their colleagues to move quickly to address the growing crisis in the heartland. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, who toured the damaged northwest Missouri farms in his district last month, said tariffs and the floods have combined to create one disaster, which farmers are struggling to survive. “Many of the farmers feel as though they’re getting hit twice and the government is looking the other way,” Cleaver said. HOLDING ON TO GRAIN A national glut of crops and a dearth of international buyers have caused prices to drop. In response, farmers are storing more than they normally do, according to Pat Westhoff, the University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute director. As of March 1, farmers had stored 2.72 billion bushels of soybeans nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a 29 percent increase over the same date last year. The trade fight has played a role in those plummeting prices, Westhoff said. To offset the difference, the USDA has offered $8 billion in payouts to farmers so far. However, the payouts didn’t cover a farmer’s entire unsold yield, Westhoff said. For example, soybean farmers got $1.65 per bushel when $9 per bushel is often a breakeven price. Rick Oswald, a fifth-generation grain farmer with about 2,000 acres in Atchison County, Missouri, sold his soybeans at a loss of $8.70 per bushel. He doesn’t expect prices to get better.

“I ended up taking less than ($9 a bushel) for them because I couldn’t see anything changing with trade, with the disputes with China,” Oswald said. “One reason that wasn’t going to change? Once China stopped buying, we started building a soybean surplus and we were looking at a billion bushel surplus.” Oswald, a member of the Missouri Farmers Union and a Democrat, is critical of President Trump, who he said “came in and upset the apple cart,” after farmers invested years and many of their dollars to establish new markets. “You have this government come in and start to stir the pot,” Oswald said. “We have come in and stressed over and over, year after year, we need steady, reliable markets. Once you lose the opportunity to sell something you grew, it’s just going to stay on the farm. Just like a billion bushels of unsold soybeans.” Oswald said he knows he’s an outlier among his neighbors in criticizing Trump, who won Missouri and Kansas by double digits in 2016 with huge support in rural areas. It’s not a partisan issue, Oswald said. He was critical of the farm policies of President Jimmy Carter, a farmer and a Democrat, too. “As farmers we have to stand up for ourselves and I don’t think it does any good to defend someone that has been really detrimental to us,” Oswald said. Though he was able to offload his soybeans, Oswald lost all the corn he had stored on his farm near Langdon in Atchison County, Missouri, because of undriveable roads left by bad weather. Like several farmers, Oswald had little notice to move the grain. Even then, he

thought with his farm protected by a federal levy he would be spared. Much of Oswald’s anger has been directed at the Army Corps of Engineers, which has come under scrutiny by federal and state lawmakers, alike, for its river management. “I have four big wet piles of corn that are laying in a mass of broken galvanized steel and it’s wet and it’s becoming spring and that’s all going to start to grow,” Oswald said. “It’s going to look for humongous mounds of growing corn.” Without taking into account the destruction of the bins, it’s a $70,000 loss, he said. “I don’t think I will get anything out of that at all except for maybe a bill for a bulldozer to push it out of the way,” Oswald said. Travis Green, 33, who operates farms in both Kansas and Nebraska, stored 25,000 bushels of yellow corn in a pair of grain bins in White Cloud, Kansas, near the Missouri River. One of the bins “literally just blasted open,” after it filled with floodwater and the other was uprooted — destroying an estimated $100,000 worth of corn. On top of that, he’s unsure whether he’ll be able to plant anything this year because of the water damage. “It’s going to be really, really tough to make that work. And I just felt like I lost everything because it was a difficult harvest to get them in those grain bins,” Green said. “That day when I found out it was heartbreaking. It really was. It takes it right out of you. It’s just really tough to bounce back after this big after this hit.” Green said he usually tries to store corn until April to get a premium price. But he’s

been storing more in recent years because of the trade war. “I try not to get into it too much, but the trade policies really hurt. We’ve been hurting for three years or something with these low prices, low commodity prices, and something needs to happen or it’s taking people out of business,” Green said. “I’m stressed out about the trade policies… and now with this thrown on top it feels like you’re beating your head against the wall. It feels like there’s no hope.” Ryan Flickner, the policy director of the Kansas Farm Bureau, said last month that he speaks to farmers in the state who are nervous about the dual challenges of weather and the trade fight with China. He said he sometimes brings up Trump’s comments about farmers being patriots who are willing to weather the trade fight and asks them if they still feel confident the strategy will pay off in the long-term. “If we’re not in business, it’s really hard for us to be a patriot on the farm,” Flickner said. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, said he carries a photograph of an overflowing grain elevator to show the struggle his state’s farmers are facing because they’re unable to move their product overseas. The flood exacerbated that struggle. “There’s a lot of grain that has been stored that has been damaged as a result of floodwaters. And if it’s true in Northeast Kansas, it’s got to be true in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri,” Moran said. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, said farmers are generally supportive of the president’s Continued on page 12.

by Levi Sumagaysay

screens to order their drinks, rather than writing names on a cup and yelling out your name. Maybe helping customers with their cameras when they want to take photos with the robots. They’re explaining that we have three different roasters here. They’re almost like a coffee sommelier in some ways. And you don’t have a bunch of people waiting in line behind you, like at Starbucks, where you don’t feel you can ask questions about the coffee. Q: You’ve said elsewhere that we need to take care of the people who will be most affected by automation — low-skilled workers. What types of initiatives are addressing this now, and is there political will for such things? A: Well, I will say American democracy is incredibly resilient. We get to vote every four years, which is more than I can say for my hometown of Hong Kong. Under the Obama administration, there were a number of initiatives that addressed those issues (of how to help workers that might be displaced by technological advances). They were thinking of longer-term consequences. This latest batch of congressmen and women, I think they are talking about this. Q: You call yourself a robot evangelist. Have you always been one? A: I didn’t used to call myself one, but I’ve always loved technology and science fiction. I love Isaac Asimov. There is a recurring character featured in many of his books, Susan Calvin, who was a robot psychologist. She was brilliant, she didn’t take nonsense

from anyone and she got the job done. It was just so refreshing as a young girl to read about someone who fit my mold of the world. Susan Calvin made her way around the world using her brains, and that was great. Q: You’ve worked at giant companies such as Google and SoftBank. Tell me about your switch to leading a startup. A: I was at Google and realized I wanted to do something else. I was looking for do-gooder-type opportunities. Then I came across a crazy opportunity to join a social enterprise based on a ship, traveling around the world with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Megan Smith (former Googler and U.S. chief technology officer under President Obama) wrote a recommendation for me, so I got the job. I traveled with amazing entrepreneurs to a lot of developing countries. They were working on things like oil-spill cleaning robots, solar-powered hearing aids — amazing technology. I learned two important things. First, not everyone in social enterprise is automatically a saint. Some people were in it because they like being on magazine covers, and some wanted to be on the conference circuit to speak about how inspirational they were. And I learned that some people may have the best intentions, but it didn’t mean they knew how to build a sustainable business. In the case of Cafe X, CEO Henry Hu is so incredibly transparent. I place a lot of stock on character. I want to work for someone who wants to do the right thing, which isn’t always Continued on next page.

Cafe X COO talks ‘the right moment’ for robot baristas

As chief operating officer of a company that makes robot baristas, Cynthia Yeung is well aware that some people may view her as the villain who wants to replace human workers. But Yeung believes robots can make a worker’s job better, not worse. Yeung spends a lot of time thinking about how her company can “set the tone” and be Technology “responsible players” in the robotics and automation industry, she said during a recent interview in San Francisco, where Cafe X has a robotic barista at each of its three locations downtown — along with its human workers. “My parents didn’t go to college,” she said. “I was incredibly privileged to go to a great university, and I think a lot about other people who didn’t have the opportunities I did.” Like other robot enthusiasts, Yeung says robots can take the “dirty, dull and dangerous” parts of jobs so humans can be freed up to do other things that may be more enjoyable. Our conversation with Yeung has been edited for length and clarity. Q: How is Cafe X changing jobs done by humans? A: The responsibilities of certain jobs have changed. We’re having the robot do the boring, repetitive parts of the job. What our coffee bar specialists are responsible for is having conversations with our customers. We actually hire many former baristas. They’re helping people understand the technology, showing customers how to use the touch-

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

As video games make billions, the workers behind them say it’s time to unionize by Sam Dean

At an industry conference for video game developers in late March, the thousands of lanyarded attendees could try new games, swap business cards and hear from experts on rendering realistic blood spatter. Or they could talk Workplace about unionizing. Hundreds joined a series of standing-room-only roundtables on the topic of organized labor, taking time away from the Game Developers Conference to brainstorm ways to build worker power in SUPER CROSSWORD

an industry that is almost entirely nonunion. Organizers with Game Workers Unite, a group that has sprung up in the last year to push for wall-to-wall unionization in the $43-billion game industry, kicked off each session with an icebreaker: “Damn the man.” “Damn the man” for making designers work 100-hour weeks for months on end to deliver a game on time — a practice known as “crunch” that often comes without overtime or bonus pay. “Damn the man” for hiring workers to ship a new game and then announcing mass QUITE A CH-ALLENGE

layoffs — more than 2,000 jobs have been cut in 2019, but cyclical layoffs have been a feature of the industry for decades. “Damn the man” — specifically, the executives of video game companies — for earning millions while developers are cut out of residuals from blockbuster titles, and workers in fields such as quality assurance are paid close to minimum wage. Labor activism is not unusual for blue-collar segments of the tech workforce. Lyft and Uber drivers have tried for years to organize into an effective bloc, despite their independent contractor status, and the bus drivers and cafeteria workers for Silicon Valley tech campuses have been union for years. But the last year has seen white-collar worker activism grow across the tech industry as well. Google employees have mounted petition campaigns to get their employer to stop developing a censored search engine for China, reshape an AI ethics board and treat temp workers better after layoffs. In November, they also mounted a companywide walkout in response to the company’s handling of sexual harassment and forced arbitration, prompting Google to change its practices. Amazon and Microsoft employees have started criticizing their companies’ ties to military and police technology. In March, the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter announced plans to unionize. But video game companies, with their close ties to the heavily unionized entertainment industry and a workplace culture notorious for grueling hours and rolling layoffs, appear poised to become the first corner of the tech industry to organize. An annual survey conducted by the International Game Developers Assn., an industry group formed in the ‘90s, has found interest in unionization surging in recent years. In 2009, the survey found only a third of game workers would support a union at their company. In

Cafe X COO talks

Answers on page 12.

Continued from preceding page. the case in Silicon Valley. When I met him, it was refreshing. I was like, OK, I know who you are, I know what you’re trying to do here, and I think I can help. Also, this is definitely the right moment (for robotics). You can see it in the demographics and the way the world is trending. This is a completely tractable problem with a huge opportunity. If we don’t do it, someone else is going to do it. It might as well be us. The market is ready. People understand it, they want it. Q: What can the tech industry do to attract and retain women? A: Having more women in positions of leadership can really help. For me, there were many strong, influential women I could look up to, like Megan Smith at Google. Also, it’s important to have a good culture and the right policies in place. At Cafe X, we offer 12 weeks of paid parental leave, regardless of gender. That’s something that the company hadn’t really thought about because everyone’s so young. (Hu, a Thiel Fellowship recipient who dropped out of college to start Cafe X in 2014, is in his 20s.) I said, “this is what we’re doing, guys.” ©2019 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

2019, that number had climbed to 47 percent answering “yes” and 26 percent answering “maybe” when asked if they thought game workers should unionize; only 16 percent responded with a hard “no.” “I’ve been in the industry for 26 years, and the union discussion has always been in the background,” said Kate Edwards, who served as the executive director of IDGA from 2012 to 2017 and now works as an advocate for diversity and fairness initiatives in gaming. “There’s been a massive shift.” Edwards and other industry observers chalk much of this up to the maturation of the industry, in every sense of the word. A more experienced workforce means that developers who embraced crunch as a challenge in their 20s have lost their appetite for long hours as they enter their 30s and 40s. Video games’ increasing centrality to pop culture and daily life for millions has given rise to a broader gaming press, which shines more light on issues in the industry. That same mainstreaming of games, with steadily increasing revenues to match, has prompted some workers to look to the steadier livelihoods of their peers in Hollywood production and think: Why can’t we have that? The question was simmering around the conference, as Game Workers Unite members distributed pamphlets on unionizing cheekily designed to look like gaming magazines and trading cards of industry executives listing their multimillion-dollar salaries or multibillion-dollar net worths as stats. “Our job has been fanning that spark into a real flame,” said Emma Kinema, a founding member of the group, which launched at 2018’s Game Developers Conference and now has 27 chapters across the world. An open question is which union will be first to represent U.S. game workers. Options might include a Hollywood craft guild — many game voice actors are already represented by SAG-AFTRA — traditional industrial unions, or a new union altogether. With more than 220,000 workers in the U.S. and relatively high pay and profits compared with industries such as food service, hospitality or transportation, gaming could become the largest private sector to unionize in recent years, potentially helping reverse a long decline in union membership. Major unions see the opportunity. “We’re here to lend guidance, support and solidarity,” said Liz Shuler, the second-highest-ranking official at the AFLCIO, who spoke on a panel at the Game Developers Conference alongside organizers from the Writers Guild of America, East and SAG-AFTRA. “Coming out of GDC, it seemed like people want to go out and light the world on fire,” said Shuler, who published an open letter in February urging gamers to organize against the “broken, twisted status quo.” Matt Loeb, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the 140,000-member union that represents most of the production workers in the entertainment industry, says his group is watching to see when and how — not if — game workers organize. “Our goal is to represent entertainment workers, and these folks are certainly entertainment workers — but I don’t want to impose anything artificial or put something Continued on page 13.

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Why parents should start teaching their kids about money at an early age by Kelly Anne Smith

How did you learn about money when you were a kid? Maybe your parents handed you a few dollars to swing by the grocery store for milk. After getting through the checkout line and carefully counting out the change, perhaps you Financial stuffed the rest back into your pocket and headed back home. Today, teaching kids how to manage money is different. As technology around payments and money management has evolved, transactions are often no longer tangible. Cash is becoming less common and learning to become financially savvy is beginning to take a much different shape than in the past. From cash to V-bucks and in-app purchases This emergence of financial technology has increased convenience, but for families, it sometimes comes at a great cost. Fortnite, Angry Birds, Candy Crush, My Little Pony — these popular games are all geared toward kids. Each offers in-app purchases that brings financial transactions straight into the hands of children. Kids using smartphones or playing video games for entertainment have in certain

instances been able to rack up thousands of dollars worth of in-app purchases without being fully aware of their actions. A simple Google search of “games for kids with in-app purchases” doesn’t bring up a list of games; it brings up how-to guides for parents to learn how to control or turn off the in-app purchasing capabilities, warning parents of how easy it can be for their child to accrue some serious debt on the platforms. The issue has gotten so out of control that law enforcement officials have conducted investigations into major app servicers like Apple and Google. In 2017, Amazon was ordered to refund $70 million worth of app purchases made by kids, as reported by The Atlantic. A federal judge ruled Amazon guilty of not warning customers of in-app charges after the initial download, and failing to provide adequate controls in games for kids to prevent the purchases. Now that money is literally falling into the hands of children, determining who, how or when they should start learning how to manage it brings about a vague and indefinite debate. Teaching the basics of money Research by the University of Cambridge reveals children as young as seven years old have an understanding of basic concepts

Farmers cope with floods, trade war Continued from page 10. effort to resolve unfair trade practices, but they’re beginning to feel the strain and disasters like the floods aren’t helping the situation. “I think the longer that goes on and the more things you add to it, the more frustration you’re beginning to see in farm families and farm communities,” he said. Biermann said watching the trade talks gives him something to cheer for a moment and then “something happens and you are back at square one.” “That’s been going on for how many months? Nothing has been accomplished, yet,” Biermann said. “They are continuing working but we are not even getting the cost of production back at today’s prices.” Years of low prices have caused farmers to carry higher debt loads. Without federal aid, farmers would be going into further debt, Oswald said. He and his neighbors are hoping to get compensated for even a percentage of what they lost, he added. “A little bit of hope won’t hurt me or a lot of my neighbors right now,” Oswald said. ‘SITTING HERE LOOKING AT THE WATER’ Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, joined by Blunt and other Midwestern Republicans, has crafted legislation to expand the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program to apply to commodities stored on farms and crops that were prevented from being planted in 2019. The Midwestern Republicans plan to offer it as an amendment the next time the Senate votes on its disaster relief bill. The $13 billion disaster aid bill failed to pass the Senate last week because of a disagreement over aid to Puerto Rico, still recovering from a 2017 hurricane that devastated the island. Trump has vehemently resisted Democratic efforts to increase the amount of aid to Puerto Rico in the bill.

Resolving the impasse could be key to ensuring that farmers in the Midwest survive the financial damage from the floods. On top of the amendment dealing with crops, Republicans are seeking to amend the bill, which focuses on 2018 disasters, to provide aid to victims of this year’s Missouri River flooding. With the bill stalled, Oswald said he wished Congress would deal with aid for farmers and Puerto Rico separately. “I’m just sitting here looking at the water every day and looking at my losses and I’m waiting for them to come together and do something,” Oswald said. “It’s pretty hard to do. It’s pretty maddening.” Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, the Senate Agriculture chairman, agreed that Congress needs to figure out a way to compensate farmers who lost stored crops as a result of the flood. He noted that storing crops is a standard practice in the face of low prices. “But then you have something like that cyclone bomb that hit Nebraska. Holy mackerel!” Roberts said. “And there’s a snow melt sitting up there waiting to come loose and if you have a couple hot days in Montana and all this starts coming down… Look out Kansas City. Look out Atchison. And look out Leavenworth.” A fourth-generation farmer, Biermann said farming has been his “lifetime dream” and that he was born with dirt under his fingernails. Without federal aid to make up for flood damage, he will have to retire. “I may be ready to give up the battle because I cannot continue to go out here and working for nothing and actually spending more than what I’m bringing back in,” Biermann said. “It’s just not practical.” ©2019 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

related to finance. Talking about money isn’t always easy, though. The concept of sharing financial information has long been regarded as “taboo” in the U.S. For families struggling, money management can often be a stressful topic, making parents want to protect their children from the realities of financial distress. Recently, though, there has been an upswing in financial conversations. Salary transparency is becoming more common in the workforce. Personal finance publishers are continuously popping up to educate and empower consumers. Apps geared toward kids are being developed to teach them money basics through simple tasks or games. Improving financial literacy in schools The teaching of money basics in schools isn’t currently a nationwide effort, something a growing number of recent graduates wishes would have been the case. Only 16.4 percent of U.S. high school students are required to take a personal finance course, according to Next Gen Personal Finance, a free high-school personal finance curriculum company. A January 2019 survey by Nitro, a student loan educational website, finds that 75.7 percent of the 1,000 millennials surveyed think personal finance courses should be mandatory in high school. Additionally, 84 percent of respondents agreed that high school didn’t prepare them to handle their money. Some states have been considering whether to implement required personal finance curriculum in schools. A bill in Maine backed by State Senator Matthew Pouliot would have the curriculum developed by the Department of Education, and be taught as early as kindergarten and through

high school. “They have to make loan payments on a car,” Sen. Matthew Pouliot said, as reported by ABC 13 News. “They have to get student loans. They have to pay their grocery bill. There are a lot of things that we need to know about money for, and frankly, it’s not being taught in all schools equally.” Matt Matheson, an assistant principal and personal finance blogger in Alberta, Canada, says teaching kids the basics of money in school is a great idea. However, teaching money basics in school comes with limitations. Matheson says kids learn best by experience. You can teach a child the difference between a need and a want, but they won’t be able to correctly discern between the two without practice in the real world, like at the grocery store. Teaching financial literacy in school can only go so far — what can’t be taught in a classroom should be supplemented at home by parents. “It’s like we’re kind of missing the forest for the trees,” Matheson says. “Which is why boiling it down to the concept-based ideas is important, but ultimately the responsibility lies with parents 100 percent.” The role of technology in ‘gamifying’ financial concepts Technology is also making it easier to introduce financial concepts to children at young ages. Kiddie Kredit, an app targeting kids who complete chores, teaches the basics of credit. Successfully completed chores, approved by a parent, count toward a specific “kredit score.” Kids can also redeem their “kredit” Continued on page 24.

SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS

Puzzle on page 11.

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

Are socially conscious funds a good bet for retail investors? by Janet Kidd Stewart

Investors are throwing more money into funds with a social mission, but do these funds belong in your retirement account? Emboldened by a surge in assets among so-called socially responsible mutual funds and pensions — now Investing about $12 trillion — advocates for these investments say, emphatically yes. “There’s a growing awareness that ESG” — investment screens for environmental, social and corporate governance-friendliness — “doesn’t hurt performance and actually may help” companies’ long-term returns, said Meg Voorhes, research director for US SIF, The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment, citing industry data showing several examples of financial outperformance among companies with high ESG ratings. These funds are still typically more

expensive than plain vanilla index funds or ETFs, though fees have come down. And they have a long way to go to penetrate the workplace 401(k) plan market, though the tide could be turning. Robo adviser Betterment for Business began offering socially screened funds in its workplace savings plans a couple of years ago, and Pentegra, a White Plains, N.Y., provider of retirement plans to companies, said in March it will offer recordkeeping and fiduciary services for ESG-based 401(k) plans with two other partners. Retirement savers can certainly find plenty of socially conscious funds in their IRAs and taxable accounts, or through their 401(k) plans’ brokerage windows if they have them. “Clients are definitely asking about them, and performance has gotten better,” said Steve Lear, founder of Affiance Financial, an investment firm in Saint Louis Park, Minn. His firm offers clients a wide array of

socially conscious mutual funds through a diversified discount brokerage, but he’s not convinced they are the best way for savers to inject a sense of purpose into their financial lives. “Personally, I like clean, simple and cheap portfolios,” he said. Instead, he urges clients to support important causes through philanthropy. “Is that an advisor’s role? I believe it is. Who is supposed to have that conversation if I don’t?” he said. Not discussing charity with clients robs them of knowledge about tax strategies associated with charitable giving, not to mention the softer discussion of purpose and legacy in the retirement years, he said. “I had a physician client with no kids who saved $15,000 a year for several years into a donor-advised fund, plus more when she was getting ready to retire,” he said. The fund eventually reached well into six

Hispanic women hurt most by wage gap, costing them over $20,000 a year by Sarah Moreno

Five extra months of rent, nine months of child care and nearly four months of health insurance. That’s what women in the United States could afford if their salaries were the same as men’s. Careers The salary gap is still pummeling working women, and particularly those who are heads of family like many Hispanics, according to the latest report by the National Partnership for Women & Families (NPWF). The report, based on U.S. Census data, calculated the differences in average salaries among men and women who work full time in each of the 50 states. In Florida, women earn 87 cents for each dollar earned by a man, a difference of $5,515 per year. But for a Latina woman in Florida, the picture is more dire. A Hispanic woman earns only 60 cents for each dollar earned by a white non-Hispanic male, a gap of $20,380 per year, on average, in the state. “If that salary gap is eliminated, Latinas in Florida could pay for 34 additional months of child care or more than 14 months of a health insurance offered by employers,” Jessica Mason, a senior analyst with the NPWF, told el Nuevo Herald. Mason said the gap is the result of factors such as racial and gender discrimination, workplace harassment, job segregation and a lack of workplace policies that support family care-giving. The results of the study were published April 1, on the eve of Equal Pay Day, established in 1996 by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE). The date changes from year to year, and the 2019 date was set for April 2 because that’s how far into the year women must have worked to earn what men earned in 2018. At the national level, Latin women earn 53 cents for every dollar earned by a white non-Hispanic male; Native American women earn 58 cents; African-American women earn 61 cents; white non-Hispanic women earn 77 cents; and Asian women earn 85 cents. In dollar numbers, a Latin woman earns an average of $32,002 per year compared with the $60,388 average annual income of

a white non-Hispanic male — a difference of $28,386. The salary gap also affects career Latinas. The average salary of a Latina executive is $71,362, $61,781 for a computer specialist. The average non-Hispanic white male in those jobs earns more than $100,000 per year. THE BIGGEST GAP The states with the biggest salary gaps were Louisiana, Utah, Indiana and Alabama. The gap was particularly damaging to the mothers of children under 18 who are the main wage earners. They earn 71 cents for every dollar earned by the fathers. “The wage gap is even larger for many women of color, who face the intersecting harms of gender- and race-based discrimination,” Mason added. She noted that even in states like Florida, which has one of the smallest salary gaps, the impact on women is considerable because that money would be used to pay

for housing, food and services. Florida has one of the lowest wage gaps, ranking fourth from the bottom. “The loss of basic necessities or life-changing opportunities is no small matter,” Mason added. NPWF President Debra L. Ness argued that salary inequality is not the result of any single cause and therefore has no easy solution. She added that the Paycheck Fairness Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week to combat salary discrimination, was “encouraging.” Ness also supports raising the federal minimum wage and eliminating the lower salaries allowed for employees who receive tips and those who are disabled. She also supports national regulations for health and family leaves and quality healthcare. ©2019 Miami Herald Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

figures. “A development officer asked her if she wanted to establish a scholarship fund and you should have seen her face later as she talked about what she was able to do for that school.” Investment giant and benefits record keeper Fidelity, meanwhile, recently launched a workplace charitable giving program for its corporate clients that will allow workers to make donations to any charity through their benefits department. The donations will then automatically be submitted for eligible matching funds from the employer, saving donors that step, said Tom Ryan, a leader in Fidelity’s emerging businesses area. Officials are betting the streamlined process will boost overall giving. Waters Corp., a Milford, Mass.-based maker of scientific analytical tools, has signed onto the program because of its ease of use for employees, said Mark McAuliffe, director of global philanthropy. The matching program will help set the company apart when recruiting workers, he said. Another way to put your money where your heart is: estate planning. Designate a charity to receive a portion of your funds after your death, or write a legacy letter to your heirs reaffirming family values and favorite causes and suggest they donate a portion of their inheritance. Of course, there’s no need to pick just one of these options. “When investing or thinking about the future or leaving money for the next generation, you’re thinking 10, 20 maybe 30 years into the future. It’s natural to think, What kind of world will this be by then? Am I investing in things that support my vision for my family’s future?” said Voorhes. “If you support philanthropy, keep doing that, but it shouldn’t be an excuse for not pursuing sustainable investing. There’s no reason you have to choose.” ©2019 Tribune Content Agency Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

As video games make billions, the workers behind them say it’s time to unionize Continued from page 11. in place that doesn’t fit this unique part of the entertainment industry,” Loeb said. IATSE’s last attempt to expand into a tech-heavy sector came nearly a decade ago, with an aggressive drive to organize visual effects workers, who often face work conditions similar to those in the game industry. That drive failed, as enthusiasm among workers flagged amid arguments from employers that unions would damage the business writ large. Typical arguments against unions in creative sectors tend to hinge on concerns about innovation, flexibility, individual compensation and effects on the bottom line. In the tech industry, skepticism is further fueled by fears that organized labor might slow down a company’s ability to adapt to a changing market. Gaming companies have so far been hesitant to speak about the labor movement afoot. Companies’ likely opposition stacks the odds against unionization, said Sam Roberts, assistant director of USC’s Interactive Media & Games Division. “I don’t really see unionization happening very quickly — there are larger structural issues that are standing in the way,” he said. “I don’t feel like there’s a special kind of

industrial pressure from game studios against unionization that’s stronger than in basically any tech industry.” He likens the current moment to the early days of the film industry, when labor conditions led to widespread organizing and experimentation with new models, with actors such as Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin deciding to start their own studios run by creators. “We’re at that moment of reckoning,” Roberts said, but he believes that game workers are too skeptical of traditional organized labor, and the industry is too reliant on young employees willing to work long hours at low pay for mass unionization to succeed. Out of fear of nascent union drives being snuffed out by employer retaliation, Game Workers Unite would not say which companies were being targeted with campaigns, but Kinema said she expected the campaigns to go public “over the next year or two.” In the meantime, developers are still grappling with crunch as a routine hazard of the job. Immediately before one of the union sessions at the conference, a panel called “Time IS on Your Side: Personal Time Management Strategies for Crunch” attracted a crowd.

Amanda Gardner, an independent developer and mother of four based outside Boston, also lectures on the conference circuit. Onstage, she dispensed tips drawn from Deepak Chopra and Tony Robbins: Eat well even when you’re working 100-hour weeks, meditate in the mornings, automate away outfit decisions by wearing the same clothes every day. When one audience member said getting eight hours of sleep is “non-negotiable” during crunch, it garnered a round of enthusiastic applause. Gardner herself has lived through the worst of crunch — she and her husband both fell ill when working on their indie game. The experience persuaded her to seek out healthier habits so she could withstand the rigors of the industry. She supports efforts to stamp out crunch entirely, but that day has yet to come. “I’ve seen the effect of it, and I’ve heard horror stories from the trenches about how people have gotten divorced and people have gotten hospitalized,” she said. “So as long as it’s happening, I am going to be helping people.” ©2019 Los Angeles Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Wilbur Ross acted wretchedly. But his census decision may be legal The oral arguments the Supreme Court heard April 23 will be more decorous than the gusts of judicial testiness that blew the case up to the nation’s highest tribunal. The case, which raises arcane questions of administrative law but could have widely radiating political and eorge policy consequences, comes from the Enlightenment mentality of ill the nation’s founders and involves this question: Does it matter that a conspicuously unenlightened member of the president’s Cabinet lied in sworn testimony about why he made a decision that he arguably has the statutory power to make? Because the United States’ 18th-century founders were rational, empirical, inquisitive pursuers of evidence-based improvement, they placed in the Constitution’s second section after the preamble a requirement for a census. And the 14th Amendment stipulates the required actual enumeration, every 10 years, of “the whole number” of people residing in the country. From 1820 (when Congress wanted “foreigners not naturalized” to be counted) through 1950, the census almost always included a citizenship question, and in 2018 Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross decided that the 2020 “short-form” questionnaire, the one that goes to every household, should include one. Ross has testified that he was “responding solely” to a Justice Department request for the question to provide data helpful to enforcement of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965. Opinion A U.S. district judge called this Ross rationale “pretextual” because Ross was justifying a decision “already made for other reasons.” This was a polite but still stinging way of saying Ross lied, which he almost certainly did: Justice officials initially rejected Commerce’s request that it ask for a citizenship question, and said such data was unnecessary for VRA enforcement. The district judge said Commerce sought the Justice letter to “launder” the request for the citizenship question “through another agency,” this being just one of “a veritable smorgasbord” of rules violations by Ross and his aides. Ross also testified that he was “not aware” of any discussions of the citizenship questions between Commerce and the White House. But after 18 states, 15 municipalities and various immigration advocacy groups sued, he acknowledged meeting early in 2017 with then-presidential senior counselor Stephen K. Bannon, an anti-immigration zealot. The district judge also said Ross “materially mischaracterized” — translation: lied about — a conversation with a polling expert in order to obfuscate the expert’s objections to the citizenship question. Because more information is preferable to less, the citizenship question might seem sensible. However, the question might result in less information, because the Census Bureau’s own experts believe that the citizenship question would cause 6.5 million people — almost 1 in 10 households includes one or more noncitizens — not to respond to the questionnaire for fear of law enforcement consequences. The 6.5 million are approximately as many people as live in Indiana. Of the estimated 24 million noncitizens (about 7 percent of the United States’ population of almost 329 million), almost 11 million are here illegally. The citizenship question is, the Trump administration insists, “a wholly unremarkable demographic question.” But why, then, was Ross so dishonest concerning its genesis? This is probably why: A substantial undercount would affect the formulas by which hundreds of billions of dollars of federal spending are dispersed, to the disadvantage of blue states and cities with large immigrant populations. Furthermore, because the 14th Amendment stipulates that seats in the House of Representatives shall be apportioned on the basis of “the whole number of persons in each state” regardless of citizenship, an undercount could cost some states, particularly blue states, congressional seats and, hence, electoral votes. The U.S. district judge was scalding about the “egregious” behavior of Ross, who “in a startling number of ways” either

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Tiger Woods is back. Told you so From 1997 to 2008, Tiger Woods dominated the world of golf, winning an extraordinarily high percentage of the tournaments he entered. Woods’ illustrious golf career included wins in 14 majors, just four short of tying Jack Nicklaus’ all-time record. Then came the revelation arry and scandal about Woods’ double life. Publicly, he was a devoted lder husband and father; privately, he was a serial cheater. He suffered a series of injuries, resulting in four back operations since 2008, and an embarrassing arrest—with an accompanying mugshot—for driving while under influence of the prescription drugs found in his car. Many gave Woods’ career up for dead. At the time, a friend of mine declared, “Tiger’s finished.” I responded, “Define ‘finished.’” Well, after not winning a major for 11 years, and not winning the Masters in 14, Woods won just the Masters. About the alleged end to Woods’ career, here’s what I wrote in 2009: Will Tiger Woods lose endorsements? Yes. How many

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“ignored, cherry-picked, or badly misconstrued” evidence, and “acted irrationally . . . in light of that evidence.” Yet the judge professed himself “unable to determine — based on the existing record, at least — what Secretary Ross’s real reasons for adding the citizenship question were.” Perhaps the judge was precluded from coming to a conclusion about Ross’s motives; the public is not. This is another case in which Trump administration behavior (following equally indefensible Obama administration behavior) is provoking plaintiffs to ask the judiciary to police the blurry boundaries of executive discretion. The Supreme Court, however, is apt to decide that Ross’s wretched behavior does not alter the fact that Congress has granted to him sufficient discretion over the census to accommodate his decision to include the citizenship question. This, in spite of reasonable surmises about his motives that his behavior seemed designed to disguise. The Washington Post

and for how long remain open questions. Has the carefully groomed image of the contented family man who “has it all” gone supernova? Absolutely. Will he lose his wife, given her public humiliation and her shattered trust in her husband? Strong possibility. But the history books are full of Act 2s. Woods is a golfer. He is neither politician nor pastor. As he struggles to deal with his apparent inner demons/self-loathing/shame/embarrassment/dishonor, he can still golf. The curiosity factor alone means stratospheric ratings for his next tournament, especially if he’s still contending on the final day. People unable to spell “golf” will tune in for his next event. As more bizarre things surface—the growing number of alleged mistresses, his mother-in-law’s hospitalization, the recklessness of his behavior—new revelations may start producing diminishing returns in shock Opinion value. People will wonder whether he’s a really rotten guy with a phony stage-managed image or a really sick guy who “needs help.” Former President Bill Clinton is the only elected president ever to be impeached. Does Clinton draw down the window shades, only to venture out under cover of night to go to the ATM? Please. He blamed the Republicans, who wanted to “overturn elections.” When Clinton first ran for President, he admitted on “60 Minutes” he’d had “problems with his marriage.” People interpreted this as an acknowledgment of previous cheating with a promise to sin no more. But he did. He lied to the country about it. He lied about it under oath. Today he strolls around the globe, an elder statesman whose opinions are sought out and somberly considered. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, in the midst of Clinton’s crisis, went to the White House to serve as a presidential “mentor.” Jackson brought his visibly pregnant mistress, and both later posed for a group photograph in the Oval Office. When Jackson’s scandal broke, he briefly closed shop. But he soon said: “The ground is no place for a champion. The ground is no place that I will wallow on.” Back in business. As to former President Richard Nixon, few have fallen from so high to so low so quickly. The only U.S. president to resign, Nixon did so just ahead of an impeachment posse, with a conviction in the Senate a near certainty. After leaving Continued on next page.

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

Independent report finds Trump’s new NAFTA would hit auto sector by Shawn Donnan, Jenny Leonard and Craig Trudell

An independent government report on President Donald Trump’s new North American trade deal estimates it will lead to higher car prices for U.S. consumers and a decline in auto sales even as it has a modest positive impact on the broader economy, undercutting one of the White House’s key sales pitches for the agreement. In its assessment of the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the International Trade Commission on Thursday found it would have a modest beneficial impact on the American economy, adding 0.35 percent, or $68 Economy billion, to U.S. gross domestic product in the sixth year after it took effect. The report, however, offered a much more skeptical view of tough new auto production rules, saying that while they would add 28,000 jobs in the auto sector they would actually lead to a fall in vehicle assembly jobs due to higher production costs that would be a drag on U.S. manufacturing more broadly. The ITC analysis points to a debate over one of the Trump administration’s main argument for USMCA as it seeks lawmakers’ approval in the months to come: That it will lead to a surge in investment and jobs in an auto sector that has become one of the main drivers of the rising trade deficit with Mexico over the past 25 years. White House Pushback In a separate analysis released Thursday, administration trade officials said the USMCA would lead to $34 billion in new auto investment in its first five years and 73,000 new jobs. Kevin Hassett, the chairman of Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers, also raised questions about the ITC’s analysis of the auto sector. The CEA’s own estimate for the broader impact of the USMCA was that it would add $100 billion annually to the U.S. economy once it was fully implemented. “If we really do get $100 billion more GDP, it is hard to imagine that auto sales will go down,” he said in an interview. “That’s a very big positive to GDP.” The ITC’s congressionally-mandated report on the likely economic impact found that the strict new auto rules in the USMCA would lead to higher prices for cars in the U.S., reduced consumer choices, the sale of 140,000 fewer vehicles and a modest decline in auto assembly jobs. The 1,500 jobs lost in vehicle production, the ITC said, would be offset by a gain of almost 30,000 jobs in parts production thanks in part to increased manufacturing of engines and transmissions in the U.S.

Tiger Woods is back. Told you so Continued from preceding page. office, he got paid for an interview with David Frost, wrote a bunch of books and gave speeches on foreign policy. He sufficiently redeemed himself, to the point that by former President George W. Bush’s second term, many Democrats thought Bush’s “crimes” worthier of impeachment than Nixon’s. As for Woods, he once had a favorable rating of nearly 85%. A recent poll still gave him a favorable rating of 60%. And Woods conceivably could even turn public opinion in his favor if he continues to excel on the golf course. “My, what an ability to focus!” etc. There are many lessons here. There is the silliness of considering celebrities, about whom we really know very little, to be our “role models.” There is the envy, sometimes, for the lives of others when very little is as it seems. Fortunate is the person who can look back on his or her life and say, “I would do it all again the same way.” My dad once said that to me. Most of us mortals have made mistakes, sometimes too many to count. Some mistakes have to do with career. Some have to do with money. Some have to do with other poor decisions and poor choices—reconsidered, of course, with the benefit of hindsight. But the ones that cause the most regret and the most pain have to do with the treatment of other people—especially those who loved and trusted us. We finally discover the value and worth of what we once had but failed to appreciate. And now it’s too late. Good luck, Mr. Woods. Copyright 2019 Laurence A. Elder Distributed By Creators.com

U.S. vehicle prices would also increase from 0.4 percent for pickup trucks to 1.6 percent for small cars. The ITC also found the increased cost of producing cars in the U.S. resulting from the USMCA may have a broader negative impact by drawing “resources away from other manufacturing sectors and the rest of the U.S. economy, driving up production costs for other sectors.” The result, ITC economists wrote, would be reduced U.S. exports, real incomes and employment in the overall economy. Rules of Origin The ITC’s findings fit arguments made by auto industry and other analysts during the USMCA negotiations as the Trump administration pushed the tougher rules of origin. The rules require 75 percent of vehicles to be produced in North America and 40 percent to be made in plants with an average wage of $16 an hour or higher. In its effort to get ahead of the ITC report, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative portrayed a surge in new investment as resulting from the USMCA, listing $15.3 billion in new investments announced in recent months by automakers. Many of those investments, however, had been decided on long before the USMCA was finalized. Volkswagen said in November, roughly two months before announcing a new electric vehicle production plant in Tennessee, that Trump’s tariff and trade war threats were making it difficult to plan investments. A spokesman for Volkswagen said that while no trade deal of this magnitude is perfect, USMCA would provide the industry with a high degree of certainty and clarity necessary to make long-term investment decisions. Toyota in March added about $3 billion to a U.S. invest-

ment plan announced in January 2017, but the initial plan was already to spend $10 billion over five years. Toyota and Mazda also announced a plan to build a joint U.S. factory in August 2017 and solidified Alabama as the location in January 2018. A Ford Motor Co. spokeswoman said the announcement included in USTR’s report had first been unveiled in 2017, though the company believed the USMCA would help created good-paying manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Auto Industry Support Part of the problem, said Kristin Dziczek, of the Center for Automotive Research, was that investments in new auto plants were often announced multiple times and hard to attribute to trade agreements such as the USMCA. “There’s a whole lot of ingredients in making an investment decision, and trade is just one of them,” she said. Mindful of the need for congressional approval for the USMCA and eager to end the uncertainty Trump has caused by threatening to end Nafta, auto industry groups sided with the administration Thursday. The American Automotive Policy Council, which represents the big three U.S. automakers, said the ITC report underestimated the longer-term investments and increased U.S. auto parts sourcing “as a result of the certainty and predictability the USMCA will deliver.” Another group, the Auto Alliance, said USMCA’s benefits would only be realized if the Trump administration removed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and did not impose further duties on autos and auto parts, as the president has threatened. ©2019 Bloomberg News Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Factories, coal mines bring income relief to some states by Tim Henderson

High-paying blue-collar jobs lifted incomes in West Virginia, New York and Illinois last year, even though the states lost residents, while farmers and government workers shared the pain of more stagnant income in Nebraska, Maryland and Washington, D.C. The new per capita income numbers show how national policies and international markets directly affect state and local pocketbooks. Deregulation in the United States and a heat wave in China boosted coal demand in West Virginia, for example, while overseas mining and farming led to more giant truck manufacturing in Illinois. At Economy the same time, U.S. tariffs hurt Nebraska soybean farmers. Nationally, per capita income rose 1.4 percent between 2017 and 2018 after inflation, about the same as the previous year’s 1.6 percent, according to a Stateline analysis of Bureau of Economic Analysis data. The most recent peak was 4 percent growth between 2014 and 2015. West Virginia had the biggest per capita income growth in the nation, with a 3 percent increase to about $40,600 after inflation. The boost in the Mountain State stemmed largely from natural gas and coal jobs, said Brian Lego, economic forecaster for the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at West Virginia University. “Coal and natural gas, and natural gas pipeline construction, all pay high wages, so that helped push up wages,” Lego said. “Health care and business services also helped, but energy and energy-related infrastructure played the largest role.” West Virginia still ranks next to last for per capita income, ahead of only Mississippi, despite the increase last year. Ashley Burke, a spokeswoman for the National Mining Association, said coal mining employment will likely show a modest increase for 2018 when the final numbers are in. Those jobs can lift income per capita because they pay, on average, $80,000 a year, Burke said. “This follows years of steep declines due in part to an extremely hostile regulatory environment,” Burke said. “This administration has done a lot to reverse those negative trends.” But coal industry analyst Joe Aldina of S&P Global Platts said while the Trump administration reduced regulations, coal’s success in West Virginia last year came from high demand overseas. Market demand had more impact than the deregulation, he said.

“The Trump administration has sought to help the coal industry in a myriad of ways, some of them quite creative, but it is market factors that have been the main drivers of the rebound,” Aldina said. Coal exports hit a five-year high last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, but a drop is predicted this year. Meanwhile, the administration’s trade war with China took a toll on Nebraska, one of the nation’s most agriculture-dependent states. Sales of soybeans and other food to China suffered, said Ernie Goss, a regional economist at Creighton University in Omaha. Low oil prices also kept a lid on profits from corn-based ethanol, he said. Nebraska ranked last in per capita income growth, with almost no change after inflation, at about $52,110. “Agricultural commodity prices are just not high enough to support solid earnings,” Goss said. “In fact, there were losses by most farmers because of low prices, which are about oversupply but also the trade disagreements.” Farm woes also translated to lower income for owners of retail stores where farmers shop and for suppliers such as seed merchants, he added. Other agricultural states eked out modest increases, despite tariff troubles, because of more diversified jobs, Goss said. Kansas, for instance, has a successful aircraft construction industry that can help it weather downturns in agriculture, he said, and the state saw a modest gain of 0.7 percent after inflation to a per capita income of about $50,200. Elsewhere, New York state saw a boom in construction jobs, fed by new office and other non-residential buildings in New York City. Washington state also had high income growth as the digital economy remained strong. New York saw a 2.5 percent gain in per capita income, and Washington 2.8 percent. Maryland and Washington, D.C., both had relatively low income growth of less than half a percent. Both had drops in government employment under the Trump administration. Manufacturing and construction both had a good year in Illinois after lagging in recent years, said Jim Muschinske, revenue manager at the state Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. “Those are some of our historically poorer-performing segments and some of our higher-paying jobs, so we had at least a temporary break from that troubling trend,” Muschinske said. That helped boost Illinois’ per capita income 2.4 percent Continued on page 21.

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

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 Beth Grube at legals@mbj.com, fax to 402-758-9315 or mail: 1324 S. 119th St. Omaha, NE 68144. 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). 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 5 p.m. 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 and a courtesy proof of the notice the first week it runs and a copy of the affidavit filed with the courts the last week.

KELLOGG & PALZER, P.C. 10828 Old Mill Road, Suite 6 Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2647 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Company is SASSE DENTAL, LLC. 2. The street address of the initial designated office is 705 Rosewood Ave, Papillion, NE 68133. 3. The registered agent is Kelsey Sasse, DDS and the Register Agent's address is 705 Rosewood Ave, Papillion, NE 68133. 4. The general nature of the Company is the practice of dentistry. 5. The Company commenced on April 3, 2019, and shall have perpetual existence. 6. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by Members, the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and such other officers as the Members shall determine. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), JAQUAIS D JOHNSON You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 12/26/2018 on Case Number CI19-495, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $703.20, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs. You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 05/26/2019 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly. CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of Duo Construction, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is Duo Construction, LLC. Registered agent and office of Javier Saenz at 8215 Wilson Drive Apt. 10, Omaha, NE 68127. Initial members: Javier Saenz and Rafael Andrade Vargas. General nature of the business is the general construction and to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute. The LLC was organized on April 2019 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 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 GBR19, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that GBR19, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 14321 Cornhusker Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68127. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jesse P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 5, 2019. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 GNUSE & GREEN LAW OFFICES, P.C., Attorneys 11311 Chicago Circle Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MOOSE TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS, L.L.C. A Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that Moose Transport Solutions, 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 16476 Vane Street, Bennington, NE 68007. 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 20, 2019, the Company commenced business on that date and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by the board of directors of the LLC’s sole member, Moose Transport, Inc. Rodney G. Gnuse, Organizer First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

DANIEL J. WATERS, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF MISSION DIRECT PRIMARY CARE, PC Notice is hereby given that a professional corporation has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the corporation is Mission Direct Primary Care, PC. The corporation is authorized to issue 1,000 shares of common stock. 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 Dr. John D. Hallgren, MD, 5112 Nicholas Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132. Dr. John D. Hallgren, MD, Incorporator First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SOWER FARMLAND MANAGERS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Sower Farmland Managers, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 1303 S. 72nd Street, Suite 209, 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 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF NEBRASKA GOLD SOFTBALL, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Nebraska Gold Softball, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 3615 S 185th ave, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. The Registered Agent of the Company is Edward Jarzobski, 3615 s 185th ave, Omaha,NE 68130 First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that ProSightful Counseling and Consulting, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on 03/18/2019. The Registered Agent and initial designated Office is Gerald C. Igboanusi, 14204 Huntington Ave, Omaha, NE 68164. The general nature of business is Mental Health Counseling. The business shall be member-managed. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 MATTHEW T. PAYNE, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Notice is hereby given of incorporation of Flying D Enterprises, Inc. under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: 1. The name of the Corporation is Flying D Enterprises, Inc. 2. The number of shares that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 10,000 shares of common stock. 3. The name of the initial registered agent is Matthew T. Payne, and the address of the initial registered office is 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. 4. The name and address of the incorporator is Matthew T. Payne, 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. 5. The general nature of the business to be transacted by the Corporation is any and all lawful business for which a corporation may be incorporated in Nebraska. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 PATRICK M. FLOOD, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF nimbleNumbers, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of nimbleNumbers, LLC. 1. The name of the limited liability company is nimbleNumbers, LLC. 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 1013 Howard Street, #2, Omaha, Nebraska 68102, and the name and street address of the registered agent for service of process is Brian Lisko, 1013 Howard Street, #2, Omaha, Nebraska 68102. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 P.O. Box 45947 Omaha, Nebraska 68145 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: EMILY MICHELLE HUGHES, 2809 N 20th St E, Omaha NE 68110, you are hereby notified that on December 26, 2018, AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL INS. Co., S.I. filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI18-26885, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $6,199.10, together with court costs, interest and attorney's fees as allowed by law. Unless you file your Answer with the Douglas County Court on or before the 3rd day of June, 2019, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly. First publication April 12, 2019, final May 3 , 2019

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Certificate of Organization of KJPC Holdco, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, has been amended as follows: the limited liability company has changed its name to S.J. Taylor Company II, LLC. The Amended Certificate of Organization was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 2, 2019. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 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 RUCK CABINET DOORS MINNESOTA, LLC The name of the Company is Ruck Cabinet Doors Minnesota, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 2445 Deer Park Blvd., Omaha, Nebraska 68105. 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 5, 2019. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 BRANDON K. DICKERSON, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF K&H DREESSEN FARMS LLC Notice is hereby given that K&H Dreessen Farms LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial designated office, and the street and mailing address of the Company’s initial agent for service of process, is 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Robert J. Likes. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 BRANDON K. DICKERSON, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MIDWEST ROCK SCHOOL, LLC Notice is hereby given that Midwest Rock School, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office and registered office of the Company is 500 Elm Street, Springfield, Nebraska 68059, and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Matthew Szymczak. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 BRANDON K. DICKERSON, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF FIVE PROPERTIES LLC Notice is hereby given that Five Properties LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial designated office, and the street and mailing address of the Company’s initial agent for service of process, is 1515 S. 218th Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Brett Clarke. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION On April 2, 2019, Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of Hope for South Sudan Development Foundation were filed to change the name of the company to Hope for Cush Christian Development Foundation. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Zen Room Omaha, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 230 S. 25th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68131. The Registered Agent of the Company is Abigail Korth 11025 Hascall St, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 RUSSELL S. DAUB, Attorney 2800 South 110th Court, Suite 1 Omaha, Nebraska 68144-4818 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION FOR MARY ZICAFOOSE TEXTILES, L.L.C. Notice is hereby given that a Company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The name of the Company is MARY ZICAFOOSE TEXTILES, L.L.C. The address of the registered office is 3323 S. 104th Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68124 and the name of the company’s initial registered agent is MARY ZICAFOOSE. The Company shall engage in any lawful business for which a Company may be formed under the Nebraska Limited Liability Company Act. The Company commenced business on April 9, 2019, and its duration shall be perpetual. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by its Members. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 • LEGAL NOTICES AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), GINA ANTISDEL You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 01/14/2019 on Case Number CI19-1454, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $197.58, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs. You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 05/26/2019 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly. CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), NATHANIEL J LOUDERBACK You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 01/01/2019 on Case Number CI19-1160, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $259.07, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs. You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 05/26/2019 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly. CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), MARLA J FERNANDEZ You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 01/01/2019 on Case Number CI19-1159, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $185.00, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs. You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 05/26/2019 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly. CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), KERRI E MCMANN You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 12/25/2018 on Case Number CI19-414, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $199.40, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs. You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 05/26/2019 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly. CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 THOMAS H. PENKE, Attorney 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Madison River Investments, 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 is Thomas H. Penke. The nature of the business to be transacted is any lawful business. The business commenced on March 15, 2019, and is perpetual. The affairs of the company are to be conducted by the President, Secretary and Treasurer. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Corporate Name: Parland, P.C. Registered Agent: Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C., a limited liability organization Registered Office: 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 Authorized Number of Shares: 10,000 Incorporator: John Parra, 5050 L Street, Omaha, NE 68117 First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Gr4ss Co, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 6117 S. 140th Ave, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The registered agent of the Company is Andrew Scarpa, 6117 S. 140th Ave, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The Company was formed on March 25, 2019. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 10305 Joseph Circle La Vista, Nebraska 68128 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BRANDENBURGH HAULING, 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 Brandenburgh Hauling, 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., 10305 Joseph Circle, La Vista, NE 68128. The designated office is located at 1025 Maple Street, Beaver Crossing, NE 68118. Russell Brandenburgh, Member First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 10305 Joseph Circle La Vista, Nebraska 68128 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF B DOUGLAS DEVELOPMENT, 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 B Douglas Development, 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., 10305 Joseph Circle, La Vista, NE 68128. The designated office is located at 10327 Chandler Road, Suite 200, Gretna, NE 68118. Bryan Boyce, Member First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

WESLEY E. HAUPTMAN, Attorney 17826 Monroe Street Omaha, Nebraska 68135 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR19-432 Estate of VERNON B. DEWILD, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on April 2, 2019, 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 David B. DeWild, whose address is 1511 Stover Lane, Spirit Lake, IA 51360, 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. 30, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before June 5, 2019 or be forever barred. CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication April 5, 2019, final April 19, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Dot Property Solutions, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska with the following registered agent and registered office: Andrew P. McCormick, 7664 Shirley Street, Omaha, NE 68124. The general nature of the business to be transacted is any or all lawful business. The business commenced on March 8, 2019, and it shall continue in perpetuity. First publication April 5, 2019, final April 19, 2019

ADAMS & SULLIVAN, P.C., Attorneys 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 1 Papillion, Nebraska 68046-2843 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION G & V CONSTRUCTION, INC. Notice is hereby given that G & V Construction, Inc. has been incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska on March 27, 2019 when Articles were filed with the Secretary of State. The corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 shares. Patrick J. Sullivan, Incorporator, 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 1, Papillion, NE 68046 Registered Office: 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 1, Papillion, NE 68046 Registered Agent: Adams & Sullivan, P.C., L.L.O. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), THODORE L SCHMITZ & CHRISTINA L SCHMITZ You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 01/01/2019 on Case Number CI19-1161, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $425.00, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs. You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly. CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 5, 2019, final April 19, 2019

SMITH SLUSKY POHREN & ROGERS LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF EMC INVESTMENTS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on March 20, 2019, EMC Investments, LLC was organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, with a designated office at 12511 Deer Creek Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68142. The Company’s initial agent for service of process is Danielle M. Dring, 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

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 ARBOR CARE CENTERS VALHAVEN, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Arbor Care Centers – Valhaven, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Kenneth W. Klaasmeyer, 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The limited liability company commenced business on April 4, 2019. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019

BREASCH FINANCE & TAX CONSULTING INC. 4879 S 132nd Avenue Omaha, NE 68137 CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF CODY LEDGER RACING LLC A NEBRASKA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 1. The name of the limited liability company is CODY LEDGER RACING LLC 2. The period of duration for CODY LEDGER RACING LLC is perpetual. 3. CODY LEDGER RACING LLC is organized for the purpose of conducting any and all business as permitted by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. 4. The address of the initial designated office for CODY LEDGER RACING LLC in Nebraska is 4422 N 154th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. 5. The name and address of the registered agent for CODY LEDGER RACING LLC in Nebraska is Cody Ledger, 4422 N 154th Street, Omaha NE 68116. 6. Additional provisions, not inconsistent with the law, for the regulation of the internal affairs of the limited liability company shall be provided for in the Operating Agreement. 7. Cody Ledger and Tracey Ledger, organizer(s) of CODY LEDGER RACING LLC has signed the Foregoing Certificate of Organization effective this 26th day of March, 2019. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: ADRIAN RUELAS You are hereby notified that on 11/23/18, the Plaintiff Credit Management Services, Inc., filed a Complaint in the COUNTY Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska, against you shown as Case Number CI18 24467. The object and prayer of which is a judgment in the amount of 1,152.44, plus court costs, pre-judgment interest and attorney fees, if applicable. The Complaint prays that judgment be entered against you. You are hereby notified that you must answer the Complaint on or before 06/02/19 at the COUNTY court of DOUGLAS County, OMAHA Nebraska. DANA KAY FRIES #22411 P.O. Box 1512 Grand Island, NE 68802 (308)398-3801 Attorney for Plaintiff First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

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 LIND ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Lind Assets Management, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 5117 Parker Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68104. 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 March 13, 2019. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 DANIEL J. WATERS, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF JOEKOBOJI ENTERPRISES, 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 Joekoboji Enterprises, LLC. 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 to be transacted is all lawful business. The company commenced existence on March 20, 2019 and shall have 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 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that SonLit Investments, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska with the following registered agent and registered office: Jill Michalski, 17428 Woolworth Avenue, Omaha, NE 68130. The general nature of the business to be transacted is any or all lawful business. The business commenced on April 5, 2019, and it shall continue in perpetuity. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

LEGAL NOTICES WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that The Ashlar Group, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 7617 Maywood Street, Ralston, Nebraska 68127. The registered agent of the Company is Thomas E. Whitmore, 7602 Pacific Street, Ste. 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Company was formed on April 4, 2019. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that WH Foods, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 10000California Street, #2801, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The registered agent of the Company is Wei Dong, 9763 Q Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68127. The Company was formed on April 4, 2019. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 204TH STREET CAR WASH, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that 204th Street Car Wash, 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, 1404S, Omaha, Nebraska 68102. The Registered Agent of the Company is Christopher Erickson, 222 S. 15th Street, 1404S, Omaha, Nebraska 68102. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GUTTER DEFENDER OF THE MIDWEST, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Gutter Defender of the Midwest, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 11659 Capitol Avenue, 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 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION On March 26, 2019, Aksamit Family Foundation, a Nebraska nonprofit corporation (“Corporation”) filed Articles of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State. The terms of the dissolution provide for the payment of all liabilities of the Corporation and the distribution of all remaining assets for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Gary Aksamit as sole Director is to wind up and liquidate the corporate affairs and distribute its assets. The Corporation has no assets or liabilities. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 BRANDON K. DICKERSON, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GW ENVY LLC Notice is hereby given that GW Envy LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office and registered office of the Company is 710 Parkwood Lane, Omaha, Nebraska 68132, and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Jason McDermott. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 ROBERT J. LIKES, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR19-454 Estate of Christa M. Tracy, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on April 4, 2019, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, Kathryn J. Tracy, 1154 South 95th Street, Omaha, NE 68124, 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. 30, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before (two months after first publication date) September 15, 2016 or be forever barred. CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019

RUSSELL J. KREIKEMEIER, Attorney KREIKEMEIER LAW OFFICES 126 East Grove Street West Point, Nebraska 68788 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Notice is hereby given of the incorporation of N. Barth Distributing, Inc. with its registered office address at 126 East Grove Street, West Point, Nebraska 68788. The general nature of its business is to erect, construct, establish, purchase, lease and otherwise acquire, and to hold and use such equipment and facilities, supplies and goods for the distribution of snack or other food items and to own, conduct, operate and maintain and to carry on the business of distributing snack items, foods and beverages of all kinds related thereto, and all related matters, and including the sales and promotions thereof, and to engage in all lawful acts or activities for which corporations may be organized under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The authorized capital stock of the Corporation is $10,000.00 and such stock shall be issued at such time and under such conditions as the Board of Directors may determine. The Corporation commenced doing business on the 1st day of April, 2019 and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Corporation shall be conducted by a board of directors, and such officers as may be provided in the bylaws of the Corporation. Russell J. Kreikemeier First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 KELLOGG & PALZER, P.C. 10828 Old Mill Road, Suite 6 Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2647 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Company is LRP ELEVATOR, LLC. 2. The street address of the initial designated office is 4089 S. 84th St., Suite 114, Omaha, NE 68127. The registered agent is Jeffrey T. Palzer and the Register Agent's address is 10828 Old Mill Road, Suite 6, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. 3. The general nature of the Company is elevator repair and maintenance. 4. The Company commenced on April 8, 2019, and shall have perpetual existence. 5. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by Members, the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and such other officers as the Members shall determine. First publication April 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GROWEST GENETICS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that GroWest Genetics, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”) with its designated office located at 3961 South 194th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, 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 12, 2019, final April 26, 2019 BRANDON K. DICKERSON, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SNOWVENTURES LLC Notice is hereby given that SnowVentures LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office and registered office of the Company is 3624 Paddock Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Nikki Snow. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 BRANDON K. DICKERSON, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SPLASH LAB LLC Notice is hereby given that Splash Lab LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office and registered office of the Company is 3624 Paddock Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Nikki Snow. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF CONVERSION OF VITAL HEALTHCARE STAFFING, LLC INTO VITAL HEALTHCARE STAFFING, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Vital Healthcare Staffing, LLC has been converted into Vital Healthcare Staffing, Inc. under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 shares having a par value of $1.00 each. The designated office of the corporation is 15475 Ruggles Street, Suite 113, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The registered agent and office of the corporation is Kyle Pitschka, 15475 Ruggles Street, Suite 113, Omaha, Nebraska 681116. The Articles of Conversion and Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 1, 2019. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

KELLOGG & PALZER, P.C. 10828 Old Mill Road, Suite 6 Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2647 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Company is FLOWERS CONCRETE AND SNOW REMOVAL, LLC. 2. The street address of the initial designated office is 2802 S. 40th St., Omaha, Nebraska, 68105. The registered agent is Julia K. Palzer, and the Registered Agent's address is 10828 Od Mill Road, Suite 6, Omaha, NE 68154. 3. The general nature of the Company is finish concrete and snow removal. 4. The Company commenced on April 9, 2019, and shall have perpetual existence. 5. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by Members, the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and such other officers as the Members shall determine. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 N O T I C E O F A M E N D M E N T T O T H E A RT I C L E S O F INCORPORATION OF DEFY NEBRASKA, INC. Notice if hereby given that the Articles of Incorporation of Defy Nebraska, Inc. have been amended to change the name of the entity to: RISE Academy. The Articles of Amendment were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 9, 2019. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 SHANNON G. MCCOY, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF HUSKER DEMO, 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 Husker Demo, LLC. The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc., 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, NE 68114. The general nature of the business to be transacted is all lawful business. The company commenced existence on April 8, 2019 and shall have 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 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF VECTOR AVIATION, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Vector Aviation, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 7712 South 101st Street, LaVista, Nebraska 68128 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 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF WCV LOT 1, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that WCV Lot 1, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. The Registered Agent of the Company is Andrew A. Snyder, 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that ESBER HUITRON ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The registered agent of ESBER HUITRON ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION, LLC and office is Esber Huitron, 3315 Parker St Omaha, NE 68111. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 BARRY S. GROSSMAN, Attorney 1905 Harney St., Suite 600 Omaha, Nebraska 68102 LEGAL NOTICE In the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska TO: Manuel Diaz-Arroyo, whose whereabouts are unknown and upon whom personal service of summons cannot be had, defendant in said proceedings. You are notified that on the 3rd day of January, 2019, Mirian Diaz, as Plaintiff, filed her complaint against you in the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, Case No. CI 19-56, object and prayer of which complaint is to obtain a dissolution of your marriage on the grounds that the marriage is irretrievably broken, designation of property, and restoration of former name. You are required to answer the said complaint on or before May 27, 2019 or said petition against you will be taken as true. MIRIAN DIAZ, Plaintiff First publication April 5, 2019, final April 26, 2019

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 • LEGAL NOTICES GROSS & WELCH, P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 2120 South 72 Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT OF NATURE HILLS NURSERY HOLDINGS, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Nature Hills Nursery, Inc., a Nebraska Corporation, has filed Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation changing the name of the corporation to Nature Hills Nursery Holdings, Inc. on April 10, 2019. Its designated office remains 707 South 152nd Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. Its registered agent for service of process is Jeffrey Dinslage, with an address at 707 South 152nd Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. Ronald L. Eggers, Organizer 1500 Omaha Tower, 2120 South 72nd Street, Omaha, NE 68124 First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BLUE DOOR SALON AND SPA, INC. Notice is hereby given that Blue Door Salon and Spa, Inc. a Nebraska corporation, has been organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska. The Company’s initial designated office is located at 225 Oakmont Drive, Papillion, NE, 68133. The name and street mailing address of the initial agent for service of process is Michele Kauzlarich at 225 Oakmont Drive, Papillion, NE 68133. The general nature of its business is to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business, other than banking or insurance, for which a corporation may be organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska. The Articles of Incorporation were filed in the office of the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 12, 2019. Company commenced business thereon, and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by its officers. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 MYRON J. KAPLAN, Attorney McGILL, GOTSDINER, WORKMAN & LEPP, P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 11404 West Dodge Road, Suite 500, First National Plaza Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2584 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF FLAVOR-CRISP, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Flavor-Crisp, Inc., a Nebraska corporation, has filed an Amendment to its Articles of Incorporation effective as of April 11, 2019, revoking the provision of the Articles of Incorporation establishing the name of the Corporation and substituting the following provision in its place: The name of the Corporation is Magnolia Spices, Inc. Brad French, President First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Trisha Anderson, P.C., with its registered office at 10824 Old Mill Road, Ste. 21, Omaha, Nebraska 68154, and its principal place of business at 10824 Old Mill Road, Ste. 21, Omaha, Nebraska 68154, was formed on April 9, 2019, for the purpose of providing mental health counseling. The corporation has authorized capital stock of $10,000.00. The affairs of the corporation, which shall have perpetual existence, shall be conducted by a Board of Directors and such officers as it shall appoint. Trisha Anderson, LICSW, Incorporator First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF THE ATHLETIC CLUBS BY TRUFIT INVESTMENTS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that The Athletic Clubs by TruFit Investments, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 9500 West Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF THE ATHLETIC CLUBS BY TRUFIT, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that The Athletic Clubs by TruFit, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 9500 West Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Notice is hereby given that Bhutanese Nepali New Life Church of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, a Nebraska Non-Profit Religious Corporation, has been organized under the Laws of the State of Nebraska on April 8, 2019. The registered agent and office: Phurba Tamang, 8501 Read St., Omaha, NE 68122, is also the sole incorporator of the corporation. The corporation will have members. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: TEQUILLA RUPERT You are hereby notified that on 11/15/18, the Plaintiff Credit Management Services, Inc., filed a Complaint in the COUNTY Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska, against you shown as Case Number CI18 23804. The object and prayer of which is a judgment in the amount of 890.00, plus court costs, pre-judgment interest and attorney fees, if applicable. The Complaint prays that judgment be entered against you. You are hereby notified that you must answer the Complaint on or before 06/09/19 at the COUNTY court of DOUGLAS County, OMAHA Nebraska. Megan L. Bischoff #25206 P.O. Box 1512 Grand Island, NE 68802 (308)398-3801 Attorney for Plaintiff First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 ROBERT J. KMIECIK, Attorney STINSON LEONARD STREET LLP 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68102-1818 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Milan Laser Knoxville, LLC Notice is hereby given that a Nebraska limited liability company named Milan Laser Knoxville, LLC (the “Company”) was formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the Company is 17645 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Abe Schumacher. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 ROBERT J. KMIECIK, Attorney STINSON LEONARD STREET LLP 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68102-1818 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Milan Laser Kingsport, LLC Notice is hereby given that a Nebraska limited liability company named Milan Laser Kingsport, LLC (the “Company”) was formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the Company is 17645 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Abe Schumacher. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 ROBERT J. KMIECIK, Attorney STINSON LEONARD STREET LLP 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68102-1818 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Milan Laser Memphis, LLC Notice is hereby given that a Nebraska limited liability company named Milan Laser Memphis, LLC (the “Company”) was formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the Company is 17645 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Abe Schumacher. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 P.O. Box 45947 Omaha, Nebraska 68145 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: DEXTER LEVERING, 2708 Iowa St, Omaha NE 68112, you are hereby notified that on March 27, 2019, AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL INS. Co., S.I. filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI19-6932, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $8,897.60, together with court costs, interest and attorney's fees as allowed by law. Unless you file your Answer with the Douglas County Court on or before the 17th day of June, 2019, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 17, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN Flex Mida Trucking Inc. a Nebraska corporation has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its registered office at 5648 S 49th St. Omaha, NE 68117 and its Registered Agent being Ignacio Hernandez Barrera. The general nature of its business is to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business, other than banking or insurance, for which a corporation may be organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska. The company was organized and commenced on April 03, 2019, and its duration is perpetual. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by Ignacio Hernandez Barrera CEO. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 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 EMBER PROPERTY GROUP, LLC The name of the Company is Ember Property Group, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. 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 17, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 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 LONE TREE ANIMAL CARE CENTER, LLC The name of the Company is Lone Tree Animal Care Center, LLC. The Company has been organized to conduct the practice of veterinary medicine, all in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The Designated Office of the Company is: 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. 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 22, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

ROBERT J. KMIECIK, Attorney STINSON LEONARD STREET LLP 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68102-1818 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Milan Laser Chattanooga, LLC Notice is hereby given that a Nebraska limited liability company named Milan Laser Chattanooga, LLC (the “Company”) was formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the Company is 17645 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Abe Schumacher. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

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 ARBOR CARE CENTERS FRANKLIN, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Arbor Care Centers – Franklin, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Kenneth W. Klaasmeyer, 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The limited liability company commenced business on April 17, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

ROBERT J. KMIECIK, Attorney STINSON LEONARD STREET LLP 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68102-1818 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Milan Laser Nashville Franklin, LLC Notice is hereby given that a Nebraska limited liability company named Milan Laser Nashville Franklin, LLC (the “Company”) was formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the Company is 17645 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Abe Schumacher. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

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 ARBOR CARE CENTERS NELIGH, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Arbor Care Centers – Neligh, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Kenneth W. Klaasmeyer, 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The limited liability company commenced business on April 17, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

ROBERT J. KMIECIK, Attorney STINSON LEONARD STREET LLP 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68102-1818 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Milan Laser Nashville Henderson, LLC Notice is hereby given that a Nebraska limited liability company named Milan Laser Nashville Henderson, LLC (the “Company”) was formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the Company is 17645 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Abe Schumacher. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

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 ARBOR CARE CENTERS FULLERTON, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Arbor Care Centers – Fullerton, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Kenneth W. Klaasmeyer, 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The limited liability company commenced business on April 17, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

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 DISSOLUTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Copperfield Support Services, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, filed its Statement of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 19, 2019, 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. Brent J. Rising, D.D.S. 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 14406 Harrison Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68138. 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 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Her’s, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The address of the Company’s designated office is 6915 Oak Plaza, Apt 522, Omaha, NE 68106, and the name of the registered agent at such address is Danielle Collier. The general nature of the business is any legal and lawful activity allowed pursuant to the Nebraska Limited Liability Company Act and the laws of the State of Nebraska and elsewhere. The Company commenced business on 4/18/2019 and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be managed by its members. Danielle Collier, Member First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF ART SPACE, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that ART SPACE, INC., is incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a registered office at 220 South 31st Avenue, Apt. 3313, Omaha, Nebraska 68131. The registered agent is SARAH R. ZITO. The general nature of the business is to operate a general hair salon 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 hair salon 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 February 25, 2019, 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 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT OF CHRISTENSEN LUMBER, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Articles of Restatement of Articles of Incorporation of Christensen Lumber, Inc., a Nebraska corporation, have been amended to eliminate the preemptive rights of the shareholders. The Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Restatement of Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 22, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 ADAMS & SULLIVAN, P.C., Attorneys 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 1 Papillion, Nebraska 68046-2843 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PHIPPS RE, LLC The name of the limited liability company is Phipps RE, LLC. The address of the designated office in Nebraska is: 4794 S. 167th Street, Omaha, NE 68135. It is organized to transact any lawful business. Perpetual existence commenced February 27, 2019. The affairs of the limited liability company are to be conducted by the manager, Michael B. Phipps. DATED this 22nd day of April 2019. Agent for Service: Patrick J. Sullivan, 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 1, Papillion, NE 68046 First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT OF REDWOOD INVESTMENTS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Certificate of Organization of Redwood Investments, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, has been amended as follows: the limited liability company has changed its name to Clayton and Jake, LLC. The Amended Certificate of Organization was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 22, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 ALLAN M. ZIEBARTH, Attorney 1702 South 10 Street, Suite 2 Omaha, Nebraska 68108 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Name: MIDWEST HEMP FORUM Type: A nonprofit membership public benefit corporation Registered Office: 1702 S. 10 St., Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68108 Registered Agent: Allan M. Ziebarth Authorized Shares: 10,000 shares of $1.00 par value common stock Incorporator: Allan M. Ziebarth, 1702 S. 10 St., Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68108 First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

DONALD HOSFORD, Attorney 1910 South 72nd Street, Suite 207 Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1734 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR19-524 Estate of VICTOR A. HANSEN, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on April 16th, 2019, 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 Curtis Dale Hansen, whose address is 11727 S. 109th St, Papillion, Nebraska 68046, 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. 30, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before (two months after first publication date) November 19, 2016 or be forever barred. KELLY J. GOLDEN Clerk of the County Court First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 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 OZ VISION III, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION III, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. 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 18, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 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 OZ VISION IV, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION IV, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. 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 18, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 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 OZ VISION V, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION V, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. 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 18, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 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 OZ VISION VI, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION VI, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. 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 18, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

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 OZ VISION I, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION I, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. 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 18, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

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 OZ VISION VII, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION VII, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. 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 18, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

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 OZ VISION II, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION II, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. 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 18, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

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 OZ VISION VIII, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION VIII, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. 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 18, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 • 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 ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION IX, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION IX, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. 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 18, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 NOTICE PARTIAL 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 Partial Termination of Notice of Commencement on the 26th day of April, 2019, containing the following information: Contracting owner: Lifegate Church, a Nebraska non-profit corporation also known as Lifegate Church, a Nebraska corporation, formerly known as Trinity Church Interdenominational and formerly known as Word of Life of Omaha, Inc. Real Estate: Lot Two (2), Wycliffe Replat 5, an addition to the City of Omaha, in Douglas County, Nebraska. Contracting owner's interest in the subject real estate: Fee Simple Title holder (if different from contracting owner): N/A The notice of commencement was recorded on June 7, 2018, as instrument number 2018043660 and is terminated as of May 28, 2019. This termination applies only to the following described real estate: Lot Two (2), Wycliffe Replat 5, an addition to the City of Omaha, 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 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION J&J Chu, Inc., whose registered agent is Max Lau and registered office is 10685 Bedford Ave, #120, Omaha, Nebraska 68134, was formed on April 16, 2019 to engage in any lawful business. The corporation has authorized 10,000 shares of capital stock. Thomas E. Whitmore, Incorporator First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 SMITH SLUSKY POHREN & ROGERS LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on March 9, 2019, EB Properties, LLC was organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, with a designated office in Omaha, Nebraska. The Company’s initial agent for service of process is Danielle M. Dring, 8712 West Dodge Road, #400, Omaha, NE 68114. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PS 71, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that PS 71, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. The Registered Agent of the Company is Andrew A. Snyder, 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), MEGAN N STEVENSON You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 01/31/2019 on Case Number CI19-3409, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $205.70, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs. You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 06/10/20190or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly. CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that GREVentures, L.L.C. (the“Company”)has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 15650 W. Maple Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The registered agent of the Company is Julie Brooks, 2328 N. 177th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The Company was formed on April 23, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Necy's Hair Studio Name of Applicant: Chanice Whitcomb Address: 7810 Dodge St. #B Suite 11 Omaha Nebraska 68114 Applicant is an Individual If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Date of first use of name in Nebraska: March 4th 2019 General nature of business: Personal Care/Beauty Salon Chanice Whitcomb Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative April 26, 2019 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 OZ VISION X, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION X, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. 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 18, 2019. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 SHANNON G. MCCOY, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Mia K's Meetings and Events Name of Applicant: Mia Kay Company, LLC Address: 10921 Arlington Plaza #1736 Omaha, NE 68164 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: Februray 2019 General nature of business: all lawful business SHANNON G. MCCOY, Attorney Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative April 26, 2019

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF SMART FREIGHT FUNDING, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Certificate of Organization of Smart Freight Funding, LLC has been amended and restated. The designated office of the limited liability company is 3803 North 153rd Street, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company remains at the Law Office of Barbara Medbery-Prchal, P.C., L.L.O., 10305 Joseph Circle, LaVista, Nebraska 68128. The Amended and Restated Certificate of Organization was filed on April 12, 2019. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), LINDSAY J CARLSEN & DARRELL L CARLSEN You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 01/31/2019 on Case Number CI19-3406, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $183.54, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs. You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 06/17/2019 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly. CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION AND AMENDMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that LSA Properties Management, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), was organized on February 3, 2017 under the laws of the State of Nebraska, having its designated office at 11718 Nicholas Street, 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. On February 7, 2019, the Company filed an amendment to its Certificate of Organization changing its name to J & J Challenger, LLC. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), HEATHER N SUTHERLAND You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 02/04/2019 on Case Number CI19-3225, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $294.00, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs. You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 06/17/2019 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly. CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

Factories, coal mines bring relief Continued from page 15. after inflation, to $56,933, the fourth-highest increase after West Virginia, Washington and New York. Illinois also surpassed Colorado and Minnesota to rank 13th among the states. In the Peoria area of central Illinois, factories are hiring and looking for more skilled workers for large machines made by Caterpillar and Komatsu as well as by John Deere in nearby Moline, said Chris Setti, CEO of the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council. Caterpillar told investors last year its mining, oil and gas machinery was in such demand abroad that it had a six-month backlog of orders. Analysts likewise say mining machinery, such as that made by Komatsu and Caterpillar, is in demand worldwide, especially in fast-urbanizing countries like India and China. “All of these companies came roaring back as the economy improved, and last year they were paying a lot of overtime to meet demand,” Setti said. “That really gives a lift to household incomes.” In early 2018, Peoria County had the highest wage growth in the nation, mostly because of machinery manufacturers. The boom extended to suppliers such as Morton Industries just southeast of Peoria, which started an in-house training program to develop more welders among its 650 workers to make metal tubes required for big machines like mining trucks. “Here in Central Illinois and around the country, everybody is trying to recruit skilled workers. In this company, we want to grow our own,” said Steve Stewart, director of organizational development at Morton Industries. Illinois had about 592,000 manufacturing employees and 241,000 construction employees in the third quarter of 2018, according to the latest figures available from the federal Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Like West Virginia, New York and other states, Illinois has lost population as residents age and young people move west to booming tech and energy economies. But some Rust Belt cities can grow income with manufacturing just the same. A loss of people can inflate per capita income when good jobs come back, but states are hoping some former residents will be attracted back by the prospect of better jobs. “We have lost a lot of people, and some of those people left in search of work in the long, slow decline of manufacturing,” said Setti, the Peoria CEO. “We’re hoping some of them will come back.” ©2019 Stateline.org Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

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COUNCIL BLUFFS GROWTH REPORT

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LOCALLY GROWN To advertise your company’s products or services in one of our upcoming sections, contact one of our MBJ advertising representatives at (402) 330-1760 or at the email addresses below. Julie Whitehead - Julie@mbj.com • Catie Kirby - ads@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…

CoStar Group recognized eight brokers and four firms in the Omaha/Council Bluffs market with the 2019 Power Broker Awards. Those recognized include: Top Leasing Firms: CBRE|MEGA and Investors Realty, Inc.; Top Sales Firms: Colliers International and Investors Realty, Inc.; Top Office Leasing Brokers: JP Raynor, Investors Realty, Inc., and Steve Sheppard, CBRE | MEGA; Top Retail Leasing Brokers: Boh Kurylo, The Lerner Company, and Holly Jones, Cushman & Wakefield/ The Lund Company; Top Industrial Leasing Brokers: David H. Maenner, CBRE | MEGA, and Denny Sciscoe, Cushman & Wakefield/ The Lund Company; Top Sales Brokers: Allan M. Murow, N & M Brokerage Services, and R.J. Neary, Investors Realty, Inc. The Nebraska Recycling Council and Nebraska members of the U.S. Composting Council have formed a Nebraska Chapter of the USCC under the umbrella of the Nebraska Recycling Council. Initial steering committee members are Andy Harpenau, Jessica Placek, Ben Rice, Erik Weiss and Gene Hanlon. The committee will focus on promotion of organics waste diversion from landfills, on educating regulators, local officials and the public about the importance of compost and the compost industry to Nebraska’s environment and economy, and on advocating for the industry and the compost market in the state. Nebraska Business Development Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha announced the 2018 Business Honors Recipients: Champion of Small Business — Landen Chiropractic, P.C., Chadron, Nebraska; Sustainability Business of the Year — Tyson Foods Bacon Plant, Omaha; Export Business of the Year — Brehmer Manufacturing, Lyons, Nebraska; Government Contractor of the Year — McDaniel Farms, Inc., Sargent, Nebraska; Manufacturing Business of the Year — Airlite Plastics, Omaha; Innovation Business of the Year — Innovative Prosthetics and Orthotics, Hastings, Nebraska; and Employee Development Business of the Year — Hillcrest Health Services, Bellevue. The Cornhusker Bank Omaha advisory board has been established to assist the bank in its marketing and community development activities within the Greater Omaha area. This group is working alongside Allen Chaffee, Omaha market president, to identify Omaha market trends and opportunities. The board meets on a quarterly basis. The board includes: Alex Epstein, OMNE Partners; David Shiffermiller, Cornhusker Bank; Frank Mihulka, Woods and Aitken, LLP; Allen Chaffee, Cornhusker Bank; Dr. Matthew Klemke, View Pointe Vision; Matthew DeBoer, HDR; Chris Tointon, YMCA of Greater Omaha; James Prchal, Prchal Petersen Group, LLC; John Dittman, Cornhusker Bank; and Barry Lockard, Cornhusker Bank. A new program funded by the Omaha Mayor’s Office and the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation — Strengthening Families Program 10-14 — recently started. It brings together Omaha families once a week for seven weeks. The idea is for parents and youth to learn and build parenting and life skills. Another program aimed to be up and running in the next year is a hospital-based violence intervention program for patients admitted with a violent injury. With this program, victims of violence would be linked to community-based programs in conjunction with outpatient case management. West Corporation’s enterprise customers using West’s Studio can now select from a range

of content delivery network partners for secure and reliable high-quality streaming. Along with Studio’s native Amplify eCDN (Enterprise Content Delivery Networks) offering, customers may choose from Hive, Kollective, or Ramp eCDN solutions to best fit within their technology ecosystem. ECDNs alleviate the stress on a company’s bandwidth by supporting the network within the firewall, while offering the same secure benefits paired with the best viewing experience. V2verify has added Grant Gregory to the board of directors. Gregory currently serves as the chairman of Gregory & Hoenemeyer, Inc. and is a founder of DoubleClick, Inc. He retired as chairman of the board after completing 24 years with Touche Ross & Co. His board roles have included such companies as Chrysler Corporation, MCI, Renaissance Hotels Inc., and RMG Acquisitions Corp. Gregory joins Alexi Wellman and De Rozairo on the board of directors. Bob Chalupa, senior vice president of NorthMarq’s Omaha-based regional office, arranged the $5.2 million acquisition of a 61,120-square-foot office property located at 10802 Farnam Dr. in Omaha. The transaction was structured with a 10-year term with the first year being interest-only, followed by a 22-year amortization schedule. NorthMarq arranged financing for the borrower through its correspondent relationship with a life insurance company. The loan closed in 45 days for an acquisition and tenant improvements for a single tenant five months prior to occupancy. BerganKDV was ranked in the top 100 firms based on revenue by the national news publication Accounting Today. The firm rose in the ranks to No. 80 with $55.73 million in revenue, a 6.99% change from 2017. The firm was again listed as a regional leader, ranked as fifth largest in the Midwest region, which encompasses Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. As noted by Accounting Today, both revenues and the average growth rate were up for the Midwest region as a whole. Hearst Television has been awarded its 10th consecutive USC Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism in the Station Group category. The award recognizes the work of KETV NewsWatch 7 and the other Hearst Television stations around the country in covering the 2018 campaign and election season. Wilson & Company, Inc. Engineers & Architects has selected Kelly Ortgies, PE, as a shareholder in the firm. Ortgies, PE, has a background in mechanical engineering with 26 years of experience in the railroad industry. He is the fueling facility manager with the Facility Engineering Division and works extensively with the Class I railroads including the BNSF and UPRR. He has extensive experience performing project and construction management on numerous railroad projects. E&A has added Mitch Cap to the Omaha office. Cap joined the Construction Administration Services team as a technician. His past experience includes working for other local civil engineering firms, a local contractor and the Iowa DOT. He received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. LTi Technology Solutions, formerly LeaseTeam, Inc., is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Co-founders Randy Haug and Russ Hallberg set out in 1989 with a vision to give small to midContinued on next page.

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

REGIONAL LANDSCAPES Continued from preceding page. size leasing companies an innovative software solution to help them manage and grow their businesses. LTi now serves 36% of the Monitor 100. With the release of ASPIRE, LTi offers a comprehensive end-to-end lease and loan management software solution on a single, flexible platform. LTi’s ASPIRE platform hosts 76 live customers. LTi Technology Solutions invites customers to help them celebrate from June 10-12 for its Annual Users Conference.

Education notes…

The University of Nebraska Medical Center awarded the following Impact in Education Awards: The Varner Education Laureates - James O’Dell, M.D. and Paul Paulman, M.D.; Innovative Practices in Education Award - Danish Bhatti, M.D.; Inspirational Mentor of Educators Award - Shannon Boerner, M.D.; Interprofessional Education Scholar Award - Elizabeth Beam, Ph.D.; Research in Education Scholar Award - Kendra Schmid, Ph.D.; Valor in Educational Service Award - James Newland, M.D.; and Visionary Leadership in Education Award- Karen Gould, Ph.D. Boys Town has created a trades program, allowing high school youth to gain valuable, tangible work experience. The Trade Program gives Boys Town graduates who enter trade/ skilled-labor jobs, or continue their education and training, additional support from Boys Town. These young adults build trusting relationships with trained Trade Life mentors. The Culinary Arts Program includes instructions to recipe and menu planning, cooking of foods, kitchen management, and aesthetics of food presentation. University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds announced the 2019 President’s Excellence Awards. The winners are: Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award — Lloyd Bell, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and William Mahoney, University of Nebraska at Omaha; Outstanding Research and Creative MEETINGS AND SEMINARS Wednesday, May 1 The Human Resource Association of the Midlands will facilitate a panel discussion about performance reviews at the May Government Affairs session. Local HR professional Linda Mack will moderate a panel including: Patty North, general manager, Celebrity Staffing; Mike Bojanski, vice president of human resources, Finley Engineering; Lynn Owen, HR business partner, CQuence Health; and Pat Flood, attorney, Pansing, Hogan, Ernst & Bachman. The panel will discuss the effectiveness of rating scales, evaluating compensation, proper documentation, and considerations to avoid legal issues related to the review process. The event is from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Security National Bank, 1120 South 101st St. Lindsay Corporation, Farmers National Company and Gavilon will jointly host the first Food and Ag at the Intersection Symposium, a two-day event that will focus on analyzing the consumer trends disrupting the food production industry, and dialogue around how producers and industry organizations are responding to the changes these trends are driving. The event will take place at the Omaha Marriott Downtown, Capitol District, and will open with a welcome reception on the evening of May 1. Thursday, May 2 activities kick off at 8 a.m. with a keynote address titled “Consumer Trends Affecting the Future of Food and Farming.” Following will be three expert panels. Registration costs $225.

Activity Award — Kwame Dawes, UNL, and Evgeny Tsymbal, UNL; Innovation, Development and Engagement Award — Mario Scalora, UNL. Mercy High School students raised $18,093.36 during Mission Week, a weeklong effort to support educational efforts in developing countries. This year funds will provide basic necessities for misplaced Syrian refuges living in camps in Lebanon. Sponsored by the Student Council, activities included a class penny war, glow dance, dodge ball tournament, and a pizza luncheon complete with booths and T-shirt sales, raffle tickets and an auction of lunches provided by the teachers and staff. Students also wrote postcards and made friendship bracelets for refugees. Nebraska students competed for 20th year in the annual Letters About Literature competition. They wrote to tell an author about how books can make a difference in a young person’s life. Winners received award certificates from Gov. Pete Ricketts. Young Nebraska writers to be honored are: Payton Boyer, Alliance, for a letter to M. Ruben; Ruby Cunningham, Omaha, for a letter to Ishmael Beah; and Gage Boardman, Valley, writing to Becky Albertalli. Alternate winners: Maren Steinke, Lincoln, for a letter to Paul Griffin; Makenna Miller, Elkhorn, for a letter to J.D. Salinger; and Kelsee Moffat, Oshkosh, writing to Nicholas Sparks. Creighton University’s Heider College of Business was among 21 business school collaborations recognized as highlights of the AACSB International 2019 Innovations That Inspire challenge. The Heider College of Business was recognized for the BlueBox, a product designed by Charlie Braymen, Dustin Ormond, Steve Maaske, and Josh Nichols. The BlueBox is a one-stop charging station and a wireless hotspot through which educational materials can be accessed on mobile devices and tablets. The device has the potential to revolutionize education and the general dissemination of knowledge in parts of the world where textbooks are not always accessible and the internet is not always reliable. After receiving provisional accreditation from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education, Creighton University’s new Physician Assistant Program in the School of Medicine will welcome its inaugural class of 24 students in August 2019. Graduates of the program, which is only the fifth such program offered at Jesuit institutions in the United States, will receive Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree in just over two years. A PA is a nationally-certified and state-licensed medical professional who practices medicine as a member of a health care team with physicians and other health professionals.

Activities of nonprofits…

PromiseShip is hosting the 2019 ChampionShip Luncheon on May 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Embassy Suites La Vista Conference Center. The ChampionShip Luncheon program will include lunch, an address from PromiseShip’s president and CEO, an inspiring video and a speech from a family served by PromiseShip. Registration is available online. The Rainbow Connectors Guild will host “Big Hats for Big Dreams: A Southern Soirée,” the 40th Annual For the Kids Benefit, on May 4 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Omaha Children’s Museum. This benefit will include a Kentucky Derby viewing party, games, dinner and auctions, all of which benefit the museum

and support the growth of the community’s children. Live and silent auction items will include designer handbags, vacation getaways, sporting event tickets and exclusive dinner packages. Silent auction bidders do not need to be present to win. Tickets start at $150 and are available online. Those unable to attend can still support the museum by contributing online. MICAH House is hosting Champagne & Diamonds at the Mid-America Center on May 4. The event, which starts at 4:30 p.m., is a fundraiser for MICAH House, which servers homeless families and individuals in the community. Guests will be participating in Kentucky Derby events like race bets, best dressed competitions, a silent auction and the diamond raffle. This year’s raffle includes a white gold and diamond halo pendant necklace worth $1,650 and donated by Gunderson’s Jeweler’s. Tickets are available online for $75. The Holmes Murphy Foundation announced the opening of its grant program. This program is an opportunity for the foundation to activate its contributions in all Holmes Murphy communities by carefully selecting a charity or charities to support. The grant program will support 501(c)(3) or nonprofit organizations that align with the Holmes Murphy Foundation pillars: health and at-risk, education, and arts and culture. Grant applications will be reviewed April 1 through June 1 and finalists announced on August 1. Activation of the granted funds will involve celebrations in each Holmes Murphy market this coming fall.

Arts and events…

AIM Institute, FranNet of the Heartland, and growmedia.com will host “Laid off and Launching It” on May 1 at AIM Institute

to help individuals identify new technical careers or entrepreneurial pathways. A panel discussion will provide insight on re-training or self-employment for professionals in career transition. Speakers include: Tony Veland, AIM Institute director of business development, and Ellen Myer, director of Interface Web School; Blake Martin of FranNet of the Heartland; Elizabeth Yearwood, economic development specialist, Nebraska District, Small Business Administration; and Paul Madsen of growmedia.com and “The Grow Your Biz Show.” The first annual Women in Sports Symposium on May 4 will feature USA Women’s Hockey gold medalist, Kacey Bellamy. The symposium takes place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Creighton University’s Harper Center. The event targets participants who coach female athletes or work in a sports organization for current female athletes. The event is designed to eliminate barriers for women in sports and includes breakout sessions on sports psychology, recruiting and retaining female coaches, building team culture and tools for meeting athletic goals. Event registration is available online. More than 60 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2018. As a community service, Bank of Bennington, in partnership with DataShield, is offering a free information destruction event to businesses and individuals as an opportunity to safely destroy their personal documents. The event will be held on May 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at 12212 North 156th Street Bennington, Nebraska. All documents must be brought in disposable bags or containers that can be left behind due to last year’s volume and time constraints.

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Why Austin is seeing a surge in VC investment this year by Sebastian Herrera

Late last year, CS Disco CEO Kiwi Camara got the call he anticipated: Georgian Partners, a venture capital firm from Toronto, said it wanted to invest in the Austin-based legal indusStartups try software company, eventually offering a deal worth $83 million. Like other companies in Austin that have landed big investments in recent months, Disco for years had worked to mature itself into a business worthy of such investor trust. Since debuting in 2013, it had built its corporate customer base up to about 400 and its staff count to more than 200. The company was prepared for its next phase, Camara said, and the investment from Georgian could take it there. “In Austin, you have this critical mass of investors now that are used to the market, and the talent that’s relocated here makes it

easier to build and grow a company in Austin,” Camara said. “The market is moving. You’ve had a series of good (investment) outcomes.” Disco is one of a handful of companies in Austin that have led a robust start of VC activity in 2019. In the first three months, Austin-are companies raised about $704 million, a $99 million — or 16.3 percent — increase from the same period last year, according to research firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, which tracks VC activity in the United States. The funding in Austin carried a statewide amount that totaled $1.16 billion during the first quarter, almost $400 million more than during the same period in 2018. For both the Austin metro area and the state, the investment figures to start the year are the most since the dot-com boom era in 2000. In Austin, there were fewer deals, but

more of them were higher-valued — driving up total investment — a recent trend that has been happening across the country. The result, experts say, shows that although Austin is far from achieving the VC activity in larger tech hubs, it’s made up a lot of ground. “What we have seen is the trends we see nationally and in California replicate themselves in a smaller scale here in Austin,” said John Cummins, an Austin-based partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. “What ends up happening over time is we have entrepreneurs here locally that are successful, and they are turning around and being mentors (to the next generation). The cycle continues.” At least 10 locally headquartered companies have raised $20 million or more this year, the most of any Texas city, PricewaterhouseCoopers reported. Some of the larger deals include software firm Magnitude’s $179 million private equity

Why parents should start teaching their kids about money at an early age Continued from page 12. for non-monetary rewards, like watching TV; if they use too many points, their score will be damaged, similar to how credit utilization affects a regular credit score. Other apps have transformed more simple financial topics for children, like allowance. RoosterMoney is one of them; the app, targeted to children as young as four years old, helps kids keep track of their allowance. Not only does RoosterMoney connect to a parent’s account for easy transactions, but it also allows kids to split their total sums into different categories, like “give,” “save,” “goals” and “spend.” While apps can be a useful way to introduce some of the concepts related to managing money, advocates say the apps shouldn’t solely be responsible for educating children on financial concepts. Chantel Bonneau, CFP, wealth manager with Northwestern Mutual, says financial literacy apps shouldn’t been seen as a one-stop shop to teach kids about money. Just like personal finance curriculum in school, these tools should only be used as supplements to lessons taught at home. “The parents should do the exercise first and then do it with their kids, and talk about it as opposed to just having their kid look at it,” Bonneau says. “They might not connect the dots fully on where that’s going to be applied.” Creating healthy relationships between kids and money Matheson and Bonneau agree: it’s up to parents to take accountability for teaching money concepts to their children. Bonneau shares three helpful tips for creating healthy relationships between kids and money: Develop great financial habits Establishing a positive relationship with money won’t happen overnight. Instead, consumers should take small steps to build a healthy understanding of what responsible money management is — even kids. “Most people who are financially successful or do a great job of saving or are prepared for retirement — usually the one thing in common is they have great financial habits,” Bonneau says. “So how can you do that with kids?”

Bonneau says children who get allowances should get into the habit of setting part of it aside as savings. In tandem, they’ll be able to create goals, like saving enough money to purchase something from the store. Setting up a reward system will help develop their good financial habits and set them up for success in the long run. Establish financial awareness Yes, technology has turned trips to the bank into an almost unnecessary errand, but Bonneau says in-person financial interactions are vital in creating a healthy awareness for children about money. “Go to the bank and open a bank account with them,” Bonneau says. “Show them that there are places you go and relationships you have when it comes to money — financial decisions aren’t just made through an app. Show them it’s a much more conscious decision.” Help them set and achieve goals As kids get older, parents can help them set goals — but another factor that can be beneficial is helping them achieve those goals. Bonneau gives the example of a kid saving up for a winter ski trip: the parents can match their savings by the dollar to help them make it happen. “By helping them, kids understand to pay close attention to opportunities,” Bonneau says. “And number two, it also helps them have some skin in the game and understand how much time goes into saving all that money.” Explaining the financial literacy crisis in America Financial literacy is defined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), as having the knowledge and skills necessary to make sound financial decisions. FINRA’s 2015 Financial Capability survey reveals the United States has a 57 percent financial literacy score, ranking the country 14th globally. That score is lower than that of other economic powerhouses, like Canada and Germany, and continues to be a long-standing area of concern in the U.S. Teaching financial literacy has experienced public support since as early as the 1930’s. When you take a look at the numbers behind why, it makes sense. Americans are struggling to meet basic

financial security indexes, like building savings or being able to afford an unexpected emergency. A recent Bankrate survey finds 60 percent of Americans can’t afford a $400 emergency with money from their savings. Another recent survey finds most Americans have no idea how much they need to retire. In a related paper, the Brookings Institute, a nonprofit public policy organization in Washington, illustrates how a lack of financial knowledge can hurt consumers. “Low financial literacy is correlated with a host of negative credit behaviors, including higher borrowing rates, mortgage delinquency, and home foreclosure,” the paper reads. “Yet many — if not most — financial education efforts focus on college students and adults. Such efforts are often reactive rather than proactive, and may be too little, too late.” Remember what the personal means in personal finance Some research argues that financial literacy has little to no effect in preparing consumers to make smart financial decisions. A 2008 paper released by Professor Lauren E. Willis of Loyola Marymount University claims teaching financial literacy can create a false sense of confidence in consumers “without improving ability, leading to worse decisions.” Bonneau says the argument against financial literacy highlights what most people don’t understand: financial advice has to be tailored to each individual in order to be successful. “In a vacuum, financial knowledge doesn’t really sink in,” Bonneau says. “There’s a fine line. Basic financial literacy is fundamental — it’s all factual information, not opinion. Where it gets tricky, though, people might start making decisions and not be quite educated enough or have tailored advice to help them be successful.” Overall, personal finance isn’t one-size fits all. Teaching children basic financial knowledge will benefit them in the long run, but when it comes to making life’s big financial decisions, an expert perspective can be highly beneficial. ©2019 Bankrate.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

round in March, Siete Family Foods’ $90 million round in February and energy industry marketplace RigUp’s $60 million deal in January. The strong first quarter continued a venture capital trend for Austin companies that started in 2018. Last year, metro-area companies saw a total of $1.33 billion invested, the most since 2000 and $500 million more than in 2017. Austin accounted for more than 60 percent of Texas’ $2.12 billion in total investments. Local companies reached the total amount even though there was only one more deal completed in 2018. For Austin and Texas to reach the levels of activity in Silicon Valley and other major tech cities, experts say more success stories will need to take place, and eventually, the region will have to cultivate a better ecosystem for later-stage funding firms. In 2018, the average VC deal in Texas was $9.98 million. In California, it was $53.02 million; North Carolina: $37.18 million; Massachusetts: $22.73 million; and New York: $19.4 million. Part of the difference is those hubs have larger and more longstanding VC and private equity firms feeding into the local tech scene, which itself has churned out mature companies typically deserving of later-stage funds. Austin is starting to get there, said Ryan Merket, a former Silicon Valley investor who in March joined Kansas City-based Firebrand Ventures as an Austin-based partner. Merket, who has invested in 16 startups during the past five years, including locally based cybersecurity firm Treatcare, said recent funds raised by Austin-based VC firms shows promise that the city’s investment growth will continue. This month, Austin-based LiveOak Ventures announced it had raised $105 million to fuel future deals. That followed a $108 million fund raised last year by Silverton Partners, one of the area’s most recognized early-stage investment companies. Austin investors “are raising larger rounds now, so they will be able to write large checks. That’s a new power that the Austin VCs didn’t once have,” Merket said. Doing even more “will just come with time, as you prove yourself and get even better funds. We’re right around the corner of that.” ©2019 Austin American-Statesman, Texas Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Mutual of Omaha promotes Hammitt to commercial post

Francis

Sheldon

Wolfe Snowden adds Francis, Sheldon and Valencia to firm

Lincoln law firm Wolfe Snowden Hurd Ahl Sitzmann Tannehill & Hahn, LLP has added Kelli Anne Francis, Justin A. Sheldon and Justin C. Valencia as associate attorneys. Francis’ practice focuses primarily on general liability and workers’ compensation, but she is equally at home in the board room. She received her bachelor’s degree Valencia from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and her Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law. Sheldon’s practice focuses primarily on transactional law, including real estate, entity formation, mergers and acquisitions, general corporate transactions and municipal law. He received his bachelor’s degree from UNK and his Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law. Valencia’s practice primarily consists of bankruptcy and litigation representing and litigating the interests of debtor and creditor clients. He received his bachelor’s degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and his Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. He is currently an adjunct professor at Bellevue University where he has taught legal ethics and compliance.

Doane University appoints Frey interim dean, College of Education

Dr. Tim Frey, professor of education and chair of undergraduate education programs at Doane University, has been named interim dean of the College of Education, effective July 1. Frey’s appointment comes after a six-month search to replace Dr. Lyn Forester, who is retiring in June. Frey has been a Frey faculty member at Doane since 2013 when he was hired as an associate professor of education. Frey has taught education courses at the undergraduate and graduate level. In his role as interim dean, Frey will oversee the education faculty, lead the charge of any additional accreditation efforts needed after the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation’s on-site visit, and work on the possible expansion of graduate education programs in the future.

Mutual of Omaha has promoted Brad Hammitt to head of commercial mortgage and real estate investments. Hammitt leads the national correspondent-based commercial mortgage lending program and is responsible for the mortgage portfolio strategy. Hammitt has more than 30 years of experience in the Hammitt commercial mortgage lending industry. He joined Mutual of Omaha in 2015 as vice president of commercial mortgage and real estate investments. Prior to that, he was a senior mortgage originator for American Equity Investment. Hammitt received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

UNMC promotes Berry to division chief of neonatology in pediatrics

The University of Nebraska Medical Center has named Ann Anderson Berry, M.D., division chief of neonatology in the Department of Pediatrics in the College of Medicine. Berry, who joined UNMC in 2004, had been serving as interim division chief since last spring. Berry received her undergraduate degree Berry from the University of Wyoming, her medical degree from Creighton University and completed her residency in pediatrics at UNMC. She completed a fellowship in neonatology at the University of Utah. She recently was nominated for and accepted into the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program at the Institute for Women's Health and Leadership at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

WellCare of Nebraska selects Meyers as new state president

WellCare of Nebraska, a WellCare Health Plans Inc. company, has named Tim Meyers as state president. Meyers oversees the overall operations, including strategy, regulatory compliance, network management, sales and marketing, provider relations, medical management, finance, and government relations in Nebraska. Meyers Before joining WellCare of Nebraska, Meyers held vice president positions at Aetna, where he was responsible for underwriting and actuarial duties related to commercial group lines of business in local health plans and national accounts. Prior to that, he served in leadership roles at Deloitte Consulting, Coventry Health Care and Deloitte & Touche.

Midlands Business Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

Do Space spurs conversation with new Women Innovators Fellowship Continued from page 1. in Omaha, and together we can create real change.” Candidates were evaluated by the 2019 fellowship advisory board: Victoria Novak, director of workforce and IT innovation at Metropolitan Community College; Erica Wassinger, co-founder of The Startup Collaborative; Traci Williams Hancock, director of Maverick Innovations at the University of Nebraska at Omaha; and LaShonna Dorsey, senior business systems consultant at Mutual of Omaha. The board selected Bianca Zongrone Jefferson, April Goettle and Carina Glover for the six-month fellowship. Fellows received a $10,000 stipend, funded by Dr. James and Karen Linder, and will showcase their final projects at an event on Aug. 3. Chasing down the ‘why?’ Since 1984 the number of women majoring in computer science has dropped by half, from 37% to 16.5% today. The reason behind these dropping numbers is not yet known, but Bianca Zongrone Jefferson is

hoping to find an answer. In the coming months she will be conducting 40 interviews to explore why, or why not, women have decided to pursue an undergrad degree in a computer science related major. “I think it’s important to explore why women leave all areas of STEM, but I’d like to focus on one area at a time,” she said. Those who have a degree in –Bianca computer science can go on to be software engineers and developers, IT security administrators, research analysts, web developers and more. “I want them to share their story of how they chose their major and what difficulties they’ve faced along the way,” she said. By researching the why Jefferson hopes that she can help make recommendations to universities and institutions on how to

Lamp Rynearson selects Knight as client development manager

Parallel Technologies promotes Wisnieski to operations manager

Lamp Rynearson has added Marlene Knight as its client development manager. Knight will strengthen Lamp Rynearson’s connections with clients, employees, and the communities the firm serves. Knight’s involvement in the architecture, engineering and construction industry through a career highlighted by Knight interior design, facilities management, business development, and sales management has influenced her client-focused approach. For the better part of the 1990s, she served as manager of facilities and real estate with Union Pacific Railroad, coordinating all aspects of interior renovations — from design through construction. During the past 20 years, Knight was instrumental in building the local Herman Miller commercial office furniture dealership.

include and retain women in the tech field. “It’s our responsibility as a community to support a diverse workforce that will define our future by leveling the playing field,” Jefferson said. Jefferson will be looking for participants until July 15 and can be reached at 402-415-0233 or through dospaceresearch2019@ sudomail.com. Jefferson is a Zongrone Jefferson user experience designer at Farm Credit Services of America and the founder/owner of Maebean, LLC. She has a master’s degree in human resource development. Helping tech freelancers partner with small business As a woman who not only owns an acreage of land but also loves tech, April Goettle was perfectly positioned to bring

“It’s our responsibility as a community to support a diverse workforce that will define our future by leveling the playing field.”

Parallel Technologies has promoted Tim Wisnieski to operations manager. Based out of the company’s Omaha o ff i c e , Wi s n i e s k i will oversee the delivery of building automation projects that improve energy efficiency, reduced costs and integrated disparate building control systems. He is responsible Wisnieski for ensuring client satisfaction through projects that are delivered on time and on budget. Wisnieski will also be tasked with driving continuous improvements in processes and standards, maintaining the strong culture of the 30-person Omaha office and overseeing planned office expansion. Wisnieski joined Parallel Technologies in 2017 when the company acquired Omaha-based Building Systems Solutions.

Warren

Peterson

KidGlov promotes Warren, Peterson, Landis to VP roles

KidGlov has promoted three vice presidents. Katherine Warren has been promoted to vice president, operations director. Her primary role will be to build efficiency within a “best places to work culture” at all KidGlov locations while continuing to serve as account director on a number of accounts. Landis She has more than 15 years of experience working with brands on in-house teams and at the agency level. Kelley Peterson has been promoted to vice president, nonprofit creative director. She will lead creative strategies for KidGlov’s nonprofit accounts while also sharing her expertise through local, regional and national speaking engagements. She is a past president of the National Professional Chapters Council of the American Marketing Association and has more than 20 years of experience in helping organizations advance their brands. Jen Landis has been promoted to vice president, executive creative director. She will lead and grow KidGlov’s creative teams in Lincoln, Omaha and in Loveland, Colorado, with emphasis on developing new ideas. She has worked within marketing and advertising industry for more than 20 years and is the current president of the American Advertising Federation Lincoln.

rural freelance tech professionals and small business owners together. Goettle noticed that while some rural tech professionals struggled to access steady jobs, small business owners struggled to find developers to help them upgrade their marketing and technology. Goettle’s solution, and fellowship focus, — Remoter.Tech. “Remoter.Tech seeks to present small business solutions in understandable terms,” Goettle said. “This also gives ‘remoters’ an opportunity to learn how to work directly with clients.” Small businesses will be able to get help in a wide breadth of items — from logo design to website design to content writing — at a reasonable price thus staying on budget and taking pressure off of the small business. It will also help remoters build a portfolio and give companies looking for tech employees a chance to see potential job candidates. “Knowing that you are hiring a candidate that can work without supervision and solve problems proactively is half the battle of finding good staff,” Goettle said. Goettle is particularly hopeful that the site will help women who are looking to transition into the tech field. Remoter.Tech will launch this summer. Goettle is a web designer for B2 Interactive/Hurrdat in Omaha. Girls support girls Carina Glover has been working to promote women since she launched Chiffon Events, LLC in 2013. From the beginning she noticed how time consuming and frustrating it could be to find like-minded, women-owned companies to partner with. “From taking the time to research a business owner and her company, to reaching out and risking being completely ignored or rejected, participating in countless meetings and calls to discuss the details, to securing a partnership and [possibly] ending with a poor experience,” she said. While lying in bed one night she had the idea for HerHeadquarters, an app that would help expedite the process by linking like-minded local women entrepreneurs and freelancers. “I was someone who wanted to release an app, with no prior technology related background,” Glover said. With help from The Startup Collaborative, a program of the Greater Omaha Chamber, and the Do Space Women Innovators Fellowship, Glover received the guidance she needed to develop HerHeadquarters. The app is exclusively for women from Omaha who have brands within the fashion, beauty, entertainment, events or public relations industries. The app is updated with collaboration and partnership opportunities and user ratings and prior history will help users select the most beneficial allies. Glover is planning to launch the app in May for the Omaha, Los Angeles, New York City and Miami markets with other cities to follow in the summer and fall. Glover is the founder of Ace Empire Media, a media and tech company that is focused on elevating female entrepreneurs. HerHeadquarters is the first of five potential platforms.

• APRIL 26, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal