Midlands Business Journal March 20, 2020 Vol. 46 No. 12 issue

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MARCH 20, 2020

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VOL. 46 NO. 12

Behlen moves on acquisition track for proximity to customer base

THIS WEEK 'S ISSUE:

by Richard D. Brown

VidaNyx returns to Omaha with software aimed at helping child advocacy centers.

– Page 2

40 er d Un 40 Mentoring youth a passion for Whitney Baker.

– Page 3

s ine us oln B c all Lin Sm in

s

The only certainty is change: Business leadership discuss planning in ‘new normal’. – Page 4

Behlen Manufacturing, a Nebraska-headquartered global manufacturer with a diverse mix of agricultural and non-farm related products and annual sales of $198 million last year, is seeking to cement growth opportunities in the southeastern U.S. with its merger last month with Trident Building Systems of Sarasota, Florida.

“Being flexible continues to be an important part of our survival and success,” said chairman/CEO Phil Raimondo.

Raimondo oversees the family-owned Behlen group of three business units that employ 1,180 people. Of that number, about 700 work in Nebraska — 590 of them at the firm’s corporate headquarters and sprawling production facility in Columbus. A southwest Omaha plant, Behlen Technology & Manufacturing at 3838 S. 108th St., employs 60.

Additional U.S. locations include Baker City, Oregon and Continued on page 11.

Chairman and CEO Phil Raimondo with an Alltra CNC controlled plasma table that is used for cutting webs, plates and clips … Growth reflected through merger. (photo courtesy of Behlen Manufacturing)

Jackson-Jackson & Associates builds client trust over 70 years in Midwest

by Becky McCarville

Before establishing Jackson-Jackson & Associates in 1950, the late Jack C. Jackson had graduated from the University of Nebraska as an architectural engineer and after a few jobs, served as one of the chief inspectors at the Martin Bomber Plant in Bellevue that built B-24, B-26 and B-29 aircraft. Following the war, he co-founded an aircraft company with the intent to provide

recreational aircraft to returning WWII pilots. After the aircraft company went bust after its single, custom-built airplane crashed during its first test run, he pivoted, using his architectural and engineering background to start the eponymous architectural firm.

“It’s interesting how one turn of events can change the lives of so many people, including mine,” said CEO and Chairman Jack H. Continued on page 25.

Assistant Manager Dougerrey Rushing, left, and owner Marc Riewer … Shop that formerly “couldn’t pay the bills,” now among top franchise in the country, securing more than $1 million in annual sales.

Grease Monkey powers turnaround; plans for expansion in repair services

by Michelle Leach

Chairman and CEO Jack H. Jackson and President Eileen Korth at Gifford Park Elementary … Building on the firm’s legacy, from small projects like ADA upgrades to designs for major renovation and construction projects.

When entrepreneur Marc Riewer purchased the Omaha Grease Monkey location at 3820 N. 90th St. in the mid-1990s, the first two years were such a struggle that he attempted to sell the bumper-to-bumper vehicle maintenance franchise — only to be told by a broker that they “had nothing to sell.” Twenty-three years later, Riewer said every month the shop sets a new sales record, and the

formerly “broke” Grease Monkey is now pursuing a larger garage to accommodate its ever-expanding auto mechanic business, and the creation of additional spaces for rental retail.

“In 2018, every month was our best month in our history for that month,” Riewer said. “In 2019, every month beat the preceding year’s record month.”

Reportedly, the 42-year-old Continued on page 25.

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• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

VidaNyx returns to Omaha with software aimed at helping child advocacy centers

by Savannah Behrends

With an estimated 700,000 cases of child neglect and abuse nationally, VidaNyx CEO Sara Boyd said it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the situation.

“But, I think if you look at it in bite sizes then you can consider what the opportunity is to taking the first bite,” she said.

VidaNyx Address: 2566 Farnam Street, Omaha 68131 Services: providing a secure, collaborative digital platform for organizations who work on behalf of child abuse and child neglect survivors.

Founded: 2018 Employees: Five; currently working on rapidly hiring staff members.

Goals: Continue to promote the benefits of a digital forensic management platform for child advocacy centers. Currently there are 800 child advocacy centers managing nearly 700,000 cases.

Website: Vidanyx.com

For VidaNyx, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider focused on helping child advocacy centers store forensic evidence digitally, that first bite was making it past year one, which it achieved in December.

Since then the for-profit company has nearly doubled, helping 78 child advocacy centers in 26 states serve 950 agencies dedicated to seeking criminal justice for child survivors.

But 78 is just the tip of the iceberg, nationally there are 800 child advocacy centers.

VidaNyx, which stands for “protector of life,” was born out of a conversation with Omaha’s own child advocacy center,

CEO Sara Boyd … Digital forensic evidence management increases efficiencies, allows child advocacy centers to focus on helping children who have survived abuse and neglect.

Project Harmony, and a startup incubator called Giving Tech Labs in Seattle, Washington. “[Project Harmony discussed] that their evidence management — how they handle, distribute and collaborate on forensic interviews — was a difficult, time consuming, costly process with a large

margin for human error with highly sensitive information,” Boyd said.

Digital forensic evidence includes interviews with child survivors, which up until recently have only been burned onto DVDs, transcribed and then distributed to necessary parties, like attorneys, therapists, police, etc.

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VidaNyx offers a secure platform where advocacy centers can save, share and store those interviews. The platform was designed in conjunction with the Department of Justice to ensure the software complemented the criminal justice process.

Alex Gounares, CEO of PolyVerse, a company who does encryption for the government, also consulted on VidaNyx’s security, which ended up including 13 layers of various security measures.

So far, the company has tracked $1.5 million in savings for advocacy centers in terms of physical materials and labor — burning DVDs, transcribing them, distributing them and storing them long term.

“That’s almost 5,000 hours that have been saved,” Boyd said. “Most of our 78 customers just came online in the last fourth quarter of 2019, so that’s not even the benefit of a 12-month cycle.”

Having the interviews stored on a digital platform also lets parties involved collaborate with greater ease. For example, Boyd said that a therapist could tag an important moment in an interview that a prosecutor could then go directly to instead of searching through the entire interview.

It also creates a digital paper trail, recording where the file is sent and who edits it.

“On average, each video has about 60 different actions taken against it, which means there’s 60 different chances for human error,” Boyd said. “Now that it’s all in one place, those things can be tracked.”

The subscription is based on the number of videos stored, rather than the number of users, a strategic move to ensuring accessibility.

The next “bite” for the company is hiring additional staff who will become the “early leaders within the team to help scale Continued on next page.

Midlands Business Journal Established in 1975

Founded by Robert Hoig

ADMINISTRATION VP OF OPERATIONS, Andrea “Andee” Hoig

Partner, Smith Slusky Pohren and Rogers, LP

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

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska. Education: UNO, Creighton Law JD, NYU, LLM (Taxation)

ADVERTISING ADVERTISING CONSULTANT, Julie Whitehead OFFICE

How I got into the business: Inspired

by UNO Business Law Professor Accomplishments or milestones: Commercial Real Estate Summit, 30 years.

First job: Assistant Douglas County Attorney Biggest career break: Success at my first Omaha zoning cases.

The toughest part of the job: Carrying the concerns of clients.

The best advice I have received: Deal with disputes fairly and with honesty.

About my family: Two children and five grandchildren.

Something else I’d like to accomplish: Develop over 1,000 new apartment units.

Book I finished reading recently: Hamilton.

Something about me not everyone knows: Owned and operated a stock car rac-

ing track throughout college and law school.

How my business will change in the next decade: Hopefully it won’t.

Mentor who has helped the most in my career: John Delehant, Esq., Omaha Real Estate Attorney.

Outside interests: Working out.

Pet peeves: Dishonesty.

Favorite vacation spot: Scottsdale, Arizona.

Other careers I would like to try: None.

Favorite movie: Scarface.

Favorite cause or charity: Angels Among Us. Favorite app: CNN

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

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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 1324 S. 119th St., Omaha, NE 68144. Periodical postage paid at Omaha NE POSTMASTER; Send address changes to Midlands Business Journal, 1324 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 • MARCH 20, 2020 •

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Mentoring youth a passion for Whitney Baker

by Dwain Hebda

Helping youth get their lives on track is a passion of Whitney Baker who, for the past decade, has served as associate director at MENTOR Nebraska. In that role, she helped connect young people with mentors in a position to have a profound impact on their lives.

“MENTOR Nebraska is not a direct service program provider, but we help initiate new mentoring models,” she said. “One of our functions has always been to track data in the community to understand who we’re reaching with our services.

“Very early on, we realized youth who are juvenile justice-involved are underserved by mentors, so we implemented our practice model to Omaha called youth-initiated mentoring. That helps young people identify a mentor who's already a part of their lives.”

This strategy for connecting mentors and justice-involved youth has grown substantially during Baker’s tenure, increasing the number of targeted pairings by about 150%.

“The Juvenile Assessment Center, which involves the bulk of diversion cases

for youth, would tell you that this program has been able to serve [those] youth for the first time ever,” she said. “There are a lot of preconceived notions about justice-involved youth and it is therefore more difficult to recruit community mentors for those youth.

“So, the model’s really effective in reaching a population that's not well-served by traditional mentoring. We’re expanding services to young people that need mentoring the most.”

Baker said youth will often select a person as a mentor without that person knowing about the impact they could have, therefore training is of the utmost importance.

“We ask the youth to identify a mentor and we work with them to map out who those adults are,” she said.

“But oftentimes, they’re not picking an adult they’re currently connected or engaged with on a regular basis. For instance, a lot of the youth are referred as teenagers and they might identify an elementary school teacher. So, this process creates some awareness from the perspective of the person that's identified that hey, this kid sees me as a mentor.

“The second thing we do is we work

2019

VidaNyx returns to Omaha with software Continued from preceding page. this organization.” The politics involved in technology raises a considerable challenge for the company, which Boyd looks at as

an opportunity.

“Digital evidence is still one of those emerging technologies and the law tends to lag where technology leads,” she said.

Boyd hopes that current Nebraska legislation will help the state become a leader for digital forensic management technology, creating a template for other states to follow.

Beyond that, she said VidaNyx has the potential to help in other areas, like elderly abuse or domestic violence.

“The biggest opportunity is in helping bridge the divide between what we’ve always done, and the comfort of it, to leaning into a digital transformation and replacing outdated processes,” she said.

Whitney Baker, former associate director of MENTOR Nebraska and junior manager of philanthropy at First National Bank … Following passion for philanthropy. with local mentoring programs to actually different settings in which mentoring can facilitate this relationship. Again, we’re occur in the school setting, in a comnot a direct service program provider, munity-based program, in a faith-based what we do is pass those matches on to institution or in an after-school program. an existing program to be supervised over “We look to determine if the infrastructhe long haul and that program provides ture is there to support quality mentoring training for the mentors.” and then really try to determine the model Baker said the future of the program that's going to be most effective, based on is to continue to enhance the way these the resources that already exist and what connections are made and to bring it to the goals of the program are and then build ever-widening audiences. the program out from that.”

“We’ve stopped asking the question, A native of Ames, Iowa, Baker grad‘Does mentoring work?’ because a body uated from Iowa State University with of research would prove mentoring is an a bachelor’s degree in political science incredibly effective and meaningful way to and earned a master's degree in public support young people,” she said. “I think administration from the University of a better question to ask is, ‘How can men- Nebraska at Omaha in 2012. She recently toring be leveraged to support a specific left MENTOR Nebraska to join First Naaudience?’ That specific audience differs tional Bank of Omaha as junior manager from community to community and there’s of philanthropy.

Proud Sponsors of the 2019 40 Under 40:

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• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

Lincoln Business Journal Pages

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

March 20, 2020

The only certainty is change: Business leadership discuss planning in ‘new normal’

by Michelle Leach

In early January, U.S. Small Business Administration Nebraska District Office leadership highlighted how the SBA was addressing “disaster preparation.” Off of crisis flooding, additional threats have since

presented themselves in a big way. At the time of this writing, the President officially declared the coronavirus outbreak a “national emergency,” and the SBA on March 12 announced low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital available to small

Craig Boesch, director, Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Lincoln Center, LNK and SE Nebraska. businesses suffering “substantial economic are aware of how the business can or will injury” resulting from the new coronavirus operate. Review travel and the need to be responsible for COVID-19 disease. a public event.”

“Regarding individual safety, the agency Broadly, SBA is providing disaster is referring individuals to the CDC, and state preparation materials to owners and lenders and local agencies (for their customers). for personal safety,” A member of said SBA Nebrasthe taskforce on ka District Director preparedness and Leon Milobar. “The building resiliency SBA is concerned in communities and about the impact on businesses, Milobar businesses.” said it appears most An informationindividuals and busial notice published nesses don’t have a March 10 reminded disaster plan for conlenders of their unitinuing operations.

Milobar Synhorst lateral authority to “ We w i l l b e provide relief with deferments on SBA working through a variety of program 7(a) and 504 loans and microloans, which partners on educating the public on having Milobar said has been communicated to a plan and recommending the business test the Nebraska Bankers Association, too. the plan on a regular basis,” he said. “The Most discussions thus far, he noted, are taskforce is still collecting data and more on keeping employees healthy and busi- information will be coming out later.” nesses operating; he encouraged plans for Go to Federal Emergency Management potential home confinement (employees Agency (FEMA) or the Red Cross for samshould do the same). ple disaster plans.

“I recommend reaching out to suppliers “Remember: The state is still recoverand to your customers to determine how ing from last year’s flood,” he said. “There they will operate under these conditions,” are issues with housing, road construction, he said. “Talk to your employees, so they Continued on page 6.

Small Business in Lincoln • Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 •

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• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

• Small Business in Lincoln

The only certainty is change: Business leadership discuss planning in ‘new normal’ Continued from page 4. levees, and the need for employees. Flood recovery can take many years.”

Pivoting from disaster preparation to activity among small businesses, Milobar highlighted the number of startups seeking financing, and businesses undergoing ownership changes.

“Up to this point in time, loan delinquency rates (0.8%) and default rates (0.3%) have been at an all-time low,” he said. “The only other items are the continued consolidation in lenders and mergers between technology — data mining companies.”

As compared to 2019, lending has slowed.

“The numbers of loans remain the same, but the actual size of loans has decreased substantially,” he said. “Through February, dollar volume of loans is down 47% year over year. This is due to over a 50% reduction in demand for million-dollar loans.”

A resource partner with the SBA, Lincoln SCORE provides free mentoring and low-cost workshops for startups and

on-going businesses, according to Certified SCORE Mentor, Workshop Presenter and Past Chair Ken Merlin.

“I would describe the overall environment as ‘foggy’ with respect to business opportunities and community support,” he said. “There is a lot of good information available for startups on the SCORE.org website, SBA, courses in entrepreneurship at [Southeast Community College] and college business schools. Nebraska government agencies like the secretary of state and the department of revenue have streamlined their process for starting a business.”

Furthermore, Merlin noted SCORE gets two mentoring requests per week.

“But we don't have the volunteer staff to follow these projects to completion — don't know who succeeded or failed, or why?” he referred to statistics not being shared at a national level. “We need a coordinated effort lead by the Department of Economic Development to access the needs of the small business ecosystem in Lincoln, [and] to include future business development in

retail, manufacturing and services to clear the fog.”

Merlin further highlighted Lincoln SCORE’s sponsorship of workshops at SCC, presented by small business subject experts in legal, accounting, marketing, insurance and banking.

“We are currently recruiting subject matter experts and more retired business owners to increase our mentoring staff from 15 to 25,” he said.

Economic uncertainty is a growing consideration as significant stock market volatility and a global viral pandemic force consideration of dramatic alterations to current lifestyle standards, according to Craig Boesch, director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Lincoln Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“It remains to be seen how this will affect all businesses, small or large,” he said.

“With this latest disruption, new challenges will certainly arise. I feel confident those challenges will spawn adaptations.”

Boesch surmised those positioned to

help will remain very busy and may gain in the process.

“As will others that pivot to join in,” he said. “For the adept and nimble, new challenges can represent opportunity.”

Boesch reminded us that, as a term, “disruption” has always been part of the business lexicon.

“The effect of change, gradual or abrupt, on small business can be significant,” he said. “In my lifetime, the retail scene has evolved dramatically; the once bustling heart of small communities, Main Street, has been slowly set adrift with the arrival of ‘big box,’ and now, ‘big logistic.’ Through it all, small business has thrived in some capacity.”

In fact, Boesch pointed to many small businesses who serve a much larger geography than they once did — and provide products or services that locals don’t immediately consume.

“Ninety-nine percent of the total number of businesses in Nebraska are considered small businesses, employing just under half of all those working in business in our state,” he said. “Small business in Nebraska remains strong, growing and adaptable.”

If asked a few weeks ago about the climate, Lincoln Independent Business Association President and CEO Bud Synhorst would have said Lincoln businesses are in a “strong position.”

“All indications were heading in a good direction, based on sales tax receipts [and so on]; however, with the ever-changing world we are in now, with the COVID-19 virus … the cancellation of sporting events, concerts and community activities, we are concerned for our businesses,” he said; for instance, no spectators at the state boys basketball tournament and its effect on convenience and retail stores, hotels, restaurants, boutiques — all kinds of businesses.

“As those activities continue to be cancelled, I am concerned for our small businesses,” Synhorst said.

LIBA membership remain concerned about how businesses will grow in the current environment.

“What we considered ‘normal’ a few weeks ago will not be ‘normal’ any longer,” he said. “We may start talking about the ‘new normal,’ however it may look in the coming days, weeks and months.”

Synhorst recalled his time in Cedar Rapids during the historic 2008 floods: “We had no idea of the impact it would have on our community. We had no idea how long evacuations would last or what changes we would see hour by hour or day by day. I believe we are in the same situation moving forward with the COVID-19 virus and the changes it will bring about in our lives. Some days we will be thinking what is important in the next hour, then the next day, then the next week, then the coming months.”

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Small Business in Lincoln • Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 •

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Pay attention to lending, tax options when funding small business

by Dwain Hebda

Small business and entrepreneurs have options when it comes to managing the financial side of their business. Primary among these include lending programs and tax considerations, say experts.

“In Nebraska there’s a heavy concentration of SBA lending,” said Scott Sailors, president of NEDCO. “Depending on the size of your business and the size of your borrowing needs at that point in time, it would define Sailors which one of those programs you use or if you don’t use them at all.

“If it’s a small project that doesn’t involve a building or equipment, mainly operating funds or supplies, there’s micro-lending programs available. Then if it’s a little bit bigger than that, it’s typically on the SBA 7(a) program.

And if it’s a big project it’s usually 504, which is us, for land, a building, capital equipment, that type of stuff.”

Sailors said the lending process for these programs has become much easier thanks to online tools.

“Within the last 10 years, websites are critical to lending,” he said. “It used to be exclusively telephone calls or personal business from potential borrowers and that has evolved into a web-based contact where they

will go to our website, which is heavily trafficked, and see here’s what the interest rate is, here’s a Q&A on whether or not we qualify for a loan.”

Community Development Resources is

Breunig Cruise another entity heavily involved with SBA loans.

“The most loans that we do are SBA microloans and that’s up to $50,000 for small businesses, startup or existing,” said Jeff Breunig, interim executive director. “We also like to help out minority businesses. That is not a criteria, but we certainly like to help those as much as we can.”

“We also have a loan fund that is for nonprofits in the city of Lincoln and the surrounding area; we have loaned up to $10,000 for nonprofits and that’s a zero-interest loan, five years max.”

Breunig said the organization also plays an important consultative role with clients, to help ensure these companies get off on the right foot.

“With business consulting, we’ll sit down with a business, whether it be existing or a

startup, and ask where do we go from here?” he said. “With a startup, the one thing we always say is let’s see your business plan, let’s see your projections, let’s see your niche market and how you plan on making this business grow and work.

“We’ve had some people come to us that are so well-prepared that you can’t tell them no. I mean, they’ve got everything, their plan

is together. And we’ve had others that you have to take by the hand a little bit and say this is what we’re looking at, this is how you prepare a budget, this is how you prepare a projection.”

Leveraging tax programs is another important consideration for the financial side of a startup or small business, according to Rob Cruise, president of Continued on next page.

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• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

• Small Business in Lincoln

Targeted digital marketing is wise for small businesses

by Gabby Christensen

There are many ways small business owners can successfully utilize marketing to grow their business; however, experts say understanding their targeted demographic is imperative.

For small businesses with limited resources and budgets, Rachel Schwindt, marketing director at Unanimous, said utilizing targeted digital marketing methods is a great option.

“Google Search ads allow you to target specific keywords that your audience is searching for,” Schwindt said. “Or, advertising on LinkedIn allows you to target by industry and job title. These are highly efficient ways to make sure you are reaching the right people at the right time.”

Right now, she said influencer marketing is extremely popular, as well.

“Identifying brand ambassadors for your product is a great way to share your message with new, like-minded audiences,” Schwindt said. “People love following

other people who are interested in the same things they are, whether it’s product or service related.”

No matter what, she said it’s critical to invest in marketing that can be tracked.

Over the past decade, Lyn Wineman,

Schwindt Wineman president/chief strategist at KidGlov, said a shift to digital marketing and social media strategies helped small businesses compete with larger ones.

Today, Wineman said “purpose-driven”

is the trending marketing strategy for smart organizations.

She said these brands are led by visionary people who are driven to do good work and social good.

“They have a dual purpose of increasing profitability while bettering society,” she said. “They are mindful of community needs and develop purposeful partnerships, with nonprofits and for-profits alike, to create the change they want to see for today and tomorrow.”

Maly According to Wi n e m a n , t h e s e brands are also socially accountable.

“Purpose-driven brands have goals that extend beyond financial interests to better society for the greater good,” she said.

As most marketing budgets are limited, Steve Maly, activist at Maly Marketing, agreed that it’s important to focus on the people that will make the largest impact to the company.

“Instead of placing an ad in a publication that has a circulation of 100,000 people, find that niche publication that focuses on your best buyers even if that circulation is only 5,000,” he said. “You can do the exact same thing with your online marketing.

Think small and take your limited budget and use it to make as big of an impact with your focused target as possible.”

Maly said distinctive marketing is also key.

“Produce marketing pieces that stick out in the marketplace,” he said. “Do things that most people wouldn’t resonate with in your industry. Be bold and test bold ideas.”

Maureen Thomsen, director of marketing strategy at Firespring, said one of the greatest marketing tips for any company is to know and understand the target market.

“As the distractions of running a company materialize, ensure you don’t lose sight of the reason and audience that caused you to start the company in the first place,” Thomsen said.

Additionally, Alec McChesney, marketing strategist at Firespring, said each internal department has a specialized role to play for a company to operate successfully and grow profitably, but each needs to understand how their specific role impacts the customers you’re looking to attract and keep.

“Focusing on reaching your target market will also help you understand channel performance, which marketing outlet earns the biggest return, therefore allowing you to focus on those versus others,” McChesney said.

While the idea of marketing automation isn’t a new one, Justin Scheel, marketing strategist at Firespring, said it is one that’s becoming more widely adopted.

“Automating your marketing efforts to attract new customers can save your company resources by determining the communication plan for a target market ahead of time, then setting up the operational systems to execute that strategy,” Scheel said. “This approach allows marketing departments the freedom to develop alternate projects while their main campaigns are all running without the need for their daily interaction.”

Pay attention to lending Continued from preceding page.

Cruise & Associates.

“Probably the biggest one for smaller startups is the Nebraska Micro Enterprise Tax Credit Program,” he said. “For businesses of less than five employees, they apply for up to a $10,000 refundable credit by investing $50,000 into their business.”

Cruise also pointed to Section 179 deductions, as depreciation of a business’ most expensive equipment allows for deductions against other incomes, thus reducing tax liability. And, he said, location can also factor into a company’s tax liability.

“There’s two different areas for that,” he said. “Locating a business in a designated blighted area or in a federally-designated enterprise zone can provide some nice credits for starting a business in those areas.”

Small Business in Lincoln • Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 •

Social media allows firms to track customer data area — whether local, regional, or worldby David Kubicek Social media is a boon to most busi- wide — and develops different messages nesses because it can produce immediate for the media it is using.

While many firms sell exclusively responses from prospective customers and online via social media, most provide valuable target market traditional companies have a data. wide marketing mix.

Colby Angst, business deA social media campaign velopment specialist with Red needs to have one of two things: Thread, a marketing agency, either a social media saturation said the call to action is the main where all of the marketing is difference between social medone online, or social media is dia marketing and a television mixed with a more comprehenor print ad. A TV commercial sive campaign that includes TV might encourage viewers to call and print. a number or visit the company “The TV and print ads would website, but social media gives Reisinger look like our social media ads, them a link to click for immedibut they might have a slightly different call ate information.

“There’s an expectation online that if I to action, a different voice, or a different like this, I can click through and get deeper point of view, but it all fits together so we and deeper,” Angst said. “We can track can measure as much as we can,” Angst that clickthrough rate. Tracking on social said. “Measurement is really important media is very powerful for the company with social media. We can track clickthrough rates, how many are coming to the that’s producing the messages.”

Many people over-simplify the impor- website, and how many are filling out lead tance of age groups as part of the demo- forms, which is the ultimate goal of social media marketing. We want people to visit graphics of a marketing campaign.

“Age is certainly a factor, but it also has the website and enter their information so to do with geography, income level, and we can contact them. With print ads, we suburban or rural,” he said. “Nebraska is a don’t get that immediate response.”

Many firms use customer relationlot different than India or Southeast Asia.

What [social media] channels we’d rec- ship management (CRM) software like ommend depends on where you’re selling HubSpot to enhance their social media your product and who you’re selling it to.” marketing. HubSpot can store customer For instance, if a firm knows that males and prospect data and recommends when aged 25 to 35 want the product, it starts the firm should send an email, how long looking at males of that age in the sales it should be, and what format and layout

should be used.

Wax Buffalo, a candle-making boutique, uses social media as its primary marketing vehicle.

“While we use it for all of the standard business reasons like talking about our products, tagging and linking to our site, and building excitement around new efforts, its real value has been in developing a community of brand advocates who truly love our company and want to talk about and share our mission with others,” said founder and owner Alicia Reisinger.

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The company has 22,500 Instagram followers and 2,200 followers on its Facebook page. According to Reisinger, Wax Buffalo’s channels tend to attract those who love beautiful design, clean and chemical-free products, and enjoy content about women supporting each other.

“Social media gives you the opportunity to have a true and authentic voice,” Reisinger said. “With a print and TV ad, you have a very limited amount of time before your audience moves on to the next thing. While that's somewhat true with social media, you're also just one click away from fostering and growing your relationship with your audience.”

Businesses, venues move to implement sustainable alternatives

by Gabby Christensen

As more consumers become environmentally aware, more businesses and venues are opting to utilize socially responsible practices.

Glenn Bateman, director of food and beverage at Pinnacle Bank Arena, said the younger generation in particular considers sustainability a priority when making purchasing decisions.

“Hospitality operations need to balance sustainability with price and convenience,” Bateman said.

As a whole, he said the industry is doing a great job at finding this balance, but there’s always room for improvement.

“Savor, the in-house food service

company, is educating the public on these efforts through virtual and physical signage and kiosks,” Bateman said. “At the Pinnacle Bank Arena we work with our vendor/suppliers to purchase products that are sustainably and locally produced.

Our disposables are all fully recyclable or compostable. In addition, we compost all of our kitchen and food waste and our cooking oil is recycled to produce fuel.

Excess product is donated, when possible, to the City Mission.”

Savor partners with ASM Global, which partners with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program, as well as the Nebraska Environmental Trust to help Continued on next page.

10

• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

• Small Business in Lincoln

As concern about plastic waste grows, sustainable packaging has gone mainstream

by Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz

Nicole Doucet and Jess Page were met with skepticism when they first tried to persuade retailers to sell their brand of bottled water. Consumers, the young entrepreneurs were told during those early sales calls five years ago, would not pay more for water packaged in aluminum containers instead of plastic.

It turns out their Chicago-based startup, Open Water, was Sustainability just a bit early to the party. Food and beverage companies that cater to on-the-go consumers are rethinking their packaging amid growing concern about single-use plastics clogging up swaths of ocean and killing sea life, with the likes of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo launching aluminum bottled water as part of commitments to cut down on plastic usage and waste.

“It has gone very mainstream,” said Doucet, CEO of Open Water, which counts Hyatt hotels, salad chain Sweetgreen and Second City as customers.

A march toward sustainable packaging Plastic, most of which is made from oil and natural gas, has raised particular environmental ire because half of the plastic produced globally is designed to be used just once, resulting in 300 million tons of plastic waste a year, according to a 2018 United Nations report. The top items recovered at beach cleanups are, after cigarette butts, drink bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers, grocery bags, drink lids, straws and stirrers. At the current rate of disposal, the oceans by 2050 will contain, by weight, more plastic than fish, the report said.

“As more consumers have more convenience products marketed to them, the waste becomes unmanageable,” said Ivy Schlegel, senior research specialist in plastics at Greenpeace USA. Legislation to curb plastic waste takes aim at food producers. In Chicago, an ordinance proposed last month would ban polystyrene foam to-go containers by 2021, and disposable cutlery, drink tops, stirrers and similar single-use products would have to be compostable or recyclable and only available upon request.

At the federal level, the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, introduced earlier this month by House and Senate Democrats,

Revival Food Hall sells Open Water exclusively as its packaged water. The water is packaged in aluminum bottles instead of plastic. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune/TNS) would ban certain single-use plastic products compostable cutlery. that are not recyclable and establish minimum The world’s food giants are also setting recycled content standards for food service ambitious waste targets. products.

Starbucks last month announced that by It also would require manufacturers of 2030 it would reduce by 50% the amount of plastic products to improve, manage and fi- waste sent to landfills, part of a broader goal nance waste and recycling programs, many of to reduce its environmental footprint. Starwhich can’t handle different types of plastic. bucks stores produce 455,000 tons of packJust 8% of plastic waste in the U.S. was recy- aging waste annually, mostly polypropylene cled in 2017, according to the Environmental plastic used in cold cups, lids and straws.

Protection Agency, and in some cities, such The coffee chain is rolling out new strawas Chicago, questions have been raised about less lids for its cold drinks as it phases out the effectiveness of recycling programs. Two plastic straws from its 30,000 stores worldaldermen this week separately called for hear- wide, and in partnership with McDonald’s ings into Chicago’s recycling program and launched a global innovation challenge to Mayor Lori Lightfoot last month announced design a more recyclable or compostable cup a study of how to improve it. for hot beverages. The hot cups Starbucks Some food companies have made sus- now uses contain a plastic liner that makes tainable packaging central to their business them difficult to recycle. models.

In-market testing begins soon on the most Just Salad, a fast-casual chain with 47 viable designs. locations including six in Chicago, sells a reThe NextGen Cup Challenge this week usable salad bowl for $1 and gives customers also announced that a cluster of indepena free topping when they use it, a program that dent cafes in Palo Alto, California, and San the company says diverted 75,000 pounds of Francisco will test reusable cup systems single-use plastic from landfills last year. As that designate drop-off points around town part of a new commitment to send zero waste for the cups, which are then picked up and to landfills by 2022, Just Salad is testing sanitized and returned to the cafes for reuse.

Businesses, venues move to implement sustainable alternatives Continued from preceding page. bolster the city’s goal of long-term energy savings and sustainability for the arena.

“Pinnacle Bank Arena was built with high-efficiency systems and environmentally responsible materials that will save Lincoln taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs each year,” he said.

Allison Snell, owner/stylist of Hive Hair Lab, said the amount of plastic and paper used in the salon industry is astronomical.

“From every color box to peroxide bottle it adds up tremendously,” Snell said.

Because of this, she has decided to re–use and recycle products.

“We went from taking trash out three times a day to once every two days at most,” she said. “It also makes me more aware of packaging in our industry. There must be a better way, but we can start here,

and see where it goes.”

Snell, who also rides an electric scooter to work every day, said showing people how easy it is to practice sustainable habits at her salon helps others implement recycling in their own home.

“There’s still a large population who don’t necessarily have being ‘green’ on their radar, but we are trying to encourage it,” she said. “We offer five dollars off services if customers use other means than driving.”

Gage Mruz, founder at Greenstain, said stores are attracting more customers, especially a younger demographic, by taking steps to prioritize environmental sustainability.

“Having an eco-responsible mission or even leaning in that direction really speaks for itself with younger consumers,” Mruz said. “That’s why awareness is so vital. If you are selling a traditional T-shirt and an

eco-friendly t-shirt of equal quality and price, the younger generations are going to choose the eco-friendly option. There’s just more added value with that ‘green’ option.”

Mruz said the market is beginning to see shifts toward companies doing social and environmental good, which overshadows the companies that are lacking in that regard.

“As more and more companies put socially responsible products at the forefront of their brand, it sets a new standard of added value for the market to attain,” he said. “This added awareness also shows consumers that the climate crisis and these other major issues are important and real.

Providing value to consumers is the best thing you can do for your business, and what better way to add value than by incorporating environmental and social issues into your mission.”

Starbucks for the past year has piloted such a system in London’s Gatwick Airport, but the California test examines how reusable cups might work outside of a captive space like an airport terminal.

Though corporate sustainability initiatives have been en vogue for years, plastic took center stage in 2018 when the U.K.based Ellen MacArthur Foundation and U.N. Environment Program called on corporations and governments to sign a pledge to create a circular economy for plastics so that none is wasted. The 400 signatories of the New Plastics Economy Pledge, which include packaged foods giants such as Mars and Nestle, have announced targets to reduce plastic usage and innovate packaging to make it more recyclable, compostable or reusable.

Greenpeace’s Schlegel said some of those pledges have been meaningful. For example, Unilever, the multinational company with brands ranging from Breyers to Dove and a packaging footprint of about 700,000 tons annually, in October promised to halve its use of virgin plastic by 2025. It is experimenting with refillable deodorant sticks and letting some products go “naked” without any packaging.

Schlegel is less impressed with other promises to substitute plastic with other materials or improve recycling infrastructure.

“That’s not going to really move the needle,” Schlegel said. “We want to see companies moving away from disposable packaging and moving toward refill and reuse options.”

Currently, less than 3% of packaging used by companies in the New Plastics Economy consortium is reusable, according to its 2019 progress report.

For packaged food behemoths like Chicago-based Conagra Brands, whose portfolio includes Slim Jim and Orville Redenbacher’s, and Deerfield-based Mondelez International, maker of Oreos and Triscuits, a big challenge is what to do about the thin plastic film used to package most snacks. Recycling systems aren’t equipped to process it.

“Plastics do serve a lot of purpose in terms of keeping food safe and fresh,” said Christine Montenegro McGrath, chief of global impact sustainability and well-being at Mondelez. “The challenge is finding materials that have the same level of safety when it comes into contact with foods.”

Conagra, which recently announced a goal of making 100% of its plastic packaging renewable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, is exploring bioplastics made from renewable sources, like plants. Mondelez, which set a similar goal, is working to see if the used film can be mixed back in with virgin plastic to make new plastic products.

Aluminum bottled water ‘for plastic-free oceans’ For Open Water founders Doucet, 31, and Page, 32, the anti-plastic awakening has been heartening. They were college students at University of Miami when they saw a documentary on plastic pollution in 2009 and heard a statistic they couldn’t shake: that 1,500 plastic bottles are used every second.

Doubtful consumers would abandon the convenience of disposable containers, shortly after graduation the friends began researching the most eco-friendly alternative.

They landed on aluminum, which has a much higher recycling rate than single-use plastic bottles and even boxed water, which Continued on page 12.

Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 •

11

Behlen moves on acquisition track for proximity to customer base

Continued from page 1.

McGregor, Texas.

“While we don’t have anything on the horizon at this point, we’re always going to be looking at people and companies doing similar things that are complementary with high quality manufacturing,” Raimondo said.

As the 84-year-old Behlen Manufacturing seeks to become more competitive beyond its Nebraska roots, the plan is to seek acquisitions and other agreements SUPER CROSSWORD

in strategic locations throughout the country that enable it to build its products in closer proximity to its customers and end users.

Raimondo, who has an electrical engineering degree from Purdue University and an MBA, said the Trident merger positions Behlen to hit $220 million in annual shipments this year. Its previous record was $213 million in 2007.

With the Trident transaction Behlen assumes a 34-year-old family-owned firm SOUL RESCUER

that makes a full line of quality pre-engi- units. In addition to the Behlen Group, neered and structural steel buildings from a Behlen Country — with three production 115,000-square-foot manufacturing plant. plants — is the nation's leading manuRaimondo said that the Trident merger facturer of livestock equipment as well will enable Behlen Building Systems to as international and diversified products significantly expand its business unit while including grain systems, strip joining opening up new regional markets and ad- presses and custom fabrication. Behlen ditional production capabilities. also owns BMC Transportation, a speHe said Trident sales were in the $25 cialized firm with 85 owner-operators million range last year. that deliver products throughout the U.S. “It’s important and Canada. for us to expand the Behlen Manufacturing “We want to get market in Florida Phone: 800-553-5520 our owner numbers and get the Behlen 4025 E. 23rd St., Columbus 68602 up to 100 this year,” name out with our Service: global steel fabricator Raimondo said. “Of level of service to Founded: 1936 by Walter D. Behlen that number about the area builders and Employees: 1,180 overall (700 in Ne50 live in Nebrasgeneral contractors braska) ka while the others down there,” he said. One-year goal: Aiming for $220 million live in places such Raimondo said in shipments worldwide. as Oregon, Idaho and B e h l e n ’s O m a h a Industry outlook: Optimism among Tennessee.” p l a n t , h e a d e d b y firms with diversity between ag and He also hopes g e n e r a l m a n a g e r non-agricultural products. more operators can Mike Vaughn since Website: www.behlenmfg.com be recruited near the 2019, has received newly-acquired Florsignificant technological upgrades. The ida facility.

160,000-square-foot facility at 3838 S. Variables closely watched by Behlen 108th St. fabricates more than 1,000 ownership and management include the different metal components for vari- value of the American dollar and raw ous industries including communica- material prices. tions, turf care, agriculture, construction, “Steel prices are getting back to a more transportation, telecommunications, reasonable level now,” Raimondo said. among others.

“Teamwork and change,” Raimondo “We’re experienced in creating de- said have been important to Behlen’s signs for manufacturers with efficiencies growth since his father T.R. (Tony) Raibuilt in,” he said. “This enables us to find mondo became majority owner of the solutions to even the most challenging company in 1984. The elder Raimonproduction specifications.” do, 79, is now chairman of the board Processes include laser cutting, form- emeritus. ing and stamping, welding, CNC machinPhil Raimondo is joined in the family ing, engineering/design/manufacturing, business by his brother Tony Raimondo rotational molding, and kitting parts.

Jr., who operates Hilton Industries, an Raimondo said one of the largest in- industrial production/fabrication group; vestments involved the purchase of a $1.5 son-in-law Brandon Hayes, who manages million fiber laser machine. the buildings unit; nephew Cody Myers, “It offers speech improvement on the engineering manager of the ag-business put-through and reduces overall costs by unit; and Phil’s youngest son, Patrick 20%,” he said.

Raimondo, manufacturing manager of Employee training has been important Behlen Country. in integrating a computer-controlled press to work in tandem with laser technology to achieve better flow-through. This is achieved by moving raw parts together through the press.

Tooling capabilities have been enhanced with the addition of a sharpening drill.

The plant, housed in the former Nashua Corp. building, was formerly known as Distefano Tool & Manufacturing — a then-family owned business located at 30th & Browne streets in north Omaha. Behlen acquired the firm in 2009 and moved it to its current location.

It was Behlen's first major acquisition under the ownership of the Raimondo family.

The Omaha plant is operating near 70% capacity and Raimondo hopes within the next two years to add a second shift and increase staffing to 90.

Looking at the Behlen family of companies holistically, Raimondo said the company is positioned as a diversified venture that has had success in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.

If one sector is lagging, the other holds the firm up.

There are three diverse business

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• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

What college grads should know about the job search

by Nicole Norfleet

College students about to graduate this spring already have a lot going for them. Armed with degrees, they will enter the workforce at a time of historically low unemployment when companies are desperately vying for talent.

Still, career experts say there are steps that recent graduates should take to ensure they begin their careers on the right foot.

The key to good placement starts with the job seeker, career counselors Jobs say. They offered the following advice: -Narrow your search. One of the first goals that soon-to-be college graduates should tackle is to try to better understand themselves and what they want to do.

“You’ve got to know who you are and believe in yourself in order to sell yourself,” said Megan Walls, founder of Walls Career Coaching, located in the Chicago area.

Walls recommends that graduates use Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment to discover their natural talents. If someone doesn’t know what they want, they should schedule informational interviews with people in different careers to get advice, information and recommendations or referrals, Walls said.

“I would say the number one thing is for college graduates to begin to get as clear as possible — clarity is so critical — about what their dream career looks like,” said Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, chief executive of the Rae

Mackenzie Group diversity and inclusion marketing firm in Minneapolis and founder of the People of Color (POC) Career Fair..

She advises graduates to visualize what work they want to do and then write down three to five companies even if some of them are more aspirational and not fleshed out.

According to a job search trend study published in January by Robert Half, senior managers say that some of the top things job candidates can do to move forward in the hiring process is connect to current company employees via social media and link to an online portfolio or personal website.

-Learn to network. Counselors say networking is critical. Over the years, career experts have said that 70 to 80% of jobs are not publicized and can only be found through word-of-mouth. While there has been some disagreement about the size of the “hidden job market,” most career counselors attest to networking’s importance.

Walls said she knew a young man who graduated from college recently in Kentucky.

He connected with someone from his fraternity whom he had never met before in Denver. It turned out the frat brother owned a recruiting firm, and he hired the graduate.

“You just never know,” Walls said.

While everyone should work on their professional connections, people of color tend to be undernetworked and need to try hard to develop their own “personal board of directors”

Sustainable packaging has gone mainstream Continued from page 10. tends to be made of layers of paper, plastic and aluminum that many recycling systems can’t handle.

Unlike plastic, which is cheap in its virgin form and degrades with reuse, aluminum has a strong secondary market because the raw material is expensive and it can be recycled multiple times without losing quality. On average, aluminum cans and bottles contain 73% recycled materials.

It isn’t perfect. An aluminum bottle takes three times more energy to produce than plastic. Open Water, which launched in 2014 as Green Sheep before changing its name in 2018, this year plans to launch a carbon offset program to make production carbon neutral.

The company, headquartered in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, charges $1.49 to $1.99 for a 16-ounce bottle, putting its price on par with premium waters like Evian or Fiji. But Open Water, which sells still and sparkling purified, re-mineralized municipal water in bottles and cans, markets its packaging rather than the water source, with the tagline: “For plastic-free oceans.”

“We don’t think water from Fiji is better than water from here,” said Doucet, who graduated from Miami with a degree in finance and economics and later got her MBA from University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.

Doucet, a native of Mexico City, and Page, a Boston-area native who got her degree in graphic design, did not realize how in over their heads they were when they started the business. But their inexperience was an asset, they now say, because they approached everything with fresh eyes.

After striking out initially with retailers, Doucet and Page found interested customers in food service, gyms, offices, zoos and college campuses. Their first major account

was the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, which in 2017 switched from boxed water to the aluminum bottles.

“That story was very powerful for us to tell other people,” said Page, the company’s chief operating officer.

Getting on retail shelves is a key goal for Open Water this year as it rides a wave of interest in sustainable packaging. The company’s revenues grew 300% last year, its second year of triple-digit growth. The founders, who employ a team of seven, declined to share revenues, but said 2019 was their first profitable year. By the end of this year, they say, they will have sold enough product to replace 20 million plastic bottles.

Coke’s announcement last summer that it would soon be selling some Dasani in aluminum bottles, following a similar announcement by Pepsi’s Aquafina, is bittersweet, as Open Water lost some customers with Coke or Pepsi contracts. But it will be difficult for the giants to bad-mouth plastic when they still sell so much of it, Doucet said, so she thinks her startup will still have an environmental edge.

“The messaging for them will be hard,” she said.

Coke, which also unveiled a new “hybrid” Dasani bottle made with a combination of plants and recycled plastic, said its initiatives will remove at least 1 billion virgin plastic bottles from its supply chain over the next five years.

That’s “definitely a good thing,” Page said, not only because it drives attention to Open Water’s mission but it also helps make their business case.

“We’ve proven there’s a market for it,” she said. ©2020 Chicago Tribune Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

who are invested in their careers and can serve as mentors and advisors, Smith-Akinsanya said.

-Attend the right job fair. Whether it’s at a college or in the community where someone wants to live, find out what types of companies and professionals will be there before you go.

In 2016, Smith-Akinsanya founded the POC Career Fair in order to help professionals of color better network and be recruited for top jobs in the Twin Cities. On April 21, Smith-Akinsanya will host her eighth fair with a goal of 150 professionals of color being hired by companies.

Smith-Akinsanya said she hopes her career fair could help to address the disparities in unemployment that have been shown to exist between people of color and their white counterparts. The unemployment rate for blacks in the Twin Cities averaged 7.8% in 2017, more than 2 ½ times higher than the rate for white residents, according to an NAACP economic report published in December.

“A connection and a match must be made in order for us to move the needle forward,” she said.

-Use your college career services department. Jim Kwapick, Twin Cities district president of the staffing firm Robert Half, suggests that students ask career counselors at their colleges to look over résumés and cover letters.

Most managers prefer to receive cover letters and find them valuable, a recent Robert Half survey found.

“The cover letter is a real opportunity to customize why you are a good fit for an employer,” Kwapick said.

-Brush up on general skills and also industry tools. Avenica CEO Scott Dettman said that it would be good for students while they are

still in school to improve skills such as Excel.

Students can look at companies’ job listings and see what sort of programs and tools they require and brush up on how to use them.

“Certain industries have their own language,” he said.

Dettman encouraged students to not be afraid to ask for help as they prepare to enter the workforce, either from professionals already in the business or people they know.

“People are often not very good at selling themselves,” he said.

-Use your first job as a learning experience.

Sometimes the first job landed isn’t necessarily the one that’s wanted, but it leads new graduates down the right path for their careers, said Walls, who is an executive and leadership coach and helps teams and individuals in career transition.

For example, her son was looking for a job and took an internship as a graphic designer and ended up being hired later and working as a full-time employee for the company.

“Don’t overlook those kinds of things if it’s going to be your foot in the door,” she said.

It can be difficult for a recent graduate to know what they want out of a job if they don’t have work experience, said Samantha Anders, co-director of the Career Counseling and Assessment Clinic at the University of Minnesota, which serves the public.

“What are your negotiables and what our your nonnegotiables. … Use your first job to figure it out,” she said.

However, Smith-Akinsanya cautioned that job-seeking can be like dating and that college graduates shouldn’t settle on jobs that don’t fit their goals.

“It’s not a summer job,” she said. “This is real. This is real big-time.” ©2020 Star Tribune (Minneapolis) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Soley Medical, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 7914 W Dodge rd, Ste 438 Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The Registered Agent of the Company is Sena Sekpe, at 7914 W Dodge Rd, Ste 438 Omaha, Nebraska 68116.

First publication February 28, 2020, final March 13, 2020 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Dutta, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 3330 N. 104th Ave, Omaha, Nebraska 68134. The registered agent of the Company is Satish Muktineni, 3962 S. 184th Ave, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. The Company was formed on February 21, 2020.

First publication February 28, 2020, final March 13, 2020 DAVID J. SKALKA, Attorney C R O K E R , H U C K , K A S H E R , D e W I T T, A N D E R S O N & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF KC UPHOLSTERY, LLC The name of the limited liability company is KC Upholstery, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 5818 Girard Street, Omaha, NE 68152. The name and address of the initial agent for service of process is David J. Skalka, 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, NE 68124.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 STEVEN G. RANUM, Attorney C R O K E R , H U C K , K A S H E R , D E W I T T, A N D E R S O N & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. 2120 S. 72ND STREET, SUITE 1200 OMAHA, NEBRASKA 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 5902 WEIR STREET, LLC The name of the limited liability company is 5902 Weir Street, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 5936 Q Street, Omaha, NE 68117. The name and address of the initial agent for service of process is Steven G. Ranum, 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, NE 68124.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 STEVEN G. RANUM, Attorney C R O K E R , H U C K , K A S H E R , D E W I T T, A N D E R S O N & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. 2120 S. 72ND STREET, SUITE 1200 OMAHA, NEBRASKA 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 1211 O STREET, LLC The name of the limited liability company is 1211 O Street, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, NE 68124. The name and address of the initial agent for service of process is Steven G. Ranum, 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, NE 68124.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 CAMERON M. RIECKE, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF SPECIAL TACTICS AND RESCUE SERVICES, 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 Special Tactics and Rescue Services, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 19942 Chicago Street, Elkhorn, NE 68022.

The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc, 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The general nature of the business is any or all lawful business. The company commenced existence on March 9, 2020 and shall perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Members, as prescribed by the Operating Agreement.

LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020

MARY E. VANDENACK, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MT ESTATE, LLC Notice is hereby given that MT ESTATE, 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 5430 Florence Boulevard, Omaha, NE 68110. The agent for service of process for the Company is VW Agents LLC located at 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3, Omaha, NE 68118-3122.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 MARY E. VANDENACK, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 5013 LAFAYETTE AVE., LLC Notice is hereby given that 5013 LAFAYETTE AVE., 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 9779 Westchester Drive, Omaha, NE 68114. The agent for service of process for the Company is VW Agents LLC located at 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3, Omaha, NE 68118-3121.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 MARY E. VANDENACK, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 TICE OF AMENDMENT TO CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF MCB PROPERTIES, LLC Notice is hereby given that MCB Properties, LLC has amended its Certificate of Organization as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The amended notice of organization reflects the name change from MCB Properties, LLC to 602 W. 23rd Ave., LLC. First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 MARY E. VANDENACK, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF OTT STRATEGIC PARTNERS, LLC Notice is hereby given that OTT Strategic Partners, LLC has amended its Certificate of Organization as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The amended notice of Certificate of Organization reflects the change of designated address to: 1613 Washington St., Blair, NE 68006.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 MARY E. VANDENACK, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MCB PROPERTIES, LLC Notice is hereby given that MCB PROPERTIES, 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 9779 Westchester Drive, Omaha, NE 68114. The agent for service of process for the Company is VW Agents located at 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3, Omaha, NE 68118.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 CAMERON M. RIECKE, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF BOILER REPAIR & SERVICES, 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 Boiler Repair & Service, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 8720 F Street, Omaha, NE 68127. The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc, 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The general nature of the business is any or all lawful business. The company commenced existence on March 4, 2020 and shall perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Members, as prescribed by the Operating Agreement.

LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 KELLOGG & PALZER, P.C. 10828 Old Mill Road, Suite 6 Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2647 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Company is VBS INVESTMENTS, LLC. 2. The street address of the initial designated office is 15236 Curtis Avenue, Omaha, NE 68116. The registered agent is Vanessa Schmidt and the Register Agent's address is 15236 Curtis Avenue, Omaha, NE 68116.

3. The general nature of the Company is residential rental real estate.

4. The Company commenced on January 2, 2020, and shall have perpetual existence.

5. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by Members, and, if necessary, the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and such other officers as the Members shall determine.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020

13

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF OESTMANN & ALBERTSEN LAW, P.C. L.L.O. Notice is hereby given that OESTMANN & ALBERTSEN LAW, P.C., L.L.O. a Nebraska Professional Corporation, has been incorporated under the laws of the state of Nebraska. The Company’s initial designated office is located at 3406 Blackhawk Drive, Bellevue, Nebraska, 68123. The name and street mailing address of the initial agent for service of process is Melissa Oestmann at 3406 Blackhawk Drive, Bellevue, Nebraska 68123.

The general nature of its business is to engage in the practice of law. The Articles of Incorporation were filed in the office of the Nebraska Secretary of State on January 9, 2020. Company commenced business thereon, and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by its officers.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 DANA ROCHE, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF A FOREIGN TASTE, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that A Foreign Taste, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company 5052 North 155th Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The Registered Agent of the Company is Kendra J. Ringenberg, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 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 PARKERA, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Parkera, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on March 6, 2020.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 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 DMSI REALTY, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that DMSi Realty, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 17002 Marcy Street, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is CSC-Lawyers Incorporating Service Company, 233 South 13th Street, Suite 1900, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508. The Certificate of Organization was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 6, 2020.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 MYRON J. KAPLAN, Attorney McGILL, GOTSDINER, WORKMAN & LEPP, P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 11404 West Dodge Road, Suite 500, First National Plaza Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2584 NOTICE OFAMENDMENT TO CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF BELGRADE L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Belgrade L.L.C., a Nebraska limited liability company, has filed an Amendment to its Certificate of Organization effective as of March 10, 2020, amending paragraph 2 of the Certificate of Organization as follows: 2. Duration. The period of duration of the Company is perpetual from the date of the filing of the Certificate of Organization with the Secretary of State.

Robert L. Belgrade, Manager First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 SCUDDER LAW FIRM, P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 411 S. 13th Street, Second Floor Lincoln, NE 68508 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION A Certificate of Organization was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State for Scout Enterprises, LLC, with its registered office at 411 S. 13th Street #200, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508. The registered agent and address for service of process is: Heidi Hornung-Scherr, 411 S. 13th Street #200, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 TIEDEMAN, LYNCH, KAMPFE, McVAY & RESPELIERS, Attorneys 6910 Pacific Street, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68106-1045 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR20-284 Estate of Ryan T. Hepburn, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on February 27, 2020, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, Travis Hepburn, whose address is 213 South 26th Avenue, Apartment 5, Omaha, Nebraska 68131, was informally appointed 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 May 6, 2020 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020

14

• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

LEGAL NOTICES CAMERON M. RIECKE, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF GOOD LIFE SMILES, P.C. Notice is hereby given that a professional corporation has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the corporation is Good Life Smiles, P.C. The corporation is authorized to issue 1,000 shares of common stock. The street address of the corporation is 1742 N. 175th Plz., Omaha, NE 68118. The name and street address of the corporation’s initial registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc., 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The name and address of the incorporator is Dr. Peter Harbert, DDS, MSD, 1742 N. 175th Plz., Omaha, Nebraska 68118.

Dr. Peter Harbert, DDS, MSD, Incorporator First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Gill Contracting, LLC Notice is hereby given that Gill Contracting, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at of 13621 Birchwood Ave Omaha, NE 68137. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized under Nebraska laws and its duration is perpetual commencing from February 6, 2020. Its affairs are to be conducted by the manager Melissa S Gill. Its registered agent is Melissa S Gill and her office is located at 13621 Birchwood Ave Omaha, NE 68137.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that CarMel Chic, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 9002 N. 169th Ave, Bennington, Nebraska 68007.

The registered agent of the Company is Carissa Helton, 9002 N. 169th Ave, Bennington, Nebraska 68007. The Company was formed on March 5, 2020.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 ROBERT J. LIKES, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF JEREMY WARREN CPA, LLC Notice is hereby given that JEREMY WARREN CPA, LLC, a Nebraska professional limited liability company (the “Company”), has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office and registered office of the Company is 1803 North 173rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68118, and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Jeremy Warren.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of Velasquez Construction, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is Velasquez Construction, LLC. Registered agent and office of Velasquez Construction, LLC is Juan Roberto Rafael Velasquez at 2314 Drexel Street, Omaha, NE 68107.

The designated address is 2314 Drexel Street, Omaha, NE 68107. Initial members: Juan Roberto Rafael Velasquez. General nature of the business is to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute. The LLC was organized on March 2020 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of Analeah Construction, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is Analeah Construction, LLC. Registered agent and office of Analeah Construction, LLC is Ana Luisa Hernandez Hernandez at 12418 Martha Street, Omaha, NE 68144.

The designated address is 12418 Martha Street, Omaha, NE 68144. Initial members: Ana Luisa Hernandez Hernandez and Emerson Eduardo Sanchez Oliveros. General nature of the business is to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute.

The LLC was organized on March 2020 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 THOMAS C. DORWART, Attorney TELPNER PETERSON LAW FIRM, LLP 25 Main Place, Suite 200 Council Bluffs, Iowa 51503 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Njord Transportation, Inc. has been incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The number of shares authorized to be issued by the Corporation is 10,000. The street address of the initial Registered Office is: 13504 So. 33rd Street, Bellevue, Nebraska 68123. The name of the Registered Agent at such address is Zachary Mathias.

The name and address of the Incorporator is as follows: Zachary Mathias, 13504 S. 33rd Street, Bellevue, Ne. 68123.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Sekafi Investments, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 810 S. 59th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68106. The registered agent of the Company is Chinnapat Wirachakul, 810 S. 59th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68106. The Company was formed on February 26, 2020.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF CONVERSION OF THE MAIDS INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND ORGANIZATION OF THE MAIDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that The Maids International, Inc. has been converted into The Maids International, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the company is 9394 W. Dodge Road, Suite 140, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, 68114. The Registered Office of the company is 233 South 13th Street, Suite 1900, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508. The Registered Agent is Daniel J. Bishop at 9394 W. Dodge Road, Suite 140, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, 68114. The conversion of the corporation into the limited liability company was accomplished by the filing of Articles of Conversion and Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on February 27, 2020.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF CONVERSION OF TMI COMPANY STORE HOLDING CORP. AND ORGANIZATION OF TMI COMPANY STORE HOLDING, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that The TMI Company Store Holding Corp. has been converted into TMI Company Store Holding, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the company is 9394 W. Dodge Road, Suite 140, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, 68114. The Registered Office of the company is 233 South 13th Street, Suite 1900, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508. The Registered Agent is Daniel J. Bishop at 9394 W. Dodge Road, Suite 140, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, 68114. The conversion of the corporation into the limited liability company was accomplished by the filing of Articles of Conversion and Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on February 27, 2020.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 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 PERCIPIO KP HOLDINGS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Percipio KP Holdings, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 4924 Center Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68106. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Daniel Welch, 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1220, Omaha, Nebraska 68102. The Certificate of Organization was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on February 28, 2020.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF KUBAT BROS., INC. 1. The name of the Corporation is Kubat Bros., Inc. 2. The Corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 Common Shares having a par value of $1.00.

3. The Registered Office of the Corporation is: 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1220, Omaha, Nebraska 68102, and the Registered Agent at such address is Daniel Welch.

4. The corporate existence began on February 27, 2020, when Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State.

5. The name and address of the Incorporator is: Daniel Welch, 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1220, Omaha, Nebraska 68102.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 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 FAB WEST SHORES, LLC The name of the Company is FAB West Shores, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The Registered Agent and Office of the Company is: Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. This limited liability company commenced business on February 27, 2020.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF K2 CONSULTING, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that K2 Consulting, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 19017 Ohio Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 W. Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020

DANA ROCHE, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF GOLDENROD FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Goldenrod Financial Services, Inc. (the “Corporation”) has been incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Corporation shall have authority to issue is 10,000 shares, having a par value of $1.00 each, all of which shall be common stock. The street address of the initial registered office of the Corporation is 10340 North 84th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68122, and the name of its initial registered agent at such address is Zachary A. Wiegert. The name and street address of the incorporator of the Corporation is Jennifer L. Rattner, 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Forever Yesterday Exchange, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The designated office of the Company is 14736 Grover Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. The registered agent of the Company is Patrick Kinchler, 14736 Grover Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. The Company was formed on February 27, 2020.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Bluebird Affordable Living, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 13906 Gold Circle, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. The registered agent of the Company is Angela Driscoll, 13906 Gold Circle, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. The Company was formed on March 6, 2020.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 MARY E. VANDENACK, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 5408 S. 80TH ST., LLC Notice is hereby given that 5408 S. 80TH ST., 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 11240 Davenport Street, PO Box 540125, Omaha, NE 68154-0125. The agent for service of process for the Company is VW Agents LLC located at 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3, Omaha, NE 68118-3121.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF CRZ HOLDCO, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that CRZ Holdco, Inc., a Nebraska corporation (“Corporation”), has filed Articles of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on December 20, 2019, and the Corporation is in the process of voluntary dissolution. The terms and conditions of such dissolution are, in general, that all debts and obligations of the Corporation are to be fully paid and satisfied or adequate provision is to be made therefore. The President of the Corporation will wind up and liquidate the Corporation’s business and affairs. The Corporation has no assets or liabilities as of the date hereof.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF OELS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Certificate of Organization of OELS, LLC has been amended and restated. The designated office of the limited liability company is 9845 South 142nd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68138. 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 Amended and Restated Certificate of Organization was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 4, 2020.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF MACALLAN HOLDINGS, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Macallan Holdings, Inc., a Nebraska corporation (“Corporation”), has filed Articles of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 4, 2020, effective March 5, 2020, and the Corporation is in the process of voluntary dissolution. The terms and conditions of such dissolution are, in general, that all debts and obligations of the Corporation are to be fully paid and satisfied or adequate provision is to be made therefore. Colin Bishop, President of the Corporation, will wind up and liquidate the Corporation’s business and affairs. The Corporation has no assets or liabilities as of the date hereof.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020

Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 • LEGAL NOTICES SEAN D. MOYLAN, Attorney MOYLAN LAW, LLC 1010 South 120th Street, Suite 320 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF MALLARD REMODELING, INC. Notice is hereby given that MALLARD REMODELING, INC., a Nebraska Corporation, is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its initial registered agent Sean D. Moylan and registered office at 1010 South 120th Street, Suite 320, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The purpose for which MALLARD REMODELING, INC. has been established is to engage in the remodeling business, and any and all lawful businesses for which a corporation may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

Perpetual existence commenced on December 4, 2019. Management of the company shall be vested in its Board of Directors.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 ALLAN M. ZIEBARTH, Attorney 1702 S. 10th Street, Suite 2 Omaha, Nebraska 68108 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF PRIBYL APPLIANCE PARTS, LLC All claims against the company must be forwarded to the company c/o JOHN F. PRIBYL, 1702 S. 10 St., Suite. 2, Omaha, NE 68108, and contain the name of the claimant, the nature and amount of the claim, and the address and a contact person for the claimant. A claim against the company is barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five years after the publication date of the third required notice.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 LEGACY DESIGN STRATEGIES 9859 South 168th Avenue Omaha, NE 68136 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Limited Liability Company is CAMO ENTERPRISES, LLC 2. The address of the designated office of the company is 2803 O Street, Auburn, NE 68305.

3. The Registered Agent and office of the limited liability company is Andrew Sigerson at 9859 South 168th Avenue, Omaha, NE 68136.

4. The purpose for which the company is organized is to engage in any and all business which is lawful under the Uniform Limited Liability Company Act of the State of Nebraska.

5. The company commenced its existence on May 6, 2019, and the period of duration of the Company shall be perpetual.

6. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by its Members in accordance with the company’s operating agreement.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 BROWN & WOLFF, P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1925 North 120th Street, One Bennington Place Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO THE CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF THE MSR GROUP, L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Certificate of Organization of THE MSR GROUP, L.L.C. has been amended by revoking Section 1.1 in its entirety, and substituting the following: 1.1 Name. The Company shall be carried on under the name Worick Investments, L.L.C., a Nebraska limited liability company.

The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the Company is 1121 North 102 Court, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

The registered agent for the service of process is Paul M. Brown at 1925 North 120th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154.

This Amendment was filed on the 14th day of February, 2020.

THE MSR GROUP, L.L.C. By: Richard R.Worick, Jr., Member First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF NHH, Inc. NHH, Inc., a Nebraska corporation, has been dissolved pursuant to the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The corporation has collected its assets, disposed of its properties which were not distributed in kind to its shareholders, discharged or made provision for the discharge of its liabilities, distributed its remaining property among its shareholders according to their interests, and done every other act necessary to wind up and liquidate its business and affairs. Neal H. Hawks, President of the corporation, was the person who was responsible for winding up and liquidating the business and affairs of the corporation. The corporation has no remaining assets or liabilities.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 NOTICE OF CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF Impact Construction Group, LLC a Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that Impact Construction Group, LLC, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office of the company in the state of Nebraska is 1209 Harney Street, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68102. The name and address of the registered agent is AF Bookkeeping Services, Inc, 11811 I Street, STE 204, Omaha, NE 68137.

The Certificate of Organization was filed with the State of Nebraska on March 10, 2020.

James Bracker, Organizer First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of Terrie L. Larkowski, CPA, LLC Notice is hereby given that Terrie L. Larkowski, CPA, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska pursuant to the Limited Liability Company Act, with its initial designated office at 1705 North 107th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The initial agent for service of process of the Company is Terrie L. Larkowski, 1705 North 107th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Company is organized for the purpose of providing public accounting services and all members shall be licensed to provide public accounting services in the State of Nebraska.

Terrie L. Larkowski, CPA, Member First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF iphy, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that iphy, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 14613 leeman street, Bennington, NE. 68007. The Registered Agent of the company is Ifeanyi Onubogu., 14613 leeman street, Bennington , Nebraska . 68007 First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of Management House, LLC Notice is hereby given that Management House, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its initial designated office at 2210 Wirt Street, Omaha, NE 68110. The initial agent for service of process of the Company is Kyle N. Keith, 2210 Wirt Street, Omaha, NE, 68110 First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Notice is hereby given that Indian Creek Reserve – Villas Owners Association, Inc. has been incorporated under the laws of the state of Nebraska. Its initial principal registered office is located at 14922 A Circle, Omaha, Nebraska, 68144. Its initial registered office agent is Jana Faller. The general nature of its business is to provide for the maintenance, preservation and architectural control of the improvements and common areas within the Indian Creek Reserve subdivision, a residential subdivision in Douglas County, Nebraska. The corporation is a perpetual mutual benefit corporation and shall have members. The Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on February 24, 2020. Its affairs shall be conducted by a Board of Directors, President, Secretary and Treasurer as may be prescribed by the bylaws, or appointed by the Board of Directors.

Its two incorporators are Jana Faller & Steve Faller whose address is 22809 Hansen Avenue, Elkhorn, NE, 68022.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 BENJAMIN E. MAXELL, Attorney GOVIER, KATSKEE, SUING & MAXELL, PC, LLO 10404 Essex Court, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ICON HOMES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has formed a limited liability company under the Nebraska Limited Liability Company Act, as follows: The name of the company is Icon Homes, LLC. The address of the designated office is 2112 S. 212th Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska, 68022 and the initial registered agent is Benjamin E. Maxell, 10404 Essex Court, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The company is organized to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business, other than banking and insurance, for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of Nebraska. The limited liability company commenced existence on the filing and recording of its Certificate of Organization with the Secretary of State on February 28, 2020, and shall have a perpetual period of duration from the date the Certificate of Organization was filed with the Secretary of State. Management of the Company shall be vested in an initial board of two managers who shall serve until successors are appointed or elected.

Benjamin E. Maxell, Registered Agent First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 ALLAN M. ZIEBARTH, Attorney 1702 South 10 Street, Suite 2 Omaha, Nebraska 68108 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CFLEX TILE & STONE, LLC Designated Office: 1702 S. 10 St., Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68108 Initial Agent/Address For Service: Allan M. Ziebarth/1702 S. 10 St., Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68108 First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 STEVEN W. DOWDING, Attorney DOWDING, DOWDING, DOWDING & URBOM 2121 N. Webb Rd., Suite 210 P.O. Box 5315 Grand Island, NE 68802-5315 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Notice is hereby given of the organization of E.B. SHADOW LAKE, LLC. The registered office of the limited liability company is 14514 Nelsons Creek Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The name and address of the limited liability company’s registered agent is Andrew Meier, 3536 South Locust, Grand Island, Nebraska 68801. The limited liability company is organized to engage in and to do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business, other than banking or insurance, for which a limited liability may be organized under the laws of Nebraska. The limited liability company commenced business on February 19, 2020 and shall have perpetual existence. The business of the limited liability company is conducted by its members, Andrew Meier and James A. Burrow, III.

Dated March 3, 2020 First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020

15

ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION NHH Air, LLC (the “Company”), a Nebraska limited liability company, has been dissolved. Persons having claims against the Company shall present them in writing, with the details of any such claim, to NHH, Inc., at 2201 Long Prairie Road, Suite 107-351, Flower Mound, TX 75022. A claim against the Company is barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five years after the third publication of this notice.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 SUSAN J. SPAHN, Attorney FITZGERALD, SCHORR, BARMETTLER & BRENNAN, P.C., L.L.O. 10050 Regency Circle, 200 Regency One Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3794 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR20-353 Estate of Robert R. Terrell, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on March 10, 2020, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, Rachel Terrell, whose address is 6551 A Pinehurst Drive, Fort Drum, NY 13603, 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 May 13, 2020 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 DANA ROCHE, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MILLWORK PARCEL 8 APARTMENTS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Millwork Parcel 8 Apartments, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 5110 Mayberry Street, Suite 122, Omaha, Nebraska 68106. The Registered Agent of the Company is Ringenberg & Rattner Law, LLC, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 NOTICE OF CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF BIG “O” OUTDOORS & LIVING, LLC A Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that BIG “O” OUTDOORS & LIVING, LLC, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office of the company in the state of Nebraska is 2518 Gindy Drive Bellevue NE 68147. The name and address of the registered agent is AF Bookkeeping Services, Inc, 11811 I Street, STE 204, Omaha, NE 68137. The Certificate of Organization was filed with the State of Nebraska on March 5, 2020.

Tanner C. Fiedler Organizer First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 BENJAMIN J. PICK, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF EVOLUTION DATING, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of Evolution Dating, LLC: 1. The name of the limited liability company is Evolution Dating, 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 March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Attorneys 13330 California Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BTWM, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that BTWM, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on March 5, 2020 (the “Company”).

The Company has designated its registered agent as Robert F. Greco, with registered office at 5065 Frances Street, Omaha, NE 68106. The Company’s initial designated office is at 5065 Frances Street, Omaha, NE 68106. The Company shall be governed by one or more managers. The general nature of business is any lawful purpose.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION NHH Hold, LLC (the “Company”), a Nebraska limited liability company, has been dissolved. Persons having claims against the Company shall present them in writing, with the details of any such claim, to NHH, Inc., at 2201 Long Prairie Road, Suite 107-351, Flower Mound, TX 75022.

A claim against the Company is barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five years after the third publication of this notice.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020

16

• MARCH 20, 2020 • 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 WILLIAM PLACE, LLC The name of the Company is William Place, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 2125 South 114th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68144.

The Registered Agent and Office of the Company is: Adam Watson, 2125 South 114th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. This limited liability company commenced business on March 2, 2020.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of CE Surgical, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on February 14, 2020, CE Surgical, LLC was organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, with a designated office at 5931 North 166th Court, Omaha, NE 68116. The Company’s initial agent for service of process is Derek D. Durica, whose address is 5931 North 166th Court, Omaha, NE 68116.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SANJEL ENTERPRISES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Sanjel Enterprises, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 16331 Wright Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 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 March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 DANA ROCHE, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GOLDENROD AUGUSTA PLYMOUTH OPERATIONS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Goldenrod Augusta Plymouth Operations, 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 March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 STEVEN G. RANUM, Attorney C R O K E R , H U C K , K A S H E R , D E W I T T, A N D E R S O N & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. 2120 S. 72ND STREET, SUITE 1200 OMAHA, NEBRASKA 68124 NOTICE OFAMENDMENT TO CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION Please take notice that the Certificate of Organization for DigiTechIQ LLC has been amended to state a change to the members of the company.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 CAMERON M. RIECKE, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO THE CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION FOR DORAN-OHLMANN INVESTMENTS, LLC Notice is hereby given that the Amended Certificate of Organization of Doran-Ohlmann Investments, LLC. were adopted on February 28, 2020 to restate the original Certificate of Organization originally adopted on March 26, 2007.

LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 SCOTT A. MEYERSON, Esq. LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Dr., #100 Omaha, NE 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BEST SHARE NOW, LLC Notice is hereby given that Best Shared Now, 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 220 South 216th Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial agent for service of process is 220 South 216th Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is John Matthews.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SNACK ATTACK VENDING CO LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that SNACK ATTACK VENDING CO LLC (the company) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 2405 Royal Wood Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. The Registered Agent of the Company is Shirley Harrel, 2405 Royal Wood Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68144.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020

ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Joe Evans Real Estate, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the company is 331 Village Pointe Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. The name and street and mailing address of the initial registered agent of the company for service of process are M. Tyler Johnson, Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman LLP, 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The company is organized to render the professional service of marketing and selling real estate requiring licensure under the Nebraska Real Estate License Act. First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Real Estate Entourage, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the company is 331 Village Pointe Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. The name and street and mailing address of the initial registered agent of the company for service of process are M. Tyler Johnson, Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman LLP, 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The company is organized to render the professional service of marketing and selling real estate requiring licensure under the Nebraska Real Estate License Act. First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 CAMERON M. RIECKE, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION FOR CUSTOM COOLING AND HEATING, INC. Notice is hereby given that the Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of Custom Cooling and Heating, Inc. were adopted on February 28, 2020, to decrease the amount of authorized shares to 600.

LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 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 CHEESEBURGER’S OMAHA, LLC The name of the Company is Cheeseburger’s Omaha, 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 March 6, 2020.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Kris of All Trades, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its initial designated office at 2507 S 148th Ave Circle, Omaha, NE 68144. Its initial agent for service of process of the Company is Kristopher Norman, 2507 S 148th Ave Circle, Omaha, NE 68144.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 MAUL & BODLAK, L.L.P. P.O. Box 490 Pender, NE 68047 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CRDP, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that CRDP, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office at 6021 No. 163st, Omaha, Nebraska 68116, and registered agent, Charles C. Plummer, 6021 No. 163st, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The general nature of its business is to engage in and to do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business, other than banking, for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of Nebraska and for all other purposes authorized by law, to the same extent as natural persons might or could do. The limited liability company was formed on February 24th, 2020, and its existence shall be perpetual. Its affairs shall be conducted by the member pursuant to an Operating Agreement duly adopted by the Company.

CRDP, LLC By: Charles C. Plummer, Member First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020 ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION 134EC, LLC (the “Company”), a Nebraska limited liability company, has been dissolved. Persons having claims against the Company shall present them in writing, with the details of any such claim, to NHH Air, LLC, at 2201 Long Prairie Road, Suite 107-351, Flower Mound, TX 75022. A claim against the Company is barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five years after the third publication of this notice.

First publication March 13, 2020, final March 27, 2020

JOHN Q. BACHMAN, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 N O T I C E O F A M E N D M E N T T O T H E A RT I C L E S O F INCORPORATION OF URBAN ROOTS, INC. Notice is hereby given that the Articles of Incorporation of Urban Roots, Inc. (the “Corporation”) have been amended in the following respects: Article I of the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended so that, as amended, said Article shall provide as follows: ARTICLE I NAME The name of the Corporation shall be Urban Roots Nursery, Inc. The Articles of Amendment were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 2, 2020. In all other respects, the Articles of Incorporation remain unchanged.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 GEORGE T. BABCOCK, Attorney LAW OFFICES OF EVELYN N. BABCOCK 16264 Rolling Ridge Road Omaha, Nebraska 68135 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF FLY LOW LLC Notice is hereby given that FLY LOW LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, filed a Statement of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on February 28, 2020. Persons with claims against the company must present them in writing to George T. Babcock, Attorney. Such claim must specify the nature of the claim, the amount of the claim and the name and address of the claimant. Any claim against the company will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce the claim is commenced within five (5) years after the date of the third required publication of this notice.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 LEGACY DESIGN STRATEGIES 9859 South 168th Avenue Omaha, NE 68136 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Limited Liability Company is INVEST 4 U, LLC 2. The address of the designated office of the company is 2803 O Street, Auburn, NE 68305.

3. The Registered Agent and office of the limited liability company is Andrew Sigerson at 9859 South 168th Avenue, Omaha, NE 68136.

4. The purpose for which the company is organized is to engage in any and all business which is lawful under the Uniform Limited Liability Company Act of the State of Nebraska.

5. The company commenced its existence on May 6, 2019, and the period of duration of the Company shall be perpetual.

6. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by its Members in accordance with the company’s operating agreement.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 LEGACY DESIGN STRATEGIES 9859 South 168th Avenue Omaha, NE 68136 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Limited Liability Company is YANNI ENTERPRISES, LLC 2. The address of the designated office of the company is 2803 O Street, Auburn, NE 68305.

3. The Registered Agent and office of the limited liability company is Andrew Sigerson at 9859 South 168th Avenue, Omaha, NE 68136.

4. The purpose for which the company is organized is to engage in any and all business which is lawful under the Uniform Limited Liability Company Act of the State of Nebraska.

5. The company commenced its existence on May 6, 2019, and the period of duration of the Company shall be perpetual.

6. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by its Members in accordance with the company’s operating agreement.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 ROBERT J. KMIECIK, Attorney STINSON LLP 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68102-1818 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Milan Laser Detroit Novi, LLC Notice is hereby given that a Nebraska limited liability company named Milan Laser Detroit Novi, LLC (the “Company”) was formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the Company is 17645 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Capitol Corporate Services, Inc., 1125 S. 103rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF JJDLZ, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that JJDLZ, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 11539 So. 36th Street, Bellevue, Nebraska 68123 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 March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020

Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 • LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Fill My Books, LLC has organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office of the Company is 3930 Ponca Road, Omaha, NE 68112. The initial registered office of the Company is 3930 Ponca Road, Omaha, NE 68112, and the name of the initial registered agent of the Company at such address is Lyndsey Golden. The purpose for which the Company is organized is to engage in any and all lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Certificate of Organization was executed on the 5th day of March 2020.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF RAVARA Group, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that RAVARA Group, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 17203 U Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68135. The Registered Agent of the Company is Rambabu Kallepalli, 17203 U Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68135 First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF KATE AND KYLE INVESTMENTS, INC. 1. The name of the Corporation is Kate and Kyle Investments, Inc. 2. The Corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 shares of common stock, having a par value of $1.00 each.

3. The Registered Office of the Corporation is 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the Registered Agent at such address is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O. 4. The corporate existence began on March 10, 2020, when Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State.

5. The name and address of the incorporator are Matthew J. Speiker, 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 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 LAYIN’ LOW, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Layin’ Low, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 1725 South 94th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. 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 Certificate of Organization was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 12, 2020.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF CONVERSION OF KUBAT PHARMACY, INC. AND ORGANIZATION OF KUBAT PHARMACY, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Kubat Pharmacy, Inc. has been converted into Kubat Pharmacy, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the company is 4942 Center Street, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, 68106. The Registered Agent is Daniel Welch and the registered address is 9394 W. Dodge Road, Suite 140, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, 68114. The conversion of the corporation into the limited liability company was accomplished by the filing of Articles of Conversion and Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 12, 2020.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF CONVERSION OF KUBAT CUSTOM HEALTH CARE, INC. AND ORGANIZATION OF KUBAT CUSTOM HEALTH CARE, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Kubat Custom Health Care, Inc. has been converted into Kubat Custom Health Care, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the company is 4942 Center Street, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, 68106. The Registered Agent is Daniel Welch and the registered address is 9394 W. Dodge Road, Suite 140, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, 68114. The conversion of the corporation into the limited liability company was accomplished by the filing of Articles of Conversion and Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 12, 2020.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Sukkasem, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 9731 Q Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68127. The registered agent of the Company is Max Lau, 10685 Bedford Ave, #120, Omaha, Nebraska 68134. The Company was formed on March 13, 2020.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020

BREASCH ACCOUNTING INC. 4879 S 132nd Avenue Omaha, NE 68137 CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF BILLY GLAZE ENTERPRISES LLC A NEBRASKA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 1. The name of the limited liability company is BILLY GLAZE ENTERPRISES LLC 2. The period of duration for BILLY GLAZE ENTERPRISES LLC is perpetual.

3. BILLY GLAZE ENTERPRISES LLC is organized for the purpose of conducting any and all business as permitted by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. 4. The address of the initial designated office for BILLY GLAZE ENTERPRISES LLC in Nebraska is 2404 S 60th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68106.

5. The name and address of the registered agent for BILLY GLAZE ENTERPRISES LLC in Nebraska is Cindy Breasch, 4879 S 132nd Ave, Omaha NE 68137.

6. Additional provisions, not inconsistent with the law, for the regulation of the internal affairs of the limited liability company shall be provided for in the Operating Agreement.

7. Geoffrey Harrison, organizer(s) of BILLY GLAZE ENTERPRISES LLC has signed the Foregoing Certificate of Organization effective this 21st day of February 2020.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 P.O. Box 45947 Omaha, Nebraska 68145 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: CHERE A. RICE, 3912 North 110th Plaza #1, Omaha NE 68164, you are hereby notified that on January 22, 2020, Ford Motor Credit Company, LLC filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI20-1534, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $5,169.09, together with court costs, interest and attorney's fees as allowed by law. Unless you file your Answer with the Douglas County Court on or before the 27th day of April, 2020, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 27, 2020 DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 P.O. Box 45947 Omaha, Nebraska 68145 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: JOSE RODRIGUEZ, 2007 Castelar St., Omaha NE 68108, you are hereby notified that on December 19, 2019, American Family Mutual Ins. filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI19-27702, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $3,200.00, together with court costs, interest and attorney's fees as allowed by law. Unless you file your Answer with the Douglas County Court on or before the 27th day of April, 2020, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 27, 2020 DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 P.O. Box 45947 Omaha, Nebraska 68145 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: JUSTIN J. JOHNSON, 2723 Q Street, Omaha NE 68107, you are hereby notified that on January 30, 2020, American Family Insurance Company filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI20-2253, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $3,624.48, together with court costs, interest and attorney's fees as allowed by law. Unless you file your Answer with the Douglas County Court on or before the 27th day of April, 2020, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 27, 2020 ALLAN M. ZIEBARTH, Attorney 1702 South 10 Street, Suite 2 Omaha, Nebraska 68108 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF HAIYAN FLOWERS, LLC Designated Office: 1702 S. 10 St., Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68108 Initial Agent/Address For Service: Allan M. Ziebarth/1702 S. 10 St., Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68108 First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020 ROBERT J. KMIECIK, Attorney STINSON LLP 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68102-1818 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Milan Laser Detroit Sterling Heights, LLC Notice is hereby given that a Nebraska limited liability company named Milan Laser Detroit Sterling Heights, LLC (the “Company”) was formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the Company is 17645 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Capitol Corporate Services, Inc., 1125 S. 103rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.

First publication March 6, 2020, final March 20, 2020

17

LEGACY DESIGN STRATEGIES 9859 South 168th Avenue Omaha, NE 68136 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Limited Liability Company is ZUYA CIKALA WICOYE, LLC 2. The address of the designated office of the company is 38293 U.S. Highway 6, McCook, NE 69001.

3. The Registered Agent and office of the limited liability company is Thomas Watkins at 38293 U.S. Highway 6, McCook, NE 69001.

4. The purpose for which the company is organized is to engage in any and all business which is lawful under the Uniform Limited Liability Company Act of the State of Nebraska.

5. The company commenced its existence on March 2, 2020, and the period of duration of the Company shall be perpetual.

6. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by its Members in accordance with the company’s operating agreement.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Ihle Psychological Services, P.C., with its registered office at 15805 Bancroft Court, Apt. #1334, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, and its principal place of business at 15805 Bancroft Court, Apt. #1334, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, was formed on March 10, 2020, for the purpose of providing mental health counseling. The corporation has authorized capital stock of $10,000.00.

The affairs of the corporation, which shall have perpetual existence, shall be conducted by a Board of Directors and such officers as it shall appoint.

Christopher Ihle, MA, LMHP, Incorporator First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 KELLOGG & PALZER, P.C. 10828 Old Mill Road, Suite 6 Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2647 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Company is MY FLEX MOM, LLC. 2. The street address of the initial designated office is 8725 South 99th Street, LaVista, NE, 68128. The registered agent is Whitley Red and the Registered Agent's address is 8725 South 99th Street, LaVista, NE, 68128.

3. The general nature of the Company is residential house cleaning, cooking, and chore services.

4. The Company commenced on March 10, 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 March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 EYA FAFA ASSIGNON, Attorney LAW OFFICE OF FAFA ASSIGNON 1941 S 42nd Street, Suite 514 Omaha, NE 68105 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF AREWA COSMATIC, LLC Notice is hereby given that Arewa Cosmatic, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 10154 Maple Street, Omaha, Ne 68134. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized under Nebraska laws and its duration is perpetual commencing from February 10, 2020 . Its affairs are to be conducted by the manager Teniola Bachirou. Its registered agent is Kekeli Oklouvi , 6910 S 74th Street, La Vista, Ne 68128.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 EYA FAFA ASSIGNON, Attorney LAW OFFICE OF FAFA ASSIGNON 1941 S 42nd Street, Suite 514 Omaha, NE 68105 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF THE LIGHT HAIR BRAIDING, LLC Notice is hereby given that The Light Hair Braiding , LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 10154 Maple Street, Omaha, Ne 68134. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized under Nebraska laws and its duration is perpetual commencing from February 10, 2020 . Its affairs are to be conducted by the manager Kekeli Oklouvi. Its registered agent is Teniola Bachirou , 3903 N 17th street Omaha, Ne 68110.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 MARTIN P. PELSTER, Incorporator and Attorney With CROKER, HUCK, KASHER, DeWITT, ANDERSON & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF LAKEVIEW HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION Lakeview Homeowners Association has been incorporated under the Nebraska Nonprofit Corporation Act on March 13, 2020. The corporation is a mutual benefit corporation. The street address of the corporation's registered office is 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the name of the initial registered agent at that office is Martin P. Pelster. The corporation will have members.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020

18

• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

LEGAL NOTICES ELIZABETH A. SEVCIK, Attorney C R O K E R , H U C K , K A S H E R , D E W I T T, A N D E R S O N & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. 2120 S. 72nd Street, Suite 1200 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ELEMENT PRIMARY CARE, LLC The name of the limited liability company is Element Primary Care, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 10020 Nicholas Street, Suite 106, Omaha, NE 68114. The name and address of the initial agent for service of process is Martin P. Pelster, 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, NE 68124.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Bud and Toots, LLC Notice is hereby given that Bud and Toots, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its initial agent for service of process as Colin Kastrick, and with its initial designated office at 1434 W 11th Street, Fremont, NE 68025.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 MARK J. LAPUZZA, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF nZANE, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of nZANE, LLC. 1. The name of the limited liability company is nZANE, LLC. 2. The address of the limited liability company’s initial designated office is 331 Village Pointe Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68118.

3. The name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of VADA, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is VADA, LLC . Registered agent and office of VADA, LLC is Armando Vargas at 6133 S 191st Street, Omaha, NE 68135. The designated address is 6133 S 191st Street, Omaha, NE 68135 . Initial members: Armando Vargas & April Renae Dahlstrom. General nature of the business is to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute. The LLC was organized on March 2020 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION H Group JPR ST IV, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been dissolved and is winding up its activities in accordance with the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. Persons having claims against the Company must submit them in writing to FRH Management, LLC, at 3402 North 216th Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. Any claim submitted to the Company shall contain the following information with respect to such claim: the name of the claimant, a description of the nature of the claim, the amount of the claim, and the date on which the claim arose. A claim against the Company is barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five years after the third publication of this Notice of Dissolution.

First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 ALLAN M. ZIEBARTH, Attorney 1702 South 10th Street, Suite 2 Omaha, Nebraska 68108 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR20-375 Estate of JOHN W. ALBERS, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on March 13th, 2020, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, the Registrar issued a written statement of Informal Probate of the Will of said Decedent's estate and that ROBERT M. ALBERS, whose address is 2717 S. 2 St., Omaha, NE 68106, has been appointed Personal Representative of this 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 May 20, 2020 or be forever barred.

KELLY J. GOLDEN Clerk of the County Court First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Approval Plus Mortgage Services Name of Applicant: Robert C. Devine Address: 609 Hamilton Street Collegeville, pa. 19426 Applicant is an Individual If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Date of first use of name in Nebraska: 10/18/2018 General nature of business: Residential Mortgage Lending ROBERT C. DEVINE Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative March 20, 2020

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 10305 Joseph Circle La Vista, Nebraska 68128 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Stone Cold Security, 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 Stone Cold Security, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara Medbery-Prchal, P.C., L.L.O., 10305 Joseph Circle, La Vista, NE 68128. The designated office is located at 16825 Browne Circle, Omaha, NE 68116.

Justin Lane, Member First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 10305 Joseph Circle La Vista, Nebraska 68128 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF RED BRICK RENTALS, 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 Red Brick Rentals, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara Medbery-Prchal, P.C., L.L.O., 10305 Joseph Circle, La Vista, NE 68128. The designated office is located at 13520 Boyd Street, Omaha, NE 68164.

Charles Richardson, Members First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 10305 Joseph Circle La Vista, Nebraska 68128 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MECA PROPERTIES, 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 MECA PROPERTIES, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara Medbery-Prchal, P.C., L.L.O., 10305 Joseph Circle, La Vista, NE 68128. The designated office is located at 2616 N. 161st Terrace, Omaha, NE 68116.

Aaron Hochstein, Members First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 BARRY S. GROSSMAN, Attorney 1905 Harney Street Suite 600 Omaha, Nebraska 68102 LEGAL NOTICE In the District Court of Sarpy County, Nebraska In the Matter of the Complaint of Amy L. Page on behalf of Greyson Tyler Wise for Change of Name: Notice is hereby given that on the 11th day of March, 2020, Amy L. Page on behalf of minor Greyson Tyler Wise filed a Complaint in the District Court of Sarpy County, Nebraska, at Case: CI 20-424, the object and prayer of which is for the change of the minor’s name from Greyson Tyler Wise to Greyson Tyler Page; that a hearing will be held on said Complaint before the Honorable Judge Stefanie Martinez of the District Court, in Courtroom No. 5 of the Sarpy County Courthouse, 1210 Golden Gate Dr., Papillion, Nebraska on the 23rd day of April, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. or as soon thereafter as will be convenient for the Court and that unless sufficient cause is shown to the contrary, the minor child’s name will be changed from that of Greyson Tyler Wise to Greyson Tyler Page.

First publication March 20, 2020, final March 27, 2020 SUSAN J. SPAHN, Attorney Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan, P.C., L.L.O. 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3794 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR20-389 Estate of Cecile Marie Zielinski, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on March 16, 2020, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, Christy Musgrave, whose address is 9228 North 52nd Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68152, 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 May 20, 2020 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 SAM R. BROWER, Attorney ANDERSEN, LAURITSEN & BROWER 1005 South 107th Avenue, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR20-355 Estate of Donald R. Benning, Jr., Deceased Notice is hereby given that on March 10th, 2020, 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 Marcidene "Dee" O. Benning, whose address is 9629 Boyd Street, Omaha, NE 68134, 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 May 20, 2020 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020

DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 P.O. Box 45947 Omaha, Nebraska 68145 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR20-382 Estate of JEAN A. O'DOHERTY, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on the 16th day of March, 2020, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, the Registrar issued a written statement of Informal Intestacy of the Estate of Jean A. O'Doherty and that the following surviving daughter was appointed as the Personal Representative of this estate.

Corinne K. Spracklin, 4307 County Road P 38, Omaha, NE 68152 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 May 20, 2020 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 10305 Joseph Circle La Vista, Nebraska 68128 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CARINO 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 CARINO 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., 10305 Joseph Circle, La Vista, NE 68128. The designated office is located at 3622 S. 197th Street, Omaha, NE 68130.

Jay Musil, Member First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: BECK House of Fashion Name of Applicant: Style, Inc. Address: 3106 North 192nd Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68022 Applicant is a Corporation If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Nebraska Date of first use of name in Nebraska: 2/19/2020 General nature of business: All lawful business permitted M. TYLER JOHNSON Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative March 20, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Rebel Squirrel Name of Applicant: Rebel Squirrel Coffee Bar and Boutique, LLC Address: 10098 County Road P28, Blair, NE 68008 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: upon filing General nature of business: coffe shop and clothing boutique JULIANNA C. RAY Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative March 20, 2020 CAMERON M. RIECKE, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Special Tactics and Rescue Services (S. T. A. R. S.) Name of Applicant: Special Tactics and Rescue Services, LLC Address: 19942 Chicago Street, Omaha, NE 68022 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: March 1, 2020 General nature of business: security and rescue MARTIN KATSKEE Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative March 20, 2020 APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: LL Countertops Name of Applicant: Lincoln Laminating, Inc. Address: 5633 S. 49th St., Lincoln, NE 68516 Applicant is a Corporation If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Nebraska Date of first use of name in Nebraska: New General nature of business: Fabrication and installation of counter tops and related products.

BEN KLEIN Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative March 20, 2020

Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 • LEGAL NOTICES APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Superior Locks & Car Keys Name of Applicant: ATLANTIS GARAGE DOORS INC Address: 3841 GROVER STREET. OMAHA, NE 68105 Applicant is a Corporation If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: NE Date of first use of name in Nebraska: 01/01/2020 General nature of business: Various Services ADAM OFRI Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative March 20, 2020 AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), MICHAEL J RILKO You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 12/17/2019 on Case Number CI19-27587, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $624.80, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs.

You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 05/03/2020 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly.

CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020 AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), TRAVISHA DEVERS You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 11/12/2019 on Case Number CI19-25573, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $1,715.97, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs. You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 05/03/2020 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly.

CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication March 20, 2020, final April 3, 2020

19

Here’s why many older Americans aren’t seeing higher pay

by Sarah Foster

Christopher Lond is 61, with no plans to retire in sight. But it’s not for the reasons you’d expect.

Like many workers his age, the Michigan resident is no longer getting pay raises. Lond’s last pay bump — an incremental, $2-an-hour increase — was more than five years ago, bringing his salary up to $77,000 a year. Since then, his cost of living has only continued to climb, while his wife retired early after facing health issues.

Financial It’s left the couple in a precarious spot.

“It’s hurting my family,” says Lond, who works as a SharePoint solutions designer and K2 Five architect for an automobile company. “It’s hurting my ability to pay bills. There’s all this talk that the economy is doing so well and creating all of these jobs, but nobody is getting raises.”

That’s illustrative of a broader, perplexing question about the U.S. labor market, more than 10 years after the Great Recession.

Employers have capped 111 straight months of job gains, but as the unemployment rate moves lower, wage growth has shown little signs of achieving any sustained momentum.

Survey: Half of Americans didn’t get a raise Cases like Lond’s could be contributing to the picture. Bankrate’s December 2019 Financial Security Poll found that half of American workers didn’t get a pay boost over the past 12 months, whether that meant a raise or accepting a new, higher-paying job.

Experts say it’s suppressing the pace of pay gains overall.

Economists also point to another culprit: leftover slack in the labor pool. Month after month of job creation shows that more workers are on the sidelines and available to fill open positions, despite the unemployment rate holding at 3.5 percent, a 50-year low.

Older Americans working for longer amid low participation rates But older Americans have been leading the charge when it comes to working. Since the early ‘90s, they’ve been forgoing retirement and working longer, largely due to changes in Social Security and pensions and the rising cost of health insurance.

In 1993, participation among those older than 55 — above what the Labor Department deems as the prime working age — bottomed out at 29.4 percent. In 2019, that total had climbed to 40.2 percent, according to the Labor Department.

“We’ve seen this big increase in participation of older ages, despite that it’s still lower for younger ages,” says Rich Johnson, senior fellow in the Income and Benefits Policy Center at the Urban Institute. “One of the most important trends we’ve seen over the past 25 years is that older people are working longer.

That’s pretty much across the board.”

But the older they get, the worse their wages look. Half of younger baby boomers between the ages of 55 and 64 — Lond’s cohort — didn’t get a pay increase over the past 12 months, according to Bankrate’s December survey. Those between the ages of 65 and 73 were even worse off, with nearly three in five not seeing an increase in pay, the worst of any age group, the survey found.

“Over time, older workers have seen a marked decline in wage increases, especially compared to younger people,” says Teresa Ghilarducci, an economics professor at the New School for Social Research.

All of this comes at a time when it’s getting more expensive to age. Prices are rising faster on the typical goods and services purchased by those 62 and older than they are for the items purchased by the general public, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ experimental consumer price index for the elderly.

Also known as CPI-E, the index places more weight on items such as health care and shelter, which are generally more important to seniors.

Large labor supply, weakened pension plans to blame for minimal pay gains A number of forces are keeping older workers’ wages at bay. One reason is that older Americans’ productivity generally doesn’t increase at as fast of a rate as their younger counterparts, Johnson says. Prime-age workers are constantly cultivating new experiences and learning new skills, meaning each year they become more productive, he says.

Workers also tend to receive their biggest pay raises when they change jobs, yet moving around gets increasingly harder with age. Older Americans are more likely to have already bought a house, suggesting their roots are more firmly planted in their community, Johnson says.

Other experts suggest that an excess labor supply could be

holding down their pay gains. Baby boomers peaked at 78.8 million in 1999, and up until 2019, they were the largest living adult generation, according to Pew Research.

“Economists have long seen that the pay increases for boomers has always been a little less than expected, given their skill level and given their occupation,” Ghilarducci says. “Naturally, that’s just the size of the cohort.”

But amid eroding pension plans and rising Medicare premiums, older Americans know they have less of a choice. They’re therefore “desperate to stay in the labor force,” Ghilarducci adds.

Just as students who graduate with a large sum of debt can’t be choosy about where they work, older Americans are more likely to stay in the labor market because they know they need the money, she says. It ultimately reduces their bargaining power.

“Employers watch the labor market and balance carefully how many raises they have to give and how much time off, given the perceived threat of an employee leaving or of not being able to recruit,” Ghilarducci says. “Employers have been able to take advantage of older workers’ fear because they realized they don’t have to pay them more to keep them, and they don’t have to offer them a better job to attract them. It’s certainly a situation that’s advantageous to the employer.”

Lond: ‘I have to be inventive’ For Lond, this special cocktail of circumstances is a part of everyday life.

The developer, who has worked at his current employer for nine years, completed training programs to learn new software skills. He’s managed high-profile projects within the company.

He also estimates that he’s submitted three business cases over the past five years to negotiate for higher pay. It’s never proven successful.

“We’re all under the impression that with the economy booming and all of these new jobs happening, that it would help put the employee in a position of more strength or negotiating power,” Lond says. “So far, that hasn’t come to fruition.”

He’s had phone calls with other potential employers, but uprooting his home isn’t financially or physically viable, given his wife’s medical needs. As a result, he joined the gig economy and took on a second job with the mobile freelance handy-work app TaskRabbit.

“My budget is tight, with my wife not working and not getting a raise,” he says. “I have to be inventive. Things don’t happen when you just sit on your butt.”

Most of it has to do with his age, he says. Younger workers come in with more training and knowledge about new programs, which is especially valuable in a field as ever-changing as technology.

Lond estimates that the median salary at his company is $85,000 a year.

“In their minds, they could possibly be saying, ‘He’s old.

He’s not going to go anywhere. He doesn’t have the skills that the industry is looking for,’” Lond says. “There’s a silent discrimination of older people. Older Americans know their skill sets are not as high, so employers don’t have to pay them better wages.

The employer also knows they probably won’t leave because they are not willing to gamble at their age.”

The lack of pay raises has made it hard for Lond to get ahead with his retirement savings. He was never paid enough to sock much away, and during the Great Recession of 2007-2009, he had to cash in to pay bills during a spell of unemployment.

“I was never able to recover from that,” Lond says.

Tips for marketing yourself, increasing your bargaining power Amid slow productivity growth, all-time low U.S. birth rates and decreased immigration, older Americans mean a lot to economic growth when they continue to work, Johnson says.

“It’s really older people who are propelling growth in the labor force,” he says. “An economist would think that wages are set at a level necessary to get people into the labor force. One of the surprises of the labor market in recent years has been that, while unemployment has dropped precipitously, we haven’t seen a dramatic increase in wages.”

In some instances, there is a silver lining, Johnson says. Older Americans make more money on average than younger people, despite the fact that their wage growth has become stagnant. Most of their children are also grown and out of the house, meaning they don’t have to financially support them.

Older Americans looking to increase their opportunities and Continued on page 24.

20

• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

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REGIONAL LANDSCAPES

COVID-19 Business Updates…

Due to the uncertainty linked to the spread of COVID-19, along with the safety of the attendees and community, a decision has been made to postpone the 2020 Commercial Real Estate Summit on March 25, 2020 to August 14, 2020 at the CHI Health Center. All registrations, sponsorships, and Hall of Fame table purchases for the March date will be honored for the rescheduled August 14 date.

Following both the CDC and local recommendations to eliminate large events for the next two months, the 2020 ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference has been rescheduled for August 19, 2020. All registrations, sponsorships, and exhibitors for the May 13, 2020 date will be transferred and honored for the new date.

BCom Solutions, a Nebraska-based digital communications agency, launched a series of free digital resources for companies and organizations who are building contingency policies as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Resources include: A series of webinars for small businesses, nonprofits and political campaigns found on the company’s Facebook page. A blog expanding on ways to use lowcost remote working tools for webinars and virtual town halls found on the company’s website. A support line for businesses and nonprofits to call with questions about implementing a new digital strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic, 402-414-4290.

Jet Linx will begin applying the BIOPROTECTUs System to disinfect and protect its fleet of 112 jet aircraft, private Base terminals and facilities throughout the United States. The BIOPROTECTUs System

by ViaClean Technologies encompasses an array of EPA registered and FDA compliant technologies that disinfects and inhibits the growth and spread of problematic bacteria, fungi, algae, mold and viruses as well as provides long-term antimicrobial protection for 90-days. Jet Linx will also install BIOPROTECT Hand Purifier dispensers in each of its 18 private Base terminals and offer BIOPROTECT Hand Purifier inflight on its fleet of jet aircraft.

Omaha-based Salvation Army Western Division is responding to help the metro community amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The food pantry operation at the Burrows Center is prepared to assist greater numbers of people. Staff has been pre-packaging pantry orders into boxes in order to help mitigate any potential virus spread. It’s also preparing to participate in mobile food-distribution efforts this week to assist children and families affected by school closures. Social services staff has a plan in place to provide additional support for longer-term, community-wide needs — especially for families that are facing temporary layoffs and other financial impacts due to economic-related COVID-19 developments.

Omaha Public Power District is suspending disconnections for non-payment through April 30. It will re-evaluate the moratorium at that time. OPPD encourages customers to use electronic payment to limit person-to-person contact. Customers may pay bills online, via the OPPDConnect app, or by calling 402-536-4131 in the Omaha metro area. They may also call 1-877-5364131 outside of the Omaha calling area.

OPPD urges customers to reach out if they have questions or need financial assistance with their utility bills.

In order to help parents and caregivers who are grappling with the COVID-19 virus, Grief’s Journey has published a list of tips for talking to children about the virus.

Grief’s Journey recommends explaining what’s going on with the virus and explaining how they can help themselves, friends and family stay safe. Young children don’t always understand what they’re hearing, but they’re paying attention. Encourage children to talk about what they’re hearing and feeling. Encourage play and offer them choices. Continue a routine to help an “out of control” feeling.

The American Bus Association now estimates that the U.S. motorcoach industry will lose nearly than $8 billion during the next five months. This impact on the industry is a direct result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. These numbers are likely to increase as the suspension of travel continues. During this crisis, while buses are parked, the nearly 100,000 employees in the industry are facing layoffs. These include drivers, mechanics, cleaners, and office staff. The ABA is asking Congress to put the motorcoaches back on the road by making available grants and 0% interest rate loans to the motorcoach and bus industry.

Beginning March 18, all Fareway stores and meat markets will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The early closure will provide for additional cleaning and sanitation measures in its stores, as well as time for restocking inventory. As part of these new hours, the first hour of business from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. will be reserved for those customers who are 65 and over, expecting mothers, those living with a serious chronic medical condition, and anyone with an underlying medical condition that increases the susceptibility to serious illness from COVID-19.

Beginning March 23, the Center for People in Need will close its doors to all visitors and focus its limited resources on food and diaper distribution to low-income members of the community. Food and diapers will be distributed in a new drive-thru process with pre-bagged food being placed directly in clients’ vehicles. It will continue distributing Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

Clients are limited to one distribution per week. English language learning classes and the Center’s donation room are closed until further notice. Volunteers who are healthy adults who have not traveled or experienced symptoms of illness recently are welcome to volunteer to help sort and bag food. To limit the number of volunteers on-site at one time, we are asking people to sign up for shifts at cfpin.org.

To combat the Coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) and minimize economic disruption to the nation’s 30 million small businesses, U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza issued revised criteria for states or territories seeking an economic injury declaration related to COVID-19. SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance for each affected small business. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. For additional information, please visit the SBA disaster assistance website at SBA.gov/Disaster.

Continued on next page.

Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 •

21

REGIONAL LANDSCAPES Continued from preceding page.

Briefs…

Brad Davis, chairman of the board and president of Ag Processing Inc., was named recipient of the award for Farmer Cooperative Director of the Year at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the National Council for Farmer Cooperatives. Davis has served on the AGP board of directors for over 26 years and as AGP chairman since 2002. During that time, Davis also served as general manager of Gold-Eagle Cooperative in Goldfield, Iowa, for over 36 years. This award is presented annually to a farmer cooperative director in recognition of outstanding leadership and contributions to his/her cooperative’s achievements.

The National Association of Manufacturers announced that Scott Marion, president, infrastructure at Lindsay Corporation, has been named to the NAM Board of Directors. Marion will join the NAM Board to advance a manufacturing policy agenda that promotes growth and prosperity for all Americans. Board members play a pivotal role in the NAM’s recently unveiled “Creators Wanted” campaign, a member-driven initiative that has raised more than $14 million to inspire and drive more Americans to pursue careers in modern manufacturing.

The campaign will support programs and activities in 2020 and beyond to engage and interact with kids and parents in communities nationwide and support important workforce programs.

The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska made history last year after being the first tribe from the state of Nebraska to make a direct disaster declaration to the President of the United States. There were blizzard conditions and significant flooding throughout the state of Nebraska, beginning in March of 2019, and the Ponca tribe was heavily impacted.

Federal Emergency Management Agency staff worked with the tribe to conduct damage assessments and ultimately, the request was made for a Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance. In total, FEMA and the Ponca worked together on approval of seven Public Assistance projects totaling approximately $1.3 million. Of that figure, almost $220,000 went towards mitigation.

National news publication Accounting Today recently released its annual Top 100 rankings and BerganKDV rose in the ranks to No. 70 with $66.91 million in revenue, a 20.06% change from 2018, making BerganKDV a Pacesetter in Growth for firms with under $100 million in revenue. The firm was also ranked as No. 7 in growth for all Top 100 Firms nationwide and was again listed as a regional leader, ranked as fifth largest in the Midwest region, which encompasses Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

NorthMarq Omaha Managing Director John Reed and Senior VIce President Bob Chalupa arranged the $19.29 million refiance of Wilderness Hills Flats. The 168-unit multifamily property is located at 3055 Crescent Drive in Lincoln, Nebraska. Wilderness Hills Flats is situated in southwest Lincoln within the Wilderness Hills commercial development offering access to upscale shopping and entertainment. Additionally, the subject is located less than half a mile from South Point Pavilions that offers an additional 50-plus stores, restaurants, and movie theater.

Health care notes…

This year, people living with HIV can expect to have another option when it comes to treating their disease. A twice a month injection regimen using cabotegravir and rilpivirine was found as effective as the standard treatment of a daily oral three-drug regimen for people with human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). The results came from two studies — Antiretroviral Therapy as Long-Acting Suppression (ATLAS) and First Long-Acting Injectable Regimen (FLAIR).

University of Nebraska Medical Center infectious diseases physician and researcher, Susan Swindells, M.B.B.S., is lead author of the ATLAS paper and was involved in the ATLAS research study. Manufacturers of the treatment have applied to the Food and Drug Administration for approval and expect the treatment to be available this year.

Education notes…

An agreement between Creighton University, a Jesuit, Catholic university located in Omaha, and Arizona State University, a public metropolitan research university, will boost health education opportunities available to ASU students while establishing a student pipeline to Creighton’s $100 million Phoenix campus currently under construction at Park Central in midtown Phoenix. Under the terms of the agreement, ASU students will receive priority consideration for enrollment in three Creighton health sciences doctoral programs, while ASU will welcome Creighton students to on-campus research projects and supplement instruction at Creighton’s health sciences campus in Phoenix.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha and University of Nebraska are positioned to be world leaders in counterterrorism and national security following the announcement of a 10-year, $36 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, Office of University Programs. The announcement names UNO as the home of a national Center of Excellence for Terrorism Prevention and Counterterrorism Research that will spearhead a consortium of academic, industry, government and laboratory partners throughout the country in support of DHS’s mission to keep the country safe. The award is the largest single grant in the 112-year history of UNO. UNO will serve as the coordinating university for NCITE, which features a consortium of 17 total partner institutions stretching from Maine to Florida to Southern California.

Governor Ricketts appointed Marjean Terrell of Hay Springs to the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges.

Terrell was appointed to complete the term vacated by Michelle Suarez in December of 2019. The Nebraska Legislature will hold a committee hearing, debate, and vote to confirm the appointment. Terrell has served on various boards, including the Chadron State Foundation for eight years, the Northwest Rural Public Power District for 12 years, the Western Nebraska Community College Board of Governors for six years, and many other local and county boards and organizations. Terrell worked as a medical technologist and was an adjunct faculty member at Chadron State for several years. She received her bachelor’s in Medical Technology from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

University of Nebraska President Ted Carter announced the 2020 recipients of the

university system’s President’s Excellence Awards. The 2020 winners are: Outstanding Teaching the Instructional Creativity Award: Jody Koenig Kellas, Ph.D., UNL; and Walter Stroup, Ph.D., UNL. Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award: Ed Cahoon, Ph.D., UNL. Innovation, Development and Engagement Award: Armando De Alba Rosales, M.D., UNMC; and Sajda Qureshi, Ph.D., UNO. Mercy High School has named Joanne Stewart, ’72, Woman of Mercy. From her 44year career in the newspaper business to her volunteer work at local organizations and her parish and community boards, this retiree is not slowing down. Stewart has been selected as the recipient of the Distinguished Woman of Mercy award for 2020, an honor given by the Mercy High School Alumnae Council. Her selection will be announced at this year’s FIESTA, and she will be honored at Mercy’s All-School Reunion on June 7, 2020.

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development is accepting applications for the 2020 cycle of the Developing Youth Talent Initiative grant program. Applications are open until May 15. DYTI is intended to engage and inspire Nebraska middle school students to explore careers in high-pay, high-wage, high-demand STEM fields like manufacturing, information technology, engineering and health care. DYTI grants are awarded to for-profit firms, who partner with area middle schools to implement engaging, hands-on curriculum to support youth career exploration. 2020 marks the first year that DYTI grant eligibility has been expanded to include careers beyond manufacturing and information technology.

Activities of nonprofits…

Sammy’s Superheroes Foundation, a Nebraska nonprofit organization dedicated to awareness and funding of life-saving research for pediatric cancer, contributed its one millionth dollar to pediatric cancer research with a gift to the Child Health Research Institute.

The institute is a collaboration between the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. Sammy’s Superheroes Foundation presented a check for $110,000 to CHRI’s Pediatric Cancer Research Group, led by Don Coulter, M.D., associate professor of the UNMC Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. The current gift will allow Rogan and her team of researchers to pursue discoveries connecting watersheds with a high incidence of pediatric cancer in Nebraska.

The 23rd Annual JDRF Promise Gala – Vision for a Cure organized by the JDRF Nebraska-Southwest Iowa Chapter raised more than $1.7 million to improve lives by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat T1D and its complications. The event was live streamed to allow the community to be a part of the night if they were not able to attend. Guests bid on silent and live auction items and donated to the signature JDRF Fund A Cure program. Fund A Cure contributions raised over $1 million. The evening ended with a concert from southern rock icons, 38 Special.

Tobacco Education & Advocacy of the Midlands (T.E.A.M.) has hired Rachel Brandenburg as Cass County coordinator. Brandenburg is a senior care and public health professional. In her role prior to joining T.E.A.M., Brandenburg was the volunteer coordinator at Hillcrest Health Services.

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• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

Crash in US stocks and jobs resemble 2008, but the rebound could be faster

by Joseph N. DiStefano

The coronavirus shutdown and the oilprice collapse has driven U.S. stocks and interest yields back down to Obama-era levels.

“In other words, the S&P 500 unwound three years’ worth of gains in 18 trading days,” laments Matt Topley, a partner at Fortis Wealth, in Tuesday’s daily Topley’s Top 10 newsletter.

The DowStock Market Jones Industrial and Transportation indices fell worse. And the Russell 2000 index of small-public-company stocks is back at 2016 levels. If you’re saving for retirement, you might as well have put your money in the bank, at Tuesday morning prices. But of course you might miss the recovery.

The three-week drop was larger in points, but similar in proportion, to the three-week 2008 market collapse after Lehman Bros. went bankrupt, sparking the financial freeze that led to the Great

Recession.

And here’s a new consensus. “We now forecast a global recession this year,” with world production rising no faster than population, and maybe declining, warns Paul F. Gruenwald, global chief economist at S&P Ratings, in a report to clients.

China’s economy has been “hit far harder than projected,” even with its recent “tentative stabilization,” added Gruenwald.

Europe and the U.S. are headed into similar declines, with shutdowns leading to a “demand collapse” in the second quarter before easing this fall or winter. Governments are just beginning to “loosen the purse strings’ and help people who are losing their livelihoods.

But “it’s not 2008 again,” insists Mike Pyle, global chief investment strategist for BlackRock, the largest U.S. money manager, in an article Topley excerpted and linked to.

Pyle compared the coronavirus “shock” to “a large-scale natural disaster that severely disrupts activity for one or two quarters,

but eventually results in a sharp economic recovery.”

That depends, as always in crises, on government bailouts. Already the Federal Reserve cut interest rates to zero (as it did following the 2008 crash), accelerated its bond-buying to keep credit markets working, and arranged to supply dollars to foreign central banks as needed, Pyle noted.

President Trump approved state-of-emergency federal disaster funding, Congress is fast-tracking health care and paid-leave extensions, and there’s more in the works: U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., is pushing for broader relief, and U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, is among those embracing Democrat Andrew Yang’s proposal for a cash subsidy as a quicker fix for American workers than an Obama-style payroll-tax break.

Topley himself sees key differences between the fall 2008 and winter 2020 crashes. “This is a health crisis, not a credit crisis. And traditionally, health crises lasted months not years,” he told me. And when

What businesses need to do now because of coronavirus

by Jackie Crosby

Small-business owners and corporate leaders alike find themselves in uncharted waters in dealing with the coronavirus.

They have questions about how to contain the spread of the respiratory illness among their workforce and how to care for them if they do get sick. They are thinking about how to work with venBusiness dors and suppliers, and how to safely interact with the public. Many already are struggling to keep their doors open as consumer behavior shifts radically.

The Star Tribune spoke with two experts who are helping businesses prepare amid public health and economic uncertainty. Mike Droke is a labor and employment lawyer at Dorsey & Whitney’s office in Seattle, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States.

Sharon Scharf is a vice president at Cobb, Strecker, Dunphy & Zimmerman (CSDZ) in Minneapolis. It helps businesses manage risk.

Here are some of their top tips.

— Make a plan DROKE: A plan helps you know you didn’t miss something. When working under stress you miss things. It’s difficult, but two things are required. First, businesses and executives must stop and pause and think calmly. The second is to project in

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time: Look at what happened in Seattle, Silicon Valley and New Rochelle. Wise companies are doing that kind of contingency planning. As a business owner, you might say: we’re going to deal with what’s happening now. You two people? Give us a plan for in two weeks. I’ll keep you out of what you are doing now.

SCHARF: This goes beyond what most people’s plans are for a snowstorm or if the building burns down. It’s not a bad place to start and to look at how that correlates to the current situation. How did you communicate with employees when a snowstorm closed down the building? Businesses now have to “up” that because we have a situation that we don’t know when it’s going to end or how it’s going to impact us directly.

We know with a snowstorm that two days from now we’ll be back up and running.

— Communicate often, clearly SCHARF: The biggest question I get is what should we be doing and how should we be communicating. So, how are you going to communicate if you have to shut down your business and don’t want anybody to show up? Do you have an automatic alert system? Are you telling employees to check their voice mail?

Also what is the communication plan with business associates such as your suppliers?

You should have a consistent message, and a consistent individual or individuals communicating that. You are centralizing that so that the message is consistent across all stakeholders, so people don’t hear different things from different bosses.

— Review Family and Medical Leave Act rules and sick leave policies DROKE: Nothing requires you to have a sick-leave program, but you could have temporary program for a burst of time. Think about actual protection of employees coming to work as well as the perception that your employees have: that you are taking steps to make sure they’re safe. In this way, people who are not ill can be confident that their employer is really encouraging people to keep illnesses at home.

SCHARF: It’s OK to change sick-leave

policies, as some companies are doing now by paying people if they need to take two weeks quarantine. The risk would be if you don’t treat everyone equally. (Federal law mandates that any flexible leave policies must be administered in a manner that does not discriminate against employees because of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability or veteran status.)

— Recognize vast gray areas in the regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission DROKE: The question we’re being asked repeatedly now: Is it permissible to do a temperature check of an employee?

In normal standards, not without some factual basis because it would be a medical examination. With the swine-flu epidemic, the EEOC said if conditions were more severe than the standard seasonal flu or if it was declared a pandemic, then you could do a temperature check. We don’t have that declaration on the federal side.

But employers are looking at that carefully.

The reported rate of transmission and death is higher than standard flu. There’s also just a practical balancing. If you have a situation where you are at risk of losing a large percentage of your workforce, then that operational risk is taken into account in what you decide to do.

— Plan for a confirmed case in an employee or visitor DROKE: You have to know that now, so that when — not if — that happens, you don’t have to think about it. It gives you ability to plan before the storm. It is the truth that no plan survives the first bullet in war. That doesn’t mean you don’t plan.

You can adjust as needed.

SCHARF: You also must make sure you respond while also protecting the rights of the individual employee. It’s one of the challenges … because this is contagious and you have an obligation to those who might also have been impacted so they can take precautions. ©2020 Star Tribune (Minneapolis) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

markets fall sharply they also tend “to rebound sharply.”

The 2008 crisis ended a bubble real-estate market, with unsustainable asset prices. By contrast, Topley says, the U.S. economy, pre-virus, “was in relatively good shape, low unemployment — and slightly rising wages, though not as much as we should see.”

American banks, also by contrast with 2008, “are in the strongest capital position they’ve ever been in,” thanks partly to tougher capital requirements added in response to the last recession. “The ratio of consumer debt to gross domestic product is a lot lower than it was in 2008. That’s all the opposite of 2008, when banks were very leveraged, and consumers were very extended. This is better.”

Add to it low interest rates — for homebuyers and profitable businesses, though rates are still much higher for credit card and car-purchase borrowers — plus falling gas prices. “And it’s like a massive tax cut.

But it will take some time for companies and consumers to refinance” and get the benefits of lower rates.”

What’s worse — even compared to the 9/11 shutdown that briefly halted air travel and paralyzed lower Manhattan after the 2001 terrorist attacks — is the “trickle effect because of the total shutdown across the country, Topley added.

Low finance costs and cheap fuel won’t help restaurant, bar and retail shop owners facing weeks or months of near-zero sales, or energy companies that won’t be able to pay back their loans, he pointed out.

And it’s not only many thousands of small and neighborhood businesses that are in danger: “Just in 2016 you saw more than 100 energy bankruptcies in the Marcellus Shale” and other fracking natural gas zones, Topley noted.

So “we are going to see a massive government bailout. This time, they have to focus on small business and working-class people. Those are small-margin businesses and employers. They can barely survive shutting down for a month.”

How long can the downturn last? Topley posted a chart by JonesTrading’s David Lutz showing post-World War II bear markets (down more than 20%) have all lasted a year or more.

But he also posted a link from hedgefund journalist Jacob Wolinsky’s ValueWalk newsletter, suggesting it could last as long, not longer, than coronavirus fears: the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index, after plunging in January and February as coronavirus COVID-19 spread from China’s Wuhan province to coastal cities, has already rebounded above last year’s lows since the official case growth count has slowed.

Topley also posted Ritholtz Wealth Management analyst Michael Batnick’s tongue-in-cheek “Psychology of a Bear Market” chart, which plots stock-collapse reactions from “Healthy Correction” (down 10%), through “I love a good sale” (-15%) and “WHAT IS HAPPENING?” (-35%), to “Never coming back” (-55%).

Point being, if stocks do fall that low, they’ll presumably be safer to buy, if you have anything left to buy with. ©2020 The Philadelphia Inquirer Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 •

EMPLOYMENT & STAFFING A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

23

Omaha’s Districts A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include:

Topics may include:

Employment & Staffing overview • Job market outlook • Employee development Training trends • Expanding your talent pool • Temporary workers How to market your company • Soft skills

Omaha’s Districts overview • Commercial, office and retail Shopping, dining and attractions • Housing projects • History

Issue Date: March 27 • Ad Deadline: March 19

Issue Date: March 22 • Ad Deadline: March 14

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

Ag Trends in the Midlands

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include the following: Banking overview • Rate environment • Changing demographics Emerging tech • Retail banking • Investment banking Banking regulations • Banking industry job market • Best practices in cybersecurity Issue Date: April 3 • Ad Deadline: March 26

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24

• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

Local universities, colleges emphasize professional development, continuing education

by Gabby Christensen

Continuing education and professional development are necessary for growth and success at work.

Tena Hahn Rodriguez, senior program partner at Inclusive Communities, said today’s workforce is changing, which is why Inclusive Partners recently partnered with Bellevue University for a new program.

“There are five generations working together and not always seeing eye to eye,” she said. “This changing workforce calls for a new lens and approach to leadership, and BU’s Transformational Leadership Series is helping develop those new leaders. When people hear diversity, equity and inclusion they aren’t always excited about it. This

isn’t yesterday's DEI training. It’s engaging, and I know folks that go through it will become better people and leaders.”

Professionals need to embrace the ever-changing world and be prepared and adaptable.

“Different lenses Nizzi and perspectives are critical to being the best leader you can possibly be,” she said. “That growth doesn’t come from doing what you always do; you have to push yourself and take a step out-

side of your comfort zone.”

Dawn Nizzi, manager of business development training and outreach at Metropolitan Community College (MCC), said in the Workforce Innovation Division, MCC has a variety of online professional Ellenberger development courses for the working person, making it convenient.

“The importance of working professionals to take advantage of these options cannot

Diversification in portfolio mitigates investing risks

by David Kubicek

Diversification within a portfolio will mitigate risk and reduce the uncertainty of investing.

“Diversifying investments is important because, very simply, you need to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket,” said Adam Musfeldt, co-managing partner of Quantum Financial Partners.

Aren’t seeing higher pay Continued from page 19. bargaining power should use every networking contact in their arsenal, Johnson says. Older Americans have a wealth of experience and know how the work is done.

Emphasizing their institutional knowledge and mentorship abilities to help train new talent can also help their employers see more value in them, he says.

“Older people have this lifetime of experience and a lifetime of networks and contacts that they’ve built up,” he says. “Leveraging that can help you find a job.”

Other cures to the problem might have to come from legislation, Ghilarducci says. Unions can put pressure on age discrimination law, and if lawmakers increase the availability of long-term care insurance and Social Security, older workers may feel like they have “a better fallback position,” she says.

Even if older Americans don’t formally unionize, they should still band together, she says. That way, they can monitor certain trends in their workplace, such as how much extra they work.

Lond: ‘I am basically stuck’ Lond has already deduced a course of action. He plans to work well into his 70s and will eventually downsize for extra cash.

“Our home will provide some money, but my wife and I are destined to live on Social Security,” he says.

He says he enjoys his job and likes where he works. Still, it’s hard not to “feel marginalized and taken advantage of.” He doesn’t have much of a choice.

“At my age, it is difficult to find work,” Lond says. “Employers want people who can jump in and make an immediate impact, and I can’t say I don’t blame them. I am basically stuck where I am.” ©2020 Bankrate.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

No matter what the market conditions, each investment can act independently from the others. Diversify because you want to meet your personal goals and needs, your timeline, and your own definition of risk.

Make sure you’re in all different aspects of the market, balanced properly, so your portfolio is always performing as it should without taking undue risk.

“Diversification isn’t only what we own but how much Smith of the asset classes we own,” Musfeldt said. “If you’re dependent on your portfolio for income, you should not be shooting the moon for growth. If you’re young and in your income-earning years you should be trying to get some growth out of the portfolio so when you retire you have enough for income so you don’t have to take undue risks at that point.”

Lisa Smith, senior vice president and financial advisor and portfolio manager at D.A. Davidson & Co., said a well-rounded portfolio should include several asset classes, which should include, but are not limited to domestic and international stocks, fixed income investments such as bonds, and alternative investments that may include real estate, commodities or hedge funds.

Diversification appeals to many busy small business owners who have a large risk in one company — their own business — and it often appeals to employees of public companies whose salary, bonuses, potential employer stock, and 401(k) is tied to one company.

Concentration risk, or risk associated to an over-concentration in one portfolio or company, is an unsystematic risk and is can be mitigated by owning several different companies of different sizes, in different market sectors, and geographic locations.

“It’s important to remember that cash is also an asset class, and while cash doesn’t provide much return in today’s interest rate environment, it mitigates risk and provides a source of funds to buy into markets when

they move lower,” Smith said.

She recommended using a financial adviser and to stay diversified even when certain asset classes are providing attractive returns.

“Diversification is one of the only free lunches investors get so we tell people to take advantage and diversify at any opportunity,” said Nick Hall, investment advisor with Lutz. “This could be within a 401(k), upon separation of service Hall from a company, retirement, the sale of a business, or even inheritance.”

For investable assets, Hall recommended broad diversification, such as owning stocks in large, mid, and small companies in the U.S., developed markets around the globe, and even emerging market countries.

For fixed income, that means owning treasuries, investment grade corporate bonds, mortgage-backed securities, treasury inflation protected notes, municipal bonds in taxable accounts, and some level of cash or money markets.

“Each of these asset classes performs different in different market environments, meaning they are not closely correlated to one another,” Hall said.

Hall recommended that investors review their IRAs, 401(k)s, and brokerage accounts to make sure they understand what they own. They should own companies of different sizes or market capitalization, companies in different industries or market sectors, and different geographical locations — not only the S&P 500 or a collection of 10 to 20 stocks.

“The amount of very low-cost index mutual funds or ETFs available for investors today makes getting broad diversification easier than ever,” Hall said. “On top of that, if you are reallocating inside your 401(k) or IRA/Roth IRA, the account is shielded from taxes. If anything, there may be some small trading costs with reallocation, but most of the big brokerage firms have eliminated trading commissions on ETFs and stocks.”

be overstated,” she said. “Workplaces and the roles within them are changing very rapidly. Skills that worked for you just a short time ago could very likely be out of date already. The ones you just learned will probably not be far behind.”

Because of this, Nizzi said it’s never been more important to embrace being a life-long learner.

“We believe that innovative practices and skills are just where we fit to serve working professionals and their employers,” she said. “Embrace and prepare for the inevitable changes in your workplace. Choose to be the employee who moves up and forward in your organization.”

Nanci Borg, member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), a support network for women working in construction, said the core purpose of NAWIC is to strengthen and amplify the success of women in the construction industry.

“The NAWIC Education Foundation was created in 1972 in order to provide quality accessible construction industry education,” she said. “There are five accredited certifications available through NAWIC as distance learning courses for women working in or looking to enter the construction industry.”

In addition, there are continuing education opportunities locally, regionally and nationally.

Karli Meisinger, member of the NAWIC, said historically low unemployment rates and labor shortages in the construction industry are a challenge for most companies.

“NAWIC is committed to showing women that opportunities exist by building pathways through networking, on the job training, apprenticeships and trade school/ higher education,” she said. “These are key avenues to get more women working in construction. The labor market is opening doors, and a small investment in continuing education and professional development can be the differentiator needed to capitalize on them.”

Kristin Ellenberger, 2020 Board President of CREW and director of property management at Lockwood Development, said Omaha has a significant number of continuing education and professional development opportunities.

“For the real estate community, the most well-known is the CRE Summit, and CREW Omaha provides monthly lunches and an annual development workshop,” she said. “Arbor Bank has an EmpowHER Series going on this year. In addition, there are Chamber events, TIPS groups, Friday Afternoon Club and other informal smaller groups that form from these.”

Ellenberger said these opportunities can provide industry-specific information, overall professional development and skill building, as well as highly interactive networking.

“Meeting, engaging with and building relationships with others is a cornerstone to any business,” she said. “These options further allow individuals to build their own confidence through education and workshops and build their credibility in the market. In addition, folks can get the pulse of what is happening in the community, and in some cases, use this information for their business to capitalize on.”

Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 •

25

Jackson-Jackson & Associates builds client trust over 70 years in Midwest Continued from page 1.

Jackson, son of the founder.

Jackson joined the firm in 1970 and has grown relationships with clients over the years.

“We’ve been able to do a lot of exciting projects over the years, from education, broadcasting, college, medical work, religious work/ churches,” he said. “We’ve done a wide range of projects over the years and have constantly grown and developed.”

Jackson-Jackson & Associates Phone: 402-391-3999 Address: 6912 N. 97th Circle, Suite #1, Omaha 68122 Services: Architectural design services in educational, financial, religious, industrial, health care, civic, restoration and commercial industries.

Founded: 1950 by Jack C. Jackson Employees: 11 Goal: Managed 15% growth every year.

Industry trends: Anticipating more robotics in the construction industry because of materials and labor shortages.

Website: www.jackson-jacksonassociates.com

President Eileen Korth said that the diversity of projects reflects the differing interests of its architects and clients.

“That kind of leads you down different paths and the company has taken so many different roads depending on who’s [here] and what are their interests and honestly the clients that just walk in our door at the right time,” she said, adding that Jackson was “at the right place at the right time” with key client Cornerstone Bank.

The firm started working with Cornerstone Bank in July 1975 and completed the construction of its main headquarters building in York, Nebraska in 1982. Since then, it’s completed more than 48 projects for the bank throughout eastern Nebraska.

Gifford Park Elementary is the most recently completed project for Omaha Public Schools.

The firm is also working on the design of OPS’s new elementary school at 10th and Pine streets and Elkhorn’s new middle school that’s currently under construction.

The design of Gifford Park Elementary reflects the diversity of the neighborhood and the entire school district, Korth said, noting that the education sector is what she enjoys the most.

“When we met with them, we were really looking at, how do we celebrate that,” she said.

“One of the colorways that we looked at was called ‘unbound’ and the best way to describe it, they said, was like walking through a Moroccan market — all the colors and the textures. So when we showed that to them they were immediately drawn to it.

“It’s a compact school, it’s a two-story elementary and we’re really working on a tight sight — more of an urban design, which is not typical for an elementary. We’re on a 3-acre site versus an 8- to 10-acre site. So, we really had to address how to be really sustainable, really efficient and responsible with every choice that we made to utilize the site … and relate to the community that we’re in. I think it speaks very well to that.”

Each project is different and involves research and learning about the client’s industry and company.

“You’ve got to become an expert in their business and understand what their objectives are,” Jackson said. “That’s one of the fun things about this business is every project’s different and every client’s different and if you’re work-

The two-story Gifford Park Elementary, at 717 N. 32nd St., was built on a tight, 3-acre site, and reflects the diversity of the community and Omaha Public Schools as a whole. ing for a client you’ve worked for before you workstation to create a collaborative experience kind of know their culture and their standards for customers. At Gifford Park Elementary, and their goals so it becomes easier each time the current flexible workspace design trend you work with them.” translated to a mobile circulation desk in Jackson-Jackson & Associates aims to chal- the library. lenge institutional status quo designs, depending “Gifford Park was the first one to have a on the project and client. mobile circulation desk and now that’s become For example, when working with a bank [OPS’s] standard as they go forward,” she said. that wanted a more welcoming, customer-foAt Wayne State College, a re-envisioning cused teller line, the firm developed a mobile of the traditional library resulted in a more open

floor plan and the addition of a food court, which encourages social interaction and learning.

With 130% growth over the last five years, Jackson’s goal is for a steady 15% growth per year. One of the biggest challenges is finding the right people to fill open positions.

Out of 11 employees, six are licensed architects who do their own drafting. However, the addition of supplemental support like a Revit technician — a person who assists in drafting tasks — is key to growth, Korth said.

“One of the important things that is a goal, and continues to be a goal, is employee development — allowing those employees to follow some of their passions, help them grow and develop into different positions,” she said.

Korth highlighted outreach with OPS’s student engagement program and Blair Community Schools — to not only engage them with architectural design and technology like virtual reality but also showing them different career options.

Korth was hired as an intern in June of 1997 and started full-time in 1998. She took over as president about six years ago.

To survive lean times, she said that smaller projects like ADA upgrades, roof replacement and window replacement projects are vital.

“You do them well and you do good service and that will lead you to those bigger projects.

You build that trust with these clients,” she said.

“Service is kind of all that we have … so being able to serve our clients well has been a great lesson — Jack’s been a great mentor.”

Omaha Grease Monkey powers turnaround; eyes expanded repair business No. 6 franchisee in the country, and Riewer said, In January, Riewer said they recently added Continued from page 1.

Denver-based brand is the country’s largest inde- it earned entry into the Million Dollar Club in a second mechanic.

“Staffing issues remain a challenge, espependent franchisor of automotive oil change cen- 2018 (which requires locations achieve at least cially in this low unemployment atmosphere,” ters, boasting more than 300 centers worldwide $1 million in annual sales).

“We are all on the same page in terms of he said. “We are beginning to work directly with with operations spanning Mexico and China, to excellence in service and building a great work- Metropolitan Community College, in an effort Colombia and Saudi Arabia.

“I owned some Valentino’s franchises and place culture,” he said. “Having key people to develop an internship program.”

Having owned a my store in Council Bluffs was right next to retain some ownership franchise from other Grease Monkey, which I’d never heard of until and then empowering Grease Monkey of Omaha franchisors, Riewer I started having them service my car,” Riewer them to lead, make key Phone: 402-572-8626 gives GMI comparrecalled of his initial familiarity with the brand. decisions, and finan- Address: 3820 N. 90th St., Omaha atively “very high “Right away, I liked his model as it seemed like cially benefit from our 68134 success is a great mo- Services: 16-point oil change, range of marks” — especiala cool business. So, I began exploring it.” ly in the early years, Riewer liked the comparative simplicity of tivator. I’m not a con- maintenance and repair offerings, car trol freak wash when he said corporate oil change centers versus the restaunor a mi- Website: www.greasemonkeyauto.com helped them financially rant industry — fewer employees, cro-manthrough a tough time, mostly all working at a full-time ager and, in this instance, it has allowing them to keep going. capacity, no problems with staffing worked out really great.”

“They have been a great support as we evalfor nights or Saturdays (as they Additionally, Riewer and the uate our expansion,” he said. “I am extremely weren’t open then). And, as so many management team crave ongoing proud of our franchise and how we’ve managed people own cars, the demand for auto learning and growth. to continue to grow in a very competitive ‘fast maintenance was great.

“We have our occasional book lube’ business.”

“After much research, I felt club where we meet and discuss a On the horizon, Riewer noted, its biggest [Grease Monkey International] was a leadership book and how can we opportunity is the planned expansion of the great organization to hook my wagon apply ideas to our business,” he neighboring Monkey Shine Car Wash property. to,” he said.

Thurston said. “We listen to audio books in “[Grease Monkey] is bursting at the seams,” “I went through a couple of managers in those first two years and was ready our vehicles. Dougerrey just read an oldie but he said. “So, we are planning to expand our to give up, because we just weren’t doing well goodie, ‘How to Make Friends and Influence garage capacity, mainly geared towards growPeople.’ I am currently listening to ‘The Magic of ing our auto mechanic business. We will likely and the future looked bleak,” he said.

Desperate, Riewer called a competitor store Thinking Big.’ We are also constantly analyzing remove the self-serve car wash and replace it and visited with their manager, Monte Thurston. current practices in an effort to improve, as well with a new building, which will house numerous more garage bays and, possibly, create some “We hit it off well and I was able to basically as to not get complacent.”

Riewer also underscored how they bought other rental retail space.” steal him away, as well as his assistant manager, Riewer said the team is meeting with city Dougerrey Rushing,” he said. “That was 20 the land and building from their landlord just years ago and they are still with me today. Their north of 10 years ago, and paid it off within a planners to determine the best action.

Despite a packed schedule, Riewer said the leadership, along with our great team, are the decade.

“To further our expansion, three years ago team makes time to give back. biggest factors to our success. Both Doug and “One thing we’ve been doing is making our Monte have become owners mainly through we purchased and substantially updated the fivetheir sweat over time. I can unequivocally say bay car wash next to us, which we’ve also been car wash available for schools for fundraisers,” this was one of the smartest things I ever did … fortunate to now own,” he said. “Another fairly he said.

Grease Monkey also donates free oil changYou must have the right people to do this and, in big change was adding a mechanic about two years ago, which has allowed us to offer many es in conjunction with fundraising efforts, and our case, it has been hugely beneficial.” to support worthy causes.

In fact, the store has been recognized as the additional services to our customers.”

26

• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

In the Spotlight Paid Content SENIOR CARE

SENIOR CARE

INSURANCE

INSURANCE

Promoted

Promoted

Added

Promoted

Emily Allen

Brian McCulloch

Adam Johnson

Director of Thought Leadership, Advocacy

Vice President of Performance

Commercial Risk Advisor

Home Instead Inc.

Home Instead Inc.

UNICO

Tara Benson Senior Director, Actuary, Product Management Assurity Life Insurance

Emily Allen has been promoted to director of thought leadership and advocacy and focuses influencing all institutions that touch humanity to create awareness and inspire action to address the challenges of a global aging society, the need to elevate the caregiving profession, and the value of relationship-based care.

Allen joined Home Instead in 2016 as government affairs manager. The Home Instead Senior Care network provides personalized care, support and education to help enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today, this network is the world's leading provider of inhome care services for seniors, with almost 1,100 independently owned and operated franchises providing 80 million hours of care each year throughout the United States and 12 other countries.

Brian McCulloch has been promoted to vice president of business performance. In this role, he leads the teams that support over 600 franchises in the United States. McCulloch joined Home Instead in 2007 as business performance manager and was promoted to director in 2015. McCulloch is a member of the Senior Leadership Team and assists in shaping and leading strategic initiatives. The Home Instead Senior Care network provides personalized care, support and education to help enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today, this network is the world's leading provider of inhome care services for seniors, with almost 1,100 independently owned and operated franchises providing 80 million hours of care each year throughout the United States and 12 other countries.

Adam brings over his extensive experience in the insurance industry, having run an anti-fraud investigations unit prior to spending the last 4 years as an insurance agency owner. He has a desire to help people protect their assets which is why he ventured into the insurance field. His diverse background allows him to provide a 360 degree approach to ensure there is peace of mind knowing there will be no gaps in his client's coverage. He has obtained the following designations: Fraud Claim Law Specialists (FCLS) and Fraud Claim Law Associate (FCLA). Adam joined our Commercial Advisor team in Lincoln and can be reached at 402-434-7280 or ajohnson@ unicogroup.com.

Assurity has promoted Tara Benson to senior director and actuary, Product Management. Having held several actuarial positions at Assurity and its predecessor companies over the past 22 years, she currently provides leadership in designing and implementing a range of life, supplemental health and annuity products. She also serves as the company’s illustration actuary.

LEGAL SERVICES

LEGAL SERVICES

INSURANCE

INSURANCE

Added

Appointed

Added

Added

Aaron D. Adams

Elizabeth M. Lally

Vagas Mathiesen

Jerod Vertrovsky

Attorney

Subchapter V, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Trustee

Commercial Risk Advisor

Commercial Risk Advisor

Goosmann Law Firm

Goosmann Law Firm is pleased to announce that Attorney Aaron D. Adams has joined the firm at their Omaha, Nebraska location. Adams has over 18 years of experience in-house at organizations of various sizes and industries such as TSYS Merchant Solutions, LLC, USA Home Loans, and University of Maryland Medical Center. Visit www.GoosmannLaw.com for more information.

United States Department of Justice

Goosmann Law Firm is pleased to announce Partner Elizabeth M. Lally has been appointed a Subchapter V, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Trustee by the United States Department of Justice. Ms. Lally’s territory is Region 12, which includes parts of Iowa and South Dakota. Visit www.

GoosmannLaw.com for more information.

UNICO

Vagas comes to UNICO with over 10 years of experience in the insurance industry.

Previously working for a smaller agency in Nebraska, he has built long lasting relationships while also helping people understand coverages and filling coverage gaps. He has his Registered Workers’ Compensations Specialist (RWCS) designation to provide leading industry education to his clients. Vagas joined our Commercial Advisor team in Omaha and can be reached at 402-361-5913 or vmathiesen@ unicogroup.com.

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

UNICO

Jerod is new to the insurance industry but has been in advertising sales for nearly 20 years.

His passion for helping clients become successful in their business is what drives him. Jerod is a part of our Lincoln Commercial Advisor team and can be reached at 402-434-7204 or jvetrovsky@unicogroup.com.

Midlands Business Journal • MARCH 20, 2020 •

27

In the Spotlight Paid Content BANKING

BANKING

LEGAL SERVICES

LEGAL SERVICES

Promoted

Promoted

Named

Named

Andrew Essay

Matthew Gutschenritter

Justin K. Burroughs

Garrett A. Lutovsky

Vice President/ Mortgage Loan Officer

Vice President/ Mortgage Loan Officer

Partner

Partner

Cornhusker Bank

Cornhusker Bank

Engles, Ketcham, Olson & Keith, P.C.

Engles, Ketcham, Olson & Keith, P.C.

Andrew Essay has been with Cornhusker Bank since December of 2013. Andrew has proven a valuable asset to the Cornhusker Bank Mortgage Loan Team, developing and building relationships with customers by identifying their needs and expectations while offering them value in the products and services offered. Barry Lockard, Cornhusker Bank President/CEO reported, “Andrew consistently displays a high level of skill in understanding the market, rules and regulations pertaining to mortgages and recommending the best products for customers’ goals, and has been recognized by the Nebraska Mortgage Association multiple times as a member of its Champions Circle.”

Cornhusker Bank remains the area’s oldest locally owned bank, demonstrating Nebraska values, stability, soundness, and showing a commitment to its customers, associates, and community. For more information visit, www.

CornhuskerBank.com

Matthew Gutschenritter has been with the Bank since September of 2012. Matt has proven a valuable asset to the Cornhusker Bank Mortgage Loan Team, developing and building relationships with customers by identifying their needs and expectations while offering them value in the products and services offered. Barry Lockard, Cornhusker Bank President/CEO reported, “Matt consistently displays a high level of skill in understanding the market, rules and regulations pertaining to mortgages and recommending the best products for customers’ goals, and has been recognized by the Nebraska Mortgage Association multiple times as a member of its Champions Circle.” Cornhusker Bank remains the area’s oldest locally owned bank, demonstrating Nebraska values, stability, soundness, and showing a commitment to its customers, associates, and community.

For more information visit, www.

CornhuskerBank.com

SENIOR CARE

Engles, Ketcham, Olson & Keith, P.C. is pleased to announce that Justin K. Burroughs has been named Partner with the firm. Justin is a graduate of the University of Missouri and University of Missouri School of Law. He has been an associate with the firm since 2008 and practices in the firm’s workers’ compensation defense group handling all aspects of litigation throughout the states of Nebraska and Iowa. He is a member of the Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois Bar Association and is licensed to practice in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois.

Engles, Ketcham, Olson & Keith, P.C. is pleased to announce that Garrett A. Lutovsky has been named Partner with the firm.

Garrett is a graduate of North Dakota State University and the University of Nebraska College of Law. He has been an associate with the firm since 2012 and practices in the firm’s workers’ compensation defense group handling all aspects of litigation throughout the states of Nebraska and Iowa. He is currently a member of the Defense Research Institute (DRI), Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM) and the Nebraska Defense Counsel Association (NDCA).

SENIOR CARE

Welcomed

Chad Brough Vice President Home Instead Inc.

In his role as VP of heath care transformation, Chad Brough and his team work with the franchise network to empower owners to build best practices and meaningful relationships with the health care industry. Brough brings almost thirty years’ experience in diverse leadership roles in health care and improving the patient experience.

Brough is a member of the Senior

Leadership Team and assists in shaping and leading strategic initiatives. The Home Instead Senior Care® network provides personalized care, support and education to help enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today, this network is the world's leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, with almost 1,100 independently owned and operated franchises providing 80 million hours of care each year throughout the United States and 12 other countries.

Welcomed

Dar Andrews VP of Information Technology Home Instead Inc.

Dar Andrews serves as VP of information technology and leads the teams delivering technology, process, and support solutions. Andrews has over 25 years’ experience leading global technology teams. Andrews is a member of the Senior Leadership Team and assist in shaping and leading strategic initiatives. The Home Instead Senior Care® network provides personalized care, support and education to help

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

enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today, this network is the world's leading provider of inhome care services for seniors, with almost 1,100 independently owned and operated franchises providing 80 million hours of care each year throughout the United States and 12 other countries.

28

• MARCH 20, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

We are now accepting nominations!

2020

Deadline to submit: July 31, 2020

The 19th annual 40 Under 40 Awards will take place Nov. 20 at Embassy Suites La-Vista.

Midlands Business Journal is currently seeking nominations for professionals in the Greater Omaha and Council Bluffs area under the age of 40 who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and career accomplishments. Our judges will seek out individuals that have made impacts within their organizations and our community.

We want to hear about the entrepreneurs, executives and small business owners in your lives. Involvement in nonprofits and community organizations will show judges how much candidates care about the Greater Omaha area.

Nominees must be under the age of 40 as of Dec. 31, 2020 for consideration and cannot nominate themselves.

Bottom line, we want to honor young professionals that are making a difference.

Visit MBJ.com to fill out the nomination form now!

Key information to include in the nomination: • • • • • • • • • • •

Current company Current position Age Company address Company phone Email address Degrees earned Business accomplishments (promotions, projects, company initiatives) Community involvement (volunteer work, seats on boards, local and national organizations) Achievements (awards, recognitions, accreditations) Supplemental materials such as articles on the nominee, written works, videos, photos, etc.

Sponsorship opportunities are available today!

What better way to get your company’s name in front of some of the most influential business leaders in the Greater Omaha area than sponsoring the 40 Under 40 Awards. Your company will receive recognition in the popular 40 Under 40 special section and at the award banquet that is anticipated to draw 600 attendees. Contact us at karla@mbj.com or call 402-330-1760 to learn more.