Midlands Business Journal February 5, 2021 Vol. 47 No. 6 issue

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

THE BUSINESS NEWSPAPER OF GREATER OMAHA, LINCOLN AND COUNCIL BLUFFS

$2.00

VOL. 47 NO. 6

Orion Equipment meets customer needs with myriad of cutting equipment

THIS WEEK 'S ISSUE:

by Richard D. Brown

Dusk Goods & Gifts discovers community in Little Bohemia.

– Page 2

40 er d Un 40 Making form, function work for clients secret to Radicia’s growth at RDG.

– Page 4

Ins

n ura

ce

Insurance professionals, consumers increasingly lean into tech. – Page 5

Omaha-based Orion Equipment supplies cutting and food processing equipment to a couple hundred customers, large and small, throughout much of the country.

However, owner and President Kevin F. Dannehl, who purchased the firm in 2019, believes the key to achieving a 20% growth in revenues this year is beyond merely stressing sales. Little things mean a lot and are important components in building relationships. “ O u r c u s t o m e r s h a v e n ’t changed the way they kill a cow in 70 years,” Dannehl said. “Our niche for growth is in the high-quality repair, rebuilding and conditioning of equipment. By achieving that, we grow the other parts of our business.”

The six-employee firm is headquartered in a 25,000-square-foot building with a mezzanine at 10525 I St. Dannehl remembers several months of “suffering” after leasing the structure due to the prevailing smell of auto and truck tires since Continued on page 9.

From left, Purchasing/General Manager Kevin Hammerle and owner and President Kevin F. Dannehl … Growing niche for equipment repair of meat manufacturing equipment.

(Photo by MBJ / Becky McCarville)

Encounter Telehealth expands commitment to provide care to underserved populations

by Michelle Leach

Telehealth is undeniably “hot,” due to a confluence of very “2020” factors. However, Encounter Telehealth stands apart with a niche in areas that represent the most considerable unmet need for quality, consistent psychiatric, mental and behavioral health care: seniors, rural residents, military veterans, correctional facilities, and young adult refugees and products of the foster system.

The need to bridge logistical gaps between patient and provider has been accelerated amid the isolation that accompanies pandemic lockdowns, which exacerbate depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

“We are in such an interesting spot, because we are at the intersection of telehealth and behavioral health care, geriatric care, and psychiatric and mental health care,” said Continued on page 9.

President Mike Battershell … The company that can trace its roots in Omaha more than 130 years, weathered the pandemic by aggressively leveraging its promotional products and two field offices. (Courtesy of Bergman)

After slowdown, Bergman ramps up to keep companies connected to clients

by Dwain Hebda

President and CEO Jen Amis … Expanding footprint and building upon niche in mental, psychiatric, and behavioral health care among seniors, military veterans, correctional facilities, and young adult Job Corps participants.

Mike Battershell, president of Omaha-based Bergman, recalls the pit he felt in his stomach in March as COVID-19 rattled the promotional brand marketing firm’s nationwide clientele.

“In March we saw just a straight cliff of decline while everybody figured out what happened,” he said. “That continued through May and into June. It was a drastically negative impact.”

Many companies might have been content to hunker down and ride out the dry spell, but the minds at Bergman had another idea, leveraging the very pandemic as a sales driver.

“We started talking to our clients about how even though they were not hosting trade shows or doing their annual sales conferences, that didn’t give them a free pass to not think about Continued on page 8.

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• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Dusk Goods & Gifts discovers community in Little Bohemia

by Becky McCarville

Nestled among women-owned shops in the heart of Little Bohemia, Dusk Goods & Gifts is filled with well-made, independent, small batch labels — from baby and women’s clothing and accessories, to vintage finds and home goods, to apothecary and wellness products.

Owner Abby Massey started the shop in August 2019 after years of popup shops for her handmade baby clothing line Wee Vintage that

Dusk Goods & Gifts Address: 1234 S. 13th St., Suite 202, Omaha 68108 Service: small batch, independent, wellmade products; 99% of brands featured in the retail shop are woman owned Founded: Aug. 2019 Goal: Continue to find labels that are true to the shop with a focus on BIPOC brands.

Industry outlook: Independent shops bet on spring/summer months as people emerge from winter/pandemic.

Website: duskgoodsandgifts.com

eventually included other women-owned brands for a popup concept coined “The Collective.”

Now with a space next door to The Chute and The Green House at 1234 S. 13th St., Massey has 89 brands in the shop, 99% of which are

Owner Abby Massey … From baby clothing line Wee Vintage to popup shops to opening a store in Little Bohemia, Massey has sights set on summer and including more diverse brands. woman-owned. list, that if I ever had a shop, these women would The brands are owned by women she’s met be in my shop,” Massey said. through Instagram, Etsy and other popups.

She started out small, “pounding the “These were brands that were like a wish pavement” by doing popups and sewing Wee

Business Minute

Paid Content

Brad Smith

Senior Vice President, Producer/Licensed Consultant and Registered Health Underwriter, Lockton Companies Associations/Titles: National Association of Health Underwriters, Omaha Area Health Underwriters, Past Legislative Chair. Health Rosetta Advisor. Board member Nebraska Professional Business Leaders/Phi Beta Lambda. Board member Peru State College Omaha Alumni and Hall of Fame Selection committee

Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska Education: B.S. Peru State College

How I got into the business: Internship with Mass Mutual selling life insurance out of the Lincoln phone book!

Accomplishments or milestones: Throughout my career I’ve helped employers and their employees save millions of dollars through negotiating and consulting on health and welfare plans.

First job: ITT Financial Biggest career break: 2017 admitted into Health Rosetta Advisor Program as 1 of only 217 approved employer health plan Advisors in the United States.

The toughest part of the job: As an independent consultant, being licensed to represent many different insurance com-

panies, you must be intimately familiar with each when making best recommendations to a client.

The best advice I have received: Just be yourself.

About my family: My wife Andrea of 18 years and I have three children, our daughters Chandler and Keaton and our son Isaac. Our newest addition to the family is our goldendoodle named “Bear.”

Something else I’d like to accomplish: I want to leave a legacy of playing an integral part in helping improve the U.S. healthcare/insurance system that has cost Americans far too much money the past 50 years.

How my business will change in the next decade: Smaller traditional insurance agents and agencies are disappearing through acquisitions. There will be large brokers/agencies for the mid- to large-size employers and a major shift to e-insurance for smaller employers and

individuals. People want the convenience of buying coverage and making changes quickly and conveniently via phone app just as other products are today.

Mentor who has helped the most in my career: The National Association of Health Underwriters has been the best overall organization full of several industry experts and mentors over the years.

Outside interests: Outdoor activities, boating, golf, biking, exercising and classic autos Favorite vacation spot: I’m pretty sure it will be Hawaii whenever we get there. A close second is Lake McConaughy, Nebraska.

Other careers I would like to try: Law enforcement.

Favorite cause or charity: I’m a longtime member of the Exchange Club of Omaha. Our primary cause is to raise money for the prevention of child abuse.

Favorite app: Twitter.

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

Vintage items at her kitchen table. Now, she still sews at the kitchen table, but the focus for Wee Vintage has shifted to large orders/wholesale to other shops.

“I’m going to treat my little booth as if it’s my boutique and keep working from there and gradually keep adding more and more brands,” she said of her approach at the start.

In the beginning, she said that it was easier to collaborate with other moms and business owners on Instagram, but she started to notice a lack of diversity on the social media platform — not only in brands but also in product images.

“I was noticing a huge lack in diversity back then and it became a big goal of mine to make sure that I included babies of color,” she said.

“When I opened the store, I was aware of that and I knew that I needed to not just carry brands that are made by white brands — I had to diversify.”

With Black Lives Matter coming to the forefront again in 2020 after the death of George Floyd, finding Black makers became a priority.

“I’m like, where are all these Black-owned shops, why aren’t I seeing these,” she said. “It was a lot of digging for the beautiful products.

They’re there but you have to really do the work.

It’s kind of sad how Instagram was working, which was really disturbing, too. I have some beautiful products by a lot of minority-owned women in my shop right now and a lot more coming and I’m super excited.”

The No. 1-selling item in the store is the Affirmation Card Deck by Kansas City-based I Am & Co. Other top brands include clothing line Thief & Bandit and Courtney and the Babes.

Thief & Bandit is handmade from start to finish — drawn, screen printed and sewn in house using organic fabric. Australian-based Courtney and the Babes infuses wellness products with crystals — “when you pick it up it looks pretty, smells pretty, sounds pretty, feels pretty.”

Massey works to find “really good brands Continued on page 8.

Midlands Business Journal Established in 1975

FOUNDER, Robert Hoig

ADMINISTRATION PUBLISHER, Andrea “Andee” Hoig

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

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

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Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 5, 2021 •

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• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Making form, function work for clients secret to Radicia’s growth at RDG

by Dwain Hebda the company culture, that encourages you The old adage “form follows function” to be the best individual and employee is a long-held axiom of the interior design that you can be, and aligning values with business. But as Alysia Radicia’s success output? Not necessarily. in the field proves, personalization is also “Bottom line, you can get work done, a key component to designing spaces that but are you inspired and are you motivatspur productivity, a process that often ed? Is it a place that you want to be day-in starts with the initial consult, she said. and day-out? Creating a space that has all “I would love to be able to tell you those things in mind is always the goal and that there is a typical approach, but cer- can be done when a designer and a team tainly every client is different in terms of come together with a vision and a focus appreciating the value of good and try to translate and create the design,” she said. “It’s a matter physical form of what a company of us as designers to be able to strives for.” read who the client is and how Looking back, Radicia said it they best respond. If they’re dolis easy to see how her interests lars-and-cents focused, you have and activities growing up were all to have that conversation in their leading her to a career in design. language. You need to approach “I was certainly creative and the conversation in a way that still am creative,” she said. “As a makes sense to them. child I wanted to marry that with 2020 “Other clients get it from the the logistic side of my brain. I get-go and you can kind of expedite that was easily entertained with Legos and all process whereby you’re getting to that of those other building block toys. It just shared vision sooner than what you would slowly manifested into taking whatever with different clients. It’s not to say that design, architecture classes I could in high one is wrong and one is right, it’s just a school to then prepare me for college. different approach and a different path “Design was a natural fit of being able that you go down to come to a conclusion to create spaces that were both creative together.” and meaningful but had some logic and Radicia, who serves as interior design- precision and thoughtfulness to it.” er and project manager for RDG Planning She joined RDG right after graduating and Design, said for all of its challenges, from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2020 actually helped in this process of 2011, following a summer internship. bringing everyone on board.

Among the many meaningful initiatives “The state of the world that we’re liv- and projects that have marked her career are ing in now is proving out that as many of the various community service roles she’s us are working from home, we don’t have held. These include Junior League of Omathe luxuries of having an individual office. ha, Greater Omaha Chamber Young ProfesMany of us are working at a kitchen table,” sionals Council, Opera Omaha, Joslyn Art she said. “Sure, it’s functional, but is it an Museum Young Art Patrons and Friends of inspiring, productive space that supports Nebraska Children, among others.

Proud Sponsors of the 2020 40 Under 40:

Interior Designer and Project Manager Alysia Radicia … Finding meaningful work both in her career in interior design and through community involvement.

“Busy people make time for what’s and happy to have grown up in a place important to them,” she said. “My commu- like Omaha and I just always want to stay nity is important to me, so I make time to connected and make opportunities happen put my community first. I feel privileged for everyone else.”

Save the Date!

2020 Friday, February 12th 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Join us for an awards celebration

Go to MBJ.com to purchase tickets today!

A portion of the proceeds go to the Robert G. Hoig Journalism Scholarship Fund.

Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 5, 2021 •

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

February 5, 2021

Insurance professionals, consumers increasingly lean into tech to the medical billing, as well as assist those who

by Michelle Leach COVID-19 has presented a litany of sur- have had job changes and need additional truly prises for insurance professionals representing affordable ways to make sure they do not have a catastrophic loss due to a lack of proper insurance various corners of the industry.

“Senior Market Sales, LLC experienced a applications.”

Buffington noted how employers and record year in terms of Medicare enrollments — but in a very unusual way,” said Vice Pres- insurers are sheltering employees from high ident of Medicare Solutions Dwane McFerrin. out-of-pocket costs associated with COVID-19 “Quarters one and three showed great demand treatment.

“Employer-sponsored health plans now covfor Medicare-related products, which was before the pandemic, and in the summer when we saw er all COVID-19 diagnostic testing and related a big decline in COVID-related cases and the services with no cost-sharing for workers,” she said. “Behind many of these efforts to protect and economy was opened up.”

Quarters two and four was a different story. enhance employee health benefits are America's 100,000 health insurance agents and “Face-to-face appointments brokers.” dropped sharply and business was Buffington emphasized this relatively flat,” he said. “What we expertise is “necessary more now experienced, though, was a fundathan ever.” mental shift in how Medicare agents’ “Brokers and agents are advising prospect and sell, and how consumcompanies on how to get the most ers shop and enroll.” value out of their current plans, and Pre-pandemic, seniors might helping them navigate the loan and attend Medicare workshops. Congrant programs available through the sumers did their own research. recent federal stimulus packages,” Enrollment was commonly done in she said. an agent’s office or the beneficiary’s Buffington For its part, NeAHU is providing home. By mid-March, a pause occurred in seeking health care services and many resources to enhance agents’ skills; for instance, consistent, up-to-date info streams on legislative procedures were delayed.

“Many insurance agents adopted screen-shar- changes.

COVID-19’s far-reaching societal effects ing methods, such as Zoom, and began doing have also presented surprising considerations business virtually,” he said.

With the adoption of virtual quoting and for Matt Jensen’s clients; The Harry A. Koch Co. enrollment tools, McFerrin referred to record sales agent is a personal lines producer with his levels of technology adoption — roughly dou- finger on the pulse of the latest in auto, home, umbrella policies and their ilk. bling pre-pandemic figures.

“A lot of people called in April or May when “Consumers were less likely to shop around in 2020 unless there were premium, benefits or it started getting nice outside and they started formulary changes that prompted them to look doing all of these in-home projects,” Jensen said. “They can have an effect on homeowners’ for better options,” he added.

Telemedicine, too, was adopted in record insurance.”

The effect and possible adjustments to numbers.

“Most interestingly, many seniors became policies/coverage depends on the nature of the more comfortable enrolling online themselves project itself; for instance, Jensen said tearing out after completing research,” he said. “We saw and putting in new carpets probably isn’t going to that was particularly pronounced for individual have the effect of a significant upgrade — wheredental, prescription drug plans and Medicare by adding square footage or above-ground pools and even trampolines that could pose risks and Advantage.”

When the pandemic first hit, Nebraska Asso- require safety precautions — is another thing.

“Also, with most people working from ciation of Health Underwriters President Tammy Buffington recalled, many pundits predicted that home, you have to ask what that exposure is? Is widespread layoffs would cause tens of millions it something that your home policy is going to cover?” he said. of people to lose their health insurance.

For example, if one has clients coming to “But that nightmare scenario has not happened, thanks to the employers, insurers, and his or her home, the client must determine if agents who have made our current insurance they have sufficient coverage in the event that system so resilient,” she said. “Agents and their clients are injured on site. The homeownagencies are doing their absolute best to not only er’s policy is not going to cover those types of keep costs of coverage down, bring transparency Continued on next page.

Dwane McFerrin, vice president of Medicare Solutions at Senior Market Sales.

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• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

• Insurance

Auto insurance rates remain steady, home insurance rates vary

by Gabby Hellbusch

Home and auto insurance trends can fluctuate, which is why experts say the best defense for an individual is to review their coverages with their agent on an annual basis.

Eric Petersen, agent and owner of P&P Insurance Agency, said the auto insurance industry proved to be somewhat nimble through the pandemic.

“Carriers recognized that drivers were driving less due to shut down or travel restric-

tions and responded with rebates, reductions in premium and additional premium returns to compete,” he said. “This trend has been tough to predict for insurers due to the unknown of when normal driving habits will return. This is also driving insurers even faster towards technology-based underwriting and rating. What started with risk analysis supported by credit scoring is now driving to real time telematics that will lead to rating drivers based upon their actual performance versus risk characteristic

rating. All this is happening as automakers drive towards fully autonomous or autonomous capable cars.”

Petersen Capece Petersen said the homeowners insurance industry had a less tumultuous year, though rates continue to rise as insurers try to keep up with the wind and hail that blows through the

Midwest every year.

“Unlike auto insurance where the risk went down due to utilization, with homeowners at home, there may be a small reduction in claims activity due to the owners’ presence, but not a real impact,” he said. “Across the country, wildfires continue to drive premiums up in those areas and insurers seek to reduce their exposure in areas susceptible to wildfires. Material Peatrowsky supply and labor has always been a big variable in the cost of claims.”

Kevin Capece, principal at Montclair InContinued on page 11.

Insurance professionals, consumers lean into tech Continued from preceding page. the North Atlantic’s history-making storm seainjuries, he noted. son. Among other risks, cybersecurity such as Furthermore, from a pricing perspective, ransomware claims are “skyrocketing.”

Nebraskan policyholders are most affected by “The number of attacks is rising,” he said. wind and hail damage.

“They are not only targeting large employers, “Ninety-percent of the claims are but also the small- and mid-sized for damage to the roof, so insurance companies as well.” carriers are really starting to have the He referred to the FBI as being roof be something that factors into on the receiving end of more than the premiums,” Jensen said.

4,000 cyberattack reports daily.

He indicated one should be “This is about 400% more than mindful of the likes of carriers that before the onset of the coronavirus,” have separate deductibles for wind Coffey said. “In many respects, it’s and hail. not if — it’s when. And have you “2020 was a year that no one will been taking the steps to protect your ever forget,” said Consortio Group assets? Do you have a plan?”

CEO John Coffey. “For many of our Furthermore, Coffey touched Coffey customers, it was the most difficult on property losses related to “civil circumstances they ever had. For others, they unrest,” as well as the upwards of 1,000 lawsuits were able to adapt and overcome. It depended by insured against carriers trying to force these on your industry.” companies to cover business interruption claims For instance, the firm’s cleaning supply tied to the pandemic. and construction companies are coming off of “The carriers’ defense has been that it needs a great year. to be a ‘direct physical loss,’” he explained.

Commercial insurance industrywide, Coffey As others poke holes in these arguments, said rates continue to increase. He referred to Coffey noted that the total business interrup21 separate “events” in excess of $1 billion in tion-related losses would be somewhere between losses (totaling $84 billion) as drivers; notably, two and three times what was experienced during Hurricane Katrina.

“Another drive is ‘social inflation,’ and that is really the rising litigation costs … and ultimately how much policy holders pay,” he said, a reference to large legal payouts.

As to “what’s next?” for McFerrin, if Medicare eligibility shifts to age 60 (instead of current age 65), many may enroll in Medicare at the place of work — rather than a home or insurance agent’s office. So, SMS is preparing to offer such quoting and enrollment at the place of work.

NeAHU’s Buffington said the pandemic has made securing coverage more important than ever, and for companies to offer affordable coverage and creative solutions beyond the traditional funded plan designs.

Internally, Jensen said the pandemic and the ensuing “hybrid” workplace model has opened up the pool of talent available to The Harry A. Koch Co. nationally, even globally, which addresses the limited (albeit strong) talent tool in Omaha.

Consortio Group’s Coffey notes there is talk of a public-private partnership to create pandemic insurance, akin to the discussions that arose following 911 and ultimately led to terrorism insurance.

Insurance •

Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 5, 2021 •

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Limited provider networks becoming popular with small businesses tential to provide more stable rates than a

by David Kubicek One of the most popular trends in the small employer purchasing insurance on health insurance market is offering limited its own.

Through a Qualified Small Employprovider networks.

If employees are willing to limit er Health Reimbursement Arrangement their choice of in-network providers, (QSEHRA), a small employer can put they could save as much as 10 to 15% aside a fixed dollar amount each month that off their premium dollars, according to employees can use to purchase individual Mary F. Drueke-Collins, vice president of health insurance or pay out of pocket employee benefits at Swartzbaugh Farber. medical expenses — contributions are tax-deductible to the employer “Employers do have to be and tax-free to the employcareful to communicate these ee. The success of the QSEHRA limited networks appropriately depends on the competitiveness to their employees, as use of of the state’s individual market. a non-network provider would “In Nebraska, the individual significantly increase the cost health insurance market is still of medical care for the employhigher priced than the group ee,” she said. market, so we are not seeing The Affordable Care Act these plans take off as much as in (ACA) allowed for community some other states,” Drueke-Colrated plans in the small group lins said. market. With these plans, the Drueke-Collins Some employers that cannot rates are based only on the location of the company and the age of the em- afford to put money towards a medical plan ployees and those employees’ dependents may want to invest in a telemedicine plan — the health of the group doesn’t matter. for their employees. For a much smaller Level-funded plans, which have premi- monthly cost, employers can provide unums based on the health of the members limited, $0 copay telemedicine coverage covered, are becoming more popular with for their employees.

“The small group health insurance marmore carriers offering this type of coverage, and more employers are taking the ket is always changing,” Drueke-Collins time to complete health applications and said. “It’s a lot to keep up with, even for those in the industry. The most important apply for this type of coverage.

Small employers might want to check thing a small business could do is seek the to see if their industry offers an association help of a knowledgeable adviser.”

The main trends over the past year health plan (AHP). With an AHP, similar employers come together and pool their include employers offering regional health insurance risk. AHPs have the po- network options, continued growth of

qualified high deductible health plans, dual plan options and the capability to do virtual enrollments, according to Michele DeSmet, dually licensed agent and consultant with Prime Insurance.

“Due to COVID, many fully-insured carriers are offering in-network telehealth visits at no additional cost to the employees compared to the past copayment requirements,” she said.

Since health insurance premiums continue to rise coupled with the 50% minimum employer contributions of employee-only premium, many small employers are offering voluntary or specialty benefits plans.

Fully insured small groups under 50 are community rated, meaning that the rates are blended so the nature of the Continued on page 12.

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• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

After slowdown, Bergman ramps up to keep companies connected to clients Continued from page 1. those people who have made their business successful,” he said. “It didn’t mean that they got to give up on sales as part of their strategy and it didn’t mean that employees don’t still want to feel connected to the culture of the organization. We spent a lot of time doing that and as a result, we’ve recovered really strong.”

Bergman Phone: 402-661-7900 (Omaha) Address: 9411 F St., Omaha 68127 Service: Branded promotional products Employees: 30 Website: bergmanbrand.com

Such out-of-the-box thinking has been the hallmark for Bergman, a company that has survived changing tastes and shifting market tides for more than 130 years.

Battershell, who bought the company four years ago, has lent a spark to the well-established firm, opening offices in Kansas City and Minneapolis in the past 24 months with more satellites on the horizon.

“We have a national footprint with clients but are firmly grounded in the Great Plains and Midwest,” he said. “As such, we have lot of clients whose headquarters are located in cities in that region.

“Being able to see and touch products is part of what we do, as well as being able to serve them with fulfillment, putting kits together and completing other projects.

That requires a presence. We also have developed a decentralized manufacturing

model. Because we’re spread out across the Midwest, we’re able to access manufacturing resources that increase efficiencies from both a cost perspective and timeline perspective.”

Following this strategic model, Bergman has been able to amass an impressive roster of Fortune 200 clients by specializing in serving larger companies with more complex structures.

“Most of our clients are north of 250 employees and most of them are struggling with creating efficiencies and branding consistency,” Battershell said. “They have multiple offices meaning multiple decision-makers

managing multiple events. They need a central source to come to and that’s us.”

What’s more, the company has demonstrated a keen sense for matching the right promotional items with the right client and audience, leveraging the fundamentals of marketing, advertising and branding psychology.

“The most infamous question for our industry is, ‘What's new and exciting?’”

Battershell said. “We always flip that question around to our clients and say, ‘But that doesn’t matter.’

“We’re always focusing on what we are trying to communicate from the client

perspective. How does HR use branded products versus how marketing uses branded products? It’s all about who is our target demographic and what are we trying to convey. Take coffee cups. There are a million coffee cups, right? I can literally get you any coffee cup you want. The questions are, where do you want the item to appear and what you want it to say? Do we want it in a car or on a desk, and do we want it on the desk of a college kid do we want it on the desk of a professional?

The solution isn’t always the flashiest, but what’s the best way to communicate to the audience.”

Lose your job before retirement age? Don’t panic

by David Kubicek

If you lose your job before reaching retirement age, stay calm and consider your options.

David Brooks, president of Retire Smart, recommended having enough in savings for a minimum of three months’ living expenses.

“This will give you time to think through what you need to do and put together a plan of action before you move forward,” he said.

Start early to build up the emergency fund by saving 5 to 10% of each paycheck.

You may also choose to fund a Roth IRA. “When you’re under 50 you can put $6,000 a year into a Roth IRA as long as your income isn’t too high, which is $206,000 for a married couple today,”

Marketing Agencies A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include: Marketing outlook • Digital marketing strategy in 2021 Sales growing on social media platforms • Marketing trends Small businesses partnering with agencies

Issue Date: March 5 • Ad Deadline: February 25 To advertise your company’s products or services in one of our upcoming sections, contact our Director of Advertising at karla@mbj.com.

Brooks said. “If you’re over 50, you can add an additional $1,000 contribution.

Contributions — which have already been taxed — can be pulled out at any age with no waiting period, taxation, or penalty.”

Joe Hemenway, chairman of Hemenway Associates, recommended trying to find work that will tide you over, so you don’t have to raid your retirement accounts.

“If you retire beBarrientos fore you’re 59-anda-half, you’ll have to pay a penalty at the federal and state level which in total equals 12.96%, plus all the money is taxable,” he said. “There are some specific exclusions under the CARES Act right now where you can take up to $100,000 out of your retirement accounts and either put it back in over three years or possibly avoid the penalty due to hardship, but whether it’s COVID or other things, it’s a matter of proving [hardship].”

While you’re working, try to expand your skill level.

“If you have some other skill, you may strike out on your own, but that requires some working capital and some way to reach the marketplace,” Hemenway said.

John Barrientos, a financial advisor with First National Bank of Omaha, said any account that is tax deferred — such as a 401(k), Traditional IRA or 403(b) accounts — could be subject to IRS premature distribution rules, which typically require people to wait to age 59-and-a-half to withdraw funds without a penalty.

Roth IRA accounts are treated differently because the investor has access to the principal without taxes or penalties but not the gains prior to age 59-and-a-half. Also, for those who have reached age 59-and-ahalf, the Roth must be established five years or more to be tax free.

“I encourage people to reach out to a financial adviser and/or their tax adviser to explore potential strategies,” Barrientos said. “The CARES act provides some relief for 2020, but we do not know if any of that relief will be extended into 2021. Advisers typically stay abreast of these updates and changes and will be better positioned to provide you guidance.”

William E. Kauffman, Jr., vice president of financial solutions at Senior Market

Sales, said you may choose to rollover your 401(k) to an IRA so that it can continue to grow for retirement or move it to a new 401(k) should you accept employment at a new company.

Seek out your options for unemployment benefits.

They won’t replace all of your previous income, but they can help you make ends meet while you seek new employment. Be sure to refresh your old resume or create a new one before Kauffman seeking new employment.

“Take advantage of all the options available to you while you are working,” Kauffman said. “If your employer offers a matching contribution for your 401(k), contribute the maximum amount they match to take advantage of that benefit. In your later years you will be able to accelerate your contributions to put as much as you can in your retirement account.”

Dusk Goods & Gifts

Continued from page 2. that are true to the shop,” she said, adding that she’s “thrilled” when brands agree to be in the store. “Any brand in my shop — I take great pride in having them in my store.”

Last year, the shop was closed from mid-March through May because of the pandemic, but people still supported the store by buying online. Massey offered curbside service, free delivery and used Instagram Stories to reach people. The holiday season was “insane,” she said.

“I think there was just a huge push in keeping local alive,” she said. “I have never seen it that hyped — I don’t know if hyped is the right word. It was everywhere.

“It definitely helped having all three of us together — The Green House, myself and The Chute — you have all three of these places to shop small right in one block.”

January is the toughest month for anyone in the retail or restaurant business.

“In February, we have Valentine’s/ Galentine’s/Palentine’s … but we’re all just really planning on doing events in the spring and summer on our sidewalks because they’re big,” she said. “Getting people down here for special events — food trucks, popups and things like that just to get people out and about.”

Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 5, 2021 •

9

Orion Equipment meets customer needs with myriad of cutting equipment Continued from page 1. the previous user owned a chain of tire stores. Specialized air treatments had to be mixed in order to eradicate the odors.

Dannehl and Purchasing/General Manager Kevin Hammerle estimate that well over $1 million of inventory is kept in the structure ranging from $1 replacement screws for a small band saw or meat patty-forming grinder to a component to huge pieces of equipment.

Hammerle, a 25-year veteran of the industry, said one of the biggest machines is a 30 x 26-inch freeze tunnel with a sevenfoot-wide belt running to freeze taco meat and meatballs. The equipment is being assembled for a processing company in Ecuador.

The cost of the system is about $184,000, according to Hammerle.

Orion Equipment’s customers include Tyson plants in Dakota City and Lexington, JBS operations in Grand Island and Omaha, Cargill’s Schuyler facility, National Beef’s Kansas locations in Dodge City and Liberal, and Greater Omaha Packing, among others.

Equipment sales provide about 50% of revenues; parts and service are 40% and 10% of sales, respectively.

Dannehl, a Lexington, Nebraska, native who started his working life as an assistant in a mortuary while pursuing studies at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and who has since earned a business administration degree from Bellevue University, said Orion Equipment stays tuned to what meat plants want and what’s projected to come next.

“The trend our customers see is the use

of most parts of the entire animal and by the labor savings that can be had by taking one or two people off a machine with automation, but still providing for the safety aspect for the remaining workers,” he said.

For an Iowa pet food plant that was making puck-like dog food biscuits, the use of a band saw to cut from a log was enhanced by the addition of a vertical slicer from Orion Equipment that has enabled cutting output to be increased from 500 to about 1,000 pieces an hour.

The result is that overtime has been cut.

Orion Equipment’s largest vendors are Tecna — makers of spring balanced hand tools, Butcher Boy — band saws and grinders, and Termet — makers of hand-held captive bold-stunners to humanely kill cattle.

Encounter Telehealth expands commitment to provide care to underserved populations Continued from page 1.

President and CEO Jen Amis. “There really are not a ton of [telehealth providers] focusing on geriatric psychiatry. And it’s probably the most complicated form of psychiatry out there.”

From its corporate office at 900 S. 74th Plaza in Omaha, the firm’s roughly 25 fulltime team members and contractor-providers serve skilled nursing and long-term care facilities, and assisted, independent living, and home care communities from coast to coast.

In 2019, Amis noted that the then-sevenyear-old Encounter Telehealth had expanded to sites in the Dakotas, Kansas, Colorado, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Maine. “[Now] we are in the Pacific Northwest … and we are in New England,” she said, a reference to roll-outs in various phases at facilities in Oregon, Washington, New Hampshire and Vermont. “Our focus is to provide care in rural communities.”

While she isn’t “ruling out” services in population centers such as Boston, the organization is zeroing in on states with large rural populations.

“We’re at this crossroads where we’re providing a service that is in high demand over a delivery platform that removes barriers to the patient,” Amis noted.

She illustrated the highs and lows of demand for services that include scheduled talk therapy, medication management, and psychiatric evaluations.

“We still grew from 2019 to 2020, it was down a little bit from 2018 to 2019 due to the significant rise in cancellations or no-shows,” she said.

In fact, she described one month where 100 patients with previously-scheduled appointments were affected by COVID-19.

She’s also quick to remind readers that its niche is among the communities that have been most impacted by the pandemic; more than 30% of COVID-related deaths, she said, were in senior care facilities.

“These are not emergency services,” Amis explained. “These are scheduled patient visits where they could have talk therapy weekly or medication management could be once a month. We work closely to collaborate with the facility staff and nurse practitioners. These are all health care providers, and they are really in tune and flexible with what’s going on.”

Eventually, those encounters were rescheduled.

“October was a crazy down month, but

December we were up over 40%,” she said. the largest free residential education and job As uneven as that sounds, Amis noted training program for young adults aged 16 their monthly revenue chart for the past 12 to 24. months indicated a steady increase.

“We provide care for their clients,” Amis “It was March that was the big drop, and explained. “And their clients tend to be young in spring and summer it started to get better,” adults who are coming out of the foster sysshe said. “Then, kids went back to college tem, or young adults who are refugees. A lot and in October it came down again. You can of them have these tough histories.” look at it with the rate Going forward, of COVID infections; Encounter Telehealth its commitment to that’s what followed.” Phone: 844-485-3041 underserved populaAlong the lines of Address: 900 S. 74th Plaza, suite 403, tions will remain unencounters tracking Omaha 68114 (corporate office) changed amid changes with spikes in infec- Services: psychiatric, mental and that could transform tions, Amis described behavioral health care to residents of other providers who a “heartbreaking” sit- skilled nursing facilities, long-term care, don’t have the billionuation. aires’ backing. independent living communities and “ T h e n u r s i n g home care ““One thing we homes had to go on Founded: 2012 found is we’ve been lockdown, and they Website: www.encounter.health using off-the-shelf couldn’t receive any technology and it just visitors,” she said. doesn’t quite ‘fit the “You can imagine the loneliness went bill,’” she said, noting that other types of through the roof. And our counseling services telehealth providers may have the resources increased over 100%. to build their own platforms from the get-go.

“Mental health impacts your physical “We’ve been able to look at the existing techhealth. An increase in depression and anxiety nology and started to customize it specifically can have a negative impact on your whole for our operations.” being.”

For instance, its features now better Upsides can be found; Amis described translate between time zones (beneficial how prior to COVID-19, work was limited for providers on both coasts). This aids in (due to Medicare reimbursement provisions) scheduling. to rural nursing homes.

“We’re coming up with a custom package “With COVID, they removed those re- that is platform-agnostic,” Amis said. strictions,” she said. “Now we can treat any At some point, this offering might be put Medicare recipient, wherever they are, if you to market for small telehealth companies or use home care, or you can see us in assisted even private practices. living and independent living. No longer are As a recent update, Amis also noted that we restricted to rural nursing homes. We’re she gets calls all the time from potential inable to treat anyone on Medicare.” vestors or others who want to buy Encounter Amis indicated Encounter continues to Telehealth. make headway among military veterans; she “We are not going to sell … but we are referenced its work with a veterans’ home gearing up to do a capital raise ourselves,” in Oregon. she said.

“We are also doing work with corrections, At the time of this writing, all of its inand that is just in the state of Nebraska,” vestors are Nebraskans. she said. “We work with a federal re-entry Amis’ takeaway: “It was an incredibly program.” challenging year for everyone. But we’ve also The team is reaching this “hugely under- come out of it with some interesting solutions served” community through partnering clinics and with some new opportunities. Telehealth and interim housing as part of the program. is a wonderful way to increase access to care “You’re supposed to be ‘reformed,’” she and mitigate that risk of exposure not just to said. “Well, there is a much higher rate of ad- COVID, but to any type of virus. Look at the diction for inmates coming out. It’s a system flu rates, how we see a spike in deaths during that clearly is broken.” flu seasons. If we keep using telehealth, and The team is also familiar with the Job if you don’t need someone to come out there, Corps program “space;” Job Corps is among don’t do it. Limit the risk.”

Hammerle, who aspired for a career in aviation after graduating in ‘85 from Millard South High School and who studied machine engineering for a year in college, said Orion Equipment sells more than 1,000 pieces of safety mesh equipment from gloves to whole body coverings. For customers such as

Orion Equipment, Inc. Phone: 402-991-0093 Address: 10525 I St., Omaha 68127 Service: butchers and food processing equipment and supplies Founded: 2015 by Kevin F. Dannehl, Kevin Hammerle, Bill & Alicia Kroupa Employees: 6 One-year goal: Grow sales by 20% while bringing operational costs down.

Industry outlook: Finding workers to fill positions remains difficult.

Website: www.orionequipinc.com

Cargill, chest coverings as wide as 69-inches have been made for their employees in multiple plants.

Hammerle said about 90% of Orion Equipment’s customers are in about nine Midwestern states. Of that group, five have production facilities in Nebraska.

“With COVID-19 the business we are doing with small- to medium-size processors is increasing,” Dannehl said. “The small processor in the small town operated locally may be booked solid until the middle of next year.”

Plants served may range from processing from one to 5,000 cows a day. The average is about 450 cows per hour.

Orion Equipment’s staff is lean: three sales, two accounting employees, and a warehouse manager.

“As we grow, I want relationships with 50 plants where we can service their equipment daily and keep them growing and become more efficient,” Dannehl said.

The biggest ace for Orion Equipment, Hammerle said, is its relatively small size, family-like operational atmosphere and nimbleness.

“When we’re working with customers we want to come across (communicate) with them better than they’ve experienced in the past and we want the message to be that we’re great people to work with,” he said.

For example, Orion Equipment’s customer service line took a call at 10 a.m. on Christmas day from a manufacturing plant in Augusta, Georgia, regarding a bearing housing that was needed for a tripe machine.

“We took that part out of a machine we have here, packaged it and called Hot Shot to start it on an 18-hour trip to Augusta,” Dannehl said. “Such an emergency might cost a plant $100,000 an hour in down time.”

He said Orion Equipment has been successful in its commitment to prompt, quality service, a strong inventory of parts and close focus on building customer relationships — no matter how small an initial purchase may be.

While Dannehl and Hammerle enjoy showing off the wares in their inventory that include a screw auger conveyor, combo dumper, Weiler meat grinder — among others — the young company owner-president in succinct in assessing the future.

“We can help you kill it and put it in the box,” he concluded.

10

• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

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11

Wow Bao is ‘growing exponentially’ by launching dark kitchens inside of other restaurants

by Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz

Wow Bao, an Asian-style restaurant chain best known for its doughy steamed buns, is expanding rapidly across the country by partnering with restaurants that have kitchen space to spare.

Restaurants Wow Bao, which operates five restaurants in Chicago plus six airport locations, last year launched 150 new locations that serve customers only through delivery or pickup.

Another 100 locations are set to open in the next several months, and it aspires to have

1,000 by the end of the year.

The new locations, so far in 24 states plus Washington, D.C., are not storefronts. Rather, Chicago-based Wow Bao has arranged for other restaurants to make Wow Bao’s products in their kitchens and sell them through third-party delivery platforms like Grubhub and DoorDash.

“We have found a way to grow at an exponential rate,” Wow Bao CEO Geoff Alexander said. “It has moved our five stores in Chicago to a national stage.”

Wow Bao embarked on the growth strateWEIRD WARDROBE

gy before COVID-19 upended the restaurant industry, with its first partnership launching in late January 2020 with Shaw’s Crab House in Schaumburg.

But the model, similar to ghost kitchens and virtual restaurants, has become particularly relevant during the coronavirus pandemic as customers flock to delivery and pickup and the use of third-party platforms booms.

Any restaurant, catering operation or cooking establishment can sign up to operate as a “dark kitchen” to make a selection of Wow Bao’s products, including five different types of baos, three kinds of noodle bowls and two types of dumplings. The host restaurants don’t carry Wow Bao’s products on their own menus, but operate a sort of side hustle selling them out the back door via third-party delivery platforms where customers placed their Wow Bao orders.

Wow Bao’s dark kitchens are in momand-pop restaurants as well as national chains like Sizzler and Fazoli’s. More are opening in hotels in coming weeks and Wow Bao recently partnered with Franklin Junction, a digital marketplace that connects host kitchens to customers seeking those services, to find more locations.

About 40% of the host kitchens are in rural areas, where food variety is more limited than in cities, according to Wow Bao. Delivery-only models have grown during the pandemic as food operators seek to reach new customers without the overhead and diners seek more convenience and options.

Kitchen United, an operator of ghost kitchens, this week announced the opening of a second downtown Chicago facility with 10 kitchens for filling off-premise orders. Its first, in River North, hosts 12 restaurant concepts, including big brands like Panera.

Euromonitor, a market research firm, last year estimated that ghost kitchens and virtual restaurants could be a $1 trillion business by 2030, with people consuming a third of their food via delivery.

Alexander distinguishes Wow Bao’s dark kitchen model from virtual restaurants, whose concepts were created only for an online audience. Wow Bao, founded in 2003, is a known brand with a history and physical presence.

And unlike ghost kitchens, where meals

are prepared in commissary facilities dedicated to that purpose, Wow Bao is using space in existing restaurants to generate revenue for both itself and the host restaurant.

The added revenue has been helpful for bricks and mortar restaurants that have suffered heavy sales declines amid bans on in-person dining, Alexander said.

“That’s keeping the lights on, keeping people employed,” he said.

The goal is for host kitchens to reach $2,500 in weekly sales within six weeks, and most are exceeding that, Alexander said. After food and packaging costs, plus delivery fees, they keep about 40% of each sale.

It costs host kitchens less than $800 to join the program, Alexander said. That includes a $495 fee to access Wow Bao’s supply chain, activate the third-party platforms and launch targeted ads to potential customers in new markets. The rest is the cost of cooking equipment — a steamer, a griddle and a rice cooker — if they don’t already have it.

Alexander declined to say how much the growth push has added to Wow Bao’s top or bottom lines. Wow Bao is part of the Lettuce Entertain You family of brands, though its majority owner is Valor Equity Partners and it operates independently.

Wow Bao has experimented with innovative concepts before. In 2017 it launched a fully automated restaurant in the Gold Coast, where customers order through touch-screen kiosks and pick up their food from a wall of cubbies.

Whether delivery-focused models continue to flourish beyond the pandemic remains to be seen. The restaurant industry is hoping business will bounce back this year as COVID-19 vaccination becomes more widespread, restrictions on indoor dining lift and people venture out.

But Alexander expects host restaurants won’t want to let go of the added revenue. And, he said, consumers have gotten used to new dining habits and third-party platforms will figure out how to encourage more ordering in.

“They have found a way to get us addicted to delivery,” Alexander said. ©2021 Chicago Tribune.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Auto insurance rates remain steady, home insurance rates vary

Answers on page 12.

Continued from page 6. surance Group, said auto rates have remained stable and even in some instances, there have been rate decreases.

“On the home side of things, we continue to see some volatility in rates, and there are some companies that have taken double digit rate increases on renewal and some not so drastic, but the rates continue to climb,” he said. “Overall, I would still say that trends are cyclical from carrier to carrier. It seems that each carrier at some point during the last few years has been the most competitive, but it never stays that way for too long.”

According to Capece, COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the auto trend.

“With so many people working from home and with some many people with no place to go, driving is way down,” Capece said. “In turn, we are not seeing as many auto accidents, which in turn affects rates in a positive manner. Low mileage benefits have really come into play because of the pandemic.”

On the home side of things, Capece said weather has withstood the pandemic and is still causing havoc to the home rates that are still

seeing steady yearly climbs.

Christina Peatrowsky, personal lines client advocate at Ellerbrock-Norris, said Nebraska home markets are as volatile as they ever have been.

“We have seen steadily increasing home rates, by large margins, anywhere between 15% to 40% rate increases due to hail frequency and severity from several carriers,” she said.

“Unfortunately, we don’t see this improving any time due to the frequency of storms. This is hard for clients to understand, especially if they haven’t suffered a hail loss, but it is important to remember that insurance carriers spread risk amongst all policyholders.”

Peatrowsky said there has been much movement, up or down, on the auto rate side, and predicts it will remain steady.

“We remain focused on finding our clients the best coverage platform for each individual situation by being proactive with risk identification and providing thorough and comprehensive risk analysis,” she said. “At Ellerbrock-Norris, we strive on making sure our clients are well educated about their insurance program and how it will work for them.”

12

• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Six career-damaging ways we make bad impressions

by Arianne Cohen

Did you know that you flub workplace and social interactions all the time? You do.

So do I. So does everyone, says Ovul Sezer, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at the University of North Carolina. She studies so-called “impression mismanagement” Workplace and the social bellyflops by which you offend, insult or create distrust between yourself and others in the workplace, often unintentionally and obliviously. It’s all entirely avoidable. Here are the common offenders, so you can steer clear of them from now on.

—Backhanded complimenting What it is: Praise that draws comparison with a negative standard or stereotype.

Example: “You’re funny for a woman.”

What’s the problem? You just insulted her entire demographic.

Do this instead: Give the praise without the qualification. “Compliments go a long way,” Sezer says. “They’re an incredible social glue, and often make you feel very happy for giving them, not just receiving them.”

—Humble bragging What it is: Sharing good news or self-compliments under guise of a complaint or false humility.

Examples: “I didn’t even put makeup one — I don’t know why all these people are hitting on me.” “The mail is so unreliable — I didn’t get my Harvard acceptance letter until yesterday.”

What’s the problem? It comes off as insincere, as well as fake. Even nice, well-meaning people, such as you, humble brag. For example, in a job interview you might “spin” a negative question positively, answering that your biggest weakness is your insistence on doing the right thing.

Do this instead: If you need to share, complain, or brag, do it directly. If it’s self-congratulatory, try, “Do you mind if I pat myself on the back for a moment?”

Sezer says, “People really want to see a genuine approach.”

—Mansplaining What it is: Advising or explaining to a recipient who knows more about the topic than the explainer. This is very common in the corporate world, where executives commonly opine long-windedly to under-

lings and (cough) female reporters.

Examples: “I’m explaining to you in great detail how to operate this machine that you designed.” “Welcome to the company. I’m going to tell you all about the topic in which you have a Ph.D.” What’s the problem? The speaker mistakenly assumes he has more experience or status. (Fun fact: Mansplaining is not actually driven by gender, despite usually presenting in gendered form.)

Do this instead: Before you launch into an explanation, quickly ask your listener about her experience on the topic.

—Femmesplaining What it is: When a woman explains a (usually) non-work topic the listener already knows about, such as child-rearing or housework.

Example: “Daughter-in-law, let me tell you how to raise your own child.”

What’s the problem? The recipient did not ask for this information. Also, she’s the world expert on her own child.

Do this instead: Loosely broach the general topic, and don’t expound further unless your listener specifically asks for your input.

Startup Airspace corrals $38M for tech that helps deliver critical, time-sensitive cargo

by Mike Freeman

Carlsbad startup Airspace, which has developed an artificial intelligence platform to manage shipping of time-sensitive cargo including human Startups organs for transplants, said Tuesday that it has raised $38 million in a third round of venture capital funding.

The company will use the money to fund its growth and expand internationally. It recently opened an office in Amsterdam. Overall, Airspace employs 166 workers globally, with 121 based in Carlsbad.

The latest funding is led by Telstra Ventures, and joined by co-lead HarbourVest Partners. Other participants include existing backers Scale Ventures, Defy Partners, Qualcomm Ventures and Prologis

Limited provider networks

Continued from page 7. business does not apply. All other groups, both fully and self-insured group rates, will consider the nature of the industry to determine rates.

“Based on the industry, the employees may not be in a financial position to contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA) or the employer may not be able to fund a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA),” DeSmet said.

Effective on Jan. 1, 2021, Nebraska individual health plans no longer offer traveling networks for members to visit for in-network benefits and there is no longer out-of-network coverage. Currently, the Nebraska fully insured group health plans offer traveling networks and out-of-network coverage although some exceptions, such as HMO plans, apply.

Ventures.

The Series C round brings the total raised by Airspace to more than $70 million since it was founded in 2016.

According to the company, time-critical logistics has seen rapid growth in recent years, ballooning to $20 billion in 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted certain global supply chains, highlighted the need for reliable delivery of critical supplies.

Airspace's platform uses predictive analytics and machine learning to help ensure critical packages are delivered as soon as possible. Its software automates the process of planning and tracking shipments, allowing shippers to communicate with customers in real time about package locations and track drivers dispatched to pick up packages at airports.

The company has more than 200 customers that include LabCorp, Alaska Airlines, Quest Diagnostics and the American Red Cross.

"We have already accomplished so many amazing feats, including our part in saving over 100,000 lives since we began organ deliveries," said Nick Bulcao, co-founder and chief executive of Airspace. "The ongoing support from our investors means that this number will only increase as we continue to develop solutions for our customers worldwide."

As part of the funding, Mark Sherman, managing partner of Telstra Ventures, has joined Airspace's board of directors.

"Combining human experience and artificial intelligence allows Airspace to stand out amongst its competitors and be the trusted partner for time-critical logistics," said Sherman.

©2021 The San Diego Union-Tribune Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

—Name-dropping What it is: Casually mentioning high-status people or institutions in an effort to associate yourself with classy, competent, fun or connected people.

Examples: “Zuck really wanted me to stay at Facebook.” “I used to eat a muffin every morning at Yale.” “I was at a BBQ with Shaq and…”

What’s the problem?: You come across as fake. Name-dropping is a particularly common error in networking, where people quickly try to communicate status.

Do this instead: If you must name-drop, do it in the context of work or organizational connections, which is more socially acceptable than bragging about social ties. For example, “Oh, I used to attend Mark Zuckerberg’s weekly publicity team meeting.”

—Inside joking What it is: Humor about something one of your listeners is too unfamiliar with to understand.

Example: (Co-worker says in a voice imitating a manager): “Come on y’all, where are the crayons?” (raucous laughter) What’s the problem? The outsider feels awkward, left to either ask why crayons are funny, or pretend to laugh at the word “crayons.”

Do this instead: Only crack jokes that all listeners can understand. “Humor is a tool that brings people together, but with inside joking, it is dividing,” Sezer says. ©2021 Rate.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS

Puzzle on page 11.

Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • LEGAL NOTICES MBJ legal notice instructions The following are some guidelines to consider when posting legal notices with the Midlands Business Journal: 1. Submit a written notice in either Microsoft Word or as a PDF document to the Legal Department at legals@mbj.com, fax to 402-758-9315 or mail: 1324 S. 119th St. Omaha, NE 68144.

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As a publisher and not a legal advisor we print notices exactly as they are submitted and therefor only comp reruns when the notice was rejected or messed up due to a MBJ error. All companies submitting notices are responsible for ensuring the content fits with the State’s requirements and are responsible for the cost of republishing the notice if it is rejected due to misinformation or missing information 2. You will receive a confirmation and price quote. Legal notices, except for trade names, are charged per line. The flat fee for a trade name is $50.

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CATHERINE E. FRENCH, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CREATIVBEE, 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 CreativBee, 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 January 14, 2021 and shall have perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Managers as prescribed by the Operating Agreement.

LDM Business Services, Inc., Incorporator First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TRR HOLDINGS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that TRR Holdings, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 6414 S. 118th Street, Omaha, NE 68137. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 W. Dodge Rd., Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

ADAMS & SULLIVAN, P.C., Attorneys 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 1 Papillion, Nebraska 68046-2843 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION PICTURE PERFECT TILE, INC. Notice is hereby given that Picture Perfect Tile, Inc. has been incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska on October 26, 2020 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 68046-2843 Registered Agent: Adams & Sullivan, P.C., L.L.O. First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Attorneys 13330 California Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an Amended Certificate of Organization for JSP Lakeside LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on January 13, 2021 wherein the name of the Company was changed to Lakeside Farms LLC. First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

Notice of Organization Aubray Orduña Consulting, LLC Notice is hereby given that Aubray Orduña Consulting, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its initial designated office at 4634 Camden Avenue, Omaha, NE 68104, and with its initial agent for service of process as Aubray Orduña, 4634 Camden Avenue, Omaha, NE 68104.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Attorneys 13330 California Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF MERGER Dingman’s Collision Center, Inc. was incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska on August 10, 2005 (the “Company”). On January 15, 2021, the Company filed Articles of Merger with the Nebraska Secretary of State wherein 1) BDD, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, 2) DAT, Inc., a Nebraska corporation, and 3) Alset Automotive, Inc., a Nebraska corporation were merged with and into the Company with the Company being the surviving entity. No amendments to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company are to be affected as part of the merger.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MELLONTIKOS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Mellontikos, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 310 South 89th Court, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. 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 January 13, 2021.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

AIMEE L. LOWE, Attorney Lowe Legal Group 14301 FNB PKWY, STE 100 Omaha, NE 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Micah 6:8 Ventures, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska, with its initial designated office at 13611 B. Street, Omaha, NE 68144. The initial agent for service of process of the Company is Aimee L. Lowe at 14301 FNB PKWY, STE 100, Omaha, NE 68154.

Aimee L. Lowe, Organizer First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

RODNEY G. GNUSE, Attorney GNUSE & GREEN LAW OFFICES, P.C. 11311 Chicago Circle Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF PERMANENT NERD DAMAGE STUDIOS, INC. Notice is hereby given of incorporation of PERMANENT NERD DAMAGE STUDIOS, INC. under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The number of shares that the corporation is authorized to issue is up to 10,000 shares of voting common stock.

The name and address of the initial registered agent is Jesse Neese, 3273 S. 104th Avenue, Omaha, NE 68124. The name and address of the incorporator is Rodney G. Gnuse, 11311 Chicago Circle, Omaha, NE 68154.

The Corporation shall engage in any lawful business for which a corporation may be formed under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. Perpetual existence commenced December 30, 2020, when articles were filed with the Secretary of State. Affairs are to be conducted by the Board of Directors and Officers authorized by the Bylaws and the Board.

Rodney G. Gnuse, Incorporator First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF KTC HOLDINGS, 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 KTC Holdings, 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., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 11506 Nicholas Street, Suite 105, Omaha, NE 68154.

T. Kelly Klein, Melanie Fae Wemhoff, and Stephanie Childers Members First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

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MATTHEW T. PAYNE, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ROYCE PETIT ROI, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of Royce Petit Roi, LLC: 1. The name of the limited liability company is Royce Petit Roi, LLC; and 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 12910 Pierce Street, Suite 110, Nebraska 68144, and the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is James D. Buser, 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF HTR PAYMENT SOLUTIONS, 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 HTR Payment Solutions, 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., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 100, Omaha, NE 68164.

Jim Prchal, and Kellie Schofield, Members First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF STACY MEARS, 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 Stacy Mears, 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., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 8077 Kilpatrick Parkway, Bennington, NE 68007.

Stacy Mears, Member First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF R&M CONTRACTING, 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 R&M Contracting, 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., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 18221 Farnam Street, Elkhorn, NE 68022.

Ryan McMahon, Member First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

Jeffrey T. Palzer, Attorney KELLOGG & PALZER, P.C. 10828 Old Mill Road, Suite 6 Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2647 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Company is JKE HOSPITALITY HOLDINGS, LLC. 2. The street address of the initial designated office is 17676 Welch Plaza, Ste. 9, Omaha, Nebraska, 68135. The registered agent is Javier T. Villa and the Registered Agent's address is 17676 Welch Plaza, Ste. 9, Omaha, Nebraska, 68135.

3. The general nature of the Company is holding company.

4. The Company commenced on December 30, 2020, 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 January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 13942, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that 13942, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 5253 South 133rd Court, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 W. Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

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• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

LEGAL NOTICES BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF KARI WITT, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is KARI WITT, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara MedberyPrchal, P.C., L.L.O., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Papillion, NE 68133.

The designated office is located at 16008 S. 63rd Street, Papillion, NE 68133.

Kari Witt, Member First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF JRB REALTY, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is JRB Realty, 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., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 2938 Bridgeford Road, Omaha, NE 68124.

John Begley, Member First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CATTAIL COVE COLLECTIVE, 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 Cattail Cove Collective, 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., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 912 S. 37th Street, Omaha, NE 68105.

Abby Scott, Member First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TRE SALON, 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 Tre Salon, 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., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 13441 Erskine Street, Omaha, NE 68164.

Krista Lane, Member First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GOLF LOVER PROPERTIES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Golf Lover Properties, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The Registered Agent of the Company is Kendra J. Ringenberg, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

MATTHEW WURSTNER, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP, Attorneys 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF NEIGHBORS FOR COMMON GOOD Notice is given that NEIGHBORS FOR COMMON GOOD is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Corporation is a public benefit corporation and will not have members. The Corporation’s initial registered agent was Mike Huber whose address was 2709 Dewey Ave #7, Omaha, Nebraska 68105. The current registered agent is Kristy Leahy whose address is 3309 Nebraska Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68111. The Corporation commenced by filing its Articles of Incorporation on October 18, 2017. Its incorporator was LegalZoom.com, Inc., whose address was 101 N. Brand Blvd, 10th Floor, Glendale, CA 91203.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

Notice is hereby given that SANDERSON GROUP, INC., has incorporated unter the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The general nature of the business is any lawful business. Authorized capital is 1,000 shares of common stock, with a par value of $0.00 per share. Foster & Dolleck CPAs is the incorporator, the incorporators' address is 11516 Nicholas Street, Suite 302, Omaha, NE 68154. The regisrered agent is Jacque Spikes and the address of the registered office is 634 North 47th Street #4, Omaha NE 68132. The affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by the Board of Directors and such officers as it may elect.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF KCCK PROPERTIES, LLC. Notice is hereby given that KCCK PROPERTIES, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The address of the designated and registered office of the company is 1326 N 160th St, Omaha, NE 68118. The general nature of the business to be transacted by the company is any lawful business which may be carried on by limited liability companies organized under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The company commenced on January 13th, 2021, and has perpetual duration. The manager and registered agent of the company is Aaron Flaugh.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF REFORMED INDUSTRIES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Reformed Industries, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 1248 South 112th Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. 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 January 12, 2021.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

AIMEE L. LOWE, Attorney Lowe Legal Group 14301 FNB PKWY, STE 100 Omaha, NE 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that B Props, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska, with its initial designated office at 13611 B. Street, Omaha, NE 68144. The initial agent for service of process of the Company is Aimee L. Lowe at 14301 FNB PKWY, STE 100, Omaha, NE 68154.

Aimee L. Lowe, Organizer First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BLUE SKY BAR & PATIO, LLC The name of the Company is Blue Sky Bar & Patio, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 1108 South 84th Street, 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 January 13, 2021.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

Rodney G. Gnuse GNUSE & GREEN LAW OFFICES, P.C., Attorneys 11311 Chicago Circle Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF KNAPSTER PROPERTIES, L.L.C. A Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that Knapster Properties, 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 7016 N. 153rd 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 address of the limited liability company’s initial registered office is 7016 N. 153rd Street, Bennington, NE 68007 and the name of its’ initial registered agent at such address is John Knape. The Certificate of Organization was filed in the office of the Nebraska Secretary of State on January 6, 2021. The Company commenced business thereon and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by the Members.

Rodney G. Gnuse, Organizer First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Notice is hereby given of the incorporation of RUSTIC FARMHOUSE INVESTMENTS, INC., with its registered office address at 118 East Grove Street, West Point, Nebraska 68788 and the registered agent at such address is Russell J. Kreikemeier. The principal office location of the Corporation is at 11928 West Center Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. The purpose or purposes for which this corporation is formed is to own, conduct, operate, maintain and carry on the business of a quilt shop, including the conduct of education courses and sales of all products for the creation of quilts and quilting equipment and to sell supplies and other related products and services and including the transaction of all or any lawful business or engagement in any commercial venture and including the transaction of all or any lawful business or engagement in any commercial venture permitted by the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act, as amended, and all other applicable law. The initial authorized number of shares of the corporation is 10,000 and such shares shall be issued at such time and under such conditions as the Board of Directors may determine. The Corporation commenced doing business on January 1, 2021, 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. The incorporator is Deborah Cox, 11928 West Center Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68144.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF HARRER HOMES, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is Harrer Homes, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara MedberyPrchal, P.C., L.L.O., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164.

The designated office is located at 7402 S. 50th Street, Omaha, NE 68157.

Donald Harrer III, Member First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

MATTHEW WURSTNER, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP, Attorneys 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF HANSEN CABIN, LLC Notice is hereby given that HANSEN CABIN, LLC is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office is 22880 West Angus Road, Gretna, Nebraska 68028. The initial registered agent is Randy Hansen, whose address is 22880 West Angus Road, Gretna Nebraska 68028.

The purpose of the Company shall be to engage in any lawful business and such activity, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Members from time to time, and which are not prohibited by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The Company commenced on January 19, 2021 and shall have a perpetual period of duration. The Company is to be managed by its initial Members of the Company who are Denise Kennedy, Randy Hansen, and Rodney Hansen.

Carlson & Burnett, LLP, Organizer First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of Nebraska Prospects Foundation, Inc., a Nebraska Nonprofit Corporation, were filed on January 14, 2021 with the Nebraska Secretary of State for the purpose of amending the Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the corporation to change the name of the corporation to The Four Coaches Foundation.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

MODERN LAW FIRM, PC, LLO PO Box 209 Boys Town, NE 68010 NOTICE OF MERGER, CONVERSION & ORGANIZATION NOTICE that Articles of Merger of Peak Engraving, Inc., a Nebraska business corporation, with and into Peak Industries, Inc., were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on December 31, 2020, in accordance with the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The merger was effective on January 1, 2021. The surviving entity in the merger was Peak Industries, Inc. NOTICE FURTHER that Peak Industries, Inc. a Nebraska business corporation, has been converted into Peak Industries, LLC, under the laws of the State of Nebraska. Articles of Conversion of Peak Industries, Inc., into Peak Industries, LLC, and Certificate of Organization of Peak Industries, LLC, were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on December 31, 2020, in accordance with the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act and the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The conversion was effective on January 1, 2021. The Designated Office is at 1412 N 153rd Cir, Omaha, NE 68154. The Registered Agent is Jason L. Bickford, 1412 N 153rd Cir, Omaha, NE 68154.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • LEGAL NOTICES ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CEM ORGANIZATION, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that CEM Organization, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 6513 South 184th Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68135 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 January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF a Limited Liability Company NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that #1 EAGLES CONSTRUCTION LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 5065 S 40th st Omaha, NE 68107. The registered agent of #1 Eagles Construction LLC is Miguel Angel Cifuentes Cruz 5065 S 40th st Omaha, NE 68107.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF KKB HOLDINGS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that KKB Holdings, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 22145 West Maple Road, P.O. Box 131, 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 January 21, 2021.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF AC TIRES LLC The name of the Company is AC Tires LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is 6130 Military Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68104. The Registered Agent and Office of the Company is Anthony M. Giessinger, 6130 Military Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68104. This limited liability company commenced business on January 21, 2021.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MOAT CAPITAL LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Moat Capital LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 1113 S 10th St, #5, Omaha, Nebraska 68108. The Registered Agent of the Company is Jeffrey Milewski located at 1113 S 10th St, #5, Omaha, Nebraska 68108.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CEDAR FLY, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Cedar Fly, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 5808 S. 118 Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The Registered Agent of the Company is Registered Agents, Inc., 530 S. 13th Street, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68508.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

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

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TMM, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is TMM, 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., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 419 West Judy Road, Fremont, NE 68025.

William Douglas, Organizer First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

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

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TRR HOLDINGS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that TRR Holdings, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 6414 S. 118th Street, Omaha, NE 68137. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 W. Dodge Rd., Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication January 22, 2021, final February 5, 2021

JERRY W. KATSKEE, Attorney K & K Law P.C., L.L.O. 10675 Bedford Ave., Suite 201, Omaha, NE 68134 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Corporation Name: K & K Law, P.C., L.L.O., 10675 Bedford Avenue Suite 201, Omaha, NE 68134 Incorporator: Jerry W. Katskee Incorporator Address: 10675 Bedford Avenue Suite 201, Omaha, NE 68134 Registered Agent: Jerry W. Katskee Registered Office/Agent Address: 10675 Bedford Avenue Suite 201, Omaha, NE 68134 Corporation shall engage in any lawful business for which a professional corporation may be formed under the Nebraska Professional Corporation Act. Authorized capital stock is $10,000.00 to be fully paid and non-assessable on issue. Perpetual existence commenced on January 10, 2020, when Articles were filed with the Secretary of State. Affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by a Board of Directors and officers authorized by the By-Laws and the Board.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF NORDHUES RAILWAY VALUE SOLUTIONS, 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 Nordhues Railway Value Solutions, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara MedberyPrchal, P.C., L.L.O., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 15414 Himebaugh Avenue, Omaha, NE 68116.

Connie Nordhues-Bieber, Member First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF BUCKENDAHL’S TRUCKING, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that BUCKENDAHL’S TRUCKING, INC., is incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a registered office at 14905 Z Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The registered agent is JOE R. BUCKENDAHL. The general nature of the business is to operate a general over the road trucking 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 over the road trucking 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 August 18, 2020, and upon its Articles being filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on October 20, 2020, 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, VicePresident, 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 January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

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BENJAMIN J. PICK, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO THE CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF CKP HOLDING COMPANY, LLC Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, the Certificate of Organization of CKP HOLDING COMPANY, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been amended to change the name of the Company to SHARMALEAU HOLDINGS, LLC. The Amended Certificate of Organization was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Nebraska on January 25, 2021. In all other respects, the Certificate of Organization remains unchanged.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF PopOmaha!, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that PopOmaha!, INC., is incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a registered office at 5428 South 13th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68107. The registered agent is AUBREY A. PALERMO. The general nature of the business is to operate a general licensed signage rental/installation 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 licensed signage rental/installation 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 upon its Articles of Incorporation being filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on June 19, 2020, 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 ByLaws, 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 January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Husker Entertainment, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office of the Company is 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Registered Agent of the Company is Thomas E. Whitmore, 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Company was formed on January 13, 2021.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

JAMIE M. HURST, Esq. WALENTINE O'TOOLE, Attorneys 11240 Davenport Street P.O. Box 540125 Omaha, Nebraska 68154-0125 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF JUETT PROPERTIES, LLC Juett Properties, LLC, with its initial designated office at 2023 S. 214th Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022, gives notice that it filed its Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on January 22, 2021, and that it has been organized as a Nebraska limited liability company under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial agent for service of process is Lance Juett, and his initial mailing address is 2023 S. 214th Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The company’s period of duration is perpetual, and the general nature of its business is to engage in any and all lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

Jamie M. Hurst, Organizer First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

JOHN N. MASSIH, Attorney MASSIH LAW, LLC 226 N. 114th Street Omaha, NE 68154 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR 21-69 Estate of TIMOTHY COMPTON, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on January 19th, 2021, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, the Registrar issued a written statement of Informal Probate of the Intestacy of said Decedent and that TAMMY FLEER, of 5017 s. 93rd st. Omaha, NE 68127 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 April 5, 2021 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

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• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • 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 ORGANIZATION OF HUSKERS IN CB, LLC The name of the Company is Huskers in CB, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 13323 California Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. 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 January 20, 2021.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

JUSTIN A. SHELDON, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MANNA SALON STUDIOS LLC Notice is hereby given that MANNA SALON STUDIOS LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The address of the initial designated office of the company is 16911 Briar Street, Omaha, NE 68136. The agent for service of process for the Company is VW Agents LLC located at 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3, Omaha, NE 68118.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

Jeffrey T. Palzer, Attorney KELLOGG & PALZER, P.C. 10828 Old Mill Road, Suite 6 Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2647 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Company is JKE HOSPITALITY 2, LLC. 2. The street address of the initial designated office is 17676 Welch Plaza, Ste. 9, Omaha, Nebraska, 68135. The registered agent is Javier T. Villa and the Registered Agent's address is 17676 Welch Plaza, Ste. 9, Omaha, Nebraska, 68135.

3. The general nature of the Company is Mexican Restaurant Taqueria.

4. The Company commenced on December 31, 2020, 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 January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MALIBU AIR, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is Malibu Air, 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., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 21008 Cumberland Drive, Suite 110, Elkhorn, NE 68022.

William Douglas, Organizer First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF EXTRALUMENAL, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that ExtraLumenal, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 8901 Indian Hills Drive, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Thomas Waldron, 8901 Indian Hills Drive, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The limited liability company commenced business on January 21, 2021.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF WHITE OAK ACRES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that White Oak Acres, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 17605 Shirley Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. 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 January 21, 2021.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

BENJAMIN J. PICK, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SIMON RENTAL MANAGEMENT, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of Simon Rental Management, LLC: 1. The name of the limited liability company is Simon Rental Management, LLC; and 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 1224 South 118th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68144, and the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is Benjamin J. Pick, 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SOJO PROPERTIES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that SOJO Properties, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State if Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address is 8019 12th Street, Murry, Nebraska 68409.

The Registered Agent of the Company is Heath Marrinan, 8019 12th Street, Murray, Nebraska 68409.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

JUSTIN A. SHELDON, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SHEPHERD CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION LLC Notice is hereby given that SHEPHERD CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The address of the initial designated office of the company is 2929 California Plaza, Apt. 6105, Omaha, NE 68131. The agent for service of process for the Company is VW Agents LLC located at 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3, Omaha, NE 68118.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

RUSSELL J. KREIKEMEIER, Attorney KREIKEMEIER LAW OFFICES 126 East Grove Street West Point, Nebraska 68788 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given of the organization of Simply Board Designs, LLC, with its registered office address at 118 East Grove Street, West Point, Nebraska 68788 and the registered agent at that address being Russell J. Kreikemeier. The designated office location of the Company is 16465 Read Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68007. The purpose or purposes for which this Company is formed is to own, manage, conduct, operate and carry on a small crafts and home décor business, including the conduct of sales of all products and raw materials to make small crafts and home décor whether in this State or any other and to conduct all related activities thereto. The Company shall conduct the transactions of all or any lawful business or engagement in any commercial venture permitted by the Nebraska Limited Liability Company Act, as amended, and all other applicable laws. The initial capital of the Company has been contributed and evidence of membership in the Company will be issued by the Management Board. The Company commenced doing business on January 4, 2021, and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company shall be conducted by a Management Board and such other Officers and Managers as may be provided for in the Operating Agreement of the Company.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

MATTHEW WURSTNER, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP, Attorneys 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION: SUMMIT HOMES AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC Notice is hereby given that SUMMIT HOMES AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The initial designated office is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The Company’s initial registered agent in the State of Nebraska is: Matthew Wurstner, whose address is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful business and activity, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Members from time to time, and which are not prohibited by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The Company commenced with filing its Certificate of Organization on January 26, 2021, and shall have a perpetual period of duration. The Company is a Manager Managed Limited Liability Company. The initial Manager of the Company is Awad Qumseya whose address is 2327 South 191st Street, Omaha, NE 68130.

Matthew Wurstner, Organizer First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MS JS INVESTMENTS, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is MS JS Investments, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara MedberyPrchal, P.C., L.L.O., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164.

The designated office is located at 6929 L Street, Omaha, NE 68117.

Gerold Schuette and Mark Schuette, Members First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF K HUTCHINSON REAL ESTATE, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is K Hutchinson Real Estate, 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., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 15318 Wycliffe Drive, Apt 7, Omaha, NE 68154.

Keaton Hutchinson, Member First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Teresa Lenzen Psychotherapy, LLC, has been organized as a professional limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The designated office of the Company is 638 N 109th Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The registered agent of the Company is Teresa Lenzen, 638 N 109th Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Company's members, managers, professional employees and agents are licensed or otherwise legally authorized to engage in the sale of real estate in this state. The Company was formed on January 8, 2021.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

ERIN K. ARTZ, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF PHYS HOLDCO, INC. Notice is hereby given that a corporation has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the corporation is Phys Holdco, Inc. The corporation is authorized to issue 5,209 shares of common stock. The general nature of the business to be transacted is all lawful business. The company commenced existence on January 26,202I and shall have perpetual duration. The name and street address of the corporation's initial registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc., 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The name and address of the incorporator is LDM Business Services, Inc., 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, NE 68114.

LDM Business Services, Inc., Incorporator First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF S.JAYMES PROPERTIES, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is S.Jaymes Properties, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara MedberyPrchal, P.C., L.L.O., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164.

The designated office is located at 5743 S. 239th Street, Elkhorn, NE 68022.

Rob Henry and Missy Henry, Members First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BAGS OF FUN OMAHA, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Bags of Fun Omaha, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the limited liability company is 2310 South 220th Avenue, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The Registered Agent of the limited liability company is Amy Krause, 2310 South 220th Avenue, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022 First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • 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 AMENDED CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF PRECISION CANCER RESEARCH, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Certificate of Organization of Precision Cancer Research, LLC has been amended to change the name of the company to: XCancer, LLC. The amendment was accomplished by the filing of an Amended Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on January 22, 2021.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CRYSTAL HAM REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES, L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that CRYSTAL HAM REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES, L.L.C., is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a designated and registered office at 3018 South 87th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The affairs of the company are to be conducted by the manager and registered officer, CRYSTAL L. HAM. The Limited Liability Company is organized to transact any and all business, and perform services of every kind and nature whatsoever, which are not inconsistent with law.

The Limited Liability Company commenced doing business on September 4, 2020, and filed Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on October 20, 2020, and shall have perpetual existence.

CRYSTAL L. HAM, Organizational Member 3018 South 87th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124 First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF REBECKA J. MOSSMAN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that REBECKA J. MOSSMAN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, L.L.C., is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a designated and registered office at 3018 South 87th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The affairs of the company are to be conducted by the manager and registered officer, REBECKA J MOSSMAN. The Limited Liability Company is organized to transact any and all business, and perform services of every kind and nature whatsoever, which are not inconsistent with law. The Limited Liability Company commenced doing business on December 2, 2020, and filed Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on December 22, 2020, and shall have perpetual existence.

REBECKA J. MOSSMAN, Organizational Member 3018 South 87th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124 First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF COUNSELING WITH KRISTIN, L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that COUNSELING WITH KRISTIN, L.L.C., is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a designated and registered office at 6706 South 142nd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The affairs of the company are to be conducted by the manager and registered officer, KRISTIN WALKER-VINAL. The Limited Liability Company is organized to transact any and all business, and perform services of every kind and nature whatsoever, which are not inconsistent with law. The Limited Liability Company commenced doing business on December 3, 2020, and filed Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on December 22, 2020, and shall have perpetual existence.

KRISTIN WALKER-VINAL, Organizational Member 6706 South 142nd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68137 First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF TRUE IRON TATTOO, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that TRUE IRON TATTOO, INC., is incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a registered office at 11408 Elm Street, #16, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. The registered agent is AARON JOSEPH WERT. The general nature of the business is to operate a general tattoo shop 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 tattoo shop 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 upon its Articles of Incorporation being filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on July 9, 2020, 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 January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

ERIN K. ARTZ, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF SERENE HOLDCO,INC. Notice is hereby given that a corporation has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the corporation is Serene Holdco, Inc. The corporation is authorized to issue 10,417 shares of common stock. The general nature of the business to be transacted is all lawful business. The company commenced existence on January 26,2021 and shall have perpetual duration. The name and street address of the corporation's initial registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc., 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The name and address of the incorporator is LDM Business Services, Inc., 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, NE 68114.

LDM Business Services, Inc., Incorporator First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

BENJAMIN J. PICK, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF DUNDEE HARD ICE CREAM CO., LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of Dundee Hard Ice Cream Co., LLC: 1. The name of the limited liability company is Dundee Hard Ice Cream Co., LLC; and 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114, and the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is Benjamin J. Pick, 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Sara Nies, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the Company is 18805 Polk Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68135. The Registered Agent of the Company is Sarah Nies, 18805 Polk Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68135. The Company was formed on January 20, 2021.

First publication January 29, 2021, final February 12, 2021

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION OF LANPHARRA DENTISTRY, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Lanpharra Dentistry, LLC, a Nebraska professional limited liability company (the “Company”), has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 5050 L Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68117 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. The company has been organized to render dental services.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: LINGODOCS MARKETING Name of Applicant: LINGODOCS, LLC Address: 4104 S 42ND STREET OMAHA NE 68107 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: 7/15/2013 General nature of business: MARKETING SERVICES ARMANDO SALGADO Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative February 5, 2021

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF FLAIR FARMS LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Flair Farms LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 16850 Frances Street, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. The Registered Agent of the Company is William E. Stevens, 16850 Frances Street, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68130.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

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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 MVB PROPERTIES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that MVB Properties, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 102 North 53rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132. 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 January 27, 2021.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

SCOTT A. MEYERSON, Esq. LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF RED SHELL LLC Notice is hereby given that Red Shell LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial designated office is 12915 West Dodge Road, Omaha, NE 68154. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial agent for service of process is 5601 S. 59th Street, Suite C, Lincoln, Nebraska 68516 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Registered Agent Solutions, Inc. First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

HOWARD N. KAPLAN, Attorney K & K Law P.C., L.L.O. 10675 Bedford Ave., Suite 201 Omaha, Nebraska 68134 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Corporation Name: Cultural Centers of Lincoln Incorporator: Howard N. Kaplan Incorporator Address: 10675 Bedford Avenue Suite 201, Omaha, NE 68134 Registered Agent: Howard N. Kaplan Registered Office/Agent Address: 10675 Bedford Avenue Suite 201, Omaha, NE 68134 Corporation shall engage in any lawful business for which a non-profit corporation may be formed under the Nebraska Non-Profit Corporation Act. Perpetual existence commenced on September 30, 2020, when Articles were filed with the Secretary of State. The Public Benefit affairs of the non-profit corporation are to be conducted by a Board of Directors, the officers authorized by the By-Laws and the Board, and the members of the organization.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OFAMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OFARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF LAWRENCE RECRUITING SPECIALISTS INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Articles of Incorporation of Lawrence Recruiting Specialists Inc., a Nebraska corporation, have been amended and restated in their entirety and were duly filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on December 21, 2020. Included in the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation is an amendment to authorize the Corporation to issue 1,000 shares of common stock having a par value of $1.00 per share, of which 10 shares are in a class designated as voting common stock and 990 shares are in a class designated as nonvoting common stock.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

MATTHEW T. PAYNE, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF JORDAN D. HOLMES, M.D., P.C. Notice is hereby given of incorporation of JORDAN D. HOLMES, M.D., P.C. under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: 1. The name of the professional corporation is JORDAN D. HOLMES, M.D., P.C. 2. The number of shares that the professional corporation is authorized to issue is 10,000 shares of voting common stock.

3. The name of the initial registered agent is Michelle Cascio, and the address of the initial registered office is 8901 Indian Hills Drive, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

4. The name and address of the incorporator is Jordan D. Holmes, M.D., 3418 S 102nd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.

5. The general nature of the profession to be practiced by the Corporation is medicine and surgery.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

18

• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

LEGAL NOTICES Engle Investments, LLC 900 South 75th Street, Ste. B Omaha, NE 68134 Notice of Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the establishment of Engle Investments, LLC., with its’ registered office address at 900 South 75th Street, Ste. B, Omaha, NE 68134. The general nature of its business is to engage in the business of buying and selling real estate, and to engage in all lawful acts or activities for which Limited Liability Company may be organized under the Nebraska Law. The Limited Liability Company commenced doing business January 21, 2021, and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Limited Liability Company shall be conducted by its members and managers as provided in the Operating Agreement.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Alumni Association of Omaha, NE, INC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Alumni Association of Omaha, NE, Inc. has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office and the registered office of the Corporation is 9215 Fremont Street, Omaha, NE 68122. The registered agent at such office is Mark W. Slobotski. The Corporation was commenced on January 15, 2021.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

Millennials are changing the luxury real estate market

by Jacqueline Davalos

In sharp contrast to the “slacker” stereotype that has defined their generation, millennials aren’t living in parents’ basements. They’re buying multimillion-dollar homes.

At 38%, millennials—adults born from 1981 to 1996— represent the largest share of home Real Estate buyers in the U.S., according to a survey by the National Association of Realtors released last year. “They’re just as interested in owning a home. They just waited longer to buy their first one,” says Bradley Nelson, chief marketing officer of Sotheby’s International Realty.

Breaking from the notion of a “starter home” that older generations embraced, wealthy millennials, Nelson says, are going big.

“In the past, people bought a modest property, lived in it

SHAUN M. JAMES, Attorney SMITH SLUSKY POHREN & ROGERS LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BAO SALON OMAHA LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on January 29, 2021, BAO SALON OMAHA LLC was organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska, Uniform Limited Liability Company Act with a designated office at 639 N 114 Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The Company’s initial agent for service of process is Shaun M. James, Smith Slusky Law, 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

ROBERT J. LIKES, Esq. LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF RLB85, LLC Notice is hereby given that RLB85, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial designated office is 1609 South 193rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial agent for service of process is 1609 South 193rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Laura K. Bertsch.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Lucia Marquez Law, LLC has been organized as a Limited Liability Professional Organization under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The initial designated office’s street address is 3035 Harney Street Suite 101C, Omaha, NE 68131.

The initial designated office’s mailing address is 3035 Harney Street Suite 101C, Omaha, NE 68131. The Registered Agent is Lucia Marquez. The street address of the Registered Agent is 3035 Harney Street Suite 101C, Omaha, NE 68131 and the mailing address is 3035 Harney Street Suite 101C, Omaha, NE 68131. The main purpose of the business will be to engage in the practice of law through properly licensed members.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Maxon Repair Group Name of Applicant: Maxon Distribution, LLC Address: 10133 J Street Omaha NE 68127 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: February 18, 2020 General nature of business: Construction JODIE HAFERBIER MCGILL Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative February 5, 2021

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GCP III VAN ZANDTS, LLC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that GCP III Van Zandts, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 10340 North 84th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68122. The Registered Agent of the Company is Zachary A. Wiegert, 10340 North 84th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68122.

First publication February 5, 2021, final February 19, 2021

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until starting a family, and then traded up to a larger property,” he says. “Millennials are finally coming out of the gate, and it’s not uncommon for the first purchase as a first time homebuyer to be a multimillion-dollar luxury home in the U.S. or internationally.”

As a result, millennials are quickly becoming a dominant force in high-end real estate.

“Baby boomers are retiring to sunnier locales, while remote work has allowed millennials to ascend the housing ladder in smaller, more affordable cities,” says a new report from Sotheby’s on global luxury in 2021. “An emphasis on things like sustainability will certainly go into overdrive with the aging of millennials, who, at 72.1 million, are the largest adult generation, with unique consumer preferences that will profoundly influence the direction of the luxury-housing market.”

Market-Moving Preferences Millennials are the most educated generation in history, have higher earnings, and are set to inherit more than any prior generation, according to a May 2020 report by the Brookings Institute.

Characterized by their tech savvy and environmentally conscious values, millennial preferences are poised to dramatically shape the market, a dynamic that has been on display during the Covid-19 pandemic. Beginning almost immediately after the coronavirus hit, for instance, buyers began to flock to areas that offered walkability, nature, and a well-rounded quality of life. (Think food and an art scene.)

Aspen, Colo., Austin, Texas, and Montecito, Calif., were all prime beneficiaries, Nelson explains. “It’s the difference of choosing where you want to live vs. living where you work,” he says. “Millennials are thinking about their overall lifestyle. It’s propelled these second-tier markets into the top of the interest list.”

Total sales volume in Aspen hit a record high of more than $1.5 billion in the third quarter, while in some neighborhoods of Park City, Utah, median sales prices spiked by more than 50% during the summer, according to Sotheby’s 2021 Luxury Outlook.

Outside the U.S., the Mornington Peninsula outside Melbourne on Australia’s southeastern coast has also seen a similar influx, the report states.

Permanent Changes Going forward, developers are likely to integrate touchless, high-tech features into more homes and focus on bolstering sustainability credentials in new buildings, Nelson says.

From energy-saving geothermal systems and solar panels to green roofs, “these are the features that are most attractive,” he adds. “If a home is move-in ready and environmentally conscious and has a Tesla charger installed in the garage, those homes are generating a premium, because you have so many buyers interested in competing for them.”

Overall, the luxury real estate market is ripe for growth.

According to a December Sotheby’s International Realty survey, 63% of affiliates polled said they expected luxury home prices to rise over the next three years in their respective markets.

More than 70% of respondents reported heightened demand at the end of 2020.

Luxury Headwinds In the short term, however, disjointed vaccine distribution and renewed quarantine restrictions could hamper foreign buyer interest. Only one-third of Sotheby’s affiliates expect to see an uptick in demand in the first half of 2021, according to the report.

Additionally, amid indiscriminate declines in overall tax revenues caused by the pandemic, governments globally are reassessing property and wealth taxes as a means of filling budget gaps.

“Across all buyers, tax implications are going to be larger part of their home-purchase consideration,” Nelson says.

For the fast-growing cohort of young, affluent buyers eager to snag their dream homes, millennials face slim pickings for options that meet their unique tastes. “Inventories are at near-record lows in general, and especially for the homes with the features they’re looking for,” he says.

Still, Nelson adds that with “wealth creation growing and cost of capital declining, it’s a promising storm for the high-end housing market. like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com ©2021 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 5, 2021 •

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Cancer treatment tackles a new frontier: Chemo at home, even on the go

by Harold Brubaker

As she fights cancer, Lisa Oney is not shackled to a hospital bed for days at a time, stuck there while she is infused with chemotherapy drugs.

Health care She’s undergoing chemo at home — even on the move. At times, the life-saving medicine is flowing into her as she drives to make curbside pickups at Target.

Thanks to a new program at Penn Medicine, Oney, 33, carries her chemotherapy medicine in a backpack with a small pump that feeds the drug into her body. “I’m able to walk around, and take care of my kids,” she said. “I can go places.”

Typically, her particular regimen of chemotherapy would require several fiveday stays in the hospital spread over 18 weeks. The trouble was, Oney needed to be home in Souderton to care for her 3-monthold son and 3-year-old daughter.

“I couldn’t do that,” she said, referring to the hospital visits. “My husband wouldn’t be able to work.”

Because of COVID-19, Oney and her husband, Kevin O’Driscoll, also can’t accept help from friends and coworkers.

The risk of her catching the coronavirus or something else is too great.

Chemotherapy at home is a rising trend, driven by patient convenience and the widespread fear of hospitals during the pandemic. But as much as patients love it, antiquated health-care billing systems, especially in Medicare, remain a formidable obstacle to the practice.

Penn’s shift of some chemotherapy treatments to home started on a small scale before the pandemic, but then took off, according to Justin Bekelman, the radiation oncologist who directs the Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation Under the at-home process, Penn nurses drive to patients’ residences to set up the complex lines and do the injections involved in the cancer treatment, which in Oney’s case continues for days. After that, the backpack-wearing patients are free to go about their lives.

Bekelman said that Penn had good reasons to launch the effort. “It’s obviously patient-centric and will enhance patients’ experience of cancer treatment,” he said, “but also our infusion suites were all full up.”

Most experts see the move as positive for employers and taxpayers, who pay much of the cost of health care. Insurers pay less for patients who choose an athome option as opposed to infusion at their main facility or even a specialist’s office.

Aetna, a major health insurer in the Philadelphia region, said last year that a single infusion of a specialty drug in a hospital, even on an outpatient basis, costs more than $20,000. The savings from moving it to an independent outpatient center can exceed 50%, it said. Home treatments save about the same, experts said.

But chemo in the home means much less money for hospitals, Bekelman noted, making it harder to expand the treatments.

“We need a payment model that keeps health-care providers whole irrespective of where we deliver the treatment,” he said. “That’s a crucial incentive for health systems to invest in providing more care at home and other less expensive locations — a shift that should ultimately

save insurers money.”

A more logical payment system would promote changes such as in-home chemotherapy. And there has been some movement in that direction, said Larry Levitt, a health policy scholar at the Kaiser Family Foundation. One approach would be to uncouple insurance payments from specific procedures, he said.

“The concept is to pay providers a flat amount for certain patients or conditions,” Levitt said, “and let the providers figure out the best way to deliver care, keeping any savings they realize.”

He added: “The key is to build in safeguards to prevent providers from skimping on care.”

Not a new concept Since at least the mid-1990s, home health care companies have talked about providing in-home chemotherapy, but little has come of it.

John Sprandio, an oncologist with offices in Delaware and Chester Counties, welcomes at-home chemotherapy, but cautions that it is actually more costly to provide than many realize.

“In terms of efficiency,” Sprandio said, “it’s obviously more cost-effective to administer these drugs for the majority of patients in a group setting where you have a team of a dozen nurses and 28 or 30 treatment areas that’s equipped to handle anything.”

Meanwhile, major trade associations such as the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Community Oncology Alliance have formally opposed the practice. In statements last year, they cited a fear that patients might have a bad drug reaction with no doctors nearby.

Richard Snyder, chief medical officer for the parent company of Independent Blue Cross, said he was convinced that the trend was safe.

“Physicians and hospitals tend to be creatures of habit,” Snyder said. “We keep doing what seems to work for us, and so we’re not inclined to change our habit of giving the medication in a hospital or a higher-cost setting.”

Snyder described Penn as being at the forefront of moving chemotherapy to the home, where the patient is probably as safe as possible from exposure to COVID-19

and other infections.

Penn’s Cancer Care at Home program ramped up from 39 patients in March to more than 300 within a month as patients were eager to avoid hospitals. In all of last year, nearly 1,500 Penn patients received in-home chemo.

Currently, patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer and lymphoma are candidates for the program, Bekelman said. Penn hopes to add patients with lung cancer, head and neck cancers, and others, but that depends on higher reimbursements and other changes to insurance plans.

Bekelman said the goal wasn’t to transfer all cancer care, but to establish that it can be done safely off premises.

He noted that there were some limits because the risk of side effects was too severe with some chemo drugs.

Other Philadelphia-area providers of cancer care are not as active. Jefferson Health’s Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center has helped only 50 or so in-home patients in recent years. Fox Chase Cancer Center said it has no plans to join the trend. Nor does MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper hospital in Camden.

Nationally, CVS Health has joined Penn in trying to move more chemotherapy treatments to homes. This month, CVS, which owns Aetna, announced that its infusion unit, Coram, would work with Cancer Treatment Centers of America to do that, starting in Atlanta.

The insurance problem Limiting wider adoption of in-home chemotherapy is a legacy payment system that provides much larger reimbursement when the treatments are done at a hospital.

Comparisons for such costs at different sites are hard to find. But a 2019 report showed that the average claim for an injection of infliximab, used to treat autoimmune diseases, was about $3,100 in a physician’s office, compared with $5,800 in a hospital’s outpatient department. Bekelman said that the same pattern holds for chemotherapy drugs and that reimbursement at home is similar to in a physician’s office.

Jefferson’s Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center has received widely varying reimbursement rates for home infusion. Some plans reimburse “on par with on-site infusion, while others reimburse at very low

levels or not at all,” Karen E. Knudsen, a top oncology expert at Jefferson, said in an email.

Timothy Kubal, an oncologist who directs the infusion center at the Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., predicted that much more cancer care could be provided in the home within a decade, “but in between now and then, there’s going to be a lot of conversation about what’s the right rate.”

The patient’s perspective The bulk of the cancer patients Penn has been treating at home — instead of at an infusion center — are receiving injections for breast and prostate cancer. Penn Home Infusion nurses work around the patients’ schedules to they don’t have to lose time at jobs, Bekelman said.

Avoiding a hospital stay, as Oney, the patient from Souderton, is doing, is an even bigger deal during the pandemic.

“We have generally seen that being in the hospital can be tough, no family, food is different. Depression can set in, so overall I think this is a good trend if patients can manage at home,” said Kelly Harris, CEO of the nonprofit Cancer Support Community Greater Philadelphia.

Oney was diagnosed with lymphoma in November, just two weeks after her son was born. Before she began receiving steady treatment at home, she was given her first round of chemo in the hospital to ensure that she didn’t have an adverse reaction.

There was none. But on one later evening, Oney, a neonatal nurse at Grand View Hospital in upper Bucks County, got a headache as soon as the infusion started — possibly because she had forgotten to take the medication out of the refrigerator ahead of time.

Oney got a quick response from Penn’s on-call oncologist, who told her to take ibuprofen. “It’s all very connected,” she said.

Although being home doesn’t head off the miserable side effects of chemotherapy, she considers it a blessing to avoid those overnight hospital says.

I’m thankful to be home with my kids,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine not seeing them for five days every three weeks.” (c)2021 The Philadelphia Inquirer Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Fed finds race, gender disparities cut US GDP by $2.6 trillion

by Steve Matthews and Catarina Saraiva

Racial and gender disparities have resulted in growing losses to the U.S. economy that amounted Economy to $2.6 trillion in 2019, according to a new study co-authored by Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President Mary Daly.

The study estimated economic costs from persistent education and labor-market gaps over time, finding losses have grown from $1.9 trillion in 1990 as the U.S. population has become more racially diverse.

U.S. gross domestic product totaled $21.4 trillion in 2019.

“The findings should compel us to move with urgency to eliminate inequities both because it is the right thing to do and because it will be critical to maintaining global competitiveness,” Laura Choi, vice

president for community development of the San Francisco Fed, said at a Fed conference Monday.

The conference, hosted virtually by four Fed banks, has been examining uneven outcomes in the labor market and is part of a greater focus by the central bank on bringing about a more inclusive economy with success shared more evenly.

The San Francisco researchers estimated the cost of racial and gender disparities, measured over 30 years, totaled $70.8 trillion.

“Achieving gender and racial equity is crucial to our shared economic future,” Choi said. “These issues are becoming only more important as demographic shifts change the racial composition of the U.S. labor force.”

Explicitly, racist policies like Jim Crow laws and redlining have had long-lasting

effects on residential segregation and wealth accumulation for communities of color, Choi said, and there have been structural barriers for women in the workplace.

Minorities and women lag in their economic returns even when they have the same skills and education, according to the analysis.

“The gaps cannot be fully explained by observable measures of talent or skill, indicating that gender and race are still meaningful predictors of labor market outcomes,” Choi said.

Addressing gaps is more urgent today in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in disproportionate harm to the labor market outcomes of women and people of color, she said. ©2021 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

Is now still a good time to refinance a mortgage?

by Zach Wichter

Yes. Thank you for reading.

But seriously, mortgage rates remain super low for now, though experts don’t expect that to last much longer. A survey recently conducted

by Bankrate showed Real Estate that many homeowners haven’t refinanced, even though doing so could save them money.

Black Knight found in its own survey that nearly 20 million Americans were passing up the opportunity.

If you have a mortgage and haven’t refinanced since the coronavirus pandemic caused rates to drop to historically-low levels, you should seriously consider revamping your loan before rates start to rise again. Otherwise, you could miss the window for savings.

If this applies to you, here are some key things to keep in mind when it comes to refinancing in the current mortgage market.

These low rates won’t last forever Although 2021 started off with rates hovering near their 2020 records, most mortgage industry watchers think interest will be on its

way up again soon.

“We’re going to see a ton of stimulus out of Washington,” said Jim Sahnger, a mortgage planner at C2 Financial Corporation in Jupiter, Florida. “It’s going to be hard to keep a lid on interest rates where they’re currently at.”

In 2019, mortgage rates were mostly in the 4 percent range, but they fell into the 3s and even 2s during 2020. That made mortgage refinancing an attractive option for a huge swath of borrowers — even those who took out mortgages with very low rates by 2019 standards.

As rates start to rise again, refinancing will make financial sense for fewer people. For now though, you probably stand to save if you opened your current mortgage any time before 2020.

Jumping on a refi now is especially important if your mortgage has a rate in the 4s.

“It’s a big deal when it comes to people who only benefit from interest rates under 3,” Sahnger said. For those people, “It’s a great time to take advantage of where we’re at.”

Lenders have largely worked through their backlogs As rates took a nosedive early in the pan-

demic, many mortgage lenders saw a flood of refinance applications roll in, which tied up their processing abilities and resulted in closing delays for many borrowers.

Mortgage applications usually provide for a 30-day rate lock, but with some lenders taking 60 days or more to close during the early rush, those delays quickly became costly for borrowers.

Many wound up having to pay extra fees to extend their lock or eventually settled for a different interest rate than they were originally quoted.

Now, Sahnger said, lenders have mostly whittled down those backlogs, so closing is happening more efficiently again. The result is less risk and lower costs for applicants.

Even so, he added, it’s important to talk to your lender about how long they expect your application processing to take.

“You just have to be realistic about how long you’re going to lock your loan for,” Sahnger said.

You can avoid further delays by getting all the paperwork you may need in order ahead of time, and being honest with your lender throughout your processing period about any changes in your financial situation that may

driven by governmental response to accelerating climate change. Analysts expect electrified vehicle demand will increase in America as it has in Western Europe, where battery electric vehicle sales rose 86 percent last year in a market that was down 26 percent overall. A lack of choice in battery electric vehicles is currently holding back sales in the United States, not price, analysts say, which should change over the next two to three years as battery costs decline.

-New entrants will be battling for your bucks Tesla has established a template that other new EV startups are following, intensifying the competitive landscape in North America by 2027, with as many as 21 manufacturers producing vehicles here. Many will not have large volumes, at least not initially. Among those American companies with dreams of Tesla-like success are Bollinger Motors, Byton Technology, Faraday Future, Fisker, Lucid Motors, Rivian, SF Motors, in addition to foreign EV manufacturers like BYD, Nio and Polestar.

-Autonomous vehicles are changing automakers’ business All of these changes will transform automak-

ers from product producers to service providers.

On Wednesday, Ford announced that Spin, its micromobility subsidiary, will launch remotely-operated e-scooters to cities in North America and Europe in 2021, with technology that will allow riders to hail one from several blocks away. And last week, Honda announced that it will import autonomous vehicles developed by General Motors for their new mobility service in Japan. Meanwhile GM announced last week that it has entered a long-term relationship with Microsoft to accelerate the commercialization of self-driving vehicles.

-Autonomous vehicles will steal market share, but not from where you’d expect Further out, the consumer changes wrought

by COVID will fuel the rise of autonomous vehicles, which analysts expect will grab market share from mass transit and short haul airlines.

Given that these vehicles will work 12 hours a day, seven days a week, accruing as much as 150,000 miles annually, it should increase vehicle demand.

It seems the future is coming on fast.

Larry Printz is an automotive journalist based in South Florida. ©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

How the pandemic is changing the automotive industry

by Larry Printz

The message emanating from the Society of Automotive Analysts' 2021 Automotive Outlook Conference, held virtually last week, reinforced what Greek philosopher Heraclitus said some 2,500 years ago: Auto “There is nothing permanent except change.”

COVID-19 has quickened the pace of change in an industry overwhelmed by the challenges of autonomous driving, shared mobility and driveline electrification, trends that are already upsetting traditional business models.

Here’s how the current tsunami of events is affecting the automobile industry worldwide, according to industry analysts.

-The Pandemic’s impacted sales, but less than expected The Coronavirus Pandemic’s impact on light vehicle sales was neither as deep nor as protracted as the Great Recession of 2009, although demand plunged 14 percent worldwide and 16 percent in the United States. Sales are rising once again but aren’t forecast to return to pre-pandemic levels. Nevertheless, the nascent recovery is being weakened by a shortage of semiconductors.

-The sudden drop in earnings affected product introductions More than 50 percent of companies believe there will be a delay in upcoming vehicle technology and new product launches as a result of COVID-19, with lower sales and lower profits causing automakers to delay new products up to a year or more in an effort to reign in unexpectedly smaller research and development budgets.

-After killing sales, COVID stoked them With the pandemic running rampant, consumers embraced the perceived safety of the suburbs and private transportation. New vehicle demand quickly outstripped production, which was constrained as COVID spread. New vehicle inventories remain abnormally low, and remain below historic norms. But in the short term, production will outstrip demand as manufacturers restock dealer lots, improving automakers’ balance sheets for 2021 after a rocky 2020.

-Cars are about to change, and dramatically Vehicles will increasingly use electric motors, not internal combustion engines, a change

not yet be reflected in your credit report. That includes alerting them to any new loans, your mortgage going into forbearance or changes in your employment status, all of which could tie up or even scuttle your application.

Should anyone skip the refi?

While these all-time low interest rates make refinancing a smart decision for many mortgage holders, it may not be right for everyone across the board.

“One of the most important things you have to look at is how long do you anticipate remaining in the property or the mortgage,” Sahnger said. “If you think that you’re probably not going to be in the mortgage or the property for longer than three years, it may not make sense for you to do that.”

Said another way: if you’re only a few years out from paying off your mortgage, or you’re planning to move before too long, refinancing might not make sense for you because you may not recoup your refi closing costs before you’re ready to move on from the loan.

On the other hand, every borrower’s situation is slightly different, so it’s important to calculate all the costs and savings for yourself to determine your own breakeven timeline.

“I’ve had situations with people sitting out there with mortgage rates in the high threes, low fours, sometimes as high as 5 percent, and they’re recouping their costs sometimes in less than 12 months,” Sahnger said, For borrowers like that, refinancing could still make sense even if you’re planning to move or pay off your loan a few years later.

“You have to look at what the total costs are going to be,” he said.

Don’t just look at your interest savings, either.

The cost of your new mortgage includes all the fees you’ll encounter at closing — typically 2 to 6 percent of your loan’s total value — and those charges will affect your breakeven date, too.

Bottom line Now is a great time for many people to refinance, and the window for savings could be closing on many borrowers before too long.

If you haven’t refinanced in the last year, it’s worth looking around to see how much you might save. Be sure to calculate all your costs and consider how much you’ll need to save to make a refi worth it. And, as always, you’ll definitely want to shop around and compare multiple loan offers before starting the application process.

Otherwise, you may wind up leaving money on the table. ©2021 Bankrate.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

UPS reports record revenue as pandemic fuels online orders, shipping

by Kelly Yamanouchi

Package delivery giant UPS reported $1.4 billion in net income for 2020, a challenging year that brought a surge in online shopping capped off with a hectic holTrends iday shipping season and the start of vaccine deliveries.

Sandy Springs, Georgia,-based UPS booked record revenue of $84.6 billion for the year, up 14% from 2019, amid a massive shift toward e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic as more consumers stayed home and ordered items online. In the busy fourth quarter, revenue soared 21% to $24.9 billion.

But delivering individual items to doorsteps is more costly for UPS than dropping off pallets of goods at stores, so Wall Street analysts are hoping for an economic recovery that will bring a rebound in more profitable business-to-business shipments this year.

Profit also was weighed down by $5.6 billion in fourth-quarter charges.

UPS CEO Carol Tomé said in a written statement she is "optimistic" about 2021 and continued deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines.

Nonetheless, the company declined to forecast revenue or profit for 2021 given "continued economic uncertainty due to the global pandemic."

In the fourth quarter, UPS took an accounting hit from $4.9 billion in non-cash, mark-to-market pension losses, a $556 million asset impairment charge for the recently announced sale of UPS Freight, and other costs. That resulted in a quarterly $3.3 billion loss.

Those items also decreased the company's full-year net income, which UPS said would be nearly $7.2 billion excluding the pension losses and other charges. A year ago, UPS reported $4.4 billion in net income for

2019, including a $106 million fourth-quarter loss after pension and other charges.

Tomé said the company's fourth-quarter performance in 2020 "exceeded our expectations" and thanked "customers who worked with us during this challenging year."

Some of the challenges came during the record holiday shipping season when the coronavirus drove consumers to order more gifts online instead of venturing out to stores, overloading shipping networks and driving UPS and FedEx to enforce limits on how many packages it would pick up from retailers. That affected some of the companies' biggest customers as well as smaller businesses that turned to the U.S. Postal Service — which in turn overloaded the post office and contributed to delivery delays. ©2021 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 5, 2021 •

21

Lincoln Business Journal Pages

LINCOLN R E A L E S TAT E NEBRASKA O N L Y

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include:

I N

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include:

Industry update • Commercial real estate post pandemic Housing boom • Educational opportunities for Realtors

Silicon Prairie: local startups • Uniquely Nebraska eateries and purveyors Local attractions and their roles to the community • Agribusiness Home-grown corporations maintaining Nebraska HQs

Issue Date: February 19 • Ad Deadline: February 11

Issue Date: February 19 • Ad Deadline: February 11

Engineering

Aviation

Profession

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include:

Topics may include:

Industry overview • The pandemic's impact on the future of the built environment Engineering job market/education: attracting new talent • Emphasis on safety Project innovations: Experts discuss new tech and unique projects • E-Week Environmental engineering • Continuing education

State of aviation in Nebraska • Private jet industry Aviation careers • Travel industry Update on local airports

Issue Date: February 26 • Ad Deadline: February 18

Issue Date: March 5 • Ad Deadline: February 25

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

22

• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

UPCOMING

SECTIONS

IN THE MIDLANDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 12

TECHNOLOGY

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

FEBRUARY 19

ONLY IN NEBRASKA

(LBJ) LINCOLN REAL ESTATE To advertise your company’s products or services in one of our upcoming sections, contact our Director of Advertising Karla Steele - karla@mbj.com Space and materials deadline is the Friday prior to the publication date.

You may email us your insertion orders directly, or fax them to us at (402) 758-9315. We will acknowledge receiving your instructions.

REGIONAL LANDSCAPES

Briefs…

Schwarz Paper Company in Lincoln will be joining the Eakes Office Solutions team. Schwarz has been locally owned and operated since 1899, serving the office, locker and janitorial supplies needs of businesses in Lincoln and throughout the state. The Schwarz Paper Company employees will join Eakes at their office at 110 N 35th St. (35th & O St) in Lincoln.

John Reed, managing director of NorthMarq’s Omaha office, secured the $24 million refinance of Flats at Shadow Creek.

The 219-unit multifamily property is located at 90th & O streets in Lincoln. The transaction was structured with a fully-amortizing 25-year term. NorthMarq arranged the permanent-fixed loan for the borrower through its correspondent relationship with a life insurance company. Community amenities include: Pet-friendly policies, on-site petwash station, clubhouse for resident use and community events, 24-hour fitness center, yoga studio with on-demand fitness classes, bicycle-repair station, bike trail nearby, resort style pool with lounge seating and hot tub, outdoor grills, fireplace, detached garages, controlled-access and smoke-free community.

Senator Tony Vargas introduced LB194, which will ensure the continuation of and seek to make improvements to the successful Nebraska Historic Tax Credit. Currently, all qualifying NHTC projects are eligible for a tax credit of 20% of eligible expenses.

Vargas’s proposal seeks to create incentives for both rural and urban counties by increasing the credit to 25% for projects located in Douglas and Lancaster Counties and 30% for projects located in all other counties.

The maximum credit for each project will also increase under the new proposal, from $1 million to $2 million. The NHTC is set to sunset on December 31, 2022 should no legislation pass that sustains the program.

When selling or transferring a vehicle with a model year that is 10 years old or newer, the odometer mileage must be reported to the new owner. A new federal regulation will gradually raise that requirement to 20 years for newer vehicles beginning this year.

Previously, any vehicle more than 10 years old had been exempt from reporting mileage upon sale or transfer. Now, for 2011 models and newer, that requirement will be in place until a vehicle is more than 20 years old. This change was made by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is enforced in Nebraska by the passage of LB 944.

Twenty fleets have been recognized by The Truckload Carriers Association in the 2021 Best Fleets to Drive For program, including Nebraska-based Chief Carriers.

To be considered for the Best Fleets program, companies are required to receive a nomination from at least one of its company drivers or owner-operators. The company is then evaluated against a scoring matrix covering a range of categories including: Driver compensation; benefits/non-financial compensation; effectiveness of measuring, recognizing, and managing individual performance; building, maintaining, and onboarding new drivers into the culture; continuous improvements and efficiency of day-to-day operations; improving driver skills and providing opportunities for growth; and supporting drivers work/life balance.

AMA Omaha, an educational infor-

mation, career-building, and networking resource for marketing professionals in the Greater Omaha area, has won the Gold Chapter of the Year award in the 2019/2020 American Marketing Association Chapter Excellence Awards for outstanding achievements in leadership, finance, membership, programming and communications. AMA Omaha first entered the awards competition following the 2016/2017 board term, and has received increasing CEA recognition each year since. The 2019/2020 CEA competition saw a record number of chapters participate.

AMA Omaha revamped programming lineup, launched the AMA Omaha Executive Advisory Council, the AMA Omaha Pub Quiz, and the podcast AMP by AMA Omaha.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has appointed Nate Blum to the Grains, Feed, Oilseeds and Planting Seeds Ag Trade Advisory Committee.

Blum serves as the executive director of the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board and the Nebraska Sorghum Producers Association.

The ATAC serves in an advisory role to the Administration and the US Trade Representative as it relates to issues of importance in negotiating competitive advantages for agricultural products from the United States. This is Blum’s first appointment. He will serve a four-year term, which began on Jan. 15, 2021 and expires in 2025.

MSH Architects, an architectural firm in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has joined Schemmer, expanding the nine-person architectural firm to a full-service architectural and engineering firm of over 120 employees.

MSH Architects has been providing architectural services in South Dakota and beyond for the past 32 years. In its continued effort to expand services throughout the Midwest, Schemmer has acquired MSH Architects to bring architecture and engineering services all under one firm in Sioux Falls. Included in the full-service of offerings are: architecture; structural, mechanical, electrical, civil/site, transportation, water/wastewater and geotechnical engineering; survey and construction field services. Schemmer’s Sioux Falls location will continue to offer a personalized and customized level of service, and now has the resources to provide more services, new market sector expertise, access to back-up production support and improved coordination with all engineering services.

Education notes…

The U.S. News & World Report has recognized online programs at the University of Nebraska at Omaha as being among the best in the nation. Programs nationwide are scored based on categories such as engagement, faculty credentials and training, expert opinions and student excellence. For five straight years, the Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice degree program has been among the top 10 programs in the national. It was also ranked in the top 10 nationally as one of the best online criminal justice programs for veterans.

Creighton University biochemistry researcher and assistant professor Lynne Dieckman, Ph.D., has been awarded a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation.

The five-year, $680,500 NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program award will be utilized to gain a better understanding of how improper DNA replication and compaction can cause changes in gene expression in offContinued on next page.

Midlands Business Journal • FEBRUARY 5, 2021 •

23

REGIONAL LANDSCAPES Continued from preceding page. spring, which can play a role in the onset of diseases such as cancer, cell death or developmental issues. In addition, a major goal of the project is to create a comprehensive learning environment for aspiring high school-aged and undergraduate scientists who will have significant roles in the research.

Step Up to Quality, Nebraska’s quality rating and improvement system for child care and early childhood education providers, has reached a significant milestone: more than 500 programs across the state are participating, and have been rated. The Step Up to Quality process challenges providers to go above and beyond licensing requirements and adopt a mindset of continuous improvement of their program, even when they’ve reached the pinnacle of Step 5. Programs enrolled in Step Up to Quality receive specialized training, access to resources and financial incentives.

Health care notes…

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center added a new DaVinci Xi surgical robot to its operating room to continue to provide the safest, highest-quality care and best outcomes for patients. The DaVinci Xi is the first surgical robot in Omaha to be used in pediatric setting. The robot’s technology allows for minimally invasive procedures to be performed, using smaller incisions and resulting in quicker recovery times for patients. Children’s plans to expand its robotic surgical program to incorporate additional specialties.

Activities of nonprofits…

Omaha Home for Boys has elected Janis L. Yergan to its board of directors. Yergan is the vice president of network development at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan-

sas and a bachelor’s in industrial psychology from Cal State University. Yergan brings more than 25 years of experience in managed care, physician integration, marketing, communications, integrated delivery systems, and program development to OHB. 100 Women Who Care Omaha hosted its first quarterly meeting in 2021 and selected the Heart Ministry Center as the recipient for this quarter’s donations. The Heart Ministry Center, located in North Omaha, is focused on helping people needing life’s most basic necessities. They serve those seeking food, clothing, shelter, and financial assistance.

Over time, they have expanded their services to include Pathway, a self-sufficiency program for single mothers and partnered with Creighton University to provide free basic medical care, developed a group mentoring program for at-risk youth, added free legal services, opened a dental clinic, and introduced social work and case management

services. In 2020, they launched a community laundromat.

Arts & events…

Metropolitan Community College will honor Black History Month with a series of educational sessions that will be virtual, free and open to the public. “American While Black: African Americans, Immigration & Social Justice,” Feb. 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., will feature a presentation by Niambi Carter, Ph.D., Howard University.

“America’s Black Holocaust Museum: A Unique Experience for Visitors From Near and Far,” Feb. 11 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., will feature a presentation from Dr. Robert “Bert” Davis, president and CEO of the museum. “John Lewis: Get in the Way” will be held on Feb. 11 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with a video and discussion with Dr. Donnell J. Moore, executive pastor of Salem Baptist Church.

In the Spotlight Paid Content

BANKING

RETIREMENT STRATEGIES

Hired

Hired

American National Bank announced today that Anguel Lindarev has joined the organization as Chief Information Officer. He brings valuable technology knowledge and experience, most recently from serving as a domain CIO over Treasury, Payments, Card Services, Wealth Management, and Global Capital Management. “Anguel brings a career’s worth of knowledge in banking innovation resulting in better and more dynamic customer experiences,” said

John Kotouc, American National Bank Executive Co- Chairman & CEO. “With bank customers, especially commercial clients, preferring more customized and frictionless banking - it is imperative to continue our investment in secure, intuitive, and convenient digital advancements to our offerings,” Kotouc added. “The bank has made significant investments in technology that enhances both retail and commercial customer capabilities and experiences. Our clients can soon expect to see a transformation in banking at American National Bank. Anguel will play a major role in these transformations.”

Lindarev came to American National Bank from Comerica Bank, where he served as Senior Vice President and Domain CIO. Before Comerica, Lindarev was a Vice President for Technology for American

Express for 14 years in both the U.S. and United Kingdom. Anguel played a driving role in digital advancements, enhanced mobile delivery, and core business growth for both organizations. Lindarev has a B.S. in Finance / International Business from the University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, and is an MBA graduate of Arizona State University. He and his wife, Stef, have two sons and are moving to Omaha from Lake Orion, Michigan. “American National Bank’s focus on expanding the role of technology and FinTech partnerships to digitally transform the client experience is one thing that attracted me to this new role,” said Anguel.

INSURANCE

INSURANCE

INSURANCE

INSURANCE

Appointed

Appointed

Appointed

Appointed

Anguel Lindarev Chief Information Officer American National Bank

Jeremy Carroll Vice President, Sales

Daniel R. Molony, Jr.

WoodmenLife

Jeremy Carroll has been appointed Vice President, Sales, a role where he can not only support the Sales Team, but also ensure members are getting the service they deserve.

In this role, he will continue to share responsibilities for steering work done in each of the organization’s 26 regions.

Dane Carlini Financial Advisor DC Retirement Strategies

Dane Carlini graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Finance. He has been in the financial services industry since 2009 and is passionate about helping guide clients to reach their financial goals. Dane has his Series 6, 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations along with his Life, Health, and Annuities Licenses.

John Sharp

Kyle Savage President

Vice President, Fraternal

Vice President and Deputy General Counsel

WoodmenLife

WoodmenLife

Daniel R. Molony, Jr. has been appointed Vice President, Fraternal, a promotion in the community outreach area that will allow him to continue his efforts to shape how the organization gives back in hometowns across America. Molony will support members and chapters as they continue to collaborate with community organizations.

John Sharp has joined the Legal Division as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. Sharp will act as a legal advisor to senior management on WoodmenLife’s strategic growth and innovation initiatives and will also provide counsel for insurance and community outreach activities. He has extensive experience in the insurance industry and has maintained strong connections through participation in various insurance associations.

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

Woodmen Insurance Agency

Kyle Savage will lead the Woodmen Insurance Agency (WIA) as president.

In this new role, Savage will provide leadership for the WIA team and assist representatives as they find solutions for members through additional insurance products. Woodmen Insurance Agency, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of WoodmenLife.

Products offered and processed through WIA are issued by carriers that are not affiliated with WoodmenLife.

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• FEBRUARY 5, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal