Midlands Business Journal May 3, 2019 Vol. 45 No. 18 issue

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VOL. 45 NO. 18

Nebraska Machine Products diversifies in military sector

by Michelle Leach

Dharma Dog Training shares experience with apprentice program, classes.

– Page 2

40 er d Un 40 Community service, leadership define Gustwiller’s career. – Page 3

s luff rt cil B epo n u R Co wth Gro

From West Broadway to Riverfront, projects position Bluffs as destination.

– Page 4

Almost eight years after an explosion and fire resulted in the total loss of Nebraska Machine Products’ original building at 9370 N. 49th St., the Omaha manufacturer has diversified into military and aerospace projects from a 60,000-square-foot space at 9101 F St. “When we first bought this building, we had visions of renting space out to another company,” said President Mike Schlimgen. “But we filled it out very quickly.”

Founded in 1966 by Jack Rosso, Nebraska Machine Products makes parts from various materials for customers from ag and auto, to medical and oil and gas.

“Since the fire, we had to buy everything new,” Schlimgen said.

“That was kind of a blessing in disguise.”

Some equipment couldn’t be accommodated in the former 40,000-square-foot facility.

“Before, you couldn’t drive a forklift into the CNC area at all,” Continued on page 6.

President Mike Schlimgen … Firm continues late leader’s legacy with increasingly diverse expertise.

(Photo by MBJ / Becky McCarville)

Omaha Municipal Land Bank aims for ripple effect in community and state

by Becky McCarville

The Omaha Municipal Land Bank (OMLB), a tax-exempt governmental subdivision that acquires, maintains and sells distressed properties, has a mission to revitalize neighborhoods by making these properties productive again — properties that might pose a danger to the community, have been abandoned or are tax delinquent and might not be attractive

to an investor because the cost of clearing the title is greater than the property value.

“The land bank is a dream that the city of Omaha had for a long time,” said Executive Director Marty Barnhart.

With an estimated 2,500 properties in Omaha with some level of code violation (based on the number of code violations and current Continued on page 7.

Vice President Mike Bresel … New industrial location boosting retail sales, presence for Omaha company.

Midwest Box sustains position in packaging, shipping supply market

by Richard D. Brown

Executive Director Marty Barnhart … Reactivating Omaha’s distressed properties, spurring community growth, development and engagement.

While technology has impacted the market and a move from north central Omaha to an industrial park in Millard has increased its retail traffic, Mike Bresel, vice president of Midwest Box Co., said there’s one common denominator that has followed his family’s business over the past 50 years.

“Everybody’s going to need a box, sometime, somewhere,” said Bresel, who took over the daily operations of the 14-employee firm three years ago.

His father, Jim Bresel, remains owner and president of the firm. The business was founded on North 16th Street in 1969 by the late Morris Bresel, who early Continued on page 24.

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Dharma Dog Training shares experience with apprentice program, classes

by Savannah Behrends

When Kelley McAtee started her relationship-based dog training company Dharma Dog in 2014 she never anticipated its evolution into an apprenticeship program for like-minded individuals.

“Twenty years ago I wanted to raise the status of animals but I didn’t know how and I didn’t think it was going to

Dharma Dog Training Phone: 402-804-3364 Address: 6221 S. 90th Street, Omaha 68127 Service: one-on-one relationship-based training for dogs with both severe and minor behavior challenges, group classes for puppies and adult dogs, apprentice program for those looking for a career helping dogs and humans.

Website: www.dharmadogtraining.com

be through a dog training company,” she said.

As consumers started viewing animals as family members, Dharma Dog’s business and reputation consistently doubled, but lack of training regulations made finding help challenging. To fill the gap, McAtee launched an apprentice program in 2016 and is adding puppy programs to get ahead of behavior problems. To accommodate the growing clientele, Dharma Dog moved into a new space at 6221 S. 90th Street in Spring 2019.

Best friends, different species Twenty years ago when McAtee was studying sociology at Creighton University, she was drawn to the relationship between dogs and humans. In particular, she wanted to understand why so many dogs

Founder Kelley McAtee … A passion for raising the status of dogs leads to an enterprise focusing on relationship-based training and apprentice programs. were being surrendered or abandoned and Pam Wiese, vice president of public reeventually euthanized. lations and marketing.

“What I realized was 1.6 million NHS also worked to rehabilitate and dogs are adopted each year and half are re-home 229 dogs through its in-house returned,” she said. behavioral modification program, further The No. 1 cause — behavior problems. proving that behavior is a major challenge “We’re living with another species, in the industry. but we’ve forgotten that,” she said. “We McAtee said Dharma’s market has assume that dogs know how to live with been the more severe cases, oftentimes us, but it’s not natural for them.” as an owner’s last hope.

The Nebraska Humane Society alone “We’re a lot like dog therapists bereceived 4,729 calls to its free behavior cause we’re dealing with a dog’s mental helpline for pets last year, according to health issues,” she said.

The Midlands Business Journal's

Business Minute Name: Heather Legge.

Age: 47.

Title: Founder and executive coach.

Place of employment: Envision Success Inc. Associations/ Titles: Center for Executive Coaching certified executive coach; Rotary Club of Omaha Rotary International chair; Omaha Network for Women co-chair.

Hometown: I’m an Air Force brat Legge who moved a lot and came back to Omaha three times.

Education: Master of Business Administration (2006), Bellevue, B.A. International Studies/Economics (1993), University of Nebraska (after a world tour starting at Baylor University).

How I got into the business: After my MBA, several people suggested I become a coach before I even knew it was a career. I became a licensed coach in 2006 and started my company that same year. I jumped right in, guiding professionals to succeed in business and became known for time-management and leadership.

Heather Legge, founder and executive coach, Envision Success

Accomplishments or milestones: Helping hundreds of business leaders be happier and more successful; this is the best.

Also — making it over 10 years in my own company, having a handful of other coaches working under my brand and being nominated and chosen for a few awards I didn’t even know about beforehand is pretty cool too.

First job: Processing rebate entries from a phone company promotion over holiday break in 1989. They gave me one of the high-tech phones as a perk. I loved that phone.

Biggest career break: I’m ready for it!

The toughest part of the job: When you’re the owner there is no down time unless you make it happen.

But I am passionate about walking my talk regarding productivity and quality of life. Sometimes I have to force myself to take breaks.

The best advice I have received: Don’t overthink it. (I still remind myself to follow this one often…)

About my family: Married to Doug since 1995.

Something else I’d like to accomplish: I am on track to finish writing my first book and publishing it in 2019.

Book I finished reading recently: “Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice.”

How my business will change in the next decade: ESI could grow rapidly across the globe with the right independent coaches joining the team.

Mentor who has helped the most in my career: I’m grateful that there have been several. Right now, I’m working with two really talented coaches for different development areas; I do best when I have someone pushing me.

Outside interests: Wine. There are plenty of others, but wine!

Pet peeves: People who can’t seem to wait their turn. Patience, grasshopper…

Favorite vacation spot: A sandy beach in the Caribbean with good shallow diving nearby.

Favorite movie: James Bond! Maybe, “From Russia, With Love.”

Favorite cause or charity: I give regularly to several, Kiva is a fave.

Favorite app: I use Asana a ton.

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

Communication is key Dharma Dog trainers and apprentices work to open communication lines between owners and dogs through training tools.

“All the tools that we use are sold in pet stores across the country,” McAtee said.

“However, the problem is that no one is teaching owners how to use them.”

For example, the city of Omaha requires that a dog must be on a leash to be outside of one’s fenced-in property. However, McAtee said a lot of owners don’t know how to use leashes to communicate with their dogs, which leads to frustration and aggression.

Showing dogs what is expected through both positive training and humane pressure helps build a relationship of understanding.

Currently the company is helping 4050 dogs each month, but the demand has grown beyond what the staff can handle one-on-one.

An academy for humans, puppies Since opening the apprenticeship program in 2016, McAtee has helped train 14 apprentices who have gone on to launch their own businesses and organizations.

“We have an apprentice from last year that is starting a pet therapy program for ESA (Emotional Support Animal) dogs, therapy dogs and dogs in classrooms,” McAtee said.

This year’s 10-month program includes six apprentices who will help with the new puppy classes.

“We’re trying to get on the front side of things with puppies — we have to catch it early,” she said.

She emphasized that training should be seen as a lifelong commitment and maintence classes and joining pack walks are important.

“Dog training is a journey, not a destination,” she said.

Midlands Business Journal Established in 1975

PUBLISHER & FOUNDER, Robert Hoig

ADMINISTRATION VP OF OPERATIONS, Andrea “Andee” Hoig

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

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(402) 330-1760 Zane D. Randall (1925-2006) Co-founder LeAnne M. Iwan (1932-1986) First News Editor

The Midlands Business Journal (ISSN 0194-4525) is published weekly plus one by MBJ Inc. and is available for $2.00 per individual copy or $75 per year. Editorial offices are 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.

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

-The Publisher.

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

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Community service, leadership define Gustwiller’s career Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of profiles featuring Midlands Business Journal 40 Under 40 award winners — entrepreneurs, business owners, managers and professionals under 40 years of age.

by Dwain Hebda

During his career with Kiewit, Steve Gustwiller has headed projects in various parts of the country, responsible for millions of dollars’ worth of materials, personnel and expertise. Each project taught him more about leadership and teamwork, but the seeds of success were sown well before his first day with the company, back to when he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1999 at age 18.

“Being in the Scouts was definitely a great thing,” he said.

“I had a great time, it was fun. I also, just in the purest, simplest form, learned to plan ahead. That was monumental in scouting.”

Since that time, a series of mentors have crossed Gustwiller’s path, imparting valuable knowledge and direction, seemingly always just when he needed it most.

“At that early onset of my career, I was overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that I had to do, and I learned at the early stage how to prioritize different things and how to be flexible and how to organize,” he said.

“Jody Schott was a very young project manager when I was out in Las Vegas working on McCarran Airport and then also down in Tucson on the I-10 widening project. He was

Preconstruction Manager Steve Gustwiller … Leadership skills drive career, community service. a very detail-oriented, very smart individual for which he served as project manager. The who taught me to always come to him with arena won the 2016 Build Nebraska Award solutions and not just problems. It helped presented by the Nebraska Building Chapter me think through things and really just how of the Associated General Contractors of to organize.

“I took the recommendations from him and put my own spin on it and I’ve been morphing it ever since and will continue to do that my entire career.”

Gustwiller’s collective expertise was brought to bear on UNO’s Baxter Arena, a 220,000-square-foot, 7,500-seat structure

America.

“Overall, it went well, but was definitely a challenging project,” he said. “There was a lot of players in the arena and different things that I had to navigate throughout the entire process, different parties involved. This was going to be the first facility of this type and magnitude that UNO had ever managed.

“They definitely had a good idea and we had to work through all these different nuances. We knew it was going to be a hockey, basketball and volleyball facility, but we asked what other potential did it have? Just working through that process, there were quite a bit of scope changes throughout. But we were able to do all that and did it a month ahead of schedule. That was a great project to be a part of.”

Gustwiller has found other ways to leverage his leadership and collective expertise.

He is a facilitator at Kiewit University, the company’s corporate training facility, and is also active in the community. Among his volunteer efforts are as a Builder’s Blitz Leader for Habitat for Humanity in 2013 and a REACH Mentor through the Greater Omaha Chamber. He also is on the board of directors for the Nebraska Humane Society as well as its facilities committee.

Proud Sponsors of the 2018 40 Under 40:

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Council Bluffs

Growth Report

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

May 3, 2019

From West Broadway to Riverfront, projects position Bluffs as destination

by Michelle Leach

Many parts make the whole for Council Bluffs communitywide momentum, and are not limited to specific project types, hot sectors, or neighborhoods.

“Council Bluffs has development striking in nearly every district right now — from the riverfront in the west, down Broadway into downtown, to our hospitals and Iowa Western Community College in the east — along with the recreation investments at the Mid-America Center and Industrial Park expansion all wrapped in a bow by the $2 billion Koenig massive interstate reconstruction project,” said Sheryl Garst, chief executive officer with The 712 Initiative, a nonprofit organized to improve economic vitality in redevelopment areas and increase healthy lifestyles.

“To say it’s an exciting time to be a part of this development community is a vast understatement.”

The 712’s efforts this past decade around the historic 100 Block of West Broadway have resulted in an “economic

CEO Sheryl Garst at The 712 Initiative.

West Foundation and the city, Garst said boom” for the district, Garst said.

“Every week we have individuals call- The 712 just finished a $5.2 million, 24ing our office for space or real estate on unit mixed-use development at 103 West Broadway, and closed on an underutilized that block,” she said.

Along with J Development, the Iowa downtown commercial property near Bay-

liss Park for 40,000 square feet of mixeduse development.

“It is projected to be at least a $17 million project that will continue the momentum over the next three years and replicate our development success on the historic 100 Block District,” she said. “We are also working on two small infill sites in Historic Haymarket, in our most southern downtown district, that will round out development in all three portions of our downtown.”

The 712 concentrates on quality housing stock; Council Bluffs Area Chamber of ComWalsh merce President and CEO Dan Koenig noted the addition of the Whispering Oaks subdivision, featuring 400 homes and townhomes across 180 acres, as well as River’s Edge office, condo and apartment construction along the Missouri River.

“I’m starting to see Council Bluffs as an alternative for housing options within the metro area,” he said.

Further construction is represented by the almost $1 billion Interstate 29 and 80 system around Council Bluffs, which will add almost 70 additional lane miles to the state’s Interstate system and, Koenig said, provide access to commercial and industrial development; the $30 million Hoff Family Pottawattamie Arts Culture and Entertainment complex; the $36 million West Broadway Corridor improvements; and the proposed $7 million multi-sport complex near the Mid-America Center entertainment district and K-12 school renovations.

“These investments strengthen neighborhoods, increase housing values, and support our number priority of educating and developing productive citizens and our future workforce,” Koenig said.

In fact, its labor survey indicated more than 5,900 workers need to be hired in the next two years, only accounting for 54 business survey respondents representing around 13,000 workers, he said.

“Our low metro area unemployment rate presents a challenge, as most everyone who wants a job has one and as a result, many positions are going unfilled,” Continued on next page.

Council Bluffs Growth Report •

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

5

New real estate developments attracting more people to Council Bluffs community

by Gabby Christensen

New real estate projects throughout the Council Bluffs area have helped create more opportunities for the city, according to local real estate professionals.

Matt Hasenjager, associate at the Lund Co., said the biggest real estate happening for Council Bluffs is the River’s Edge development located near the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge, in which Noddle Companies recently completed a 65,000-squarefoot, Class A office building that will be anchored by the Iowa West Foundation.

Additionally, he said high-end apartments and retail space are ready to lease, and construction on luxury condo towers should begin soon.

“The development aims to have a livework-play environment,” Hasenjager said.

“This type of development is a turning point for the city of Council of Bluffs and will be very beneficial. Its success will certainly trigger additional development in the area.”

Hasenjager said the River ’s Edge goal is to complete 200,000 square feet of office and retail space, along with several hundred residences.

As for industrial Hasenjager development, Hasenjager said the Council Bluffs Industrial Foundation is working to attract new industrial users to “South Point, Phase

Projects positions Bluffs as destination Continued from preceding page. he said. “The bottom line is we simply don’t have enough available qualified labor to keep pace with growth … our image is another challenge, especially within the metro. Accomplishments and progress are beginning to change that perspective.

And, for those on the Nebraska side that remember the Council Bluffs of old, a lot has changed and will continue to change and improve as we move forward.”

Koenig indicated the chamber is continuing to move forward via partnerships with the city, community schools and Iowa Western Community College; for instance, a lobbyist has been secured to represent business and community interests at the State Legislature.

A nod to quality of life and raising its national profile, Mayor Matt Walsh’s office noted Council Bluffs was among 80 Iowa communities to earn Tree City USA status in April, to coincide with Arbor Day. To earn the designation, communities must, at minimum, have a city tree board or forester, tree ordinance, a tree planting and maintenance plan and spend at least $2 per capita on their forestry programs.

The office also noted the Council Bluffs-Omaha metro was recognized for

the fourth consecutive year this spring by Site Selection Magazine for “expanded corporate facilities,” notably, the expansion of the Bluffs’ Warren Distribution.

Rounding out notables, Loessfest has attracted more than 200,000 people to the 85-acre Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park during Memorial Day weekend; however, due to flooding on the Iowa side of the river, the festival is being moved to Labor Day weekend.

“We celebrated a number of milestones, including the library’s 20th anniversary, Pirate Cove Waterpark’s 50th anniversary and the opening of our new police headquarters,” Walsh said of accomplishments within the past 16 months.

“We are always mindful that your tax dollars are a scarce resource and must be spent wisely. We don’t plan to rest on our … laurels.”

More to aforementioned highlights, the 60,000-square-foot police building opened in December after around 18 months of construction and following the passage of a $20 million bond issue to construct a modernized headquarters. The city also put the spotlight on its West Broadway Reconstruction and the BLink expansion — a nod to Bluffs Community Wi-Fi.

II” located near South 19th Street and Highway 275.

“It’s a great area for industrial users,” Hasenjager said.

“There are different sized lots available, and they’re very affordable. Lately, the Industrial Foundation has been receiving a healthy a m o u n t o f i n t e rest in South Point.

That’s a sign that our industrial sector Obermeyer remains strong.”

Mark J. Obermeyer, first vice president at CBRE-MEGA Commercial Real Estate, said there is a lot of exciting improvements happening in Council Bluffs as of late.

For example, Obermeyer said the median improvements along West Broadway are now starting in the area from 24th to 28th streets.

Additionally, Obermeyer said Sundel Plaza is on the market for redevelopment with interest from local and regional developers.

He also noted that the new Black Hills Energy training and operating facility located next to the Iowa Western Community College campus is under construction and should be ready for occupancy next year.

“The Council Bluffs Community School District recently purchased the former Target building at Mall of the Bluffs for classrooms,” Obermeyer said. “This creative use utilizes a vacant retail box and

will drive new traffic to the area, thereby benefiting area businesses.”

Furthermore, Obermeyer said Warren Distribution has a large warehouse expansion underway at its River Road site, which illustrates the need and tight market for warehouse space in the Council Bluffs/ Omaha metro area.

Daniel M. Van Houten, managing broker/vice president of the Iowa division at NP Dodge Real Estate, agreed that there is quite a bit of new real estate happening in Council Bluffs.

“The historic downtown Council Bluffs is filling up with new restaurants and nightlife,” Van Houten said. “There are various little shops and there’s always things happening downtown.”

Van Houten said Google is also expanding.

Although ground has not been broken yet, he said there will be a large retail development on South 24th Street coming into play very soon.

Additionally, with reconstruction of Interstate 80 and Interstate 29, Van Houten said a lot of companies are looking at this area because of the ease of access and travel.

Another major project in the area is the Whispering Oaks subdivision.

“All of this new real estate attracts more people to our area,” Van Houten said. “It’s also really about quality of life.

Not only the retail options, but also the new housing developments. As a native of Council Bluffs, it’s very rewarding for me to see the city develop into such a great community.”

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Nebraska Machine Products diversifies in military sector from expansive HQ Continued from page 1. he said, describing the formerly compact space. “This is a lot more free-flowing.

Trucks can drive and unload in this building.”

The team loaded and unloaded outdoor material storage containers.

“And forklifts don’t like snow,” Schlim-

Nebraska Machine Products Phone: 402-455-0128 Address: 9101 F St., Omaha 68127 Services: produce parts for varied materials; expertise includes full secondary operations, center-less grinding, broaching, honing and welding, plating and other finishes, and machining castings and forgings for customers in ag, auto, medical, military and hydraulics for oil and gas, and in other industries Founded: 1966 by Jack Rosso Website: www.nebraskamachine.com

gen quipped.

Today 13,000 of its 100,000 square feet is storage.

“When we got in here, we planned for future growth,” Schlimgen said. “Military aerospace work is something we hadn’t been doing in the old building at all. It’s nice to diversify and have the capacity and space.”

Industry expertise represents a significant competitive edge, as Schlimgen said requirements are stringent.

“Before you ship anything, you’ve got to have all your documents in order,” he said. “And all the processes you do are fixed.”

Oil and gas are second to the military as Nebraska Machine Products’ fastest-grow-

Machine operator Deanna Osborn loads, cleans and checks component parts. ing areas. steady.”

“But it’s so cyclical — it’s up and down Hiring remains a perennial challenge — and varies from year to year,” Schlimgen keeping and finding new talent. Schlimgen said. “That’s why we try to diversify.” referenced involvement with groups like Agriculture remains a big part of the Dream It. Do It., which promotes manufacbusiness. turing careers among the next-generation “It’s all based on commodity pricing,” workforce. he said.

“There’s no one solution,” he said. “I The nature of the industry, though, have people in their 50s and 60s and a few makes it somewhat resilient to yo-yo’ing. that are really young. We’re trying to fill “When things are good, people buy that gap as much as we can.” tractors and irrigation systems,” he said.

Automation is helpful but has its limita“When times are tough, repair parts become tions. He said it still needs to be “manned,” more popular — that business is pretty maintained and supported. Schlimgen also referenced the number of retirees in the next 10 years.

The company has retained an “original”: Dennis Schnitker.

“He was the first hourly paid employee,” he said. “His hire date was September 1, 1967. He went part-time in 2012.”

Schnitker was among employees interviewed by local media after the 2011 explosion, an event so devastating the nearby Interstate on-ramp was closed.

“We were evaporating coolant and A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal somehow mineral spirits got mixed in with coolant,” Schlimgen said.

!"#$%&'#()$

*$+(,(&$ Omaha Business Journal Pages

Schlimgen was in his office when the evaporator exploded.

“We had a tile ceiling and it felt like something dropped, like a pallet, on the mezzanine. Then dust started falling from the ceiling, and the ceiling tiles went up and down.”

It was 10:30 in the morning. A full first shift. The extinguisher was no match for flames 15 feet in height and 40 feet long.

As the sprinklers came on, the fire shrunk to half its height — but pushed into the walls, which were set ablaze. The fire department pushed the blaze into the parking lot.

“Cars caught on fire,” Schlimgen said.

Ironically, the day before the explosion a Waterloo manufacturing company who suffered from a fire just six months previous remarked that Nebraska Machine Products would never suffer the same fate.

They had full sprinklers throughout the building, after all. Nowadays, the evaporator and mineral spirits are nowhere to be found onsite. Plus, all cleaning products are water-based. Its fire suppression system spans larger water lines.

Furthermore, the company’s data recovery is cloud-based. The server was salvaged after the explosion — but barely.

“Our server lasted a week and we got the data,” he said.

Fortunately, injuries were limited to minor burns.

“We were down two months,” Schlimgen said. “We paid everybody a full salary,” Schlimgen said.

Its roughly 75-employee team did a lot of volunteering during that period; for instance, sandbagging to aid in flood recovery.

Much more recent flooding displaced some Valley area employees. Nebraska Machine Products provided materials such as metal for trailers to haul their valuables.

The team is continuing Ron Rosso’s legacy; the former company president passed away in March of 2016. A huge celebration of life party was held at the plant.

“Over 1,000 people showed up,” Schlimgen said. “He was a dynamic personality.”

Schlimgen is also positioning the next-generation, Mike Rosso, to take over as president, while Rosso’s wife, Linda, retains ownership.

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Issue Date:May 10 • Ad Deadline:May 2 To advertise your company in this section, contact one of our MBJ advertising representatives at (402) 330-1760 or at the email addresses below.

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Machining center operator Randy Stockton loads and offloads.

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

7

Omaha Municipal Land Bank aims for ripple effect in community and state Continued from page 1. demo orders on www.dogis.org in late 2018 by OMLB), primarily concentrated in northeast Omaha, the land bank and its partners fill a need to redevelop or repurpose blighted properties to help strengthen neighborhoods.

“We have found that the properties we get, nobody wants,” he said, referencing the types of liens a property could have, including tax liens, assessments, weeds, litter, vacant property ordinance or demolition costs. “When you have something that has a lot of liens and a little bit of value, no investor wants to buy it because they know they can’t make a profit on it.”

Through the Nebraska Municipal Land Bank Act, OMLB can remove any city or county lien when it acquires a property. When OMLB forecloses on a property, the foreclosure process also clears the title. After the title is cleared, the OMLB sold its first 42 properties, added staff land bank can sell the property and the buyer and formed partnerships in 2017. will gain equity.

“If we could sell 100 properties this year, up “Quite often developers will come in and they’re excited because the liens are cleared, the from 67 currently in 2018, that would be fabulous price is lower and in turn, they can [gain instant] because it would mean that 100 new properties equity and make this property into something that got activated in those neighborhoods,” he said.

“It’s a little bit cliché, but I believe our city is only [is useful],” he said.

Buyers are vetted through the application as strong as our weakest neighborhood, and if you process and have nine months to redevelop a look at Omaha, our weakest neighborhoods are in house and two years to rebuild a vacant lot to northeast Omaha just because they’re the oldest, the most distressed. They’re great neighborhoods productive use.

“Every property we get has some sort of and there’s great people that live there. We want use,” Barnhart said. “None of them are bought to see that really elevated and see folks that live by speculators, none of them are held for some- in some areas of distress really see elevated areas body to try to just make money. They’ve got to all around them. The potential is huge.”

To s a f e g u a r d do something with a against gentrification, redevelopment on it of Omaha Municipal Land Bank OMLB notifies neighsome type.”

Phone: 402-800-1240 bors of properties it is OMLB is current- Address: 1141 N. 11th St., Omaha 68102 acquiring to give them ly promoting a “Va- Services: Addressing Omaha’s distressed the option to buy first, cant Lot Giveaway” properties by acquiring, maintaining and whether it’s for extra along with $5,000 in selling properties for rehabilitation; engagyard space, a commuredevelopment funds ing the community and fostering sustainnity or personal garden, to activate properties ability. or to section off for more that are too small or Founded: As a local, governmental than one neighbor. too oddly configured 501(c)3 nonprofit organization by the city “We want to do all to build upon but would of Omaha in 2014 after the passing of the we can to involve more be conducive to a com- Nebraska Municipal Land Bank Act in 2013 and more people. We munity garden or park by the Nebraska Legislature. want to involve [them] bench.

Employees: 9 at the neighborhood Activating prob- Goals: Complete the tax foreclosure list level — people that aclem properties of over 500 properties that began about tually are going to live Land banking is a 18 months ago; engage neighborhoods in that neighborhood,” relatively new concept by selling more properties; pass statewide he said. “In turn we’re that allows cities and land bank legislation; engage more groups trying to guard against communities to make and get people involved. gentrification, guard problem properties pro- Industry outlook: Omaha Land Bank can against missed values ductive and back on the serve as a model for regional land banks or values getting imtax roll. OMLB based across Nebraska to help small communities balanced. That’s a big its legislation on land address blighted properties and create challenge for us — to banks that were started more housing. really watch our neighin St. Louis and the Website: omahalandbank.org borhoods and keep track Great Lakes region. of what’s going on so “Our legislation that was passed in 2013 is now the third gen- that something doesn’t get imbalanced that way.”

As OMLB acquires more property, mainteeration of land banking,” Barnhart said. “So, we have kind of what we think of as the best of nance costs increase.

Vacant land can also be leased through the best — a lot of good standards, a lot of good metrics and a lot of things that really help our OMLB for $25 a year, which helps defer mainland bank to move forward and to be something tenance costs — a large portion of the budget.

For example, the nonprofit organization that serves Omaha but also as a model for the Omaha Permaculture has leased 15 acres on rest of our state.”

Legislation for the Omaha Municipal Land what was an old abandoned railroad right of Bank was drawn up by local leaders in 2012. way and has plans to establish greenhouses and Legislation was passed unanimously in 2013, build a farmer’s market and raised gardens for and the ordinance was signed in 2014. Mayor the neighbors, Barnhart said.

About 66% of OMLB’s monies are through Jean Stothert appointed the board, which was then approved by the city council. Policies and grant funding — from local family foundations, procedures were formed by the board and a corporate donors and local banks — as well as a director was hired. Barnhart came on as interim share through the city of Omaha. The remaining director in February 2016 and in August of that third of the budget is through property sales. year was made the permanent executive director. The goal is for funding to come from about 50%

grants and 50% sales.

Potential to help Nebraska’s rural communities Small communities across Nebraska are looking to implement regional land banks, which would help to address blight and spur growth, Barnhart said.

For example, he said that in Bayard, Nebraska, there are 1,110 houses and 88 are distressed, a problem facing many small towns in Nebraska.

“You can imagine the blight on their city and the need for workforce housing in Bayard,” he said. “It may not be a whole lot of property but it’s more than they’re doing now because it addresses a need that’s not being addressed. I think it’s going to have a ripple effect.”

He cited another example of how pooling funds can benefit small towns: Loup City is spending between $15,000 to $25,000 in demolition costs per year. If Loup City and nearby communities formed a regional land bank, that money could be diverted into the land bank,

(Courtesy of Omaha Municipal Land Bank) enabling them to negotiate a less expensive demolition collectively. In turn, people would be employed and the land bank could sell the property and reactivate it.

OMLB is ready to serve as a model and share insights and information with community leaders across the state.

“I want to see Nebraska grow — I’ve lived here almost all my life — and in turn I know our greatest need is people,” he said. “Omaha is growing but let the rest of the state grow with it.”

Last year, statewide land bank legislation was passed and subsequently vetoed by Gov. Pete Ricketts. As of this writing, a bill in the current legislature, LB424, that would allow any municipality in Nebraska join or form land banks, has stalled. According to current state law, only municipalities in Douglas and Sarpy counties can create land banks, and only a metropolitan class city can create a stand-alone land bank. Omaha is the only metropolitan class city in the state.

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

UPCOMING

SECTIONS

IN THE MIDLANDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MAY 10

COMPANY OUTINGS MAY 17

LOCALLY GROWN

EDUCATION & CAREER DEVELOPMENT MAY 24

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REGIONAL LANDSCAPES

Briefs…

AARP Nebraska has selected Carol Knaub of Gering to receive the annual AARP Nebraska Andrus Award for Community Service. For the past four years, Knaub has volunteered hundreds of hours revitalizing the city of Gering Community Ever Green House. Knaub marshaled resources and volunteers to complete a garden shed, 21 raised beds, vegetable bins, fencing and the design and installation of a drip irrigation system. In 2017, the greenhouse donated 820 pounds of fresh produce to the Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska food bank and offered fresh produce to area senior centers. This year, the food bank received over 1,000 pounds of produce.

Nebraska APA announced the recipients of the 2019 Chapter awards. The award for Urban Design was presented to HDR and Ho-Chunk, Inc. for Ho-Chunk Village 2.0 Master Plan. In the fall of 2017, HoChunk, Inc. undertook a master planning effort for the design of three neighborhoods adjacent to the existing Ho-Chunk Village, a 40-acre mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented neighborhood lying on the north edge of Winnebago, Nebraska. Winnebago is the largest city within the Winnebago Reservation.

TAGG (Together A Greater Good) has added ‘Nebraska Flood Relief’ to the app as an organization that you can support whenever you visit TAGG’s participating businesses, and 100% of the donations designated to this fund will go to support those affected from the flooding, through the American Red Cross. The free ‘Together A Greater Good’ app can be found on both the Apple and Google Play stores.

Omaha’s CFO Systems continues to grow its team and expand its office location with the addition of Jeff Janda and Jodi Prewitt in the Omaha office, John Kopecky in Kansas City and Brian Schniieders who will establish the newest location in Tampa, Florida. Kopecky and Schniieders are licensed CPAs. Janda has been in private and public accounting for over 30 years and has acted as a controller to a closely held IT company. Kopecky has a background in banking and helping troubled institutions.

Prewitt has over 30 years of financial and management experience working in diverse industries.

Young Black & Influential Omaha, a community-based movement that centers on black leadership and empowerment, announced its third year of award recipients. The 2019 awards event, themed “We Are the Movement,” will be held on June 30, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Living Room at the Mastercraft and will feature Starsky Wilson, CEO of the Deaconess Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri, as the keynote speaker. The 2019 award recipients list is online.

The Kansas City Royals and Omaha Storm Chasers announced a two-year extension to their Player Development Contract prior to the Royals Exhibition Game presented by Cobalt Credit Union, extending the longest active Triple-A affiliation in Minor League Baseball through the 2022 season. The Omaha and Kansas City franchises have been aligned since both began play in 1969. A number of players have played in Omaha en route to becoming

Major Leaguers, including Hall of Famer George Brett. In addition, 10 inductees of the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame wore an Omaha uniform at some point in their career.

FBG Service Corporation has successfully completed recertification to the worldwide cleaning industry association ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard, and has achieved CIMS-Green Building designations with honors. Compliance with the CIMS-GB criteria illustrates FBG Service Corporation’s commitment to consistently and professionally deliver green and sustainable cleaning programs.

The CIMS-GB designation helps FBG as a building services contractor to provide its cleaning and facilities management customers with precisely what they need to secure points under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance — LEED EB: U&M — Green Building Rating System, while greening operations overall.

Dice Communications has promoted several hires. Karla Steele joined Omaha’s office as a member of the sales team. Steele has over 20 years of experience in business development, direct sales and client negotiations. Matt McMahan joined the Texas sales team with more than 20 years of sales experience in enterprise, education and government markets, and developing and managing partner company relationships.

Tyler Flene joins as director of operations.

He has experience with Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise and other leading technology providers in addition to leading IT efforts at the Omaha World-Herald for more than 15-years.

V2verify, a user authentication and identity management provider, has partnered with SCITM to add V2’s cutting edge technologies of biometrics, AI, and secure data transfer to their secure document collection system which includes the Know Your Customer/Anti-Money Laundering systems. These innovative systems will be offered to the following business verticals: financial services, gaming/hospitality, human capital management, medical & insurance, and supply chain manufacturing.

Jet Linx, the third-largest aircraft management company in the United States, has achieved a monumental milestone in private aviation, having flown 100 million miles. Jet Linx surpassed the 100 million mile threshold following a 1,085.2-mile flight from Scottsdale, Arizona to Omaha.

The 100-million-mile landmark comes as Jet Linx celebrates its 20th anniversary and anticipates yet another year of record growth with the commencement of preliminary flight operations from, and the forthcoming openings of dedicated Jet Linx private terminals in New York, Boston, Chicago and Austin.

Availa Bank in Carroll, Iowa, and First American Bank in Fort Dodge, Iowa, have entered into a purchase and assumption agreement. Availa will purchase three branch locations in western & central Iowa from First American Bank. The branch offices to be purchased include Ames, Ankeny, and Sioux City. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the second quarter 2019.

At the close of the transaction all existing Continued on next page.

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

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REGIONAL LANDSCAPES Continued from preceding page. employees of the acquired branches are expected to join the Availa team, including David Hagen from the Ames office and Lawrence Jensen in Sioux City.

Health care notes…

The 16th Annual Wear Yellow Ride, Run & Walk on May 11 at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum raises proceeds for Wear Yellow Nebraska, a cancer fighting and cancer patient assistance program. This event specifically supports the Wear Yellow Cab Ride Program. Registration is available online.

Pottawattamie County Community Foundation awarded $1,000 to Caring for Our Communities, a project of the Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital Foundation. This program assists older adults and their families with purchasing medications and reducing drug costs. Many seniors require multiple medications for chronic conditions and face heavy economic burdens associated with health care.

Due to cost concerns, these patients tend to take less of their medication than has been prescribed. This is where Caring for Our Community can provide some assistance.

Denver-based NexCore Group, a national health care real estate developer, broke ground on the new CHI Health Clinic in Millard. The clinic, being developed at 5005 S. 153rd Street, is designed to provide the convenience of a one-stop outpatient experience. The new 38,700-square-foot facility will also double the size of the existing clinic on the site. It will include primary care, OB/GYN, specialty care, behavioral health, diabetic education, imaging, lab, physical rehabilitation, and a time-share space. The clinic is expected to open in summer 2020.

Education notes…

Students from Metropolitan Community College took home medals in a variety of categories at the annual Nebraska SkillsUSA State Leadership Conference. Categories MCC students placed in include: Audio Radio Production, Automotive Refinishing Technology, Automotive Service Technology, Chapter Display, CNC Milling Specialist, Collision Repair Technology, Diesel Equipment Technology, Digital Cinema Production, Electrical Construction Wiring, Firefighting, HVAC, Photography, Plumbing, Prepared Speech, Television, Video Production, Welding, Welding Fabrication and Welding Sculpture.

For the eleventh straight year, Creighton University has received recognition as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for the University’s commitment to effective urban forest management.

Creighton is home to more than 1,000 trees and 100 different species across campus.

Creighton University achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA’s five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning project.

Activities of nonprofits…

The Women’s Center for Advancement is celebrating its one-year anniversary of its 1301 Harney Street office with a talk by Sister Lucy and Celeste Butler.

The event is on May 4 from 2 p.m. to

4 p.m. Lucy is the founder and director for Maher in India. Maher, meaning My Mother’s Home, is an inter-faith, caste-free organization providing shelter and support to destitute women and children in India.

Celeste Butler is the guest artist. Butler has worked on several community engaged art projects with residents celebrating the pride and culture of north Omaha, collaboration with mothers who have lost their children to violence, and in-school artist in-residence.

OCI will team up with the Lane Thomas Foundation to host the second annual Lanes for Lane fundraiser on May 9 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Mark Bowling & Entertainment Center in Elkhorn. All proceeds will benefit the Lane Thomas Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants being treated at Omaha’s Children’s Hospital or Nebraska Medicine. The registration cost for a team of six is $150. Registration is available online.

Omaha Girls Rock will hold a benefit concert, We’re the Girls of Omaha, on May 11 at O’Leaver’s. A variety of women-led musical acts will perform from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the outdoor area at O’Leaver’s. The benefit is family-friendly and for all ages, and there is a $10 suggested donation upon entry. Felicia Webster will emcee the event, which will feature performances by Flora and Grace, Virginia Kathryn, Cat Beret, Bathtub Maria, Annie Dilocker, Enjoli & Timeless, and Jocelyn.

Raffle items are from Keep Calm Custom Guitars, the Union for Contemporary Art, Zinefest, Liquid Courage, Omaha Girls Rock, KJ Beauty and SarahKat Designs.

The Child Saving Institute will present its biggest fundraiser of the year — Cabaret 2019 — on May 11 at 6 p.m. at the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District, featuring the return of comedian Jeff Dye. Tickets and tables are available the evening, which includes cocktails, dinner, and Dye’s show. Tickets are $175 per person. Funds raised from the evening support CSI’s programs, including parenting workshops, an emergency shelter for youth, therapy, older child adoption, foster care, and developmental early childhood education.

Midlands Community Foundation has awarded grants totaling $93,250 to nonprofit organizations serving Sarpy and Cass counties including: Bellaire Elementary PTA, Bellevue American Legion Post 339, Bellevue Ministerial Association Food Pantry, CHI Health Midlands Hospital, The Durham Museum, Fontenelle Forest, Food Bank for the Heartland, HEALing Embrace Fund, Inclusive Communities, Joslyn Art Museum, Keipos, Inc., Lift Up Sarpy County, Little Giants Foundation Fund, Mercy Housing Midwest, Merrymakers Association, Omaha Conservatory of Music, Omaha Symphony, St. Matthew the Evangelist School, Sarpy County Historical Society, Share A Fare, Inc., Smart Girl Society, Inc., Tri City Food Pantry and Village of Manley.

In March, 26 SpartanNash stores teamed up with store guests to support local Salvation Army relief efforts and assist those who have come under extreme flooding due to the declared natural disaster. One hundred percent of every dollar raised by

store guests went directly to the Salvation Army Western Division, with SpartanNash matching donations up to $12,000. In total, $115,027 was raised.

U.S. Cellular has made a $25,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands to provide K-12 STEM opportunities to youth for the fifth consecutive year. This is part of a $1 million donation to clubs across the country. With a particular focus on STEM programming and learning, U.S. Cellular’s charitable efforts have funded more than 50 Boys & Girls Clubs after school and academic enrichment programs for the last five years. During the “Month of Giving,” U.S. Cellular associates will celebrate National Volunteer Month in April by taking part in volunteer opportunities. Employees will help youth learn more about STEM-focused careers and professions through hands-on sessions and demonstrations.

The fourth beer in Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and Zipline Brewing Co.’s Zoo Brew Series will hit stores and Zipline tasting rooms. Snow Leopard Wit is the final beer to be sold as part of the introductory series. Through the use of traditional ingredients (bitter orange peel, chamomile and coriander), Snow Leopard Wit combines floral and spice aromas with bright citrus to create delicately balanced wheat ale. Proceeds generated from Snow Leopard Wit will directly support the zoo’s conservation efforts to help Mongolia’s population of snow leopards, an endangered species to be part of Asian Highlands opening at the zoo in May. Specifically, proceeds from the brew will help support the development of snow leopard protected areas to reduce poaching, mining and unsustainable land development.

Arts and events…

Children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities will benefit from “Hats Off to ACN,” the 2019 Autism Center of Nebraska Gala. Scheduled for May 4 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at ACN’s event center, 9012 Q St., the gala will include a cocktail hour, dinner, silent auction, live auction and a talk by Howard Needelman, M.D. Gala highlights also will include presentation of the John T. Clark Memorial Award and Employer Partnership Awards. Gala proceeds will support Autism Center programs including community-based living options, vocational day services and The Art Garden, a unique gallery featuring work by ACN artisans.

On May 8, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., DIBS for Kids will host its first Not a Book Drive, a DIBS Drive at Infusion Brewing Company in Benson. Attendees who visit DIBS for Kids at Infusion will experience an exclusive DIBS video premiere, silent auction, and happy hour prices throughout the event. All proceeds go directly toward empowering Omaha teachers to get students excited for in-home reading.

Sip Nebraska returns to Eugene T. Mahoney State Park on May 10-11.

Guests are invited to taste over 120 types of Nebraska wines, craft beers and distilled spirits from 26 Nebraska based beverage vendors. The festival includes local bands, shopping at over 20 artisan and food vendors, blind tasting competitions, salsa and line dancing lessons, educational sessions,

lawn games, fire pits, trolley tours and more. A Warmer Day will be joining in the festivities. A Warmer Day’s mission is to provide coats and winter apparel to underprivileged children and families. The organization will be accepting gently used winter apparel. Guests will receive one raffle ticket per item donated, for a chance to win giveaways.

Acton Academy is hosting the Omaha Acton Children’s Business Fair, a culminating event showcasing the businesses of 80 children ages five through 16 on May 11 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at KANEKO. A panel of local entrepreneurs including Willy Thiessen (Godfather’s), Todd Johnson (Gallup) and Shonna Dorsey (Mutual of Omaha) will judge the businesses and award winners in various categories at the end of the event.

Back by popular demand for the 14th year, AARP Nebraska Information Center volunteers will host a free community-shredding day in Omaha on May 11 at The Center Mall on 42nd and Center streets. To ease the check-in process, people are encouraged to register in advance online. At the event, AARP volunteers will also collect non-perishable food donations for the Stephen Center, especially coffee, coffee filters, sugar and creamer.

MEETINGS AND SEMINARS Tuesday, May 7 The Annual Public Relations Dinner and CPE Event will be held at the Omaha Country Club. There will be two CPE sessions starting at 1 p.m. Topics include: accounting standards, cybersecurity, business strategy, coaching. Each course is worth two hours of CPE credit and the cost for both sessions is $50. The sessions will be followed by a cocktail hour and a sit down dinner. The guest speaker for the dinner is Susan Koenig, a professional coach. Registration for the courses and tickets for the dinner are available online.

Thursday, May 9 The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City is hosting a Nebraska Economic Forum at the Embassy Suites La Vista Conference Center from noon to 1:15 p.m.

The forum will feature an update on the U.S. economy and monetary policy from Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Esther George, who is a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee this year. Omaha Branch Executive Nathan Kauffman will provide an update on Nebraska’s economy.

The Human Resource Association of the Midlands will host its May FAMA Program at First State Bank & Trust in Fremont. Kelli Lieurance with Baird Holm will present on “Twerminates, Facebagged and NetWORKed: Social Media, Technology, and the Law.” With the continuing expansion of technology, employers face unique challenges to assure their policies and procedures are both legally compliant and help minimize legal liability. This presentation will highlight some of the developing legal issues surrounding Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn use in (and out of) the workplace, and will include a practical discussion of what you can and cannot do in terms of regulating employee social media use.

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Latest trends in MBA degrees: Shorter duration, more specialized and you can get one at Vanguard

by Daphne Zhang

On a chilly evening Vanguard employees in Malvern, Pa., walked to a nearby building to take the full-time MBA class offered by Drexel’s LeBow College of Business.

Men and woman in their 20s to their 40s come to class for three hours, twice a week, all on the company’s dime. Apart from the Vanguard employees on site, some dial in from Education all around the country, including Arizona and North Carolina, and even internationally from Australia or London.

This is an industry MBA program custom designed by Drexel specifically for Vanguard employees. Since 2014, about 100 employees have graduated with Drexel MBAs. Each cohort has 30 students and lasts 27 months.

Students said time management remains a challenge. But the work location is convenient.

“Vanguard and Drexel have created a good and seamless transition for us with the satellite campus and flexible working schedules,” said Emily Magee, education consulting services manager at Vanguard. “The peer group has positively impacted me the most.

We’ve been able to discuss course-related and work-related topics, sometimes, simultaneously, allowing us to strengthen our performance at school and work.”

With applications falling nationwide by 7 percent, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council, business schools have sought to innovate by offering more online and part-time MBAs, as well as specialized degrees such as a master’s in business analytics, finance and management. They’re also giving more waivers for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).

One strategy is to work closely with industries and tailor specialized programs for specific groups and companies.

“For schools that are more regional, they are searching for new and differentiated props, advantages of geographical location, or special ties to some industries,” said Eliot Ingram, CEO of Philadelphia-based Clear Admit, which advises MBA applicants on admissions. “Each tries to find a niche.”

St Joseph University’s, with 70,000 alumni nationwide, also offers customized MBA models, said Christine Anderson, the school’s associate director of graduate business programs. Groups ask for customized programs in pharmaceuticals, food, health care, and finance. And these programs are also available for all students.

Building specialized programs is a key feature of Drexel’s business school, said Vibhas Madan, senior associate dean of academic programs, who teaches the school’s Vanguard program. “The only way we are going to succeed is to build stronger ties with the industry.”

So Drexel is talking with other companies to open more industry MBA programs.

LeBow currently offers a certificate program for Wawa employees, and has worked with Campbell Soup and Independence Blue Cross.

The Vanguard Drexel MBA is 70 percent to 80 percent built by Drexel, with 20 percent to 30 percent influence from Vanguard, based on what the company wants its employees to learn.

The company tracks the effects, said

Kathy Himsworth, head of talent development at Vanguard. “This program has been a lever in both their performance and potential in the long term.” She added that students expect to be promoted and assume more responsibility after graduating.

Each year, the 30 employees selected from 120 applicants company-wide usually come from the manager’s level. Applicants need not take the GMAT, but must have at least five years of outstanding work experience with Vanguard.

The Drexel MBA also helps with employee retention, Himsworth said. Graduates need to commit to Vanguard for two years after graduation.

“It’s making me a more effective leader,” said Jan Kargulewicz, a compliance manager at Vanguard. “I’m learning so much from my peers, as much from them as I am from the coursework. And I’m building a very effective and global network.”

MBA degrees are changing The traditional two-year MBA program has been shrinking across the United States.

Several schools, including the University of Iowa, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech, closed their two-year full-time programs in recent years.

Last year, even elite business schools such as Harvard Business School and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School have seen applications fall by at least half, according to recent GMAC data.

Experts said that there are several factors at work. One is that the number of international applicants to U.S. schools fell in recent years because of worries about obtaining work visas and rising competition from

schools in Canada, Europe, and Asia.

The opportunity cost of quitting a job for two years in a strong economy and tight labor market is also higher than in a recession.

Finally, in an era of innovation, millennial applicants want something quicker and more specialized. All this bodes poorly for the traditional two-year MBA. Rise of online MBA degrees Although there has been a rise in nonfull-time programs, including the executive and part time MBAs, the online MBA is by far the most popular and is gaining recruiter recognition, administrators said. Innovations have enabled online MBA programs to offer higher-quality education.

Elite schools have also begun offering online programs. The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business has recently advertised a fully credentialed online program, while Harvard Business School offers an online program in statistics.

Penn State’s Smeal College of Business and the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business are also encouraging students to choose electives online.

Online students typically need to go to campus two or three times during the program for orientation, graduation, and undertake a one-week international travel business project.

Online MBA programs have been leading regional business schools in enrollment.

Among the 400 MBA students at Drexel, only about 10 percent are full time, said Madan.

Most are online or part time.

The online program at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business has also grown dramatically. It was first offered to a

class of 25 students in 1999. Now the online program takes 350 students in each of three cohorts every year, and is tied for the top spot in the U.S. News rankings.

This year marks “the highest online enrollment we ever had,” said Kelley’s dean Idalene Kesner, although the school’s full-time applications have fallen for the last seven years. Kelley this year has 1,530 online MBA students and 380 full-time MBA students.

Another advantage: Most regional and online schools also have rolling admissions all the time. (Applications remain open for full-time regional MBAs for fall 2019, though not for the top schools.)

The flexibility of online appeals to working parents who are older and have more work experiences.

“For men and women both, the time when you are most likely to have children also often comes at the prime opportunity for career advancement,” said Judy Frels, assistant dean of online programs at Maryland’s business school. “You don’t want to quit your job and go to a full-time program while raising a family.”

Online also avoids commuting and gives students more time to spend with family. Women especially prefer online; they comprise 43 percent of Maryland’s online students, compared to 28 percent of full-timers.

Specialized degrees and certificates Schools have tried to break down the traditional two-year general MBA model into specialized degrees and certificates.

More top schools offer one-year master of Continued on page 12.

Privacy ‘poisoning’ poses threat to companies using blockchain

by Henry Kenyon

A new type of cyberattack that can render blockchain technology unusable may become a major headache for organizations that depend on it.

Known as privacy “poisoning,” the attack involves loading private data, such as names, addresses and credit card numbers, or illegal material, such as child pornography, cybErsEcurity into a blockchain, therefore putting the network in conflict with local laws. The result is that the affected chain with all of its contained data cannot be used unless expensive and time-consuming steps are taken.

Blockchain is a digital ledger of transactions run on a network of computers with no centralized governing or regulatory authority.

It’s run by those who use it. The technology is increasingly being explored by banks and financial services firms, governments and startup businesses for its potential to improve the effectiveness of payment systems while cutting costs.

A factor in the rise of blockchain poisoning is the introduction of strong data privacy laws such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, and California’s Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA. Both allow consumers to request that personal data held by a company be deleted or erased.

This is a problem for blockchain systems because they are designed to prevent changes to past transactions, and there is no central authority charged with correcting problems.

So-called public blockchains such as those

that underpin cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ether are most at risk because anyone can participate. Participants in private blockchains must be invited and validated by the network starter.

Bart Willemsen, an analyst with research firm Gartner Inc., said the one-two punch of privacy poisoning and privacy laws will hit public blockchains especially hard.

Willemsen estimated that by 2022, three out of four public blockchains will suffer privacy poisoning — inserted personal data that renders the blockchain noncompliant with privacy laws. Businesses wanting to implement the technology must determine if any of the data being used falls under privacy laws, he said in an interview.

Under GDPR, individual privacy rights include the “right to be forgotten,” which means that any personal data appearing publicly would have to be deleted.

“Organizations that implement blockchain systems without managing privacy issues by design will run the risk of storing personal data that can’t be deleted without compromising chain integrity,” according to a Gartner report.

Willemsen cited a story, which he admitted may be apocryphal, of a meeting by the European Commission where a participant paid for a pizza in bitcoin and the recipients thought it would be funny to immortalize the moment by putting their names in text fields that can be written into the bitcoin blockchain.

“You would indeed always be remembered, and therein exactly lies the problem,” Willemsen said.

These text fields in public blockchains are indelible. Willemsen noted that what constitutes personal information covers many things, from names to unique references that can be traced back to an individual.

Willemsen said Gartner clients have had similar problems, though he declined to discuss the circumstances, citing confidentiality agreements.

Indelible vs. erasableIn addition to the California law, similar legislation, with strong consumer privacy protections, is pending in New York, New Jersey and Washington.

Businesses seeking to use blockchain as a secure solution may want to rethink, said Jenny Leung, a lawyer with Blakemore, Fallon, Garcia, Rosini & Russo in New York.

She noted that on Jan. 1, 2020, the CCPA will give California consumers the “right to erasure” which is similar to the GDPR’s right to be forgotten, in that it allows people to request companies to delete any personal data they have stored. But information stored on a blockchain can’t be erased, which can get companies into trouble with the law if they’ve launched or organized the blockchain-based service, she said.

The only way to delete the data may be through an elaborate “reforking” process, which moves the entire network to a new set of data and invalidates the old set.

Private blockchains are slightly more resistant to privacy poisoning, although it can occur. In those cases, any companies that are still connected to the ledger can force all the participants to join in a “hard fork” to erase Continued on next page.

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

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Muslim employees say they increasingly face bias in the workplace

by Niraj Warikoo

In Troy, Mich., a 25-year-old employee at an aerospace testing company who is Muslim says he was disparaged and mocked with pork products after his supervisor found out he was Muslim.

WorkplacE In Taylor, Mich., a Muslim worker said he was belittled and then fired after his employer found out about his faith and asked him why he didn’t celebrate Christmas.

And in Hazel Park, Mich., several Muslim employees at an auto battery plant said SUPER CROSSWORD

they had to sit through racist training for active shooter incidents that depicted Muslims and Arabs in demeaning ways, associating their faith with terrorism.

The three recent allegations of racism are examples of what civil rights advocates say is a growing number of workplace discrimination incidents in metro Detroit faced by Muslims. The Michigan office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said it has received one and a half times more complaints about workplace discrimination in the first quarter of 2019 compared with 10 CELEBRITIES TURNING 90

the first quarter of 2018. Overall complaints about anti-Muslim bias in Michigan has risen 50 percent during that time period, the advocacy group said.

They said the problem is being exacerbated by a political climate where anti-Muslim sentiment is more accepted among politicians.

On Tuesday, three employees spoke about their allegations of facing anti-Muslim bias at the LG Electronics auto battery plant in Hazel Park. They held a news conference in Farmington Hills organized by the Michigan chapter of CAIR. In complaints filed Tuesday with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), five workers allege that the company held active shooter and terrorist attack training on April 11 that depicted Muslims and Islamic prayers as supporting terrorism. A spokesperson for LG told the Free Press on Tuesday that the training was a mistake for which they apologize.

“The entirety of the presentation was racially and religiously offensive … because it was filled with disparaging, prejudicial, Islamophobic, xenophobic, racial and religious tropes,” said an EEOC complaint filed by Amy Doukoure, an attorney with the Michigan chapter CAIR on behalf of LG employee Hany Zaki, 39, of Roseville, an immigrant from Egypt who is Muslim.

The presentation “showed pictures of Muslims wearing traditional Muslim clothing under the heading of ‘terrorism,’ ” said the complaint. It also “showed images of Arabic script with English transliterations of the words ‘Allah Akbar’ and ‘La Illaha IllahAllah’ without giving the meaning of these words, while stating that terrorists will say both of those Arabic phrases while committing an attack.”

“Allah Akbar” means “God is great” and “La Illaha IllahAllah” means “There is

no god, but God,” which are two commonly used phrases by Muslims for prayers.

Zaki said that after the presentation he felt concerned that other employees would have negative views of him.

“I felt after this, I have to talk to everyone in the room and say, ‘Hey, we’re not terrorists,’” Zaki said at the news conference.

“We are not like” the people depicted in the presentation.

Phrases like “Allah Akbar” are “part of our religion,” he said.

Another LG employee, Maged Mousa, 40, of Dearborn Heights, Mich., a Muslim immigrant from Egypt, said that after the training, “I felt embarrassed, I felt, how can I walk in the place after that because I [would be] looked at as being a terrorist. … That’s my prayer, I do it every day.”

Another employee, Juma Sayeed, 35, of Detroit said he suffered discrimination at LG because he is African American and Muslim.

Black workers at the plant are segregated into certain areas, said Doukoure.

The Muslim employees also said they’ve received smaller pay raises compared with other employees.

In response, Taryn Brucia, a spokesperson for LG Electronics USA, said in a statement: “It has come to our attention that some content in recent safety training sessions in Hazel Park was not appropriate or at all reflective of LG’s commitment to providing a work environment where all employees feel respected. This was a mistake for which we sincerely apologize. We appreciate our employees bringing this to our attention, and we share their concerns. These training materials were developed overseas without an understanding of cultural sensitivities and policies, and are being updated immediately to reflect consistency with Continued on page 13.

Threat to companies using blockchain

Answers on page 12.

Continued from preceding page. the offending data. Or private blockchains can force all them to stop operating or destroy all copies of private keys to render the encrypted data permanently inaccessible, Leung said.

This process becomes too expensive and complicated for public blockchains, she said. It might take hundreds of millions of dollars to rent enough crypto-mining equipment to alter the network or orchestrate a hard fork by convincing the majority to move to a new chain that doesn’t contain the affected data.

“It’s not something you want to do every time you want to delete something,” Leung said. “It’s costly and time-consuming.”

Besides malicious attacks, Willemsen noted that many instances will most likely be caused by human error and bad process design. It doesn’t matter under the GDPR if a blockchain exposed personal data innocently through an error, he said.

Once privacy poisoning becomes more widespread, Willemsen said he expects several things to happen. The first is that people will continue to disregard privacy practices the same way they do for other types of cybersecurity. Automated hacking tools may emerge from certain online communities to target exposed public blockchains or to render competitors’ systems useless, he said.

Companies interested in using a public ledger may want to opt for private blockchains, said Randi Eitzman, senior threat pursuit analyst with FireEye iSIGHT Intelligence, a cybersecurity threat research and analysis service.

Blockchains are ultimately “just costly centralized data storage,” Eitzman said in an emailed response to questions. “Firms looking for secure data storage might avoid using them depending on their cost-benefit analysis, but a simple solution would be to avoid storing any sensitive customer information on a blockchain.”

Regarding attacks on public blockchains, Eitzman noted that easy-to-use tools that allow anyone to write and store data on-chain, such as Bitstagram, a mobile application that lets users upload their smartphone photos to a blockchain, already exist. With such tools, it wouldn’t take much for someone to upload illegal content, she said.

“The benefit of a public ledger is that all transactions are easily viewable and can be tracked,” she said. “Anyone who stores sensitive or illegal content on-chain is doing so at their own risk.” ©2019 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Can a computer write a script? Machine learning goes Hollywood

by Wendy Lee

Award-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald has directed many movies, including the drama “The Last King of Scotland” and thriller “State of Play.” But last year was the first time Macdonald worked with a script written by a machine. trEnds Macdonald directed a 60-second Lexus sedan commercial using artificial intelligence that relied on tech giant IBM’s platform, Watson. The computer produced a script featuring a sentient-like Lexus ES that hits the open road, whizzing by stunning vistas of shoreline and forests before saving itself from a dramatic crash.

“I thought this was something amazing that had all these ambiguities in it and strangeness in it,” Macdonald said. “It’s only a matter of time where the formula of what makes up a great story, a great character can be learned by a computer.”

It may sound like science fiction, but the idea of using computers to help write scripts and other tasks is gaining serious traction in Hollywood. Machine learning — where computers use algorithms to sift through large amounts of data and often make rec-

ommendations — is infiltrating all corners of the industry. Entertainment companies are using the technology to color-correct scenes, identify popular themes in book adaptations and craft successful marketing campaigns. Even talent agencies are harnessing the technology for suggestions on how to market their stars.

“These are tools that enable us to make smarter decisions,” said Kenneth Williams, executive director of the Entertainment Technology Center at USC. Unlike many Silicon Valley tech companies such as Netflix or Google, Hollywood studios have been slow to embrace artificial intelligence and machine learning, at least off screen. Cautionary tales of machines taking over abound. Think of Hal in the 1968 film classic “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

“You have this sort of Armageddon type of response to the Orwellian implications of computers ruling the world,” Williams said. “People get very fearful of any kind of automation, especially artificial intelligence.”

But attitudes are shifting — and for good reason. It can be hard for a team of humans to sort through overwhelming amounts of information, such as audience surveys and critical

Latest trends in MBA degrees: Get one at Vanguard Continued from page 10. science degrees in finance, digital marketing, supply chain, and especially business analytics, a hot area.

“We are seeing more people saying, ‘Instead of doing a two-year general degree, why don’t I do a one-year specialized business degree?’” noted Michael Waldhier, Penn State’s director of MBA admissions.

These degrees generate more revenue for schools because they may be already offering the same classes for MBA students. Schools often employ adjuncts or pre-doctoral lecturers, who are cheaper than tenured professors.

Schools are also offering certificate programs to give students a taste of the coursework and let them decide later if they want to pursue a full degree.

Last August, Maryland launched what it calls a micro-masters program covering 25 percent of its online MBA. Students can choose to extend it to a full-time MBA once they finish. “The world changed. People want to learn at their timetable, at their pace,” said Frels, at Maryland. “They want stackable credits and smaller chunks of education. They want to learn what they can apply tomorrow.”

GMAT waivers GMAT testing has dropped in recent years, because fewer schools demand it.

More schools are accepting Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or are offering GMAT waivers once students meet certain requirements.

“Schools are very aware that a test is an impediment to getting some people to apply.

So if they were to eliminate that, they would get more applicants,” said Ingram of Clear Admit.

University of North Carolina’s online MBA, also ranked No. 1 by U.S. News this year, waives the GMAT/ GRE requirement for candidates who have worked full time for six years. Applicants who have worked less than that can apply for GMAT waivers.

“There is very little correlation with GMAT scores in terms of success of a working professional student,” said Melissa

Hlavac, UNC’s managing director of MBA programs.

Drexel also offers GMAT waivers “just to be competitive,” Madan said. The school uses the GMAT to screen more international students whose schools may have had a different grading system from those in the U.S. On its website, the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics says it offers waivers to MBA applicants with four years of progressive work experience, or if they have a 2.8 college GPA, received a B on college introductory math, and have good writing skills.

If a student earns higher than a 600 on the GMAT, Delaware waives the application fee.

Why get an MBA Unlike law or medical school, people do not need a license to do business or have a career. So is a degree worth it?

Some applicants believe that only a handful of elite schools, such as Harvard, Wharton, and Stanford, are worth the opportunity cost of stepping away from a career.

Better undergraduate business programs afford another reason to skip the graduate degree.

But there is still value in a full-time MBA since it delivers education and a network, experts said.

“For students who want to switch industry or career path, they will want to go back to a full-time program, immerse themselves for hands-on coaching, and the summer internship in between years is great for them to find that career path,” Indiana University’s Kesner said.

And for people who enjoy working at their company but want to break through the ceiling, online and part-time programs are great ways to progress.

Like their students, schools “have to continuously and constantly innovate,” Kesner added. “If you rest on the old program, it will be almost impossible to attract students.” ©2019 Philly.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

reviews, to understand just what makes a commercial or movie a hit. Feeding all of that information into a machine equipped with artificial intelligence — and programmed with a huge database of successes — can yield surprisingly prescient suggestions.

Ask the computer to analyze a plodding script, and the computer might ask: “Where’s your chase scene? Why is your dialogue so superficial? Why are there too few women on screen?” After all, if IBM can make a computer that defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov, why can’t it be a critic?

Machine learning can provide a treasure trove of data on why certain movies or TV shows work and why others fail. The Entertainment Technology Center last year presented analysis showing correlations between a movie’s story structure and how well it performed worldwide at the box office. For example, films that led with action sequences, like the robbery in 2008’s “The Dark Knight” or a battle in 2010’s “How To Train Your Dragon,” did more than 13 times better at the box office on average than films that started with memory sequences.

“We’re not telling anyone what to make,” Williams said. “Maybe we’re saying there is a smaller audience statistically for this kind of movie and if you want to make this movie, maybe make it a little less expensively.”

To create its commercial, Lexus worked with several companies, including creative agency The&Partnership and marketing technology services firm Visual Voice, whose artificial intelligence platform was supported

by IBM Watson. The artificial intelligence was fed 15 years worth of award-winning car and luxury products ads as well as consumer insights data.

This helped the machine identify what would resonate with consumers, which the artificial intelligence interpreted to mean limited dialogue and a handful of visually appealing scenes, including a winding road that showed water on one side and trees on the other. It took location scouts two to three weeks to find such a road in Romania.

“We wanted to create something memorable,” said Michael Tripp, general manager of brand communications at Lexus Europe.

“I believe there is a strong emotional connection with the ad because of the way it was scripted.”

Lexus said the ad, which appeared on YouTube and other social media sites in November, helped to boost sales of the luxury sedan in Europe 35 percent higher than its goal.

It wasn’t the first entertainment project for Watson.

The computer was also used in 2016 to scour 100 horror movie trailers to determine what makes them effective. It used that knowledge to create a trailer for 20th Century Fox’s horror film “Morgan” by selecting different clips from the movie.

“Together man and machine create a better product,” said Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, chief marketing officer for IBM’s Watson.

Fox also partnered with Google Cloud, the tech giant’s division that sells cloud computing services, to analyze movie trailers.

For example, the companies used software to identify different aspects in the trailer for the 2017 Fox action movie “Logan,” factoring in such images as the Marvel Comics hero’s facial hair. Then it examined other movie trailers on YouTube with similar Continued on page 22.

SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS

Puzzle on page 11.

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

13

Company exec says the best way to change the lives of those with disabilities is to hire them

by Ronnie Polaneczky

On April 30, Mike Mitchell, vice chairman of the Graham Company insurance brokerage, convened a summit of business leaders in the Philadelphia region and urge them to hire people with intellectual and developmental disWorkplacE abilities (IDD).

His motivation is deeply personal, and startling: Mitchell was born the middle child of five siblings; his four brothers and sisters were profoundly disabled, unable to speak or walk on their own. All were institutionalized at the notorious, now-shuttered Pennhurst State School and Hospital in Spring City, Pa., where three died before they reached their

teens (the fourth passed away 12 years ago at age 48).

“My parents and I visited them at Pennhurst every other weekend,” says Mitchell.

“They lived in a gigantic room that was literally half the size of a football field. Men, women, and children were kept in these cages, just existing. Some were dressed, some weren’t.

“It felt normal,” he says. “I was a kid – it was all I knew. My parents never talked about it. They would introduce me to people as an only child, so that’s what I’d say I was.

But as I got older, I said, ‘I’m not an only child. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. No one did anything wrong.’ ” We’ve come a long way since those dark

days of mass segregation, misunderstanding, and neglect. The term IDD is now seen as an umbrella term encompassing many levels of function. As advocates like to say “Once you’ve met a person with an IDD, you’ve met one person with an IDD.” Our workplaces, however, still don’t reflect the neurodiversity of the IDD population. More than 85 percent do not have paid work in the community, even though talent and ability are as variable in those with IDD as they are in the general population.

When they do secure jobs, though, individuals with IDD often make fans of their bosses, according to a study by The Institute for Corporate Productivity.

These tech companies want to use AI to make you lunch at work

by Leonardo Castañeda

The next frontier in automated food could be coming to an office kitchen near you, complete with big, salad-making robots.

Relying on AI to make on-demand lunches at work could provide employees with more healthy options tEchnology while cutting down on the time they spend away from their desks searching for food, say two companies at the forefront of the work lunch frontier.

Byte Foods provides an automated, refrigerator-like store where employees can buy prepared meals from third party restaurants and food vendors. Chowbotics offers a robotic chef-in-a-box that prepares salads on demand. Along with firms working on self-driving cars that can carry dozens of grocery bags to knee-high food bots that navigate sidewalks to deliver meals, the two Bay Area companies were on hand at ArticulAte, a food robotics summit in San Francisco hosted by Smart Kitchen Summit and The Spoon.

“It’s like a mini-Whole Foods for your office,” Lee Mokri, founder and VP of sales for Byte, said in an interview. “You’ll see Blue Bottle iced coffee in there, you’ll see Urban Remedy salads and wraps and Kombucha and parfaits.”

For those food companies, offices are a huge untapped market, Mokri said.

“You’ve got this captive group of customers. You know they’re going to be there every day. You know what they want to eat.

You can market to them directly,” he said.

“You are inserting your brand into their lives rather than asking them to take time out of their day to go to your store.”

Unlike a traditional vending machine where the vendor pays the office to set up their machine, companies ranging from Apple, Google and Amazon to smaller nonprofits and law firms pay Byte to install its fridges in their offices, Mokri said. Employees can then just swipe their credit cards and open the fridge door.

“You treat it like a normal retail experience where you can pick things up, you can put them back, take multiple things at the same time,” he said. When you close the door, the device figures out what you took and charges you for it.

If Byte is bringing a grocery store to the office kitchen, Chowbotics wants to bring a salad bar with a chef. Through Sally, their robotic chef-in-a-box, customers can order custom salads, prepared in the moment.

Deepak Sekar, founder and CEO of the

Redwood City-based Chowbotics, said salads are a healthy option for employees that also cut down on the time workers might spend going out.

Chowbotics doesn’t directly operate the roughly 50 machines it has in about 30 locations in the US and Europe. Instead, Chowbotics sells the machine, which costs about $30,000, and the new owner maintains it and makes sure it’s stocked with ingredients, Sekar said.

“We want to create an Apple experience,” he said, where clients can take their Sally out of the box, plug it in and start selling salads without any training or help from Chowbotics. Speaking after his presentation, Sekar said the cost savings from automation allows Sally’s operators to sell salads for as little as $4 and still make a profit.

Byte doesn’t prepare any of the food it sells, but Mokri said they can use customer data to see what kinds of products make the most sense in each location. For example, he said, Tesla has Byte machines in its factory for manufacturing employees.

“They’re looking for high protein, affordable sandwiches and denser entrees,” Mokri said. “Whereas a small law firm or ad agency may be looking for salads and green drinks

and that type of thing.”

The company can even see which products are about to expire and send targeted ads to customers it knows like those sandwiches or drinks. Mokri said San Rafael-based Byte now has more than 500 fridges in the Bay Area and though they get a fee from those locations, the primary revenue source is the products sold in the fridges.

Both Byte and Chowbotics also have devices outside of offices, in airports, hospitals and college campuses — places with captive audiences. Although those locations tend to be secure, Sekar said there are challenges. In France, he said, students hacked one of the salad machines and used it to display adult images. At another company office, Chowbotics noticed the machine kept shutting off during the day.

“The employees had a habit of unplugging the machine from the socket,” he said.

They were using the socket to plug in their laptops.

Sally was updated, he said, to make the robot harder to unplug. ©2019 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

More than three-quarters of employers surveyed ranked their employees with IDD as “good” or “very good” on work quality, motivation, engagement, integration with coworkers, dependability, and attendance.

“The positive impact on the workforce is brought about in two ways: hiring individuals with IDD adds highly motivated people to the workforce (which can lead to increased productivity), and it promotes an inclusive culture that appeals to the talent pool organizations want to attract,” reads the study. “The improved customer satisfaction realized can lead to better sales and customer retention. The enhanced employer brand can translate to a better image in the community.”

Mitchell hoped to bring these points home at the “Leaders Embrace Neurodiverse Talent” program he hosted on April 30 at The Union League in Philadelphia.

Drexel University President John Fry moderated a discussion with heavy-hitting panelists Ryan Hammond, executive director of the Eagles Autism Challenge; Daniel Hilferty, CEO of Independence Health Group; Jose Velasco, head of the Autism at Work program at SAP; Amanda Radcliffe, co-owner of Vertex Inc.; and Jay Culotta, treasurer of Wawa.

Special guests included Matt Norman, a Vertex employee who has autism, who will talk about how having a job has changed his life; and Graham Company employee Thomasina Justice, who is intellectually disabled and beloved by her 190 coworkers for her enthusiasm, work ethic, and perseverance.

Business leaders, says Mitchell, have a civic duty to hire people with IDD. “This isn’t about giving a handout to someone too lazy to get a job,” he says.

“This is about a real need — and a way to fix a problem, change a life, and change a company for the better.” ©2019 Philly.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Muslim employees say they increasingly face bias in the workplace Continued from page 11. our company policy.”

Brucia added that “LG policies strictly prohibit any religious or racial discrimination and forbid creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.”

Dawud Walid, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that there has been an upswing in bias incidents against Muslims because of the tone coming from President Donald Trump.

“Open intolerance has become normal,” Walid said. There is a “growing climate in America of people espousing openly racist attitudes as well as xenophobia and Islamophobia. And this starts at the Oval Office and permeates its way down even into corporate America.”

In the Troy case, Mubarak Ali Salam of Hamtramck said in an EEOC complaint filed this month that he faced anti-Muslim and anti-black bigotry while working at X-Ray Industries (XRI) in Troy.

X-Ray Industries did not return a phone call or email seeking comment.

“Salam began working for XRI on October 22, 2018 and was almost immediately

subjected to discrimination, harassment and disparate treatment based both on his race and religion,” reads the complaint.

A supervisor told Salam shortly after he was hired “that he had a very unusual name and asked him what kind of name it was.

Salam responded that it was a Muslim name.

From that day forward, and without pause, Salam has been subjected to harassment and anti-Muslim bigotry in the workplace from coworkers and upper level management.”

Salam said he was taunted several times by supervisors or co-workers with bacon and pork rinds, according to the complaint.

Observant Muslims don’t eat pork products.

In one incident, a supervisor “came up behind Salam while Salam was working in an enclosed area … carrying a bag of pork rinds and eating from them while on the job.”

The supervisor “then proceeded to shake the pork rinds in the direction of Salam andstate to him, ‘I’ve got some pork rinds for you,’ and then began laughing at Salam,” said the complaint.

“This incident of harassment by his direct supervisor was so upsetting that Salam left work for the day,” said the complaint.

In another case, bacon was placed in a sandwich he had ordered along with other co-workers, alleged the EEOC complaint.

Salam said he was also recently passed over for a job promotion despite being more qualified.

“It’s a huge problem,” said Doukoure of bias against Muslims in workplaces.

Doukoure said she’s also receiving complaints from Muslim women at work who wear the hijab and are facing discriminatory treatment. Other Muslims are being denied break time to pray.

She said that after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, anti-Muslim incidents spiked, but then decreased. Now, they’re increasing again, she said.

“The overall political climate is really, really anti-Muslim,” Doukoure said. “Coming from all facets of media, social media, the White House. It’s not coincidence that people are emboldened to behave in this illegal and inappropriate way because people in the top levels of political power are doing it.” ©2019 Detroit Free Press Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Biden might be the restful candidate voters devoutly desire Three days before Joe Biden dove back into the deep end of the political pool, a rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders (IVt.), said that the terrorist who bombed the 2013 Boston Marathon, as well as everyone else in America’s prisons, should be allowed to vote, lest EORGE the “chipping away” of voting rights leave the country “runILL ning down a slippery slope.”

Such running — to be fair to the faux independent (he caucuses with Senate Democrats; he seeks the Democratic presidential nomination) — does sound dangerous.

Another Biden rival, Sen. Kamala D. Harris (Calif.), utilized the sort of verbal fudge that many Democratic presidential candidates resort to when they are terrified that they might be neglecting to stroke some obscure erogenous zone on the party’s progressive base. She initially said Sanders’s idea should be part of a “conversation,” which is basically what she (and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts) said about “reparations” for slavery.

One or more of Biden’s rivals have endorsed, or at least deemed conversation-worthy, many ideas not uppermost in most voters’ minds: socialism, the Green New Deal, packing the Supreme Court, abolishing ICE and the electoral college, free college, votes for 16-year-olds, Medicare-forall (and private health insurance for no one), etc. Biden’s campaign slogan should be: “How about a president who doesn’t make the current one look less opinion loony than he is?”

The large progressive component of the Democratic nominating electorate, comfortable in its intellectual silo, seems to have convinced itself of this: Because President Trump constantly makes sensible people wince, any Democratic nominee, even one from progressivism’s wilder shores, can win, so no nominee should be (in President John Quincy Adams’s 1825 words) “palsied by the will of our constituents.” (Adams lost the 1828 election to the populist Andrew Jackson, whose portrait adorns the current populist president’s Oval Office.)

Biden has already begun the requisite apology grovel, whereby Democratic aspirants try to make amends for various violations of progressive orthodoxy. For example, in the 1970s, Biden was critical of court-ordered busing of (other people’s) children to schools outside their neighborhoods, supposedly to achieve “desegregation,” but actually to engineer a court-desired racial balance. It would be fun if Biden would (he won’t) sweetly ask his rivals if they favor reviving this policy, which helped Republicans win four of five presidential elections between 1972 and 1988.

Some nondelusional Democrats are thinking, not unreasonably, about how their party might carry Arizona, Georgia and even Texas, which have 11, 16 and 38 electoral votes, respectively. (Trump’s electoral-vote margin was 77.) Arizona has not voted Democratic since 1996, but in 2016 Trump defeated Hillary Clinton more narrowly there (3.5 percentage points) than in Ohio (8.1 points).

Georgia last voted Democratic in 1992, but Trump defeated Clinton much less handily there (5.1 points) than he did in Missouri (18.6 points). Texas last voted Democratic in 1976, but Trump’s margin over Clinton was smaller there (9 points) than in Iowa (9.4 points). So, which Democrat is more likely than Biden to win one or more of those states?

However, first things first: Who is most likely to reacquire the decisive real estate lost in 2016 by a total of 77,744 votes — Wisconsin (22,748), Michigan (10,704) and Pennsylvania (44,292) — out of 13,940,912 votes cast in those states, which have 10, 16 and 20 electoral votes, respectively? Biden, who last lived in Pennsylvania more than half a century ago, has almost worn out the “I am Joe from Scranton” pedal on the organ, but his connection — Delaware is contiguous to Pennsylvania — might be enough to win Pennsylvania, where Trump’s victory

G W

Battle for the soul of the country “A battle for the soul of the country.” That is how Joe Biden described the 2020 election. And he’s right. If Donald Trump is reelected, it will say something profound about the American character.

Voters in 2016 had to choose between two ethically chalINDA lenged candidates: one we knew all too well, Hillary Clinton, HAVEZ and one we knew only from his television persona and performance on the campaign trail, Donald Trump. Clinton won the popular vote, but Trump won enough votes in usually Democratic strongholds of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan to secure the presidency in the Electoral College.

Many who voted for Trump did so reluctantly, hoping he would grow into the job. Even some who did not support Trump in the primaries have been pleased by his policies: conservative judicial nominees, tax cuts, deregulation,

L C

margin was 0.7 percent.

Speaking of first things, Biden’s previous forays into Iowa have been dismal (he withdrew in September 1987; in 2008 he received 0.9 percent of the caucus vote), but as marketers of financial services say, “Past performance is not an indicator of future results.” And perhaps candidate congestion will save the Democrats from themselves: If a dozen or more are auctioning themselves to the incandescent progressives, and Biden can hold, say, 20 percent, this might suffice to get him down the road and into the final four.

Biden, whose smile is Jack Nicholson’s without the naughtiness, is not angry. His sporadic attempts at seeming so are transparently, and engagingly, synthetic. Neither, however, are most Americans angry. Rather, they are embarrassed and exhausted. Biden has a talent for embarrassing himself, but not the nation, and he probably might seem to weary voters to be something devoutly desired: restful.

The Washington Post

opposition to the Iran deal, unqualified support for Israel.

But no one could foresee that Trump would degrade the office of the presidency so thoroughly as he has over the last two years.

If Democrats allow the election to become about the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, free tuition for everyone and identity politics, they will lose. To date, most of the Democratic candidates seem intent on following this path.

The televised forums featuring each of the 19 candidates (Biden’s entry will make it 20) have been exercises in either pandering or obfuscating. Candidates have walked back their own records in order to appear more “progressive” and made appeals to voters as if everyone voted their skin color and their sex. This approach has been exactly what landed Trump in the Oval Office. Biden has the chance to change these dynamics, but it is unclear opinion whether he will — and just as important, whether the party is so focused on progressive shibboleths that it turns off the very voters it must win in the general election.

Biden’s announcement video, a bare three minutes long, defined the man and the stakes in the election. “If we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation — who we are — and I cannot stand by and watch that happen,” Biden said. “The core values of this nation, our standing in the world, our very democracy, everything that has made America America is at stake.”

In any other election, these statements might seem like hyperbole, but not this time. America, Biden said, is “an idea that’s stronger than any army, bigger than any ocean, more powerful than any dictator or tyrant. It gives hope to the most desperate people on Earth. It guarantees that everyone is treated with dignity and gives hate no safe harbor. It instills in every person in this country the belief that no matter where you start in life, there’s nothing you can’t achieve if you work at it.”

This is the America most of us recognize. It is not a nation of victims nursing their grievances — whether on the left or right. It is not a place defined by inequality or Continued on next page.

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

15

US growth of 3.2 percent tops forecasts on trade, inventory boost

by Reade Pickert and Jeff Kearns

U.S. economic growth accelerated in the first quarter on a big boost from inventories and trade that offset slowdowns in consumer and business spending, with President Donald Trump touting the report as much stronger than expected.

Gross domestic product expanded at a 3.2 percent annualized rate in the January-March period, according to Commerce Department data Friday that topped all forecasts in a Bloomberg survey calling for 2.3 percent growth. That followed a 2.2 percent advance in the prior three months.

The numbers may bolster hopes that Economy growth is stabilizing after its recent soft patch. Trump, speaking with reporters before departing on a trip on Air Force One, said the GDP numbers were “far higher than the high expectations.”

But underlying demand was weaker than the headline

number indicated. Consumer spending, the biggest part of the economy, rose a slightly-above-forecast 1.2 percent, while business investment cooled. A Federal Reserve-preferred inflation measure, the personal consumption expenditures price index excluding food and energy, slowed to 1.3 percent, well below policy makers’ 2 percent objective.

Even so, the data showing faster growth and tame inflation helped push Treasury yields lower Friday. U.S. stocks were little changed after paring earlier losses.

The first acceleration in GDP since mid-2018 reflected the largest combined boost since 2013 for two typically volatile components — inventories and trade — that could weigh on the economy later in the year. While steady wage gains and the Fed’s forbearance on interest-rate hikes will help make the expansion the nation’s longest on record in July, the fading impact of tax cuts and a global slowdown mean President Donald Trump’s goal of sustained 3 percent

The ‘What if’ question for the White House The “what if” question of President Donald Trump's presidency is this: How would Trump have entered office if then-FBI Director James Comey had not told him about a “dossier” on Trump's ties with Russia — which major news organizations declined to report on because their crack reporters DEBRA could not substantiate it — SAUNDERS when they first met in Trump Tower on Jan. 6, 2017?

Is it possible that instead of delivering his dark “American carnage” inaugural address, Trump would have taken the oath of office with the optimism he displayed on election night? In the warm glow of victory, Trump told America, “It is time for us to come together as one united people.”

But after the Comey reveal, after U.S. intelligence had failed to tell Trump about Russian attempts to interfere in the presidential race during the 2016 campaign and most of the three-month transition period, Trump had reason to be wary. Especially because, within days of his talk with Comey, BuzzFeed published the lurid “dossier” — which confirmed Trump's suspicions that the FBI and intelligence community were intent on discrediting him.

Battle for the soul of the country Continued from preceding page. hopelessness. It is a country where we feel we are part of a larger whole. It is a nation where what we have in common is more important than what defines our differences. It is John F. Kennedy’s America and Ronald Reagan’s. But it is not Donald Trump’s.

In Trump’s America, the world is out to get us. We must build walls to keep out invaders who wish to do us harm. America is about the past, not the future. Only Trump can save us. But worse, we must believe only him, even if he says mutually exclusive things within hours or days of each other. And if he lies to us, well, we must pretend he hasn’t. We must never question him, and no other institution — not Congress or the courts or, especially, the media — can be trusted unless they are in lockstep with him. Trump is free to ignore the law, rewrite it without Congress and issue whatever executive order he fancies on any given day. No other president has faced Trump’s trials. Not Lincoln, who preserved the Union and paid for it with his life. Not FDR, who helped rescue the nation from the Great Depression and led us through a world war. Not Ronald Reagan, who was shot and whose military buildup bankrupted the Soviet Union.

Is there any question which man — Joe Biden or Donald Trump—loves America more? At the end of the day, patriotism — the real kind, not the phony brand that is more about hate for others than love for America — matters most. If Biden can keep his campaign focused on that love, he may even win back those Trump voters who thought they had nowhere to go.

Copyright 2019 Creators.com

As the saying goes: Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

And it's hard not to feel that those who wrote the Mueller report believed they had evened the score when they wrote, “On June 14, 2017, the media reported that the Special Counsel's Office was investigating whether the President had obstructed justice. Press reports called this a ‘major turning point’ in the investigation: while Comey had told the President he was not under investigation, following Comey's firing, the President now was under investigation.”

So, after establishing that the “Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion” — but also failing to “establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government” — the Mueller team took after Trump's attempts to politicize the Department of Justice.

Of particular interest were Trump’s laments that Attorney General Jeff Sessions would not act as a political enforcer in the model of Robert Kennedy and Eric Holder, top lawmen to former Presidents John Kennedy and Barack Obama, respectively. Trump denies he told former White House counsel Don McGahn to fire Sessions. But according to the report, Trump told McGahn, “You're telling me that Bobby and Jack didn't talk about investigations? Or Obama didn't tell Eric Holder who to investigate?”

It was an odd juxtaposition — the Mueller team exposing Trump for wanting to use the attorney general's office to stop an investigation while using the report on the investigation to get even with the president.

Was it a “coup,” as Trump has charged last week? No. Call it a prolonged feud between the FBI and the president that entailed mutual bullying — turf in which Trump himself is no angel.

But it's not clear that it had to begin as it did — in Trump Tower with Comey telling the president-elect information the feds should have told him months earlier about the dossier that linked Trump to prostitutes in Moscow.

“There was a real chance that Donald Trump, politician and hardball deal-maker, would assume I was dangling the prostitute thing over him to jam him, to gain leverage,” Comey wrote in his book, “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership.” Comey added: “He might well assume I was pulling a J. Edgar Hoover, because that's what Hoover would do in my shoes.”

And still, that's how the head of the FBI handled a story that spawned an investigation for something Mueller could not establish as having occurred.

Trump, of course, is responsible for how he overreacted to Comey and the probe. The probe would have been over much sooner if the undisciplined Trump hadn't fired Comey and hadn't given contradictory reasons for the firing.

But you have to wonder: Would Trump have been a different president — even a little different — if Comey hadn't poisoned the well so close to the inauguration?

Copyright 2019 Creators.com

growth will still be difficult to reach.

While 3.2 percent is a “great number,” consumer spending “has to get stronger for the economy to remain in an expansion,” said Michael Gapen, chief U.S. economist at Barclays Plc. “We think it will, but it’s not a silver lining.

Underneath the hood, household spending was soft and further expansion is going to require households to get back to a normal space of spending.”

The growth pickup mainly reflected a downturn in imports, greater state and local government spending, and rising inventories that were partially offset by slower consumer spending and fixed investment, the Commerce Department said in a statement Friday with the GDP data.

The pickup in growth came despite the federal government shutdown through most of January, which subtracted 0.3 percentage point from the quarterly growth pace on the reduction in services. Commerce said the closure also chopped the fourth quarter by 0.1 point, while adding that the full effects can’t be quantified.

Other recent reports have pointed to signs of strength, with March retail sales rebounding and a proxy for business investment rising sharply. U.S. stocks also rallied the most since 2009 in the first quarter and this month extended gains to a record, easing some concern about the durability of growth.

Fed Meeting Fed policy makers next week are expected to hold interest rates steady while making adjustments to their characterization of the economy to reflect the firmer data.

At the same time, trade tension is fueling concern about the world economy, with the International Monetary Fund cutting its global growth outlook to the lowest since the financial crisis. Data this week showed world trade volumes falling the most since 2009 in the three months through February, while export-dependent South Korea saw its biggest GDP contraction in a decade.

Friday’s report showed net exports added 1.03 percentage point to growth while rising private inventories added 0.65 point. The combined boost of 1.68 point was the biggest in six years.

Excluding government and the volatile trade and inventory components, final sales to private domestic purchasers cooled to a 1.3 percent pace that was the slowest since 2013. Economists monitor this measure for a better sense of underlying demand, especially in a period like the first quarter when rising inventories and a narrower trade deficit propped up GDP. The report showed non-residential business investment rose 2.7 percent, reflecting the third straight decline in structures and a 0.2 percent advance for equipment spending that was the weakest since 2016.

Residential real estate was a drag on growth for the fifth straight quarter, contracting at a 2.8 percent annual pace and subtracting 0.11 percentage point from the pace of GDP gains, as housing starts and sales remained relatively sluggish. At the same time, the sector is starting to regain some steam amid lower mortgage rates and more-affordable properties.

Government spending, driven by state and local infrastructure building, reversed a decline in the prior period, growing at an annualized 2.4 percent pace that contributed 0.41 percentage point to the expansion, the most since 2017.

A further complication to interpreting the importance of the report is a statistical quirk known as residual seasonality, which has contributed to persistently lower GDP readings in the first quarters of recent years.

The government has attempted to remedy the phenomenon. The consumer spending slowdown primarily reflected slower purchases of goods, notably light trucks, Commerce said. The figures are less complete than a typical first GDP report: Delays from the government shutdown mean analysts didn’t have some consumer-spending data or merchandise-trade figures to factor into their estimates.

(With assistance from Kristy Scheuble, Sophie Caronello, Shelly Hagan, Alyza Sebenius, Alister Bull and Justin Sink.) ©2019 Bloomberg News Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

16

• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

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

For trade names, submit a copy of approved (bar code in upper right hand corner) Application For Registration of Trade Name from the Secretary of State to the same email address. Please include your billing address and the desired duration you’d like your notice to run (trade names run for only one week).

2. You will receive a confirmation and price quote. Legal notices, except for trade names, are charged per line. The flat fee for a trade name is $50.

Payment options are cash or check.

3. Deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday for a notice to start publishing that Friday.

4. All costs include fees to file the notice with the Secretary of State and/or any appropriate courts.

5. You will receive a paid invoice copy and a courtesy proof of the notice the first week it runs and a copy of the affidavit filed with the courts the last week.

AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), MEGAN N STEVENSON You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 01/31/2019 on Case Number CI19-3409, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $205.70, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs.

You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 06/10/2019 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly.

CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that GREVentures, L.L.C. (the“Company”)has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 15650 W. Maple Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68116.

The registered agent of the Company is Julie Brooks, 2328 N. 177th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The Company was formed on April 23, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NUTRA NETWORK Notice is hereby given that Nutra Network, 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 Brent Christensen, and with its initial designated office at 8408 S 64th Street, Omaha, NE 68157.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 RUSSELL J. KREIKEMEIER, Attorney KREIKEMEIER LAW OFFICES 126 East Grove Street West Point, Nebraska 68788 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Notice is hereby given of the incorporation of N. Barth Distributing, Inc. with its registered office address at 126 East Grove Street, West Point, Nebraska 68788. The general nature of its business is to erect, construct, establish, purchase, lease and otherwise acquire, and to hold and use such equipment and facilities, supplies and goods for the distribution of snack or other food items and to own, conduct, operate and maintain and to carry on the business of distributing snack items, foods and beverages of all kinds related thereto, and all related matters, and including the sales and promotions thereof, and to engage in all lawful acts or activities for which corporations may be organized under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The authorized capital stock of the Corporation is $10,000.00 and such stock shall be issued at such time and under such conditions as the Board of Directors may determine. The Corporation commenced doing business on the 1st day of April, 2019 and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Corporation shall be conducted by a board of directors, and such officers as may be provided in the bylaws of the Corporation.

Russell J. Kreikemeier First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 GNUSE & GREEN LAW OFFICES, P.C., Attorneys 11311 Chicago Circle Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MOOSE TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS, L.L.C. A Nebraska Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that Moose Transport Solutions, L.L.C., a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 16476 Vane Street, Bennington, NE 68007. The general nature of its business is to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Certificate of Organization was filed in the office of the Nebraska Secretary of State on March 20, 2019, the Company commenced business on that date and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by the board of directors of the LLC’s sole member, Moose Transport, Inc. Rodney G. Gnuse, Organizer First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

SHANNON G. MCCOY, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF HUSKER DEMO, LLC Notice is hereby given of the formation of a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the limited liability company is Husker Demo, LLC. The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc., 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, NE 68114. The general nature of the business to be transacted is all lawful business. The company commenced existence on April 8, 2019 and shall have perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the members as prescribed by the Operating Agreement.

LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SOWER FARMLAND MANAGERS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Sower Farmland Managers, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 1303 S. 72nd Street, Suite 209, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF NEBRASKA GOLD SOFTBALL, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Nebraska Gold Softball, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 3615 S 185th ave, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. The Registered Agent of the Company is Edward Jarzobski, 3615 s 185th ave, Omaha,NE 68130 First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given that ProSightful Counseling and Consulting, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on 03/18/2019. The Registered Agent and initial designated Office is Gerald C. Igboanusi, 14204 Huntington Ave, Omaha, NE 68164. The general nature of business is Mental Health Counseling. The business shall be member-managed.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 MATTHEW T. PAYNE, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Notice is hereby given of incorporation of Flying D Enterprises, Inc. under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: 1. The name of the Corporation is Flying D Enterprises, Inc. 2. The number of shares that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 10,000 shares of common stock.

3. The name of the initial registered agent is Matthew T. Payne, and the address of the initial registered office is 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

4. The name and address of the incorporator is Matthew T. Payne, 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

5. The general nature of the business to be transacted by the Corporation is any and all lawful business for which a corporation may be incorporated in Nebraska.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 PATRICK M. FLOOD, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF nimbleNumbers, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of nimbleNumbers, LLC. 1. The name of the limited liability company is nimbleNumbers, LLC. 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 1013 Howard Street, #2, Omaha, Nebraska 68102, and the name and street address of the registered agent for service of process is Brian Lisko, 1013 Howard Street, #2, Omaha, Nebraska 68102.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 P.O. Box 45947 Omaha, Nebraska 68145 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: EMILY MICHELLE HUGHES, 2809 N 20th St E, Omaha NE 68110, you are hereby notified that on December 26, 2018, AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL INS. Co., S.I. filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI18-26885, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $6,199.10, together with court costs, interest and attorney's fees as allowed by law. Unless you file your Answer with the Douglas County Court on or before the 3rd day of June, 2019, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication April 12, 2019, final May 3 , 2019

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF ART SPACE, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that ART SPACE, INC., is incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a registered office at 220 South 31st Avenue, Apt. 3313, Omaha, Nebraska 68131. The registered agent is SARAH R. ZITO. The general nature of the business is to operate a general hair salon business, to own, operate and perform services of every kind and nature whatsoever, which are not inconsistent with law, which are necessary, suitable, proper, convenient or expedient to the operation of a general hair salon business. The authorized capital stock is $10,000.00, consisting of 10,000 shares of stock having a par value of $1.00 each, which stock shall be paid for wholly or partly by cash, by labor, by personal property and by real property. The corporation became a corporate body on February 25, 2019, and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by a Board of Directors, the number of directors to be provided in the By-Laws, and the officers shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as shall be designated in the By-Laws.

ANTHONY L. GROSS, Incorporator CATHERINE L. WHITE, Incorporator 3018 South 87th Street, Omaha, NE 68124 First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT OF CHRISTENSEN LUMBER, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Articles of Restatement of Articles of Incorporation of Christensen Lumber, Inc., a Nebraska corporation, have been amended to eliminate the preemptive rights of the shareholders. The Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Restatement of Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 22, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 ADAMS & SULLIVAN, P.C., Attorneys 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 1 Papillion, Nebraska 68046-2843 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PHIPPS RE, LLC The name of the limited liability company is Phipps RE, LLC. The address of the designated office in Nebraska is: 4794 S. 167th Street, Omaha, NE 68135. It is organized to transact any lawful business. Perpetual existence commenced February 27, 2019. The affairs of the limited liability company are to be conducted by the manager, Michael B. Phipps.

DATED this 22nd day of April 2019.

Agent for Service: Patrick J. Sullivan, 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 1, Papillion, NE 68046 First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT OF REDWOOD INVESTMENTS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Certificate of Organization of Redwood Investments, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, has been amended as follows: the limited liability company has changed its name to Clayton and Jake, LLC. The Amended Certificate of Organization was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 22, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 ALLAN M. ZIEBARTH, Attorney 1702 South 10 Street, Suite 2 Omaha, Nebraska 68108 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Name: MIDWEST HEMP FORUM Type: A nonprofit membership public benefit corporation Registered Office: 1702 S. 10 St., Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68108 Registered Agent: Allan M. Ziebarth Incorporator: Allan M. Ziebarth, 1702 S. 10 St., Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68108 First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION I, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION I, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 18, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION II, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION II, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 18, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 • LEGAL NOTICES BRANDON K. DICKERSON, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SNOWVENTURES LLC Notice is hereby given that SnowVentures LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office and registered office of the Company is 3624 Paddock Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Nikki Snow.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 BRANDON K. DICKERSON, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SPLASH LAB LLC Notice is hereby given that Splash Lab LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office and registered office of the Company is 3624 Paddock Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Nikki Snow.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF CONVERSION OF VITAL HEALTHCARE STAFFING, LLC INTO VITAL HEALTHCARE STAFFING, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Vital Healthcare Staffing, LLC has been converted into Vital Healthcare Staffing, Inc. under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 shares having a par value of $1.00 each. The designated office of the corporation is 15475 Ruggles Street, Suite 113, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The registered agent and office of the corporation is Kyle Pitschka, 15475 Ruggles Street, Suite 113, Omaha, Nebraska 681116. The Articles of Conversion and Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 1, 2019.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GUTTER DEFENDER OF THE MIDWEST, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Gutter Defender of the Midwest, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 11659 Capitol Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68154 and designating its registered agent as Erickson & Sederstrom P.C. a limited liability organization with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 BRANDON K. DICKERSON, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GW ENVY LLC Notice is hereby given that GW Envy LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office and registered office of the Company is 710 Parkwood Lane, Omaha, Nebraska 68132, and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Jason McDermott.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Corporate Name: Parland, P.C. Registered Agent: Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C., a limited liability organization Registered Office: 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 Authorized Number of Shares: 10,000 Incorporator: John Parra, 5050 L Street, Omaha, NE 68117 First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Gr4ss Co, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 6117 S. 140th Ave, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The registered agent of the Company is Andrew Scarpa, 6117 S. 140th Ave, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The Company was formed on March 25, 2019.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 10305 Joseph Circle La Vista, Nebraska 68128 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BRANDENBURGH HAULING, LLC Notice is hereby given that a limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is Brandenburgh Hauling, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara Medbery-Prchal, P.C., L.L.O., 10305 Joseph Circle, La Vista, NE 68128. The designated office is located at 1025 Maple Street, Beaver Crossing, NE 68118.

Russell Brandenburgh, Member First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 10305 Joseph Circle La Vista, Nebraska 68128 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF B DOUGLAS DEVELOPMENT, LLC Notice is hereby given that a limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is B Douglas Development, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara Medbery-Prchal, P.C., L.L.O., 10305 Joseph Circle, La Vista, NE 68128. The designated office is located at 10327 Chandler Road, Suite 200, Gretna, NE 68118.

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

Patrick J. Sullivan, Incorporator, 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 1, Papillion, NE 68046 Registered Office: 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 1, Papillion, NE 68046 Registered Agent: Adams & Sullivan, P.C., L.L.O. First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 SMITH SLUSKY POHREN & ROGERS LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF EMC INVESTMENTS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on March 20, 2019, EMC Investments, LLC was organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, with a designated office at 12511 Deer Creek Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68142. The Company’s initial agent for service of process is Danielle M. Dring, 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 BREASCH FINANCE & TAX CONSULTING INC. 4879 S 132nd Avenue Omaha, NE 68137 CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF CODY LEDGER RACING LLC A NEBRASKA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 1. The name of the limited liability company is CODY LEDGER RACING LLC 2. The period of duration for CODY LEDGER RACING LLC is perpetual.

3. CODY LEDGER RACING LLC is organized for the purpose of conducting any and all business as permitted by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. 4. The address of the initial designated office for CODY LEDGER RACING LLC in Nebraska is 4422 N 154th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68116.

5. The name and address of the registered agent for CODY LEDGER RACING LLC in Nebraska is Cody Ledger, 4422 N 154th Street, Omaha NE 68116.

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

7. Cody Ledger and Tracey Ledger, organizer(s) of CODY LEDGER RACING LLC has signed the Foregoing Certificate of Organization effective this 26th day of March, 2019.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: ADRIAN RUELAS You are hereby notified that on 11/23/18, the Plaintiff Credit Management Services, Inc., filed a Complaint in the COUNTY Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska, against you shown as Case Number CI18 24467. The object and prayer of which is a judgment in the amount of 1,152.44, plus court costs, pre-judgment interest and attorney fees, if applicable.

The Complaint prays that judgment be entered against you. You are hereby notified that you must answer the Complaint on or before 06/02/19 at the COUNTY court of DOUGLAS County, OMAHA Nebraska.

DANA KAY FRIES #22411 P.O. Box 1512 Grand Island, NE 68802 (308)398-3801 Attorney for Plaintiff First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

17

DONALD HOSFORD, Attorney 1910 South 72nd Street, Suite 207 Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1734 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR19-524 Estate of VICTOR A. HANSEN, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on April 16th, 2019, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, the Registrar issued a written statement of Informal Probate of the Will of said Decedent; and that Curtis Dale Hansen, whose address is 11727 S. 109th St, Papillion, Nebraska 68046, was informally appointed by the Registrar as Personal Representative of the Estate.

Creditors of this estate must file their claims with this Court, located at Courtroom No. 30, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before (two months after first publication date) November 19, 2016 or be forever barred.

KELLY J. GOLDEN Clerk of the County Court First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION III, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION III, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 18, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION IV, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION IV, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 18, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION V, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION V, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 18, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION VI, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION VI, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 18, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION VII, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION VII, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 18, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION VIII, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION VIII, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 18, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

18

• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

LEGAL NOTICES KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Copperfield Support Services, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, filed its Statement of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 19, 2019, and the company is in the process of voluntary dissolution. The terms and conditions of such dissolution are, in general, that all debts and obligations of the company are to be fully paid and satisfied or adequate provision is to be made therefore, and that the balance of any remaining assets are to be distributed to its Member. Brent J. Rising, D.D.S. will wind up and liquidate the company’s business and affairs. If you have a claim against the company, please provide the following information with respect to your claim: (1) your name or the name of your entity; (2) the nature of your claim; (3) the amount of your claim; and (4) the date your claim arose. All claims shall be mailed to 14406 Harrison Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68138. A claim against the company is barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five (5) years after the publication date of the third required notice.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

NOTICE PARTIAL TERMINATION OF NOTICE OF COMMENCEMENT TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, TAKE NOTICE: The Contracting Owner identified below gives notice that it caused to be filed a Partial Termination of Notice of Commencement on the 26th day of April, 2019, containing the following information: Contracting owner: Lifegate Church, a Nebraska non-profit corporation also known as Lifegate Church, a Nebraska corporation, formerly known as Trinity Church Interdenominational and formerly known as Word of Life of Omaha, Inc. Real Estate: Lot Two (2), Wycliffe Replat 5, an addition to the City of Omaha, in Douglas County, Nebraska.

Contracting owner's interest in the subject real estate: Fee Simple Title holder (if different from contracting owner): N/A The notice of commencement was recorded on June 7, 2018, as instrument number 2018043660 and is terminated as of May 28, 2019.

This termination applies only to the following described real estate: Lot Two (2), Wycliffe Replat 5, an addition to the City of Omaha, in Douglas County, Nebraska.

All lien claims for which a notice of lien is not recorded by the termination date may be defeated by a transfer of the real estate.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION J&J Chu, Inc., whose registered agent is Max Lau and registered office is 10685 Bedford Ave, #120, Omaha, Nebraska 68134, was formed on April 16, 2019 to engage in any lawful business. The corporation has authorized 10,000 shares of capital stock.

Thomas E. Whitmore, Incorporator First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 N O T I C E O F A M E N D M E N T T O T H E A RT I C L E S O F INCORPORATION OF DEFY NEBRASKA, INC. Notice if hereby given that the Articles of Incorporation of Defy Nebraska, Inc. have been amended to change the name of the entity to: RISE Academy. The Articles of Amendment were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 9, 2019.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

SMITH SLUSKY POHREN & ROGERS LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on March 9, 2019, EB Properties, LLC was organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, with a designated office in Omaha, Nebraska. The Company’s initial agent for service of process is Danielle M. Dring, 8712 West Dodge Road, #400, Omaha, NE 68114.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF VECTOR AVIATION, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Vector Aviation, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 7712 South 101st Street, LaVista, Nebraska 68128 and designating its registered agent as Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C. a limited liability organization with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PS 71, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that PS 71, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. The Registered Agent of the Company is Andrew A. Snyder, 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68118.

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

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION AND AMENDMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that LSA Properties Management, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), was organized on February 3, 2017 under the laws of the State of Nebraska, having its designated office at 11718 Nicholas Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154 and designating its registered agent as Erickson & Sederstrom P.C. a limited liability organization with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

On February 7, 2019, the Company filed an amendment to its Certificate of Organization changing its name to J & J Challenger, LLC. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Her’s, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The address of the Company’s designated office is 6915 Oak Plaza, Apt 522, Omaha, NE 68106, and the name of the registered agent at such address is Danielle Collier. The general nature of the business is any legal and lawful activity allowed pursuant to the Nebraska Limited Liability Company Act and the laws of the State of Nebraska and elsewhere. The Company commenced business on 4/18/2019 and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be managed by its members. Danielle Collier, Member First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF WCV LOT 1, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that WCV Lot 1, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. The Registered Agent of the Company is Andrew A. Snyder, 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68118.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that ESBER HUITRON ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The registered agent of ESBER HUITRON ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION, LLC and office is Esber Huitron, 3315 Parker St Omaha, NE 68111.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), LINDSAY J CARLSEN & DARRELL L CARLSEN You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 01/31/2019 on Case Number CI19-3406, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $183.54, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs.

You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 06/17/2019 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly.

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

You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 06/17/2019 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly.

CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 P.O. Box 45947 Omaha, Nebraska 68145 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: DEXTER LEVERING, 2708 Iowa St, Omaha NE 68112, you are hereby notified that on March 27, 2019, AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL INS. Co., S.I. filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI19-6932, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $8,897.60, together with court costs, interest and attorney's fees as allowed by law. Unless you file your Answer with the Douglas County Court on or before the 17th day of June, 2019, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 17, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN Flex Mida Trucking Inc. a Nebraska corporation has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its registered office at 5648 S 49th St. Omaha, NE 68117 and its Registered Agent being Ignacio Hernandez Barrera. The general nature of its business is to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business, other than banking or insurance, for which a corporation may be organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska. The company was organized and commenced on April 03, 2019, and its duration is perpetual. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by Ignacio Hernandez Barrera CEO. First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF EMBER PROPERTY GROUP, LLC The name of the Company is Ember Property Group, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The Registered Agent and Office of the Company is: Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. This limited liability company commenced business on April 17, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF LONE TREE ANIMAL CARE CENTER, LLC The name of the Company is Lone Tree Animal Care Center, LLC. The Company has been organized to conduct the practice of veterinary medicine, all in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The Designated Office of the Company is: 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.

The Registered Agent and Office of the Company is: Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. This limited liability company commenced business on April 22, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ARBOR CARE CENTERS FRANKLIN, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Arbor Care Centers – Franklin, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Kenneth W. Klaasmeyer, 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The limited liability company commenced business on April 17, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ARBOR CARE CENTERS NELIGH, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Arbor Care Centers – Neligh, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Kenneth W. Klaasmeyer, 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The limited liability company commenced business on April 17, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ARBOR CARE CENTERS FULLERTON, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Arbor Care Centers – Fullerton, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Kenneth W. Klaasmeyer, 18807 Sahler Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The limited liability company commenced business on April 17, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 • LEGAL NOTICES GROSS & WELCH, P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 2120 South 72 Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT OF NATURE HILLS NURSERY HOLDINGS, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Nature Hills Nursery, Inc., a Nebraska Corporation, has filed Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation changing the name of the corporation to Nature Hills Nursery Holdings, Inc. on April 10, 2019. Its designated office remains 707 South 152nd Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. Its registered agent for service of process is Jeffrey Dinslage, with an address at 707 South 152nd Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68154.

Ronald L. Eggers, Organizer 1500 Omaha Tower, 2120 South 72nd Street, Omaha, NE 68124 First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BLUE DOOR SALON AND SPA, INC. Notice is hereby given that Blue Door Salon and Spa, Inc. a Nebraska corporation, has been organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska.

The Company’s initial designated office is located at 225 Oakmont Drive, Papillion, NE, 68133. The name and street mailing address of the initial agent for service of process is Michele Kauzlarich at 225 Oakmont Drive, Papillion, NE 68133. The general nature of its business is to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business, other than banking or insurance, for which a corporation may be organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska. The Articles of Incorporation were filed in the office of the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 12, 2019. Company commenced business thereon, and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by its officers.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 MYRON J. KAPLAN, Attorney McGILL, GOTSDINER, WORKMAN & LEPP, P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 11404 West Dodge Road, Suite 500, First National Plaza Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2584 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF FLAVOR-CRISP, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Flavor-Crisp, Inc., a Nebraska corporation, has filed an Amendment to its Articles of Incorporation effective as of April 11, 2019, revoking the provision of the Articles of Incorporation establishing the name of the Corporation and substituting the following provision in its place: The name of the Corporation is Magnolia Spices, Inc. Brad French, President First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Trisha Anderson, P.C., with its registered office at 10824 Old Mill Road, Ste. 21, Omaha, Nebraska 68154, and its principal place of business at 10824 Old Mill Road, Ste. 21, Omaha, Nebraska 68154, was formed on April 9, 2019, for the purpose of providing mental health counseling. The corporation has authorized capital stock of $10,000.00. The affairs of the corporation, which shall have perpetual existence, shall be conducted by a Board of Directors and such officers as it shall appoint.

Trisha Anderson, LICSW, Incorporator First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF THE ATHLETIC CLUBS BY TRUFIT INVESTMENTS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that The Athletic Clubs by TruFit Investments, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 9500 West Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF THE ATHLETIC CLUBS BY TRUFIT, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that The Athletic Clubs by TruFit, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 9500 West Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Notice is hereby given that Bhutanese Nepali New Life Church of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, a Nebraska Non-Profit Religious Corporation, has been organized under the Laws of the State of Nebraska on April 8, 2019. The registered agent and office: Phurba Tamang, 8501 Read St., Omaha, NE 68122, is also the sole incorporator of the corporation.

The corporation will have members.

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: TEQUILLA RUPERT You are hereby notified that on 11/15/18, the Plaintiff Credit Management Services, Inc., filed a Complaint in the COUNTY Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska, against you shown as Case Number CI18 23804. The object and prayer of which is a judgment in the amount of 890.00, plus court costs, pre-judgment interest and attorney fees, if applicable.

The Complaint prays that judgment be entered against you. You are hereby notified that you must answer the Complaint on or before 06/09/19 at the COUNTY court of DOUGLAS County, OMAHA Nebraska.

Megan L. Bischoff #25206 P.O. Box 1512 Grand Island, NE 68802 (308)398-3801 Attorney for Plaintiff First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 ROBERT J. KMIECIK, Attorney STINSON LEONARD STREET LLP 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1500 Omaha, Nebraska 68102-1818 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Milan Laser Knoxville, LLC Notice is hereby given that a Nebraska limited liability company named Milan Laser Knoxville, LLC (the “Company”) was formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the Company is 17645 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Abe Schumacher.

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

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

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

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

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

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019

19

KELLOGG & PALZER, P.C. 10828 Old Mill Road, Suite 6 Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2647 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Company is FLOWERS CONCRETE AND SNOW REMOVAL, LLC. 2. The street address of the initial designated office is 2802 S. 40th St., Omaha, Nebraska, 68105. The registered agent is Julia K. Palzer, and the Registered Agent's address is 10828 Od Mill Road, Suite 6, Omaha, NE 68154.

3. The general nature of the Company is finish concrete and snow removal.

4. The Company commenced on April 9, 2019, and shall have perpetual existence.

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

First publication April 19, 2019, final May 3, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION IX, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION IX, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 18, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OZ VISION X, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OZ VISION X, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20706 Cedar Circle, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 18, 2019.

First publication April 26, 2019, final May 10, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of Vecom, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is Vecom, LLC. Registered agent and office of Christian Vargas at 6133 S 191st Street, Omaha, NE 68135. Initial members: Christian Vargas. 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 April 2019 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of Mora Drywall, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is Mora Drywall, LLC. Registered agent and office of Oscar Javier Calderon Mora at 3033 California Street, Omaha, NE 68131. Initial members: Oscar Javier Calderon Mora. General nature of the business is the general construction and to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute. The LLC was organized on April 2019 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF DAGSON CONSULTING, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Certificate of Organization of Dagson Consulting, LLC has been amended and restated. The designated office of the limited liability company is 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. 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 April 23, 2019.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF USG CONSTRUCTION LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that USG Construction LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 13340 California Street, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Thomas Joseph Twit, 13340 California Street, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The limited liability company commenced business on April 23, 2019.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

LEGAL NOTICES KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF QUENCH IV SPA, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Quench IV Spa, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The limited liability company shall provide medical services. The designated office of the limited liability company is 12310 K Plaza, Suite 105, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen, P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.

The limited liability company commenced business on April 22, 2019.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BURIED ALIVE PARANORMAL PRODUCTIONS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Buried Alive Paranormal Productions, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company 14506 Franklin St., Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF THE STEPHENSON BUILDING, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that The Stephenson Building, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company 14506 Franklin St., Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BALSAM TRAIL BUCKS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Balsam Trail Bucks, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company 741 N. 161st Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68118. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF KUZECO, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Kuzeco, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company 2357 S. 183rd Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. The Registered Agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OMAHA YARDS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Omaha Yards, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 9636 Boyd Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68134. The Registered Agent of the Company is Michael Aschenbrener, 9636 Boyd Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68134.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CWG HQ, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that CWG HQ, 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 Zach Wiegert, 10340 North 84th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68122.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GCP II HQ, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that GCP II HQ, 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 Zach Wiegert, 10340 North 84th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68122.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF RJS INSURANCE, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that RJS Insurance, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 19920 Marcy Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 S 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on April 11, 2019.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF RUCK SURFACES, LLC The name of the Company is Ruck Surfaces, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 2445 Deer Park Boulevard, Omaha, Nebraska 68105. The Registered Agent and Office of the Company is: Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.

This limited liability company commenced business on August 29, 2019.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF STANDING BEAR PROPERTIES, LLC The name of the Company is Standing Bear Properties, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 13504 Cuming Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The Registered Agent and Office of the Company is: Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. This limited liability company commenced business on April 30, 2019.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF OMAVERM, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that OMAVERM, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 1336 N 131st Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The Registered Agent of the Company is Michael P. Noonan, 1336 N 131st Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68154 First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019

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

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 13520 Giles RDt, Omaha, Nebraska 68138. The Registered Agent of the Company is Aaron Stanger., 13520 Giles RD, Omaha, Nebraska 68138.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Hop Group, LLC (the "Company") has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 5009 N. 138th St. Omaha, NE 68164. The registered agent of the Company is Emily Hopkins, 5009 N. 138th St. Omaha, NE 68164.

The general nature of the business will be to engage in the transaction of any or all lawful business, for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The LLC was filed with the State of Nebraska on April 17, 2019.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF BCD HOMES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that BCD Homes, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address and Registered Agent Address of the Company is 5094 S 175th Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68135. The Registered Agent of the Company is David Yee. General nature of the business is to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute. The Company was organized in March 2019 for perpetual duration and is managed by its members.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 KATHRYN J. DERR, Attorney BERKSHIRE & BURMEISTER 1301 South 75th Street, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF JLB RESALE ENTERPRISES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that JLB RESALE ENTERPRISES, 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 2229 Madison Street, Bellevue, Nebraska 68005. The registered office of the Company is 1301 S 75th St. Ste. 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the agent at such office is Kathryn J. Derr. The general nature of the business to be transacted by the company is any lawful business which may be carried on by a limited liability company organized under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The company commenced operations on April 23, 2019, and shall have a perpetual duration.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MIRANDEX, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Mirandex, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, designating its registered agent as Erickson | Sederstrom, P.C., a limited liability organization with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

The Company was organized for the purpose of engaging in the transaction of any lawful business and the performance of any lawful activities that a limited liability company may engage in under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Company shall have perpetual existence unless dissolved in accordance with its Certificate of Organization, its Operating Agreement or the Limited Liability Company Act. Unless otherwise provided in the Company’s Operating Agreement, the affairs of the Company are to be managed by its (members) (managing member).

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 JESSICA E. THOMAS, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF ROYCE STERLING FALCON RIDGE, LLC ROYCE STERLING FALCON RIDGE, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the "Company"), filed its STATEMENT OF DISSOLUTION with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 25, 2019.

Persons with claims against the Company must present such claim to: Royce Sterling Falcon Ridge, LLC c/o Lawrence R. James, II, 12910 Pierce Street, Suite 110, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. Claims against the Company must include the following information: (i) claimant's name, address and telephone number during business hours; (ii) any facts which may support the claim; and (iii) any amounts allegedly owed by the Company under the claim.

Claims not including this information will not be reviewed. Any claims against this Company will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce such claims is commenced within five (5) years after the date of this publication.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 JESSICA E. THOMAS, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF ROYCE STERLING STONE CREEK, LLC ROYCE STERLING STONE CREEK, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the "Company"), filed its STATEMENT OF DISSOLUTION with the Nebraska Secretary of State on April 25, 2019. Persons with claims against the Company must present such claim to: Royce Sterling Stone Creek, LLC c/o Lawrence R. James, II, 12910 Pierce Street, Suite 110, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. Claims against the Company must include the following information: (i) claimant's name, address and telephone number during business hours; (ii) any facts which may support the claim; and (iii) any amounts allegedly owed by the Company under the claim. Claims not including this information will not be reviewed. Any claims against this Company will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce such claims is commenced within five (5) years after the date of this publication.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 GNUSE & GREEN LAW OFFICES, P.C., Attorneys 11311 Chicago Circle Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF SALWEEN THAI RESTAURANT III, INC. Registered Office: 10505 Mary Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68122 The Corporation shall engage in any lawful business for which a corporation may be formed under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. Authorized capital stock is $10,000 to be fully paid and non-assessable on issue. Perpetual existence commenced April 25, 2019, when articles were filed with the Secretary of State. Affairs are to be conducted by the Board of Directors and Officers authorized by the Bylaws and the Board.

Thomas C. Green, II, Incorporator First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TOUR GOLF LEAGUE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Tour Golf League has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 16472 Yates St, Omaha, Nebraska 68116.

The registered agent is Dennis Einspahr and his office is at 16472 Yates St, Omaha, Nebraska 68116. The limited liability company commenced business in March of 2019.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 MATTHEW T. PAYNE, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF DEANNA LARSON MD, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of Deanna Larson MD, LLC 1. The name of the limited liability company is Deanna Larson MD, LLC 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 2212 S 64th Plz, Apt 432, Omaha, Nebraska 68106, and the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is Deanna Larson, M.D., 2212 S 64th Plz, Apt 432, Omaha, Nebraska 68106. First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 • LEGAL NOTICES 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 INCORPORATION OF MAINKO CAPITAL, INC. Mainko Capital, Inc. has been incorporated under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The Articles of Incorporation were filed on April 22, 2019. The street address of the corporation's registered office is 4700 South 222nd Street, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022, and the name of the initial registered agent at that office is Daniel Koch. The corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 shares of common stock.

Daniel Koch, Incorporator, 4700 South 222nd Street, Elkhorn, NE 68022 First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION TBD Distributors, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office of the company is 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The name and street and mailing address of the initial registered agent of the company for service of process are Andrew P. Deaver and 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that BA-EV, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The address of the Company’s designated office is 1910 S. 44 ST, STE 100, Omaha, NE 68105, and the name of the registered agent at such address is Eric Vana.

The general nature of the business is any legal and lawful activity allowed pursuant to the Nebraska Limited Liability Company Act and the laws of the State of Nebraska and elsewhere. The Company commenced business on 4/22/2019 and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be managed by its members. Eric Vana, Member First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 RUSSELL J. KREIKEMEIER, Attorney KREIKEMEIER LAW OFFICES 126 East Grove Street West Point, Nebraska 68788 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given of the Company formation and organization of MELIA-TUHY, LLC, with its registered office address at 126 East Grove, West Point, Nebraska 68788 and its principal office location being 15818 North 4th Street, Bennington, Nebraska, 68007. The purpose or purposes for which this Company is formed is to own, manage, lease, and deal with real property whether in this State or any other and to conduct all related activities thereto. The Company will conduct any other matter(s) including the transaction of all or any lawful business or engagement in any commercial venture permitted by the Nebraska Limited Liability Company Act, as amended, and all other applicable law. The initial capital of the Company has been contributed and evidence of membership in the Company will be issued by the Management Board. The Company commenced doing business on June 28, 2018, and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company shall be conducted by a Management Board and such other Officers and Managers as may be provided for in the Operating Agreement of the Company.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019

KARINE E. SOKPOH, Attorney SOKPOH LAW GROUP 10730 Pacific Street, Suite 247 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF NOUVELLE BEAUTEE, LLC Notice is hereby given that Nouvelle Beautee, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 11218 Grande Avenue, Omaha, NE 68164. 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 March 25th, 2019. Its affairs are to be conducted by the manager Fidele Mienso. Its registered agent is Fidele Mienso and her office is located at 11218 Grande Avenue, Omaha, NE 68164.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Kari McElderry, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 1868 N. 150th Court, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The registered agent of the Company is Kari McElderry, 1868 N. 150th Court, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The Company was formed on April 24, 2019.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 DEAN F. SUING, Attorney GOVIER, KATSKEE, SUING & MAXELL, PC, LLO 10404 Essex Court, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISSOLVE ABSOLUTE GUTTERS, INC. Pursuant to the Nebraska Business Corporation Act, the undersigned corporation hereby publishes notice of its voluntary dissolution. The stockholder adopted a resolution to dissolve on March 1, 2019. The resolution received the unanimous vote of stockholder in attendance at said meeting. Michael Humphrey, 5517 N. 149th Street, Omaha, NE 68116, President of the corporation, is the person who is to manage the affairs during the dissolution of the corporation. The plan of dissolution will be to pay creditors of the corporation and then distribute the remaining assets of the corporation to the shareholder in accordance with the stock ownership in the corporation.

Absolute Gutters, Inc. By: Michael Humphrey, President First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 THOMAS C. LAURITSEN, Attorney ANDERSEN, LAURITSEN & BROWER 1005 South 107th Avenue, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF FILING OF CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF BRAD RAMP MUSIC, LLC A Limited Liability Company NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that BRAD RAMP MUSIC, LLC, a Limited Liability Company, has filed a Certificate of Organization under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The address of its registered office is 8904 N. l56th Avenue, Bennington, NE 68007. The general nature of the business is principally to provide musical entertainment and 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 company may be organized under the laws of Nebraska.

The company commenced business on April 22,2019, and its duration shall be perpetual. The affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by its members.

Member: Brad Ramp First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019

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: Resolve Insurance Name of Applicant: Meier Financial, LLC Address: 4119 North 208th Street, Elkhorn, 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: Date of Filing General nature of business: Independent Insurance Agency.

LUKE MEIER Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative May 3, 2019

KATHRYN J. DERR, Attorney BERKSHIRE & BURMEISTER 1301 South 75th Street, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: River City Consignments Name of Applicant: JLB ReSale Enterprises, LLC Address: 2229 Madison Street, Bellevue, NE 68005 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: April 23, 2019 General nature of business: Consignment and Resale of new and used furniture JOHN BRUNSON Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative May 3, 2019

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: Active Therapy Name of Applicant: Active Spine Physical Therapy, LLC Address: 13220 Birch Drive, Suite 200, Omaha, NE 68164 Applicant is a Limited Liability Company If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Nebraska Date of first use of name in Nebraska: upon filing General nature of business: physical therapy services NICHOLAS MUCHOWICZ Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative May 3, 2019

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: Safety First Bath Solutions Name of Applicant: Safety First Flooring Solutions, LLC Address: 5103 Nicholas Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132 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: April 1, 2019 General nature of business: Anti slip flooring surfaces MARTIN SHERIDAN Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative May 3, 2019

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KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Safety First Home Improvement Name of Applicant: Safety First Flooring Solutions, LLC Address: 5103 Nicholas Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132 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: April 1, 2019 General nature of business: Anti slip flooring surfaces MARTIN SHERIDAN Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative May 3, 2019 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: Safety First Surface Solutions Name of Applicant: Safety First Flooring Solutions, LLC Address: 5103 Nicholas Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132 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: April 1, 2019 General nature of business: Anti slip flooring surfaces MARTIN SHERIDAN Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative May 3, 2019 BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 10305 Joseph Circle La Vista, Nebraska 68128 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ANTHONY TAMAYO REAL ESTATE, LLC Notice is hereby given that a professional limited liability company has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the company is ANTHONY TAMAYO REAL ESTATE, LLC. The company is organized to render real estate sales services. 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 4620 N. 175th Street, Omaha, NE 68116.

Anthony Tamayo, Member First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 ROBERT J. LIKES, Attorney LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR19-454 Estate of Christa M. Tracy, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on April 4, 2019, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, Kathryn J. Tracy, 1154 South 95th Street, Omaha, NE 68124, was informally appointed by the Registrar as Personal Representative of the Estate.

Creditors of this estate must file their claims with this Court, located at Courtroom No. 30, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before June 3, 2019 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication May 3, 2019, final May 17, 2019 DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 P.O. Box 45947 Omaha, Nebraska 68145 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: CRYSTAL L. JURA, 2547 Y Street, Omaha NE 68107, you are hereby notified that on February 18, 2019, Credit Acceptance Corporation filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI19-3962, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $8,468.71, 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 24th day of June, 2019, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 24, 2019 DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 P.O. Box 45947 Omaha, Nebraska 68145 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: JORGE ZEPEDA-CAMPOS, 1522 1/2 B Street, Omaha NE 68108, you are hereby notified that on March 26, 2019, AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL INS. Co., S.I. filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI19-6846, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $10,520.64, 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 24th day of June, 2019, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication May 3, 2019, final May 24, 2019

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

You may want to think twice before moving back in with your parents

by Kelly Anne Smith

Devin Ward isn’t in a rush.

While seeking a college degree, he worked as a research assistant at the Institute for Social Behavior at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Ward began to realize trEnds that the sociology field he majored in wasn’t really for him.

The projected pay was low and he says that he didn’t really enjoy the work.

By the time Ward figured it out though, he was already a senior. Changing his major would likely mean starting over, which wasn’t an option for him.

“I wasn’t going to be able to afford to change to something else,” Ward said. “And I couldn’t afford a master’s degree. So I just stuck with it and then got as creative as possible — as I could — with finding work elsewhere.”

Ward had what he describes as a “solid” full-time marketing job while in school, but was laid off shortly before graduation. Just 24 hours after walking across the stage at commencement, he was headed back home to Tampa to live with his parents.

And two years later, he’s still there.

Here comes the ‘Boomerang Generation’ Moving back in with one’s parents is a common phenomenon for today’s generation of young adults. But that move can result in adverse effects, both individually and economically.

Researchers at the Urban Institute found that people who move back in with their parents between the ages of 25 and 34 are significantly less likely to become homeowners 10 years later. Delayed homeownership, overall, has alarming ripple effects.

Ward isn’t the only millennial who has moved home after higher education. A 2016 Pew Research Center paper found that living with a parent was the most common young adult living arrangement for 18- to 34-year-olds, with 32 percent of the cohort reporting so. The study noted that this was the first time in more than 130 years that the phenomena occurred.

These younger Americans moving back home with their parents are often referred to as the “Boomerang Generation.” Not only could the delay in homeownership put individual wealth at risk, but it highlights how the younger generation is grappling with adverse effects of a rebounding economy and threatened by a daunting amount of student loan debt.

Ward said he has around $10,000 in student loans. “I know it’s not a whole lot,” he admits.

“I got very lucky.” After struggling — and failing — to find another solid job, his move back home was a means to stay afloat.

For now, Ward does odd jobs like lawn care or working as a busboy while he shifts his attention to trying to launch a music career.

It’s something he said that he’s always been passionate about.

“Realistically, I just can’t afford to live anywhere else right now,” Ward said. He does chip in with utilities and rent, which equals about $200 a month in costs.

How millennials are experiencing shifting economic realities Why this emerging generation is financially struggling is often vaporized by over-generalized arguments.

Many have heard the avocado toast argument (“If you just spent less on your brunch, you punks could afford a house!”) and have

strained their rolling eyes at the experts who say to save 15 percent of our income or accept a doomed financial future (we did the math — it’s not possible to save that much, pay rent and student loans, and still have money to survive while receiving an average income).

To try and place a finger on a single reason as to why the younger generations are moving back in with their parents is a stretch. There’s a long, winding road as to how this generation got here — and it doesn’t solely rely on the student loan debt burden that’s now topping $1.5 trillion.

Wages haven’t bounced back since the recession Although the economy is in one of its longest, strongest stretches ever, economic damage from the Great Recession is still leaving a lasting impact.

Earnings from wages, for example, have lagged during the recovery. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), average hourly earnings of employees on private payrolls “grew modestly” at 2.3 percent annually from 2009 to current day.

Once inflation is accounted for, though, it shows a different story. According to the CBPP, real wages (meaning adjusted for inflation) “hardly grew and have failed to keep up with increases in workers’ productivity.”

Dr. Bill Spriggs, AFL-CIO chief economist, said this stall in wages is one of the key reasons why the economy is at risk. With less purchasing power, Spriggs said it’ll be difficult for the economy to “turn,” or achieve new cycles.

“People just aren’t earning enough money to do normal things,” Spriggs said, referring to the traditional, “normal” idea of buying a

Can a computer write a script? Machine learning goes Hollywood Continued from page 12. images to gauge what types of audiences would go see the “Logan” movie.

The software also was able to accurately predict movies that “Logan” viewers had seen in the past, showing an overlap in audiences for superhero films and movies with a “rugged male action lead.”

“You want to make sure you are getting as much intelligence behind those decisions as possible,” said Buzz Hays, Google Cloud’s global lead of entertainment industry solutions.

“Machine learning is going to help us learn from that instinct to go with the gut or adjust as we go.”

The new technology can also pinpoint what stories are resonating online, isolating particular scenes or characters that people are most passionate about. Wattpad Studios, based in Toronto, identifies popular stories uploaded to Wattpad’s online platform and flags them for studios to develop into movies and shows.

Canadian company Entertainment One, or eOne, is developing two of Wattpad’s fictional stories into TV series, including a dystopian drama called “The Numbered.”

Wattpad’s technology revealed a burst of user comments around the reveal that one of the characters is gay, convincing eOne to keep him on the TV version of story.

“It’s an interesting form of development for us — new voices, new points of view, a builtin audience from a different kind of platform,” said Jocelyn Hamilton, an executive at eOne. Talent agencies also are experimenting with data crunching. Los Angeles-based Creative Artists Agency operates a data analytics platform that uses machine learning to pull up

information on consumer behavior. The platform, called CAAintell and developed in 2017, gathers data from dozens of sources, including social media sites and information on credit card purchases.

Agents can then use the data to support their recommendations to studios, such as why an actress should be in a film if she has a large global following. It could also give agents ideas on what types of brands their clients could represent, based on products and brands their fans like.

“It’s just building that picture around a particular talent,” said Steve Hasker, chief executive of CAA Global. “It creates a really interesting dialogue around a set of opportunities that a talent might not have thought about.”

But Hasker says that CAAintell is in no way meant to replace agents.

“If we can provide in real time better information and insights to our agents, we think they are going to be better at their jobs,” he added.

San Jose-based Adobe is experimenting with using machine learning to help mimic someone’s voice. Its technology can create a synthetic version of a person’s voice with 30 minutes of their audio.

“If you have a large body of someone’s audio, you can train that to make up extra words,” said Gavin Miller, head of Adobe Research.

That could make it easier to re-record dialogue or fix flubbed lines in a script without having to fly out actors to re-record their lines. Of course, that also raises the potential for abuse.

“This question has been around for a long time — ever since people could edit tape — so we feel an added responsibility to figure out steps we can take to mitigate some of the

possible misuses of it,” Miller said.

Computer analytics can also examine diversity issues in Hollywood. USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory, or SAIL, and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media used face tracking and audio analysis powered by machine learning to educate studios about how often women are seen or speak in movies, which is very little.

Studios including Sony Pictures are working with the institute’s machine learning tools to advance their diversity and inclusion initiatives.

The goal is “not to tell people what to do, but give them a mirror of opportunity to see the unconscious bias that they have and make an active decision on whether they intended that,” said Megan Smith, chief executive of tech firm shift7. “If they didn’t, it’s a real opportunity.”

But there are limitations as to what machines can do.

Algorithms can also produce flawed and biased results if they are based on insufficient data. In one infamous case, photo categorization software Google Photos in 2015 mistakenly labeled black people as gorillas because the company failed to provide its algorithm with a diverse range of human faces to analyze.

USC’s SAIL is also working on how to analyze emotional sentiment in scripts, but its technology hasn’t quite figured out comedy yet, said Shri Narayanan, SAIL’s director.

“What is funny and how to be funny — that is something technology is not ready for,” Narayanan said. ©2019 Los Angeles Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

home. “It’s very concerning because at this point in a recovery, the economy should be far more solid.”

The middle class is changing Wealth inequality, Spriggs adds, is playing a major role in the shrinking middle class, which in turn will affect the housing market and economy.

“Around 1991, 1992, half the income and half the purchasing power in the United States was in the middle three incomes,” Spriggs said.

“And in a few years, it looks like it’ll be in the top 10 percent. Our economy can’t function the way it used to function.”

Spriggs gives the example of older generations being able to purchase starter homes, renovate them, increase their wealth and then move on to the next major purchase. Now, he says that even starting with small-home purchases is difficult.

Ward still believes in becoming a homeowner, but he knows it’s not going to happen until much later than it did for his parents, who bought a home together when his father was 26 and his stepmom was 24.

“I’m 24 now and there’s no way in hell I could buy a house right now,” Ward said. “I definitely want to down the line, later in my 30s, though. But right now? Yeah, not possible.”

The impact of delayed homeownership Spriggs says the current trend of delayed homeownership is concerning. He adds, however, that there is no easy fix.

“The biggest solution is to pay workers more money,” Spriggs said. “We need to raise the minimum wage and restore the right for workers to bargain.”

In the meantime, Spriggs said, the government should direct more investment into the “consequences of inequality” by providing more affordable housing.

While delayed homeownership is a major concern right now, there is hope.

Generation Z is already expressing early interest to purchase homes before they turn 30 — but that isn’t necessarily an indicator that overall they’re experiencing better economic circumstances.

A 2019 survey by Bank of America finds that 59 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 23 want to buy a home in the next five years. More than half have already started saving for one, according to the survey.

Like millennials, Gen Z is willing to sacrifice to make homeownership happen.

Almost half (48 percent) of Gen Z respondents said they’re willing to get a second job in order to buy a home. They’re also willing to attend universities that’ll leave them with less student loan debt and, yes, move in with their parents.

Generation Z did report one caveat, though — more than 60 percent said they will receive financial help to buy a home, including from their parents.

Ward remains optimistic for his future. And while he’s aware of how putting off buying a home could not only impact his future, but those of others, he’s focusing on what he feels is important to him.

“Our generation is a little bit more about self-actualization and figuring out what we want to do and how to make ourselves happy,” Ward said. “I’d rather think about how I can make my life better and pursue what I want to do. After that, then I can worry about everything else.” ©2019 Bankrate.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

23

Company Outings A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

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A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

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Company Outings overview • Venues • Teambuilding Tips for avoiding failures • Ideas for small businesses Picnic food trends • Management side of company outings

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Education & Career Development

Celebrate Construction A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

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Education overview • Trends in online learning Specialized careers and skills • Enrollment trends New technology on higher education • Professional development

Celebrate Construction Overview • Custom home trends • Careers/education Greater Omaha, Lincoln and Council Bluffs area projects • Tech advances Sustainable design features • Integrated project delivery methods Infrastructure and road projects • Retrofits/renovations

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Midwest Box sustains position in packaging, shipping supply market Continued from page 1. in his career sold shoes.

From the earlier generations of his family the younger Bresel — a ’99 graduate of Omaha Central High School who started working at Midwest Box’s warehouse, which was then located at 3200 N. 30th St., around his class schedule at the University of Nebraska at Omaha — learned among the biggest assets being handled are the more than 10,000 items available and the prompt same-day shipping usually available.

And the customers come from a myriad of walks in life: business and residential moves, college students moving into dorm rooms, businesses of all sizes in need of office supplies ranging from grocery and shopping bags to tissue paper, crinkle paper, foam products, and corrugated mailers.

Bresel is quick to point out the importance of labels — in multiple colors and sizes — which can augment any storage arrangement.

He recently had yard signs done with foot building — which formerly housed bold black printing on bright yellow card- warehouse and distribution operations of board stock advertising Midwest Box’s Henningsen Foods — is in close proximity savings on packaging, shipping and indus- to many warehouses which ship all types trial supplies which of goods. are being discounted Midwest Box Co. About half of by up to 50%.

Midwest Box’s revPhone: 402-453-8800 Bresel said op- Address: 13909 F St., Omaha 68137 enues come from portunities are fertile Service: boxes and packing and shipping the sale of boxes to in promoting Mid- materials a wide variety of west Box in its new Founded: 1969 by Morris Bresel manufacturers and industrial park loca- Employees: 14 distributors. tion, which has sev- One-year goal: Increase sales for 10% to “The smallest eral thousand work- 15% annually. might be a 4x4x4ers employed in firms Industry outlook: The need for packing inch box to ship a or residing in nearby materials remains strong. specific nail or bolt subdivisions. needed for a customWebsite: www.midwestbox.com “Our retail busier to a 46x38x50ness and the number of walk-ins has gone inch pallet box that will be used to put a up substantially since we moved out here,” car engine in,” he said. he said.

He said the internet and Midwest While the longtime location on the near Box’s inventory, which is deep and well north side was about 20,000 square feet larg- organized on its website, have combined er, Bresel said the current 40,000-square- to introduce a wider audience to the boxes,

Salk Institute gets $35 million for ‘audacious’ plan to fight global warming

by Bradley J. Fikes

The Salk Institute will receive more than $35 million, one of its largest donations ever, to design plants to fight global warming.

The grant from the TED Audacious Project goes to the Salk’s Harnessing Plants Initiative, which seeks to breed and genetically engineer plants to soak up more carbon dioxide from the air. The initiative was announced in November 2017.

Plants already EnvironmEnt store CO2 — a greenhouse gas that climate scientists say contributes to increases in global temperatures — as part of their natural metabolism, said Joanne Chory, a Salk plant scientist who heads the initiative.

The goal is to increase storage, especially in the roots, she said. That material would remain in the soil, and the CO2 with it.

This can be done with regular food crops, Chory said. The initiative is targeting the biggest crops, for maximum effect.

These include rice, corn, wheat, rye and cotton.

“You don’t need any new infrastructure or distribution system,” Chory said. “And so that makes the cost of sequestering billions of tons of carbon way lower than any of our competitors, if we can pull all that off.”

About 25 percent of the carbon dioxide added to the air by human activity could be removed, Chory said. That would make a

significant contribution to bringing carbon dioxide emissions into balance.

The genetic traits needed to increase carbon storage are already known, Chory said. It’s now mainly a matter of breeding or genetically engineering these traits into the plants. Seed companies must be convinced to offer these seeds — and farmers must see the benefit in buying them.

Originally, the initiative envisioned engineering plants to grow in low-value or non-arable regions. That is still part of the plan, but adding in food crops provides the industrial scale needed.

The Audacious Project is housed at TED, the nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas worth considering. Its first grants were given in 2018. The Salk grant came from more than 10 people and organizations, coordinated through the project.

“What we found compelling is the idea that plants can be our best ally in solving the situation that we’re in right now, and that it’s almost a solution that’s been hiding in plain sight,” said Anna Verghese, the project’s executive director.

Chory’s role gives the initiative additional credibility, Verghese said, because she’s a renowned plant biologist who has made fundamental discoveries.

Few gifts to the Salk rival that from the Audacious Project. In 2013, the institute received a $42 million donation from the Helmsley Charitable Trust. At that time, it was the largest single donation in the Salk’s

history. However, a number of donors have given multiple times, and the Audacious gift came from many individual donors.

Chory was schedule to discuss the initiative Tuesday evening at a TED event in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The initiative may break an impasse on dealing with global warming, said Joseph Noel, another participating Salk scientist.

Instead of condemning carbon dioxide as a dangerous pollutant, the initiative seeks to use it as a valuable material.

“Carbon dioxide is essential in our atmosphere,” Noel said. “It is a greenhouse gas and that’s what allows the earth to have these very reasonable temperatures in which humans and other animals can actually exist. And it’s also the fertilizer for the planet.”

The carbon sink is a material called suberin, the main substance in cork. Plants naturally make suberin in their roots. Because suberin lasts for decades, it sequesters carbon for a long time.

As a result, crop plants would become more weather-resistant, Noel said.

Crops that have already been genetically modified would be the easiest to gain acceptance among the public, he said.

And suberin itself has important uses beyond sealing wine bottles. As a building material, suberin resists fire, insulates against sound, and helps roads resist cracking. But its quantity is limited, because cork trees grow slowly, Noel said.

Enhancing suberin production for non-crop plants in critical wetlands would protect them from environmental stresses, said Noel, who is working on that part of the initiative. Suberin protects roots from getting waterlogged or drying out, guards against excess salinity, and also keeps out pests.

“Those ecosystems are some of the world’s largest deposits of sedimentary or soil carbon,” Noel said. “So they have a capacity to store carbon up to a hundred times greater than an equivalent area of dry land.”

Prototype suberin-enhanced plants can be expected in a few years, Noel said. ©2019 The San Diego Union-Tribune Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

bubble wraps and other packing materials available.

Bubble-lined paper is especially important to shipping machine parts.

While Bresel has seen a “little influx” of business due to the flooding over the past several weeks, eBay and related shipments of mailing materials by startup businesses — especially in the crafts area — are a staple to activity.

“We’ve had our online store for about 15 years now, and it’s providing a good way for customers to see the 10,000-some items we have available,” he said. “We’re shipping all over Nebraska, part of Kansas and into much of Iowa.”

The younger Bresel said he, perhaps more so than earlier generations of the family managing business operations, is taking advantage of opportunities to be more adaptive.

One example is the additional emphasis on customizing boxes.

The customer may want up to 50x30x10inch boxes with specialized printing and their logo on the outside.

“An average order might be from 100 to 500 boxes for a small manufacturer, a walk-in customer, a big distributor or a mom and pop shop also selling in home shows,” Bresel said. “We’ve also grown with a lot of our customers.

“The guy who started a small manufacturing company over the years has grown into a multimillion-dollar corporation and one of our largest customers.”

Mike Bresel, who is in his late 30s, said Midwest Box has been able to retain many of its veteran employees despite its two moves in his lifetime. Being family owned, he said, enables the firm to resist being “super-strict” and that sends a message that workers are valued.

Warehouse Manager Rondo Davis, with more than 30 years in, is the most veteran employee.

In the future, Bresel said he wants to place additional emphasis on outside sales.

“Right now, I’m hitting the streets plenty,” he said.

Midwest Box has two trucks and, on occasion, he said he might receive an 11 a.m. call that a customer has run out of a certain size of box. The relative small size of the firm enables it to adapt its scheduling to get the shipment out in the metro area that same day.

“When we’re called with such requests we need to be sure we make it happen,” Bresel said.

Another adaptation is helping new clients set up a plan for their mailing needs, which can, in some cases, include an inventorying service that enables materials to be inventoried at Midwest Box and then shipped in more just-in-time intervals.

Mike Bresel said his father, now 68 and semi-retired from the family business, stressed honesty, good pricing and going the extra-mile with customer service as being important components for the future of Midwest Box. The younger Bresel said he’s been told that a small, family owned company surviving for 50 years is not that common.

A celebration is being planned for this summer.

“Then my focus will be on keeping things happening for the next 15 to 20 years,” he said.

Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

25

Prevalence of online commerce pushing more patents and trademarks

by Lee Nelson

There is a need for patents and trademarks today more than ever, said Chad W. Swantz, patent attorney and co-owner of Suiter Swantz IP. “With the proliferation of media channels and development of social networks, a unique brand or invention can become well-known by many very quickly. Protecting a brand or invention early on helps minimize imitations, low-quality or dangerous counterfeit products, and other forms of intellectual property infringement,” he said.

Every case is different, and there is not one optimal path for every circumstance, he said.

Those interested in obtaining a trademark, patent, or any other form of intellectual property, should always discuss their particular needs with a patent attorney.

“There has been growth in the number of trademark applications, particularly the last two years, at least partially due to the growing number of startup businesses,” Swantz said.

The number of trademark application filings at the United States Patent and Trade-

mark Office (USPTO) grew 10% in Fiscal Year 2017 and grew another 8% in Fiscal Year 2018. The number of patent applications filed at the USPTO remains the highest it has ever been, around 600,000 per year, Swantz said, with computing and telecommunications remaining the highest technology sectors represented.

“While they remain under-represented, the share of patents Swantz that include at least one woman has increased from 7% in the 1980s to 21% in 2016 according to a recent USPTO report on women inventors and U.S. patents,” he said.

Christopher Estwick, intellectual property attorney at Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman, said anyone who uses a word, slogan, logo, design or even a sound (in some cases) as a source-identifier for their goods and/or services

should consider trademark protection.

“It could be a business name, product name or phrase that’s used in connection with your business. If your business has invested the time, money, and energy into building a name for your business, it’s important to consider registering a trademark to protect it,” he said.

The increase in trademark applications has led to crowding Estwick in certain industries, Estwick said.

“As a result, we’ve seen an uptick in clients with existing federal trademark registrations desiring to oppose new applications to protect their trademarks. Additionally, the growth in trademark applications has caused applicants to be more creative in their initial formulation of trademarks,” he said.

Social media activity can have a significant

Social media experts talk current trends in marketing

by Gabby Christensen

Social media is ever changing, but according to experts, one thing that remains constant is the need for businesses to stay up to date with current trends.

Lindsay Scarpello, strategic communications manager at OBI Creative, said she has noticed discussion around new platforms such as TikTok and monetization on Snapchat through a more robust advertising platform for marketers, Scarpello however these are very specific to certain demographics.

“In general, the more macro trends occurring at the moment are around influencer marketing, user-generated content and repurposing evergreen content for new mediums such as video,” she said.

According to Scarpello, the best way to monitor social media activity is through a third-party tool connecting all accounts in one spot.

She said these range from free to fairly expensive, but can usually be scaled to the size of the business and budget.

Scarpello noted that planning ahead is important.

“Create a calendar or schedule for your content and repurpose across channels in order to make it specific to those followers,” she said.

“For example, there’s no reason you can’t share the same study on both your Facebook and Twitter, but the format might look a little different in order to engage those varied audiences.”

LeAnne Morman, senior account executive at Lukas Partners, said she has seen growth on social media in private, topic-specific groups.

Additionally, she said LinkedIn now allows document sharing of Word, PDF and PowerPoint, and Facebook has a feature that can “premiere” a latest video, or release it as a news release.

Morman said monitoring social activity and listening are key for businesses to keep track of current conversations online that may indirectly

or directly involve the organization.

In addition to third-party platforms that effectively monitor social media activity, Morman said Lukas Partners also follows hashtags on

Morman Mazurek Instagram of topics related to clients to keep on top of social conversations.

“We recommend platforms that best fit the business model that reach the organization’s key audiences,” she said. “It’s important to remember that social media can be the welcome mat to the storefront of your business, so having a social platform that you excel at and fits your business will provide a better impression to new visitors.”

Emily Mazurek, public relations strategist at Bailey Lauerman, said influencer marketing on social media continues to rise.

“Bailey Lauerman recently launched the Everything In-between (EIB) Influencer Network, a collective of bloggers and tastemakers who represent the pride, values, attitudes and opinions of the 92% of Americans that live outside of our 10 largest cities, a segment that is often overlooked by brands,” she said. “With the EIB network, we hope to combat and help brands work through common issues faced when working with influencers, including authentic content creation and follower fraud.”

Mazurek said creating authentic content is key to aligning influencers with a brand, and it’s essential to evaluate influencers to understand who has genuine engagement and followers to avoid follower fraud, an increasing influencer industry issue.

“There are many options available to businesses for monitoring their social media channels, from paying for a service that tracks

your channels or monitoring through individual platforms,” Mazurek said. “Social media is one of the only marketing tactics that is relatively cheap and can allow you to create and test different types of content to see what works for your audience across platforms. Whatever your content is, it’s important you listen, engage, respond and optimize your platform strategy accordingly.”

impact on trademark applications, Estwick said.

“Pop culture phenomenon Cardi B’s trademark applications for ‘Okurrr’ come to mind,” he said. “In addition, technology has allowed many businesses to expand the scope of their goods and services through e-commerce, search engine optimization, social media marketing, etc. The expanded use allows businesses to claim broader geographic trademark rights.”

John Miles, attorney at Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, said in the patent arena, the America Invents Act has created additional avenues to challenge the validity of patents.

“As a result, a company seeking to enforce a patent often finds itself defending the patent in an administrative processing in the Patent Office,” he said.

Technology has allowed firms to be more creative, but that has made it harder to find good trademarks, he said. It has also made the world a much smaller place.

“Trademarks are more important when your customers don’t know you personally. The rise of internet commerce makes trademarks more important,” Miles said. “As technology progresses, there are also more inventions which are potential candidates for patents.

However, patents are only one way to protect inventions. Trade secret protection should also be considered.”

A person considering trademark or patent protection needs to contemplate the costs and benefits, he said.

“It costs money not only to obtain registration, but also to protect your mark and patent registration once it has been obtained,” Miles said.

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

Echo Systems adds Gadzinski

Echo Systems has hired Ben Gadzinski as a shade specialist.

After graduating from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a bachelor’s degree in international studies, Gadzinski worked in sales, most recently at Nebraska Furniture Mart. He Gadzinski joins Echo Systems specializing in shade sales in both commercial and residential sales. Echo Systems is the residential and commercial automation and lighting division of Echo Group Inc.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha selects Kopp as senior vice chancellor

The University of Nebraska at Omaha has named Sacha Kopp, Ph.D., the next senior vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Kopp succeeds current UNO Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs B.J. Reed, Ph.D., who will retire May 31, after 36 years of service at UNO in both faculty and administrative roles.

As UNO’s chief Kopp academic officer, the position provides strategic direction, in support of the chancellor, toward the advancement of UNO’s academic mission with a commitment to academic excellence as well as student access and opportunities. This follows a national search conducted in partnership between a 29 person UNO search committee and a leadership search firm. More than 70 higher education leaders applied for the position.

Kopp served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the State University of New York at Stony Brook from 2014-2018.

He also served on the university’s President's Council on Diversity and Inclusion with programs developed at the college level serving as the model for the campus-wide diversity plan.

Previously Kopp served as associate dean of the

Aon in Omaha hires Kavan as new account executive

Aon, a global professional services firm, appointed Harold A. Kavan as an account executive in the Omaha office.

In this role, Kavan is responsible for identifying and analyzing risk management challenges and offering solutions to meet client needs. His background includes nearly 30 years of industry experience. Prior to this role, Kavan served as Kavan an account consultant at Holmes Murphy in Des Moines. He previously worked as corporate risk manager at Lifespace Communities Inc. Kavan received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Creighton University.

Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory names Kinsella managing partner

Dan Kinsella, a 20-year Deloitte veteran and partner with Deloitte Risk and Financial Advisory, has been named managing partner of its Omaha practice.

Kinsella will oversee the local team to help drive client and business growth and further enhance Deloitte’s strategic positioning in the Omaha market. He will also Kinsella lead community involvement initiatives, connect with various professional organizations, and continue to maintain his client service responsibilities.

Kinsella succeeds Rob Mitchell, a partner with Deloitte Tax LLP, who is retiring at the end of May after serving as Omaha managing partner for five years.

College of Natural Sciences and as a professor physics at the University of Texas (2010-2014).

He earned his doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Chicago.

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Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

27

Outlook Nebraska names Lohnes director of business development

Huerter

Olson

Walters

Curfman

Security National promotes Huerter, Olson, Walters, Curfman, Stratman

Security National Bank has promoted and focuses on loans and deposits for midJim Huerter, Mark Olson, Dustin Walters, dle-market businesses in the Omaha metro Jeanne Curfman and Shane Stratman at its area.

Walters, promoted to first vice president, headquarters at Three Pacific Place, 1120 S. relationship manager, has a bachelor’s degree 101st St. in Omaha.

Huerter has been promoted to vice presi- from Wayne State College. Walters is a board dent, relationship manager, leading the bank’s member for the Gretna Community Foundation, a member of the Schools of team in commercial and industrial Banking Advisory Committee, and banking. He is a grandson of Sethe treasurer for Journey Church. curity National Bank’s founder, Curfman has been promoted to Clarence L. “Mickey” Landen Jr., assistant vice president, mortgage and the third generation to work loan originator. Curfman has nearly at the bank. Huerter has a bach30 years of experience in mortgage elor’s degree in finance from St. lending and is an affiliate member Louis University. He also serves of the Omaha Area Board of Realon the board of directors for the tors, Women’s Council of Realtors Risk Management Association and the Nebraska Mortgage AssoMidlands Chapter and El Museo ciation. She received a bachelor’s Latino.

Stratman degree from the University of Olson has been promoted to first vice president, relationship manager. Northern Iowa. Curfman also volunteers as a Olson has a bachelor’s degree in banking and review board member for the Autism Center finance from the University of Nebraska at of Nebraska.

Stratman has been promoted to assistant Omaha. Olson joined the bank 10 years ago

Outlook Nebraska, a nonprofit serving the visually impaired and the largest employer of the blind in the state, has named Blake Lohnes director of business development.

Lohnes will lead and implement strategies driving the sales of janitorial and restroom paper products manufactured in Outlook’s production facility. Additionally, Lohnes he will be responsible for expanding the nonprofit’s overall product line to meet client needs, collaborate with cross-functional teams and assist in the development of Outlook Nebraska associates.

Lohnes joined Outlook Nebraska after serving in roles that included director of sales for a member-based nonprofit and as a leading business development consultant for one of the world’s leading research firms.

vice president, relationship manager. Stratman joined SNB’s credit risk department five years ago and has more than 10 years of banking experience. He received a bachelor’s degree in finance from Northwest Missouri State. He is a council member for the young professional startup program, Tomorrow’s Leaders – Nebraska Chapter and also volunteers for Keep Omaha Beautiful.

Robbins

Feit

Leo A Daly promotes Robbins, Feit

Leo A Daly has appointed Heather Robbins to senior associate and Stacy Feit to associate.

Robbins is a licensed senior interior designer with more than 12 years of experience at Leo A Daly. She is proficient at developing interior architecture concepts and understands all phases of design projects, including space planning, design development, color, finish and material selection, construction documents, and specifications. Robbins is a LEED Accredited Professional and has served as an integral part of multi-disciplinary design teams.

Feit is an architect and LEED Accredited Professional who has been with the company for four years. She provides design services for health care, education, commercial and government facilities. She also coordinates document preparation with multiple engineering disciplines and is well-versed in Construction Manager at Risk project delivery. Specifically, she has experience with publicly funded projects that require pubic engagement and close coordination with city officials and councils.

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal

2019

May 16 4 – 6 p.m.

Omaha Design Center Register

OmahaChamber.org/excellenceawards

2

• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal • Business Excellence Awards

Local organizations take center stage by making commitments to excellence

Kayti Manley, senior director-special events at the Greater Omaha Chamber.

(Courtesy of Greater Omaha Chamber)

by Michelle Leach hard-working businesses whose contributions Nearly two-dozen organizations across elevate our community and, each year, we three categories and almost 50 milestone receive a record number of nominations from award recipients celebrating 25 to 150 years Chamber members,” Manley said. will be honored during the Greater Omaha Comprised of reps from six companies, Chambers’ Business Excellence the selection committee parsed a Awards Community Celebration reported nearly 90 nominations, Thursday, May 16 at the Omaha which come in during a three- to Design Center. four-week period at the start of “We expect for our attendees each year. to hear lots of cheering, chat“But we receive requests tering and noise makers at this for information throughout the year’s event,” said Greater Omaha year — our members seeking Chamber Senior Director-Special information on how they can be Events Kayti Manley. honored with the next group of Honorees will be recognized ‘excellent’ companies,” she said. as “2018 Small Business of the “Individuals and businesses …

Maher Year,” and for “Excellence in Inare doing amazing things to make novation,” “Excellence in Leaderour region stronger. This event is really about ship” and “Excellence in Philanthropy.” telling their story and being an advocate for “Each year, we put out a call for stories our business community.” that go above and beyond — stories of our Premier Bank was inspired to sponsor the Business Excellence Awards and Omaha Small Business of the Month — for the first time.

“We … saw this as an opportunity to highlight the accomplishments of small businesses in the area, which is a primary focus of Premier Bank,” said President and CEO Chris Maher.

Maher described “excellence” as a “choice,” “a goal,” a commitment to persistently pursue a decision that results in the best path.

“As we studied the many nominees and their individual success stories, the similarities to the short history of Premier Bank were evident,” he said. “We took a failed business (Mid City Bank) and, in our short seven and a half year-history, re-branded it Premier Bank and turned it into a thriving, growing, successful business that employs about 50 people and has been named one of the safest banks in the country the last five years in a row.”

As a small business, Premier Bank “gets it,” what other small businesses go through to be successful.

“Getting Premier Bank off the ground took a lot of determination and hard work, exactly the same type of work that the nominees and recipients of the Business Excellence Awards are being recognized for,” he said.

Milestone Award recipients are being recognized for 25, 50, 75, 100, 125 or 150 years of operations. The University of Nebraska and the Nebraska State Fair are celebrating sesquicentennials that roughly coincide with the state.

“It’s perseverance and tenacity — that’s the most descriptive words for the State Fair organization,” said Executive Director Lori K. Cox. “This fair almost didn’t survive financially.”

She spoke to aging structures at its former location in Lincoln (now the site of Nebraska Innovation Campus); the 2019 fair celebrates another milestone: 10 years in Grand Island.

“Things were being ‘duct-taped’ together,” Cox explained. “There was a severe problem that started way back in 1990.”

It wasn’t that central and western Nebraska folks balked at traveling to Lincoln.

“They’ll go 100 miles for a steak,” she said. “The facilities in Lincoln were difficult for them to offload and were sweltering hot Continued on page 4.

Business Excellence Awards • Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal • Business Excellence Awards

Peitzmeier Demolition and Concrete Cutting named Chamber’s Small Business of the Year

Mark Peitzmeier, owner and president of Peitzmeier Demolition and Concrete Cutting.

by Gabby Christensen Design Center.

Over the course of seven years, PeitzPeitzmeier said the award signifies that meier Demolition and Concrete Cutting hard work is pivotal to success. has significantly grown its demolition and “I’m not usually driven by recognidirt moving operation, but this is very Peitzmeier Demolition tions by hiring addimeaningful,” he tional crew members said. “Life throws and Concrete Cutting Inc. and acquiring new you some very unPhone: 402-346-9297 equipment, allowing expected curves, so it Address: 1119 S. 6th St. Omaha 68108 the company to take is very rewarding to Founded: 2012 on more opportunibe able to share this Service: provider of demolition services ties, according to with our entire team, specializing in commercial and industrial owner and President friends and most imin the Omaha metro area Mark Peitzmeier. portantly, family.”

Employees: 45 More recently, Peitzmeier, who Goal: Continue to meet the metro area’s the company was said he inherited his demolition needs and keep the business named Small Busidesire to work in the in the family. ness of the Year by construction industry Website: www.peitzmeierdemolition.com the Greater Omaha from his own father, Chamber and will be recognized at the founded the company in 2012.

Business Excellence Awards celebraThe business, specializing in all types tion on Thursday, May 16 at the Omaha of demolition, concrete cutting, boilers and elevator removal and dirt work, primarily serves small contractors, homeowners, churches and schools and larger companies in Nebraska and western Iowa.

As a value-added service for its clients, Continued on next page.

Excellence awards

Continued from page 2. for all the critters.”

Today’s fair facilities are designed with comfort and convenience in mind, down to apartments for veterinarians in the animal birthing pavilion.

“In the State Fair business, [we’re] being heralded as the ‘miracle child,’” Cox said.

“No one has had success moving a fair.”

Fairs from Michigan to Virginia, Cox noted, have gone by the wayside or gone bankrupt, only to be resurrected later (in some cases, twice).

“Jim Tucker told us, ‘Don’t do it. It’s a death knell,’” Cox said, a reference to the president and CEO of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions’ advice when the fair was considering the move to Grand Island. “He still is star-struck and the rest of the industry is flabbergasted. Nebraska is special. There is a synergy, a family energy about joining together and doing what it takes to survive.”

Cox further spotlighted the fair’s management and production of the storied Aksarben Stock Show. Established in 1928 by the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, the show moved from Omaha to Grand Island in 2017.

“This spoke volumes to Omaha’s willingness to deepen its roots across Nebraska — Omaha is not its own state,” Cox said, while also noting their strategic focus on “150 more years,” and on entertainment that resonates with all Nebraskans.

The Chamber’s Manley encouraged the community to join in celebrating excellence.

“Excellence rubs off — it is earned, not given,” she said.

Premier Bank’s Maher further encouraged readers to get involved with the Chamber.

“Some of their work, like the BEA awards, is out in front for everyone to see or read about in the local news,” he said. “But their work is much more pervasive. They are touching almost every aspect of the business cycle in the state.”

Business Excellence Awards • Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

Basic principles a key element of milestone honorees’ success

by Jasmine Heimgartner

While there are many signs of successfully operating an organization, an undeniable indicator of doing things right is celebrating milestone years of service.

This year, 46 area businesses and nonprofits are celebrating significant anniversaries ranging from 25 years to 150 years.

Behind these impressive milestones are many ups and downs and challenges met, especially for small businesses.

“There are few small businesses that go back as long as we do that are still existing,” said Robert Malashock, jeweler, Malashock’s Jewelry Co., 125-year honoree. “The resources and amount of money behind you has to get stronger because there are much bigger stores with resources. Ours is limited, so it can Post be difficult to compete in advertising and promotions. There have been periods all through the decades that you go through where it isn’t always gravy and then it turns around. It’s very rewarding, but you have to be willing to adjust to change.”

Meeting those bumps in the road often means long hours, passion and the drive to succeed.

“It’s just like anything else in life,” said Jeff Post, president and owner of Mid-Continent Properties Inc., a 50-year honoree. “You get out of it what you put into it. You have to take the time to put forth the best business practices that you possibly can. You have to be able to put

Peitzmeier

Continued from preceding page. he said the company strives to stay within budget and meet all schedules.

“We are fortunate to have such conscientious employees who work hard and keep the jobs safe,” Peitzmeier said. “Because of that, we have many repeat clients and great referrals.”

While the growing company currently employs 45 people, he said it’s a constant struggle to find employees as the amount of work increases.

Nonetheless, he said his current staff is extremely valuable.

According to Peitzmeier, the company is unique in the local industry by offering additional incentives for employees.

“We started offering health insurance to our employees, and that has been received better than I expected,” he said.

“Many of them could not afford insuring their families with the options out there.

Being able to provide this benefit and give them options has been very rewarding for me. I know how much they appreciate it and can see it in the overall morale.”

Down the road, Peitzmeier said he hopes to continue to expand the business and eventually pass it onto his son-in-law and nephew, who are quickly learning what

yourself in your clients’ shoes and understand what their needs are and what they might be experiencing. It could be something very different than from what someone else might experience.”

While successful organizations need good leadership, they are only as good as the people behind them.

“First and foremost, it is the longevity of staff,” said Tom McNeil, president and owner of Mainelli Mechanical Contractors Inc., 50-year honoree. “When you have consistent staff, they get to know the owners and contractors and build relationships. I try to take care of employees the best I can.

Without them, I am nothing.”

Quality employees are key to a company’s longevity, which requires taking the time to Thompson provide them the training and tools they need to succeed.

“While having the very best is the most vital ingredient to success, providing them with the tools, strategies and support to be successful and grow both personally and professionally is without a doubt one of the most important investments we make,” said Scot Thompson, president and CEO, C&A Industries, 50-year honoree. “C&A has a world-class training and development department and has been recognized globally relative to the programs and investment provided to our employees.”

Regardless of whether it’s a small or large organization, the right teams help Continued on page 8. it takes to run a company on a daily basis.

Along with a strong dedication to clients, he partially credits a great economy over the past several years for the substantial growth the business has seen.

When it comes to trends, Peitzmeier said the type of work can be somewhat cyclical.

“Having repeat business like the various jobs for the school systems helps us manage our schedule knowing those will come around in the summer,” he said.

“Many of the larger companies here in Omaha are expanding or have plans to expand. We want to be a part of those jobs for sure, but we definitely pick up the smaller jobs as well to fill in the gaps.

Having worked for large companies as well as smaller companies, I understand that every job, no matter the scope of the project, is important to the client so we treat them with the same intensity.”

As for now, Peitzmeier said he looks forward to watching his services and customer base expand.

He said receiving the Small Business of the Year Award marks a special chapter for the business.

“I’m grateful to everyone who voted for Peitzmeier Demolition,” Peitzmeier said. “I am very proud to receive this award and to serve the Omaha community.”

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal • Business Excellence Awards

Congratulations 2019 Excellence Awards

Excellence in Innovation The Bike Union and Coffee Home Instead Senior Care Lindsay Corporation Metropolitan Community College Project Harmony Child Advocacy Center Quantum Workplace Signature Performance

Excellence in Philanthropy Anytime Tees Don & Ron’s CARSTAR Auto Body Repair, Inc. First National Bank Gallup NMC Group, Inc. Makovicka Physical Therapy Physicians Mutual Revela RTG Medical

Excellence in Leadership Abide E&A Consulting Group, Inc. The Harry A. Koch Co. Latino Center of the Midlands LEO A DALY Makovicka Physical Therapy Pinnacle Bank Quantum Workplace

2018 Small Business of the Year Peitzmeier Demolition and Concrete Cutting, Inc.

Business Excellence Awards • Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

Congratulations 2019 Milestone Awards The following long standing businesses will be honored at the reception

150 years

Nebraska State Fair University of Nebraska

years 125 Concordia University, Nebraska Malashock’s Jewelry Company

years 100 Conagra Brands Houck Transit Advertising Junior League of Omaha, Inc. Kiwanis Club of Omaha Merchants Credit Adjusters, Inc. Orsi’s Italian Bakery & Pizzeria

years 75 Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman LLP Gorat’s Steakhouse

years 50 C & A Industries, Inc. Charlie Graham – A Great Plains Auto Body Company Classic Auto Sales, Inc. Conklin, Inc. George Butler Associates, Inc. Mainelli Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Mid-Continent Properties, Inc. Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. Security Equipment, Inc. Tax Help & O’Malley Financial Westroads Mall

25 years

Advance Services, Inc. Advance Fire and Safety Affiliated Companies AlphaGraphics 645 America First Investment Advisors, LLC Bizco Technologies Bloomfield Residence, LLC Brodkey, Cuddigan, Peebles, Belmont & Line, LLP Chastain Insurance Agency DBA Chastain Otis Downs Electric, Inc. Engineered Controls, Inc. Eric Francis Photography FuTex Systems, Inc. – Complete Fund Accounting Harrison Financial Services Home Instead Senior Care The Reader Renaissance Financial Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha Susan G. Komen Great Plains Svec Promotions T. Hurt Construction, Inc. The Brass Armadillo Antique Mall Two Men and A Truck

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal • Business Excellence Awards

Innovation award winners strike out in new directions

by David Kubicek

Organizations receiving the Innovation Award include Metropolitan Community College (MCC), The Bike Union and Coffee, and Signature Performance.

MCC, undergoing the largest physical facilities expansion project in its history, has made leading-edge education changes focused on real world experience and strategic corporate partnerPensabene ships, according to Tom Pensabene, associate vice president of workforce and IT innovation.

Expansion at the Fort Omaha campus included the addition of the Construction Education Center, the Career and Academic Skills Center, and the Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology.

Construction students in seven trade areas

now work under one roof to build a new home which, in coordination with local industry, is available for sale.

“MCC is piloting programs that are

Sommer Fredrickson competency-based, meaning that instead of holding time constant, learning is,” Pensabene said. “Students move at their own pace completing projects and demonstrating mastery. The result is higher student satisfaction and enhanced costeffectiveness.”

MCC has many partnerships that al-

low students hands-on experience and the chance to connect with possible future employers such as OPPD, Metropolitan Utilities District, Lozier and Mutual of Omaha.

The Bike Union and Coffee provides workforce development and life skills for young adults who have aged out of the foster care system, Founder and Executive Director Miah Sommer said. Each year, 30,000 young adults age out of the foster care system nationally, about 300 in Nebraska. According to a Midwestern

study, 40% of these young adults will end up homeless, less than half will graduate from high school, and 50% of them will be unemployed.

“We want to make sure that these young adults, who experienced traumatic formative years, will have both the personal and professional tools they’ll need to succeed and beat the statistics,” Sommer said. “Our program participants work in both the bike shop and the coffee house on the technical aspects of the job. The 12-month program provides them with a 20-hour per week paid position. In this way we can really form a relationship and Continued on next page.

Key element of milestone honorees’ success Continued from page 5. ensure clients and customers are satisfied.

For many of the milestone honorees, personability and reliability underline keeping people happy.

“The biggest thing that we always feel sets us apart from a larger company is the personal touch that we provide our clients,” Post said. “We do the best we can to man-

age our clients’ expectations and take care of every clients’ land as if it’s our own. You have to follow through on every commitment that you make to your client. If you make the commitment, you over deliver. We pride ourselves on being very diligent and ethical.”

Achieving longevity also requires stepping outside the organization and giving back to the community.

“Community involvement, especially when done so not out of obligation, but out of an innate desire to serve and help others, can yield many benefits beyond that of the organization and/or cause for which you are contributing,” Thompson said. “We have found it builds camaraderie as well as sometimes helps us to recognize and gain greater perspective of the importance and gratitude that can be recognized by helping those in need and/or less fortunate. Having a workforce that truly cares about family and loved ones, as well as their co-workers and the community as whole, just makes for people and better companies.”

For younger organizations looking to emulate these milestone recipients, their foundations need to be built upon basic principles.

“Just be honest,” McNeil said. “You don’t get two chances on honesty. Sometimes you just got to take your lumps. You don’t try and cheat anybody. We are an open book. If we set a price and we go over, we accept it. When it comes to relationships and honesty, you can’t have one without the other.”

Business Excellence Awards • Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

Greater Omaha area organizations highlighted for philanthropic efforts

by Lee Nelson

Companies across the Omaha area are putting actions and money to work to help others. Those receiving awards for philanthropy from the Greater Omaha Business Excellence Aw a r d s i n c l u d e : Anytime Tees, Council Bluffs; Don & R o n ’s C A R S TA R Auto Body Repair Inc., Omaha; First National Bank, Omaha; Gallup, Omaha; Makovicka PhysiBarrientos cal Therapy, Omaha; NMC Group Inc., Omaha; Physicians Mutual, Omaha; Revela, Omaha; and RTG Medical, Fremont.

Innovation award Continued from preceding page. help them achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves.”

One hundred percent of the proceeds goes back into the organization’s programming. Last year, the Bike Shop had 10,000 individual donors and generated over $100,000 in revenue.

The organization also offers a host of “soft skills” like financial literacy, personal budgeting, cooking and nutrition classes, academic tutoring, mindfulness meditation, and a book club to provide them with opportunities they might not otherwise have had.

The focus of Signature Performance Inc., an Omaha-based health care administration business processing and technology company, is on lowering administrative costs for organizations serving health care nationwide. Since its founding 15 years ago, Signature has expanded its base from a handful of clients to hundreds of health care entities across the United States and grown from eight employees in 2004 to 900 today, according to President and CEO

A few of the organizations’ or companies’ representatives discuss the things they are doing in the community: Rachel Nagunst, owner of Anytime Te e s , s a i d t h a t throughout the year, she and her staff work with teams and organizations to do online T-shirt sales raising funds for various causes.

“The past year, we were honored to facilitate helping the family of a long-time Reed Council Bluffs’ athlete trainer, Jill White. She was loved by so many and set a great example in the Continued on page 11.

Allen Fredrickson.

The firm’s wide array of programs empowers associates, increasing satisfaction and team engagement. The programs range from Signature You, an in-house university which provides professional development, to Propel, a program that fosters new ideas from associates to integrate into the organization.

Strengths coaching at Signature encourages application of unique talents to performance, and the firm’s quarterly associate awards program OSPAR (Outstanding Signature Performance Associate Recognition) recognizes exemplary performance.

“We’re extremely honored to receive [the Innovation] award, which reflects our highly engaged culture and dedication to shaping a team that exceeds client results,” Fredrickson said. “Our team is passionate about developing an engaging culture in which associates love their jobs and are able to do their best work. The Signature Performance team inspires me daily as they use their talent and dedication to make a positive impact on reducing health care administrative costs.”

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• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal • Business Excellence Awards

FINANCIAL & TAX PLANNING SELF IMPROVEMENT IN THE NEW YEAR WEDDINGS BUSINESS ANNUAL/PREVIEW RETIREMENT & SENIOR ISSUES OMAHA REAL ESTATE BUSINESS PLANNING IN 2014 SPORTS & RECREATION AIR HUB OMAHA VALENTINE’S GIFT GUIDE FINANCING STARTUPS TECHNOLOGY HEALTH INSURANCE PRINTING & GRAPHICS ENGINEERING PROFESSION BUSINESS SUCCESSION & TRANSITIONS WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE HOME TRENDS INVESTMENTS OFFICE SERVICES GUIDE FASHION BANKING IN THE MIDLANDS GUIDE TO COMPANY PICNICS COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE WORKSHOP AG TRENDS IN THE MIDLANDS SAFETY & HEALTH SUMMIT BUSINESS APPEARANCE: INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR TECHNOLOGY SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION INVESTING FOR RETIREMENT HOTELS AND TOURISM LEGAL PROFESSION BIG O! EXCELLENCE AWARDS COUNCIL BLUFFS GROWTH REPORT CELEBRATE CONSTRUCTION MARKETING, ADVERTISING & PROMOTIONS ENERGY & UTILITIES SALUTE TO SMALL BUSINESS COMPANY OUTINGS EDUCATION & CAREER DEVELOPMENT SARPY COUNTY GROWTH REPORT HEALTH & WELLNESS GOING GREEN CONDO LIVING HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY TRANSPORTATION, DISTRIBUTION & WAREHOUSING ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ACCOUNTING PROFESSION COMMERCIAL OFFICE SPACE DIRECTORY NONPROFITS WORK RELATED INJURIES EVENT PLANNERS/TRADE SHOWS SENIOR ISSUES HOLIDAY OFFICE PARTIES GUIDE LINCOLN GROWTH REPORT TECHNOLOGY OFFICE Read it and DESIGN TRENDS PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE CAREER TRANSITIONS & JOB SEARCH SHOPPING/MALL SPACE DIRECTORY HOME Read it Reap!

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Subscribe today Banking

Midlands Business

A section prepared

by the staff of

Journal • APRIL 5, 2019 •

27

the Midlands

Brisk lending environment Business Journal makes for rosy times

by Dwain Hebda in local

Banks across Nebraska are enjoying a run of prosperity that’s cut across all sectors and market lending areas. That’s the ment from Dave assessDannehl, board chairman for the Nebraska Bankers “Community banks Association. doing well, primarily in Nebraska are due to strong loan

Dannehl Adams demand across the commercial, agriculture and housing sectors,” have gone up steadily he said. “Interest rates the past two years have not deterred demand as they still but near historic lows.” hover Dannehl said loan volume would even stronger if not for economic be Adrian Hernandez, market conditions curtailing markets and a good share of farmers and senior vice president of lending reaching their full at Dundee Bank. from been experiencing ranchers have potential. is limited due to break-even the number of quality “With agriculture in Nebraska entering ties at best,” he said. “While opportuni- tractors and construction conits fourth year of construction demand is workers available stressed commodity prices, lid on futurehigh for much of Nebraska, the across the state.” economic and lending Clint growth branch Adams, Veridian Credit Union manager, said the company’s high-

Legal Profession

April 5, 2019

Midlands Business

banking market

touch lending process combined with latest technology the has contributed robust numbers. to the “While more people are choosing online and mobile channels for their transactions, many routine to meet face-to-facestill prefer the chance decisions,” he said. about larger financial “It’s important that we’re accessible and available in every way our members choose to interact with us.”

Adams said this philosophy is driving the company’s expansion strategy, mixing both virtual and brick-and-mortar access points.

Huston “We recently upgraded our mobile and forms, and our branch online banking platin the Omaha metro network is growing 2016, we announced area,” he said. “In 15 Veridian branches plans to open 10 to in the Omaha area within a decade we branches so far.” ve opened five of those The range of banking opportunities the market is so broad, it’s affording in stitutions the luxury inof developing Continued on nexthighly page.

Journal • APRIL 26, 2019 •

5

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Legal professional

by Dwain Hebda

holding its own against

April 26, 2019

waves of retirement

Despite large numbers of retirees among baby boomer-aged attorneys, local firms are weathering the exodus with complex matters, tive ease. Dennis relabut it can also Mann, to too much reliance lead with Woods & Aitken, firm administrator on looking somegave credit to the thing simple up, state’s law schools. rather than knowing the answer.”

“At the UNL Law College Awards Use of technology Luncheon recentprovides other potential operations l y, D e a n R i c h ar itored closely, said quandary if not monMoberly shared d that with McGrath NorthJ. Scott Paul, partner applicants into UNL and sitting president Law School have increased 30% over the past few years when across the nation that number is flat, and overall in the Midwest that number is down 2%,” he said. “In 2016, job Mann placement for UNL was 72% 10 monthsLaw School graduates after graduation; class of 2018 has a 94% placement.” the Stageman Mann said the Paul of the Nebraska displays qualities oncoming generation State “We see so much Bar Association. stant asset to any that make them an inmore emphasis firm. the impact on technology on “What we are seeing in our practice our profession,” in the way we associates and new law clerks is a he said. “Technology provides heartfelt desire to help opportunities to people, to make Dave Sommers, be more efficient and more ference in the executive director In some world and to be a difaccurate in client of the Omaha Bar communications engaged in their deeply generations cases, however, getting the and of technology and Association. community,” he on the same page provide better services also allows us to “Our mission is said. can take a within a firm family flexibility of time to clients. With that to little maneuvering. for type of commitments.” tively and to involve mentor them effecinnovation “Law practices are them in meaningful, Sommers noted need to maintain comes the increased more on the conserchallenging and vative end of confidentiality ern conveniences many of today’s mod- information rewarding work and away. We couldn’t present right things,” said changing our way of doing security.” sword for new barristers. a double-edged be more pleased Ironically, issues the skills, contributions with director of Dave Sommers, executive concerning inforthe Omaha Bar and character of our associates.”

Association. can “The ease at which younger attorneys mation security also represent “There can be some look up a one of the difficulties and ‘lost fastest-growing Michael Stageman, legal specialties in opinion has statute, regulation or court founder of Stage- translation’ moments between younger local market. in the in some cases man Law, is one torneys and their at- cuited’ ‘short-cirolder managing “The area of cybersecurity generation. He said attorney of the new such as partners, law,” the emphasis on memorizing the dress code, working he said. “It has broad implications in many finding mentors, he’s had no difficulty remotely, use different areas of fective in researchcan be more cost-ef- law,” which he considers the valuable.

Paul said. “I also costs for clients think that’s where on the most “The community growth potential of us who actually is.” go to court and have trials and stand in front of a judge every day is a very community,” he said. “As a result, small know each other people and that makes it easier to find mentors.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to offices next to a couple guys, have been practicing one’s for over 30 years the other one’s and been practicing bly over 50 years. probato me having peopleThat’s been helpful around who have been practicing 30, 40, 50 years.

There’s really not a lot that they haven’t multiple times.” seen

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n Although the past few years have been challe nging for many companies in the Owen Industries, steel industry, a Carter Lakebased group of five steel-related firms, has added 5 production positions in its M S metals operation including the additio n of a third shift Council Bluffs-based last une.

Studio K-Fit centers on physic President Tyler al, mental wellbeing. ramped-up hiring Owen said the – Page 2 a somewhat innova— along with tive and community-responsive model — positions hiring training the 4-year-old company with a 5,000 s uare foot facility on a -acre campus at 500 Avenue to harness a greater share of busine ss by several AP 000 being directed 0 r4 pro ects in the southenuclear power de Un as strengthening its rn .S. as well 40 role to ohn eere plants. as a supplier Meyer follows passio n to private “The work we equity, community service. – Page 3 AP 000 nuclear supplied to the power pro ects in South Carolina and eorgia were, by far, the most monumental pro ects in the history of Owen said. “The the company,” work we do as Continued on page a PVS Metals … A ramp up in hiring is leadin 7. g s in nd ds Tre lan Ag e Mid th

Harsh winter, histori c flooding create uncertainty for Nebraska agriculture.

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n While OrthoNebra prehe nsive orthop ska, a comWhat began in 1969 in the basem the spring of with Omaha roots edic practi ce Courtnage’s Papill ent of Larry 1938, has grown going back to to ion residence with a folding toppin g 175,0 00 the point of table, Rolodex, patien t visits a phone hookup and annually, CEO Levi a professional recruitan idea to start points to the 2004 J. Scheppers at technical positio ing firm aimed now OrthoNebra opening of the ska Hospital as ns, Maresco’s Italian over 50 years into has evolved being perhaps the Marke seminal reason Great C&A Indus piece of Italy to metro t delivers a Harvest Bread Co. tries — a family behind the firm’s expands area.

-owned group of Rockbrook Village multiof 8% annually. steady growth faceted compa location, – Page 2 offerings. serve a variety of nies — which “Havi ng the hospi fields and indus– Page 2 tal right tries, with custom here (two build ers in all 50 states. ings totali ng 178,000 square C&A Industries, feet just north of with just over 700 employees, Oak iew Mall opera offers a more its five-story, 0,000- tes out of personalized and truly seamless national headquarter s uare-foot experience for patients,” Schep s building at 13609 California pers said.

St. and plans to grow The 15-ye ar-old its Aureus Medic 0 hospi tal r4 filiate into the burgeo al Group afoffers an orthop de 0 edic r4 Un of staffing skilled ning industry gency room, imagi clinic, emerde 40 post-acute care Un positions. therapy, rheumatologng, physic al All roads led to Counc 40 il Bluffs for pedic urgen t care y and orthoCourtnage, chairm Nicky Clark builds Henkes. an/owner, career improving and hours that can with evenin g – Page 3 Presid ent/CEO Scot Thom diversity, inclusion accom moda te at Heartland pson — who is in injuri es at afterFamily Service. his 18th year with schoo l athlet ic C&A Industries practices.

– Page 3 — while Aureus Medicexplained that Twen ty-fiv e Ortho al Group had Nebra ska identi physi cians own fied From the skilled post-a left, Presid the clinic and the manufactur cute niche as early as Hospital Dr. Charl ent-OrthoNebraska Clinic Dr. e to take on more Conti nued five Ryan es years ago, on page 8. contin Burt, and CEObusiness.

OrthoNebraska Arnold, Chairman of the Board ues to expand its Continued on page (Photo by MBJ / -Orth Levi J. Scheppers hospital’s capab 7.

Becky McCarville) ... The orthopedic oNebraska ilities. organization (Photo by MBJ / Becky McCarville) g rtisin dve ns g, A otio ketin om Mar & Pr

late-summer Council Bluffs-based h Kirsch Old Marke relocation to Omaha s Transportation Servic t. ust five months shy es got its start “Cam and Matt irsch pur. Eigh- chased teen years on, the of a property and family-opera women-owned said Chief Opera back in 0 ,” ted shipper and ting Officer erecarrier solutions my Becker of its future provider employs head uararound 0 people ters site in the area of th , and with its specializedis diversifying ouglas streets. ” heavy e have -weigh been t actively renova and over-dimens ional shipments ting department, and ing it into an office and developis eyeing a mid- to outfitted for Continued on page an 26.

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

– Page 9

Attorney Karin immigration law e Sokpoh … Educating clients about changes in so they can be compl iant and know their rights.

(Photo by MBJ /

nt me on y vir str En Indu

by Michelle Leac

h In its 25 years, “We’re not just sitting metro Oma- saying back and ha-based Advan , ‘It’s been 25 years ce Services, Inc. — it’s has grown to 50 branch busine es, 17 onsite lookin ss as usual,’ we’re always locations, and more g for and impro than a dozen remote professional es, technology, and ving processrecruiters across staying up with 44 states and Puerto all the recruiting and hiring Rico. This is said momentum that Peggy Sandall-Bert trends,” shows no signs of rand, execwaning as the staffin utive director. g solutions provider plans on Sanda ll-Ber trand opening two new noted that offices in Missouri broader economic and Idaho in the dynamics have next 60 to 90 days. supported growth for the compa Continued on page ny 8.

Nebraska sees increas e in environmentally consci ous consumers.

– Page 4

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Becky McCarville)

will anchor a new Nebra ska’s fastes neighborhood, t-grow ing Millw company on the ork Commons, Inc. 500 list for in historic 2018, Flywheel, north Downtown. continues on an upwar d trajec tory “It’s not just cent launch of Local with the re- or an office space about a building “teams” and Local by Flywheel transforming a for us it s about neighborhood, so inspire developer Dev Fund to it’s a much bigger it looks forward innovation, as CEO Dusty David project,” said to — the anticipated summer 2020 an ability to make son. “We have completion date for its new headq revitalize what is a big dent and uarters, which a pretty cool part Continued on page 7.

From left: Remo utive Director Rebecter.Tech founder April Goettle, Do Space ExecGlover and resear ca Stavick, HerHeadquarters founder Carina cher Bianca Zongr to elevate wome one Jefferson … n and collaboratio in the local tech community throuFinding ways n. gh research

Founder and CEO Justin Nabity ...

Helping physic ians gain

by Becky McCarvil

From left, CEO Jeremy Becker … and co-founder Camilla Moor e Kirsch and COO Family logistics and freight servic es business distin employee, vendo r, shipper relatio nships.

le their dreams come Attorney arine helped 4 4 peopl Sokpoh has them open their true by helping business, helping e start, grow and protect their businesses since them grow their business, helpin g she founded her law them protect their business by regLaw roup, in 0 firm, Sokpoh istering their tradem .

She arks,” Sokpoh is hiring additional staff and said. “It s very reward ing seeing another attorney hopes to add that because of my own by the end of the year.

Sokpoh came to story.”

States from Togo, the nited “It gives me a lot of oy in a est Afwhat I do when rican nation, by Im herself at age some other immig able to help to attend the rants — make niversity of Continued on page 25.

by Savannah Behr

From left, Found er Paul Sandall and Executive Direct or Peggy to meet customer-par tner needs in “gig economy.”

of recruiting trends

While more emph ends asis has been placed on inclusivity and STEM initiatives, Omaha women in tech roles continue to be under repre sente d makin g up only 24% of local positions. Understanding why is of the 2019 Do one initiative Space Women Innovators Fellow ship.

“I wanted to create a fellow-

ship program that just talkin g and goes beyond to devel op wometakes action the local level, n leade rs at ” said Rebec ca Stavic k, execu tive direct or of Do Space . “It's my the Do Space Wome hope that Fellow ship will n Innovators inspir e other businesses and organizations to also invest in talent ed wome Continued on page n 27.

by Becky McCarvil

le What started as a mission to help doctors plan for futures as they launchtheir financial after years of school their careers , residency and as a result, high debt, Physicians Thrive has expand ed help the over 200 its mission to million people globally who don’t have access to eyecare.

While the consu lting group helps physicians address burnout

and the effects of the doctor shortage with its comprehensi planning and investm ve financial ent advisory services, they give back nonprofit ive Sight through the a byproduct of creatinlobal — as clarity for their clients g financial Nabity, founder and , said Justin CEO cians Thrive and co-fou of Physinder of Give Sight Global.

Inspired by missio n-driv Continued on page en 27.

ONLIN E

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Business Excellence Awards • Midlands Business Journal • MAY 3, 2019 •

11

Five companies, nonprofits recognized for leadership in community

by Dwain Hebda

Five organizations will be recognized for their leadership both inside and outside of the board room at the Greater Omaha Business Excellence Awards.

Abide, a nonprofit committed to investing in inner city neighborhoods, leads through its Lighthouse program, which renovates houses in these areas. Abide sponsors community events, block parties, neighborhood clean-up and beautification, which make a positive impact on quality of life.

“Our leadership in the community has opened up doors for us to partner with the city of Omaha, the Omaha Police Department and neighborhood schools,” said Candy Zollicoffer, partnership coordinator.

“Research shows that crime is decreased on average by 75% when an Abide Lighthouse is present. We are seeing more leaders stay in the community and be a part of revitalization.”

Civil engineering firm E&A Consulting Group also plays a vital role in the community both through its work and by encouraging employees to get involved with local causes.

“E&A has been experiencing a cultural shift over the past few years, placing an

Zollicoffer

Villwok

emphasis on our core values ‘Our People, Our Customers, Our Company,’” said Nicolette Villwok, human resources director.

“Our people are the ‘product’ that we offer to clients, so investing in our people is essential for our success.”

As a result of this focus, employees are empowered to make the firm better.

“We are already seeing improvement in internal communication and collaboration,” Villwok said. “Employees are taking the initiative to refine our internal systems.

We also see it with past employees who are returning to E&A, having heard about these changes.”

Another honoree is the Latino Center of the Midlands. The nonprofit supports edu-

Medina

Melby

cational programs, social service assistance and outreach.

“This award is a considerable honor,” said Ernesto Medina, president of the board of directors. “I’ve been involved with the organization for over 10 years now and when I started, it was probably at one of its low points. It’s been through continual growth ever since, as a result of a lot of really good, healthy work.”

Medina said of the group’s initiatives, its Pathways to Success stands out in particular.

“When it started, there was this high truancy rate which led to kids dropping out,” he said. “We had one or maybe two people who were the advocates for these

Greater Omaha area organizations giving back to the community Continued from page 9. community of kindness and thoughtfulness to all she met,” she said.

Anytime Tees sold shirts and raised funds to go to her family after her sudden death.

“When we take on large shirt orders like the one we did for Jill’s family this year and for Mark Burbridge two years ago, that can mean overtime and late nights and early mornings for the team,” she said.

“They are always willing to make the extra effort to do these things and without them, it wouldn’t happen.”

Lona Smart, facilitator at Revela, said the organization founded the GameChangers Community Spotlight as a way to recognize nonprofit organizations that are making a difference in the community.

“Each year, we’ll choose three nonprofits from nominations made on our website,” she said. “GameChangers is not just a way to recognize these organizations, but a way to help them spread their message to reach others.”

Revela provides leadership development for selected individuals within each of the winning organizations and showcases them through a partnership with University of Nebraska at Omaha athletics during UNO Mavericks hockey games, she said. The company also started Inspire Co-sponsorship Program for any nonprofit organization to take advantage of leadership training.

Veronica Barrientos, marketing and brand ambassador at RTG Medical, said since launching the RTG Medical Community Partnership program in 2016, RTG has donated more than $180,000 while employees have clocked nearly 700 volunteer hours.

“Four years ago, a companywide survey was sent to employees to better understand which philanthropic initiatives were important to them,” she said. “This helped launch

RTG’s strategic corporate giving program.”

The first corporate partnerships began with two local animal shelters as well as youth and veteran organizations throughout the greater Omaha area, she said.

“The company then selected the Special Olympics Fremont team as nonprofit partners and became their official apparel provider,” Barrientos said. “In 2017, the Fremont Family YMCA and RTG Medical launched a youth swimming program called SwimMates. Since its beginning, the program has provided swimming lessons in the Fremont community to more than 450 first-grade students who would have otherwise never learned this life skill.”

Rob Reed, president and CEO of Physicians Mutual, said each year employees

choose several nonprofits where multiple teams are sent to serve. In 2018, four were chosen: Special Olympics, the Ronald McDonald House, the Food Bank for the Heartland, and the Stephen Center.

“The company gives employees paid time off to be of service to these groups,” he said. “We also encourage mentoring and have several employees who work with TeamMates or other similar groups. Our employees are also generous with their personal giving, contributing over $250,000 to the United Way alone in 2018.”

Recently, Physicians Mutual helped address the loneliness often associated with living in a nursing home by creating and distributing “cheer boxes” full of games, movies and music to nursing homes across the country.

kids. Today, we get referred to kids who are not showing up in school and it’s a pretty successful turnaround. They’re going to college. It’s amazing.”

Architecture and engineering firm Leo A Daly improves the quality of life for others as a key component of its corporate mission.

The company pays it forward by providing leadership development among its staff.

“We have our own internal mentoring program here in Omaha, and we have a companywide, yearlong Leadership Institute, to which 14 staff members are accepted each year,” said Nancy Melby, director of operations. “We are focused on continuing to develop and maintain a diverse team of leaders.”

The company is also a leader in its field, introducing cutting-edge technology to its projects, such as virtual reality.

“Virtual reality [is] a much more immersive way to understand a design versus looking at flat drawings,” Melby said. “It allows our clients and stakeholders to be leaders of their own designs.”

Also being awarded for leadership is Pinnacle Bank. The company operates 151 locations in seven states and boasts $10.3 billion in assets. Its focus on local communities translates to hundreds of hours every year in corporate and employee participation in nonprofits, as well as thousands of dollars invested into worthy causes marketwide. Its “Community Matters” initiative spotlights causes, events and traditions in towns throughout its market area.

Nominations now open MBJ.com

12

• MAY 3, 2019 • Midlands Business Journal • Business Excellence Awards