Midlands Business Journal October 16, 2020 Vol. 46 No. 42 issue

OCTOBER 16, 2020

THE BUSINESS NEWSPAPER OF GREATER OMAHA, LINCOLN AND COUNCIL BLUFFS

$2.00

VOL. 46 NO. 42

Electronic Contracting answers challenges as solutions integrator

THIS WEEK 'S ISSUE:

by Richard D. Brown

GenR8 Marketing grows through educating clients on social media.

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Employee benefits are changing in light of COVID-19 impacts. – Page 3

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Support services of all kinds a lifeline for producers within state’s largest industry.

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Electronic Contracting Co., a Lincoln-headquartered solutions integrator that employs 130 and annual revenues topping $25 million, continues to spread its wings as one of the nation’s 50 largest designers and installers of audio/visual, fire alarm, nurse call and security systems in the country. Clients include a variety of corporations, churches, correctional facilities, educational institutions, medical centers and industrial plants.

That’s not a bad 62-year report card for firm founder Adam Karavas, now 85, who as a University of Nebraska-Lincoln student enjoyed tinkering with electronic equipment on football Saturdays at Memorial Stadium and evaluating the 238,000 watts worth of sound that was echoing in and around the football fans.

He was especially fixated on the clarity of sound 1,000 feet from the stadium.

“Technology remains our passion and our goal is to use its innovations to empower organizations for years to come,” said Electronic Continued on page 9.

President Kyle Habben … With a diverse client base, the solutions integrator sees continued boost with tech integration projects.

As clients invest in homes, demand for VirtuActive’s services explodes

by Michelle Leach

Explosive demand for remodels and additions, along with increasing versatility of three dimensional modeling and new applications for VirtuActive’s draft and design services, are driving what CEO and Director of Sales and Marketing Dave Lakin characterized as “double- and triple-digit growth throughout most of the

industry since March.”

“The industry was really strong before the pandemic,” Lakin said.

“We’ve found that more and more people are moving to the Midwest from the coasts, and we do feel like this has had a large, positive impact on our industry.”

With offices in Elkhorn at 20901 Cumberland Drive and Continued on page 9.

Owner Deanna Jones … Adjusting the business strategy during the pandemic and gaining a following by serving lunch and dinner in various metro neighborhoods.

Mosaic Pickle food truck dishes out eclectic entrees with a spin

by Becky McCarville

CEO and Director of Sales and Marketing Dave Lakin and Marketing Manager Morgan Crawford … New home builds, additions and remodel projects during quarantine keep the drafting and design firm active.

In 2013, Deanna Jones left her 15-year mid-level management job in corporate America to follow her culinary dreams, establishing food truck Mosaic Pickle with a former partner.

“We ventured out and started doing it full time — it was a leap of faith,” she said. “We had no restaurant experience, no food truck experience. It was like, I have to make this work

— it’s my livelihood. I had no choice. The first three years, it was tough, but I wasn’t going to quit. I wasn’t going to give up.”

Mosaic Pickle, a name that stands out, is a nod to the various types of food it serves and to Jones’s love of pickles.

“I don’t have a food genre like most other food trucks.

Most food trucks, they’re barbecue, or they’ll do pizza or Thai.

Continued on page 8.

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• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

GenR8 Marketing grows through educating clients on social media

by David Kubicek

Jason and Holly Petersen started GenR8 Marketing in 2010 because social media was beginning to emerge into a mature platform, and digital marking was moving beyond websites only.

“I could see that there was a lot of disruption in the industry and a lot of confusion,” CEO Jason Petersen said. “One of our goals is to do our best to help people

GenR8 Marketing Phone: 402-817-1224 Address: 2120 South 56th St., Ste. 204, Lincoln 68506 Service: Web-based and social media marketing Founded: 2010 Employees: 10 Website: www.genr8marketing.com

understand what’s going on and try to put it in layman’s terms. We’ve always been an ambassador of providing context and assessing relevance. Just because something’s cool doesn’t mean you should do it.”

Marketing should not be spread across all social media platforms but should target the platforms where its likely customers are. For instance, one firm’s customers might be easier to reach on Instagram while

CEO Jason Petersen and VP Holly Petersen … Marking 10 years, the company has followed shifts in social media strategy for businesses. another firm’s customers might hang out erational transition that is only going to on Facebook. accelerate in the next five to 10 years,” “We’re in an era now where we’ll see Petersen said. “One of the byproducts of a lot of baby boomers retiring and either that is many times the new generations we selling their business or family members deal with are already aware of the need for are taking it over, so you’re seeing a gen- a social media marketing presence.”

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Smartphones have matured over the past 12 or 13 years, and the evolution of smart technology will continue to change the marketing landscape.

“In the not too distant future [we’ll see greater usage] of smart glass technology,” Petersen said. “Apple’s in the process of developing something. Watch technology has become more significant. It’s the interaction of using other devices than a smartphone for computing needs. Ultimately, that means your assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google will play a significant role in your discovery of what you’re looking for in products and services.”

“The sustainability of our business depends on us staying on top of the changes [in the marketplace],” said Vice President Holly Petersen, who is in charge of strategy and media.

The firm’s adjustment to the COVID-19 pandemic has been fairly easy. It uses video conferencing and, for a time, it recorded most of its interviews over Zoom.

“We resumed doing our video production in the field and in our studio four months ago,” Petersen said. “But as far as our operations goes, we’ve been humming right along.”

The company has 10 employees, who all work remotely. Because the office is fairly small, Petersen allows only one other person beside himself in the office at any given time to meet social distancing guidelines.

“If there’s any time that’s more relevant [to do digital marketing], it’s during a pandemic,” Holly Petersen said. “We’ve actually had new inquiries about [digital marketing] throughout the pandemic. It’s a different way of starting a conversation with businesses that were putting some of this [digital marketing] off and now can’t Continued on page 11.

Midlands Business Journal Established in 1975

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How I got into the business: A friend of a friend.

Accomplishments or milestones: 30 years in the insurance industry.

First job: My first job was delivering the morning edition Omaha World-Herald in Norfolk at age 10. Many lessons learned which included delivering on time, hard work and accountability. My second job was at at Earl May Garden Center in Countryside Village when I was 16. It’s been amazing to experience all the long-term relationships that originated from that job.

Biggest career break: My biggest career break was getting my first job in the in-

surance industry shortly out of college. I was very blessed to immediately be surrounded by real professionals and leaders.

The toughest part of the job: The most challenging part about working in this industry would be, managing time to deliver a great product and service to customers while finding good balance in life.

The best advice I have received: The best advice I have received in life was: never take any anyone or any relationship for granted.

About my family: I have been married to my wife for 29 years, we have three grown children and three grandchildren.

Something else I’d like to accomplish: I would like to start playing the piano again.

I haven’t played since I was a kid.

How my business will change in the next decade: Our industry continues to get

more complicated with an increase in the cyber liability and pandemic exposures.

Mentor who has helped the most in my career: I’ve worked with so many wonderful co-workers and customers throughout my career. However, my dad instilled the values of hard work and integrity in my brothers and me that set a good foundation.

Outside interests: I enjoy reading about baseball history and historical fiction. I also like to walking and exploring different parts of Omaha.

Favorite vacation spot: Park Rapids, MN and the Bighorn Mountains near Buffalo, WY. Other careers I would like to try: Operate a breakfast/coffee shop.

Favorite cause or charity: Various Catholic school charities.

Favorite app: CBS Fantasy Football.

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

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The Midlands Business Journal (ISSN 0194-4525) is published weekly plus one by MBJ Inc. and is available for $2.00 per individual copy or $75 per year. Editorial offices are 1324 S. 119th St., Omaha, NE 68144. Periodical postage paid at Omaha NE POSTMASTER; Send address changes to Midlands Business Journal, 1324 S. 119th St., Omaha, NE 68144. All submissions to the Midlands Business Journal become the property of the Midlands Business Journal and will not be returned.

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Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 •

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Employee Benefits A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

October 16, 2020

Employee benefits are changing in light of COVID-19 impacts

by Gabby Christensen

It’s been a complicated year for employees and employers alike, and many employers are reevaluating employee benefits.

Jim Garbina, senior vice president at The Harry A. Koch Co., said 2020 has been hard on all businesses and their employees in different ways.

“We are learning new ways to conduct business and keep employees safe but productive,” Garbina said. “Fortunately, in the Midwest, we have not seen near the layoff concerns, and many employers are fully operational Garbina with safety measures in place. Employee benefits has become top of mind for employees, their families and employers. Our team at The Koch Co. has invested time assisting employers as they apply the new rules surrounding COVID. The new compliance includes first dollar coverage (no deductibles, coinsurance, or copays), new eligibility rules, COBRA changes and changes to standard HSA Plan provisions.”

Mary Drueke-Collins, vice president of employee benefits at Swartzbaugh Farber & Associates, said employers are needing two things this year – assistance navigating open enrollment with the COVID-19 restrictions and rounding out the typical benefit plan with some new products.

“This year more than ever, most are leaning on technology to communicate benefit options and enroll employees,” Drueke-Collins said.

With more employees working remotely, there is also an increased demand in some coverages that are not always expected by employers.

“The biggest is pet insurance, as the pet adoption rate was exceptionally high this year,” she said. “Other popular products include hospital reimbursement plans to help with deductible costs if a member is hospitalized, life insurance, telehealth medicine programs, identity theft, legal access, will preparation and employee discount programs. Most of these programs can be employee paid and payroll deducted.”

Peter Langdon, attorney at McGrath North, said there have been rulings and

guidance that are easing some regulatory requirements and modernizing some antiquated technical requirements.

“The SECURE [Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement] Act was signed into law in late 2019 and, among other things, permits 401(k) plan withdrawals to parents upon the birth or adoption of a child and extends the required minimum distribution age from age 70-and-a-half to age 72,” Langdon said. “In addition, earlier this year the Department of Labor issued much needed Peter Langdon regulations updating the electronic disclosure rules for retirement plans, making it much easier for employers to provide required notices to employees and resulting in significant cost savings.”

For those employers offering health and welfare benefits to their employees, Caroline Nelsen, attorney at McGrath North, said there are a number of hot topics that may impact plan administration and benefit offerings.

“Telehealth has come to the forefront of conversations between providers and plan

Mary Drueke-Collins, vice president of employee benefits at Swartzbaugh Farber & Associates. administrators as employees seek more imAccording to Nelsen, another major ismediate access to health care through virtual sue on the horizon is whether the Supreme environments and mobile applications,” she Court of the United States will strike down said. “Some anticipate that federal legisla- the constitutionality of the Patient Protection tion governing the practice and provision and Affordable Care Act. of telehealth may be in the pipeline in order In the fourth quarter of 2020, Emily to alleviate at least some of the state law Langdon, attorney at Fraser Stryker, said compliance issues.”

Continued on next page.

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• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal • Employee Benefits

Employee benefits

Continued from preceding page. many employers are looking at and potentially re-thinking their 2021 employee benefits strategy.

Nelsen Emily Langdon “Given employers have already been forced to react to COVID-19 and comply with related legal and compliance mandates, employers now have the opportunity to be proactive when establishing and revising 2021 employee benefits, such as health care benefits, crisis leave policies, COVID-19 policies, and employee assistance programs,” she said.

From a general health care plan standpoint, Langdon said employers should review and evaluate their plans as a whole to make sure their coverage is appropriate, as this will be very important for employees and therefore essential for employers to remain competitive.

“Communication between employers and employees is key,” Langdon said. “Employers need to help employees navigate their employee benefits programs, especially new programs.”

COVID-19 drives whirlwind of changes for employee benefits

by Michelle Leach

The workplace in October is a far cry from the workplace in early March. As the workforce has changed considerably, so has the world of employee benefits — plan designs and total health needs that resonate with today’s associates.

“The federal mandate requiring employer plans to cover testing and related visits at 100% (or no cost share to the member) has increased employer plan costs,” said Lisa Diesing, assistant vice president and account executive, health and welfare practice with Lockton Cos. “With a number of members seeking care and treatment for the disease, those costs are impacting the plan and will, in turn, have an impact on future plan costs.”

With people delaying or deferring care due to the closure of medical facilities, Diesing noted they also saw a significant reduction in claims spend.

“A delay and potential avoidance of healthcare in 2020 may lead to more individuals seeking care for unmanaged conditions, or it could lead to individuals seeking care for conditions that went undiagnosed during the closure,” she said.

“The eventual introduction of a vaccine will impact future costs as well, due to anticipated high utilization.”

Diesing said employers should be aware that, under the deadline extension for COBRA, if members elect to join the plan by end of this extension, they can backdate their coverage by a significant number of months.

“If claims were incurred during those

deferred months, those will then impact costs under the plan,” she said.

Furthermore, employers are focusing on mental and behavioral health needs, with a focus on supporting employees.

Panick Mandolfo “The environment we’ve all experienced in 2020 with closures, working from home and other changes can cause stress due to social isolation or financial stresses,” Diesing said. “Employers are taking a broader approach to their employees’ health.”

Historic levels of unemployment, mass layoffs and the rise of the home workforce have challenged many small- to mid-sized employers.

Strategic Benefit Consultants Business Manager and Benefits Advisor Mike Mandolfo noted how these employers are reconsidering their benefit programs and procedures.

“We are experiencing a growing need for employers to review their medical leave policies and how it may impact continuation of employee benefit plans,”

he said. “Many small employers have no medical leave policy in place. There is also an increased need for benefit technology solutions to remotely manage new hires and the benefit enrollment process.”

Telemedicine and mental health assistance programs are no longer a benefit perk — they’re a necessity, he said.

“We strongly encourage employers to review their group health insurance plan and consider standalone telemedicine or employee assistance programs if they find inadequate coverages,” Mandolfo added.

Koley Jessen Counsel Heather Panick described a “whirlwind” of issues — from employees needing to take distributions from their 401(k) plans, to learning how to use the telemedicine option.

“While we do not yet know the impact that the 401(k) distributions or the cessation of employer matching contributions will cause in the long run, I cannot imagine that it will be pretty,” she said. “Prior to the pandemic, the majority of Americans were not financially ready for retirement.

Add suddenly being unexpectedly furloughed or laid off for a period of months and having to use your 401(k) to survive — it will only put those individuals further behind in preparing for retirement.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act has tried to relieve some of the tax and penalty burdens for these individuals by increasing distribution and loan limits, eliminating the early withdrawal penalty and permitting a three-year repayment period; Continued on next page.

Employee Benefits • Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 •

COVID-19 drives whirlwind of changes for employee benefits

Continued from preceding page. however, Panick speculated about how realistic it is for those forced to take a distribution (just to survive) to repay the amounts within three years.

She recommended that people look at retirement and health and welfare plans to assure compliance with the CARES Act, and to consider act provisions that would benefit employees.

“For example, the CARES Act provides for an extension of the grace period for health FSAs and Dependent Care Assistance Plans (DCAP),” she said. “This means that employees will have additional time to pay or request reimbursement for qualified expenses through December 31, 2020.”

Additionally, Panick noted, the health FSA carryover limit for the plan year starting in 2020 has been increased to $550.

“It is important that employers are communicating with their employees about what benefit options are available to assist them during this time,” she said.

As groups approach the new plan year, Diesing said many employers are evaluating ways to incrementally shift costs quickly and easily through changes in plan design, network, contribution scenarios and ancillary marketing.

They’re also expanding aforementioned EAP programs, including financial and caregiver support.

“The unknown impact of the coro-

navirus from a financial perspective may cause groups to consider more focused and long-term strategic initiatives around population health management,” she said.

Mandolfo indicated the pandemic has put a spotlight on the need to improve technology, implement remote practices and resolve gaps in benefit compliance.

“It is important for employers to em-

5

brace this changing workforce and create benefit solutions to meet the needs of tomorrow,” he said.

Panick also said the pandemic has highlighted the need for virtual/telehealth and EAP to be readily available, driving more employers to review these programs before re-enrollment starts to better support employees.

“The key will be making sure that employees know what options are available to them and how to use them,” she said.

Financial wellness benefits help lower stress, boost productivity

by David Kubicek

Financial wellness programs can help relieve employees’ stress and increase their productivity on the job.

“When an employee is under duress it can affect work performance and their personal life,” said Dan Ferguson, a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual. “The individuals could use help in getting back on track and be given a game plan.”

Financial wellness programs can be catered to the goals of the employer or

employees.

“Employers at times want to educate their employees on the importance of savings and planning as they care about the overall well-being of the individuals that are helping them build the business,” Ferguson said. “[Employees] can feel more confident about their goals and what they need to do to feel financially secure. The view they can have on their employer changes as they feel a stronger loyalty due to having this investment of their future.”

Financial wellness programs can be designed as a support for those facing financial turmoil. Employees may need help planning for debt reduction or for an unexpected event. In this model they need a plan design and a coach to help them work through these financial difficulties. Other programs can be designed as education from an unbiased party, issues surrounding debt reduction, budgeting, short-term savings, and credit improveContinued on page 7.

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6

• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal • Employee Benefits

Open enrollment period takes thought, homework

by Dwain Hebda

Annual open enrollment periods are an opportunity to fine-tune one’s employee benefits. Unfortunately, many workers don’t take advantage of this window, often leaving them with expensive plan options that don’t fit their needs.

“The biggest mistake people make is keeping their selections the same without taking a look at the benefits offered and thinking about their personal needs,” said Kelly Wieseler, senior vice president, Group Division Chief Actuary and Underwriting for Ameritas. “It’s easy to leave things on autopilot, but that Wieseler can lead to missing an important change. Not re-evaluating the cost/benefit analysis of each benefit offering or considering changes that will happen in the upcoming year could leave an employee over- or underinsured.”

Selecting the right benefits generally comes down to budget and need. Wieseler said open enrollment is the perfect time to do some comparison shopping.

“Employees should look at their family budget, how will it change in the following year, or how has it changed over the last year,” he said. “To make sure they’re financially secure, employees should also

Kayla Engel, senior HR generalist at CQuence Health Group.

“An important step employees can take look at how much life insurance they have and assess how much they need in case is taking the time to sit down and give something happens. They should check on consideration to their personal and family their retirement planning to see if they will circumstances,” she said. “Has anything changed in the prior year you will need have enough to meet their goals.”

Employees should also put in time as- to account for? If your employer offers sessing the needs side of the equation, par- multiple plans, which level of benefit ticularly where it concerns medical plans, coverage will best serve you as you move said Kayla Engel, senior HR generalist at into a new year?

“Don’t forget to give thought to othCQuence Health Group.

TOO MUCH ON YOUR PLATE?

er benefits such as voluntary plans, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance programs. Take a moment to think through all the benefits your employer offers and how they might work together to best meet your health and financial needs.”

Engel said an annual family health assessment is a critical step in the process.

“Employees should take open enrollment as an opportunity to review their family’s health situation,” she said. “I always suggest reviewing prescription, medical and dental expenses over the prior year.

Was it a year of oneoff expenses you are unlikely to experience again, such as a broken bone, or has a health condition emerged that will require ongoing care?

Swartzbaugh Doing your best to estimate upcoming plan usage can help ensure you are making the best enrollment decisions.”

Even with cost and need considerations in hand, experts say there are common mistakes to avoid.

“With medical, far too many working couples elect to go with the less expensive family rate rather than taking advantage of their employers’ large contribution to single coverage,” said Kirk Swartzbaugh, consultant with USI Insurance Services.

“If they do the math, they could be leaving Continued on next page.

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Employee Benefits • Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 •

7

Financial wellness benefits help lower stress Open enrollment period takes thought, homework

Continued from page 5. tool allows employees to complete a financial health assessment and provides courses and/or ment opportunities.

“Financial planning is a delicate con- resources that are customized to the individuversation,” Ferguson said. “Most people have al’s unique financial needs.

“Financial wellness programs benefit many unanswered questions, and they would like to bounce these ideas and questions off of employees but can also benefit the immediate someone. Most employees don’t feel comfort- family members of an employee,” Schmidt able talking to their boss, so having this as a said. “Employees are often motivated to share value add can do a lot for any business and the their new knowledge and skills with their loved ones to help improve the overall financial overall impact on their culture.” health for the employee’s family Financial wellness programs as a whole. Helping an employee vary, and many of the best tools improve their financial wellness will provide resources across the can provide a benefit that impacts individual’s lifetime, according to through the generations.”

Mindi Schmidt, manager of the First Nebraska Credit Union Employee Assistance Program at partnered with GreenPath Financial Mutual of Omaha.

Wellness to help with the financial Robust financial tools will also wellness of its members. empower employees to become Services GreenPath provides more financially savvy by providinclude debt management, banking educational programs about ruptcy support, student loan counassessing insurance needs, choosing seling, and helping members inSullinger financial institutions, understanding crease their credit scores. credit or protecting themselves from “Your interest rates are built on what identity theft.

According to PwC’s ninth annual Employ- your credit score might be,” First Nebraska ee Financial Wellness Survey 2020, approx- Credit Union Vice President of Lending imately 50% of employees report that they Rich Sullinger said. “They give you a plan to bump up the credit score to the next worry about their personal finances at work.

“Providing a financial wellness program level. If a member is in a financial bind, empowers employees to manage their financial GreenPath could come up with a simple stress so they can focus at work,” Schmidt said. payment plan and make the payments for “Managing financial stress also helps employees [the member].”

For instance, a member may have be present in their relationships outside the work great credit and be paying bills but has environment.”

Mutual of Omaha’s employee assistance 15 student loans. GreenPath may be program (EAP) offers the Enrich Financial able to consolidate the loans into one Platform for its associates and customers. This payment.

Continued from preceding page. thousands of dollars on the table.

“Concerning short-term and long-term disability, employees should always elect to have these premiums added to their incomes or paid with after-tax dollars so their benefits would be received tax-free.

The difference between 60% income replacement being tax-free versus 60% income replacement that is taxable re-

sulting in 48% net income replacement is life-changing.”

Even so-called “situational” offerings should be looked at critically.

“Many bypass accident coverage but it can be very helpful for athletic/active families,” Swartzbaugh said. “We’ve had plenty of broken bones in our family and we’ve received much more in benefits than we have paid in premiums.”

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• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

Mosaic Pickle food truck dishes out eclectic entrees with a spin Continued from page 1.

I kind of do it all,” she said. “I love to cook, I’m a foodie. So why limit yourself? So that’s where Mosaic came in, and I just love pickles.

It’s catchy and people like it.”

Jones got on the food truck bandwagon early on in Omaha. At the time, she said there were just 10 to 12 food trucks, and today, there are over 150.

She attributes the food truck’s success to its

Mosaic Pickle Phone: 402-990-8528 Founded: 2013 Goal: Get back to the business’s threeprong approach and eventually open a small restaurant.

Website: facebook.com/mosaicpickle/

“three-prong approach” that helps compensate for Nebraska’s cold winter months, a strategy Jones employed pre-COVID 19.

In the spring/summer, summer/early fall months, the food truck would be out and available for service. When winter hit, Mosaic Pickle set up as a vendor inside businesses such as Kellogg’s or Marriott and other big-name companies, serving lunches or second shift dinners. The third prong was catering — weddings, graduations, birthday parties and celebrations.

“Now everybody’s working from home and there’s not the clientele to go inside to cater,” she said. “That was 50% of the business, so that’s one of the toughest challenges.”

The indoor vending and catering sides of the business took a nosedive when the pandemic was declared, but Jones sees a silver lining in how she shifted the strategy to serve a broader market.

Employee Maia Molina helps fill lunch orders at UNMC. “We were doing well until COVID hit,” she into, but it has worked out.” said. “When COVID hit, we were stuck with just One of the most popular items on the the food truck and so far, that is working out. menu is the puffy Greek steak taco, original We had to adjust some things.” to Mosaic Pickle. Cheesy potatoes, the triple Now Mosaic Pickle goes to different meat barbecue sandwich, the Cuban sandwich, subdivisions or apartment complexes, most and the loose meat sandwich are also customer often in the evenings to serve dinner, and a few favorites. companies are enlisting the food truck again as “I’ll take something traditional and put my employees return to the office. own kind of spin or flair to it,” she said.

Through Facebook and other social Mosaic Pickle recently set up at Gifford media apps like Nextdoor, Roaming Hun- Farm for its fall festival, where Jones tailored ger and OFTA eat, customers can follow the menu to cater to kids and adults. She offers where food trucks will be for a given day of the week.

“Being in the neighborhoods, they started knowing me, they started requesting me, and then I was able to get my price points higher because it was dinner as opposed to lunch,”

by David Kubicek Jones said. “[It’s] another market that I didn’t Potential buyers usually know in the first even consider but … we were kind of forced two minutes after walking through the door if the house is for them. Here are tips from local experts on how to make those first two minutes count.

The Omaha Staging Co./Evans Team stages vacant homes and occupied homes to make them more attractive to potential buyers.

When a vacant house has been sitting on the market for several months and hasn’t attracted any buyer interest, the firm will bring in furniture, artwork and home décor to set up the living room, dining area, kitchen, master bedroom and bathrooms to make the house seem sensible and homey.

“Online photos look better than pictures of empty rooms,” owner Susan Evans said. “Most potential buyers start looking for homes online now. If you have pictures of a nice, furnished house, buyers want to see it.”

The firm also “edits” occupied homes to make them more attractive to potential buyers.

“When you’ve lived in a home for years, you accumulate lots of stuff,” Evans said. “Most of the time there are too many things in each room.”

Evans recommended decluttering closets.

The goal should be to make the closets look half full.

“Even a big walk-in closet stuffed full of things looks smaller,” Evans said.

“Buyers moving from a smaller to a larger home want to feel like they’re getting more closet space.”

Re-paint rooms that are bright colors. It’s OK if a baby girl’s bedroom has pale pink walls, but if the master bedroom’s walls are purple, it could turn buyers off. Neutralizing the wall color — off-white or light gray, for instance — can help buyers imagine their own furnishings in the room.

Edit your clutter. For instance, if you have large collections of photos on the wall, replace

vegan/vegetarian and gluten free options, depending on the event or client.

“I’m an eclectic food truck and I try to cater to as many taste buds as I possibly can. I try to keep up on what’s going on as far as food,” she said. “Whenever I do an event for a company, I always try to tailor my menu — that’s why it changes so often — to my audience. It’s very important.”

Jones said that her love of cooking comes from her family on both sides.

“I come from a line of excellent cooks,” she said.

Growing up, she would cook with her mom.

“When I was a kid … she’d put me on a little stool, and she’d roll my sleeves up and wash my hands and I’ve been in the kitchen since I was 3 years old, by her side, cooking with her,” she said. “It’s a family thing. I was thinking, ‘what could I do to make a living that I’m really great at?’ Cooking’s it.”

The food truck industry is a “close-knit community” in Omaha, and food trucks regularly help each other, share resources and guidance as well as referrals. While not currently a member, she referenced the Omaha Food Truck Association.

Jones is looking forward to getting back to her three-prong strategy. She also wants to open a small restaurant, possibly in the next 18 months to two years.

Selling your home: You have one chance to make a first impression them with a few pieces of art.

“Don’t think that because you like all of your stuff that buyers will like it,” Evans said. “Take a picture of the room and really look at it: How it will look in online photos of the home? Do you have clear pathways between the living room and kitchen area?”

Think first about the exterior, advised Scott Dingfield, co-owner of TruBlue Total House Care.

“If the house and yard are in tough shape on the outside, prospective buyers might not even look at the inside,” he said.

The firm offers homeowners a free informal inspection service inside and outside the home to highlight ways to increase curb appeal, replace dated amenities such as wallpaper, flooring or tile and to point out what an official inspection report might find. It’s often hired to complete repairs and updates included in the official inspection report.

“Don’t guess at what to update on the inside of your home,” Dingfield said. “Engage a Realtor or contractor to provide you with ideas on which updates will help you sell the house and then decide what you want or can afford to address. And unless you are very confident you can complete the update well, hire a licensed contractor to help you. I’ve seen a lot of do-ityourself tragedies out there.”

When preparing to sell your home, think small. Many people believe they need to replace the carpet and paint all the walls, which can help, but all that might need to be addressed are a few new faucets, sinks and toilets.

“A nice new floor is great to see, but if the locations where a person prepares their food or uses the restroom are in tough shape, it’s a big turn off,” Dingfield said. “Replacing a kitchen sink, bathroom faucet or toilet is not a costly expense, especially in the grand scope of selling a house.”

Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 •

9

As clients invest in homes, demand for VirtuActive’s services explodes Continued from page 1. in Lincoln at 1701 Windhoek Dr., VirtuActive has been providing draft and design services for custom homes, remodels, additions, basement finishes and other types of projects for around the past five years.

“Our designs are drawn in 2D and 3D, allowing our clients to feel more confident in their project before breaking ground,” said Marketing

VirtuActive Phone: 402-979-8100 (Elkhorn): 402413-8181 (Lincoln) Address: 20901 Cumberland Drive, suite A, Elkhorn 68022; 1701 Windhoek Drive, suite 600, Lincoln 68512 Services: draft and design custom homes, remodels, additions, basement finishes and more; conceptual service for homeowners, realtors, brokers, designers to visualize projects without having to draft plans Website: www.virtuactive.com

Manager Morgan Crawford. “We also offer a conceptual service that allows homeowners, Realtors, commercial brokers, and interior designers to visualize their project without having to draft the plans.”

As the company has grown, Lakin said VirtuActive’s services have often been applied in multiple areas.

“For example, our company started out as a draft and design service for custom homes and remodels,” he said. “Since then we’ve found there’s a large need in the conceptual world.

During conceptual projects, we redraw the space and make changes to help our clients visualize what a transformation would do.”

These aren’t plans that can be taken to a contractor to bid, nor can they be used to build.

“But they do give our clients great confidence should they proceed with that idea (or not),” he said. “We’ve seen this help everyone from homeowners, to Realtors, commercial brokers and interior designers.”

Technology has evolved “What we’ve seen the most is how often 3D can be used,” Crawford said. “We are able to grow our business among different targets, because the majority of people are visual learners and 3D can be used in multiple fields — whether that’s real estate, commercial building/remodeling, interior design, landscaping. People need to see what their projects are going to look like before putting the money into it, and 3D really allows them to feel confident in that.”

And, Lakin added, 3D can considerably impact the residential real estate industry.

“It minimizes change orders by addressing the design upfront and not waiting until the project is finished to bring up changes that need to be made,” he said.

VirtuActive leadership noted this helps to save money, time, stress and frustration by simplifying the process and making it more enjoyable.

“Builders will eventually be forced to completely move away from just 2D plans and adapt to using 3D, because the client is going to expect it,” Crawford said. “And the technology is there, which we find very exciting.”

More recently, Lakin emphasized how busy VirtuActive has been with its remodels and additions business.

“We’re constantly onboarding new remodels and additions,” he said. “We’ve been doing many kitchen and full house remodels, along with additions and some basement finishes. Also, our highend custom home market has really grown with

people moving from the coasts to the Midwest.”

They said homeowners are selling very expensive homes on the coasts and moving to the Midlands, realizing that they can build an even bigger house for a fraction of the cost of properties on the coasts.

“Because of this, we’ve onboarded a good number of large, high-end custom homes in the last few months,” Crawford said.

Also, in more recent months, the team has gone from working remotely back to working in the offices — while also balancing generous safety precautions to keep staff and clients safe.

“This includes seating staff six feet apart or using plexiglass for barriers, wearing masks when meeting with clients in office or on location, and also providing hand sanitizer stations around our

office,” Lakin said.

To features or amenities specific to its client projects, generally speaking, they indicated the quarantine is contributing to its keen remodel and additions business.

“People are working from home and deciding they need more space or are looking around their house deciding they want to change this and that,” Crawford said. “More and more people are wanting to put one to two offices in their homes, build pools, finish basements. They want to put money into their home, seeing as they’ve been spending so much time in their homes and many will continue to do so.”

Consumer expectations are changing “What we’re seeing is that they want to see their project in 3D, whether it’s a commercial or

residential project,” Lakin said. “Because of this, we’re constantly innovating and making changes to our company to make our 3D experience better.”

When asked about what’s on the horizon, they noted virtual reality goggles, which allow clients to have a better 3D experience when viewing their homes.

Both Lakin and Crawford also reinforced the importance 3D capabilities have become to the built industry. “[Customers] are more educated than ever right now regarding 3D and there are still builders out there that prefer not to service their customers with 3D,” Crawford said. “It’s not uncommon that we end up redrawing those same plans, because the customer realizes how important the 3D aspect is.”

Electronic Contracting answers challenges as solutions integrator Continued from page 1. asset tracking equipment, video intercom, code blue emergency phones, digital clocks, and an Contracting President Kyle Habben.

“We’re integrators — creating impactful AMX audio visual system.

Habben said a complete communication sysexperiences through technology,” he added.

Electronic Contracting, purchased by Nebras- tem was also at Lincoln’s Department of Veterans ka entrepreneur Duane Acklie in 2016, is operated Affairs clinic.

A recent remodeling at University of Neby Dr. Laura Acklie and Jeff Schumacher.

The firm is headquartered in 27,000 square feet braska at Omaha’s Arts & Sciences Hall — the oldest building on the at 6501 N. 70th St.About Dodge campus — took 7,000 square feet of ad- Electronic Contracting Co. on an additional dimenditional warehouse and Phone: 402-466-8274 sion with the pandemic office space was added Address: 6501 N. 70th St., Lincoln as remote teaching and to the building in 2018. In 68507; 5024 S. 110th St., Omaha 68137 smaller occupancy of addition to the Omaha of- Services: integrators of turnkey soluclassrooms was emphafice at 5024 S. 110th St., tions tailored to the specific needs of sized. More screens had branches have opened in a facility using audio/visual, fire alarm, to be erected to accomWichita, Kansas, Spring- health care and security technology field and Kansas City in Founded: 1958 as Electronic Equipment modate instructional needs.

Missouri, and earlier this Supply by Adam Karavas Post-pandemic year, North Little Rock, Employees: 130 (about 70-75 at Lincoln needs will need to be headquarters) Arkansas. addressed with additionHabben, a western One-year goal: Reach $1 million in al communication tools, Nebraska native who revenues from its restructured complete Habben said. graduated in 1997 from care support program.

“Remote/distance the industrial distribu- Industry outlook: Post-COVID-19 learning is becoming tion program at Uni- environment will likely offer collaborative huge,” he said. versity of Nebraska at opportunities to work with customers on One of ElectronKearney, is in his sec- meeting needs such as fast-screening ic Contracting Co.’s ond year as Electronic technology to test employees entering a largest post-secondary Contracting’s president. workplace. education projects was He joined the firm’s Website: www.eccoinc.com Howard L. Hawks Hall, Kansas City office in 2011 and based on his success with the health a new business college building at UNL. The care sector was named sales vice president five privately-funded 240,000-square-foot structure involved the design and installation of an A/V years later.

He said the majority of firm revenues come system in multiple classrooms and meeting areas from the health care, corporate and higher educa- including the auditorium and atrium.

Habben said the work featured the installation tion sectors. Because of its size and the variety of expertise the firm has attracted to its ranks, Elec- of assistive living technologies, touch-screen room tronic Contracting Co. has attracted attention from schedules, both wired and wireless microphones, AMX switches and control processors, and more some of the state’s largest construction projects.

Examples include a far West Dodge Road than 150 Sony video screens.

Popularity remains in the use of master office building for Lindsay Corporation’s global headquarters, which Habben said was made antenna TV systems for programming content “very impactful” by innovative technology such distribution within a facility.

A digital A/V distribution and management as video walls and numerous projects for Olsson, including offices in Omaha, Lincoln and north system featuring a Crestron DM 64x64 switcher Kansas City. Design and installation work placed was installed at the 107,000-square-foot UNL a strong emphasis on audio/visual and sound Health Center and UNMC College of Nursing.

Habben said the increased investment school reinforcement — the latter was achieved with the use of ceiling, podium and wireless mics, digital boards are making in innovative approaches sound processors, in-ceiling loudspeakers, QSC to school violence is evidenced in Electronic Contracting Co.’s work with the Osceola Public power amplifiers and sound masking.

A major health care project was equipping a Schools that featured the installation of eight mili115,000-square-foot, multi-level surgical suite on tary-grade sensors in hallways that can be used to Bryan Health’s east campus. Equipment designed instantly detect when shots are fired.

While such innovation is important, Habben and installed included an Ascom Telligence nurse call system, network fire alarms, a customized — a graduate of the school district — said imporcode blue alert, video surveillance, smart paging, tance of customer training cannot be overstated.

Although projects for religious institutions is comparatively smaller than other sectors of Electronic Contracting Co.’s business model, it involves a significant investment on the part of congregations. An example is Relevant Community Church in Elkhorn where half a million dollars was invested in state-of-the-art projection screens and sound and light system to motivate enthusiastic worshipers.

With such diversity in projects and a growing customer list spanning a multi-state area, Habben said Electronic Contracting Co.’s steady growth is in the team that has been built.

“With our people we’ve built a culture of longevity, which makes transition and change quicker and easier,” Habben said. “We’ve also stayed nimble, which has enabled us to change quickly to meet market demand.”

He said building on the foundation set by Karavas, who is retired, has been incremental and has created a company that is more diverse in its offerings and operations than most of its competitors.

Last month Electronic Contracting Co. announced it was restructuring its Complete Care Support Plan, which offers comprehensive support designed to maximize the support given each client’s equipment investment.

While offering Electronic Contracting Co. a reoccurring revenue model, Vice President of Managed Services Steve Riley said the Complete Care program, offering tiered escalation, remote support, unlimited training and biannual recertifications differentiates the Lincoln-based firm from most of its competitors.

In addition to Riley, Habben said the management team brings multiple skill levels into Electronic Contracting Co. decision-making. Executive Vice President Matt Thorne, a 24-year veteran, is involved in strategic and resource planning, technical operations and solutions development.

The latter includes solutions such as touchless audio visual and access control. Bruce Petersen, vice president of finance, in his 35th year with the firm, is facilitating transition to a Solutions 360 accounting system. Vice President of Operations Habe Darr, in his 23rd year with the company is in charge of client relations and quality consistency.

Director of BD & Marketing Miki Dorn, who joined the firm in 2016, is in charge of growing EC’s brand, advertising and social media engagement. Sales Engineer Mark Allen, with more than 25 years of experience, specializes in verticals that include higher education and corporate.

Karavas’ firm’s original name Electronic Equipment Supply Co. was changed to Electronic Contracting Co. in 1978 as the company’s thrust, markets and solutions were continually being broadened.

10

• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 •

11

Getting used to seeing your doctor virtually? Telehealth coverage might not last

by Lisa Schencker

Before COVID-19 hit, Jenny Thomas had always visited her doctor in person.

But now that the Chicago resident is home more, she’s been seeing her doctor over video instead, often in Health care her pajamas.

“It was so easy, and she was right there,” Thomas, 46, said of her doctor at Rush University System for Health. “I’ll definitely go that route again in the future.”

Like Thomas, many people are using SUPER CROSSWORD

telehealth for the first time as they try to stay physically distant to avoid spreading the novel coronavirus. State, federal and health insurance rule changes — made in response to COVID-19 — have made it easier and more financially viable for physicians to offer virtual health care.

But the future of telehealth remains uncertain because it’s unclear how such visits will be covered by insurance beyond the next few months.

It isn’t an option for every medical visit, but for certain types of appointments, like REVOLUTIONS

the one Thomas scheduled to renew her prescriptions, it’s become popular.

The Chicago area’s biggest hospital systems say they’ve had more than a million telehealth appointments combined since the pandemic started, and demand remains strong, even as people have started leaving their homes more in recent months. In Illinois, the percentage of primary care visits done virtually shot up from zero in February to nearly 47% in April for people on traditional Medicare.

Health care and advocacy groups say action is needed from state and federal lawmakers if widespread use of telehealth is to survive beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

“A lot of important advances have been made over the last six months, so we want it to continue,” said Danny Chun, a spokesman for the Illinois Health and Hospital Association. “The future of health care should and must include telehealth.”

Insurance coverage expands Before COVID-19, most Illinois health systems weren’t offering much in the way of telehealth. Health insurance companies typically didn’t reimburse health systems and doctors the same for virtual visits as in-person ones.

“I think many providers were very interested in telehealth, but because they couldn’t be reimbursed for the service, it was a nice-tohave, not a need-to-have,” said Laura Messineo, vice president of telehealth at Amita Health, which has 19 hospitals in Illinois.

But when it became clear that social distancing was key to slowing the illness’s spread, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an executive order requiring health insurance companies regulated by the state to cover in-network virtual visits for patients and, in many cases, waive patients’ out-of-pocket costs. The order does not apply to self-funded plans, which are the type of insurance often offered by large employers.

The state also required it to be covered for people on Medicaid, a state- and federally funded health insurance program that serves those with low incomes and disabilities, among others.

Medicare also made it easier for seniors to take advantage of virtual care. Previously, the program had mostly covered it only in

GenR8 Marketing grows

Answers on page 12.

Continued from page 2. do that anymore.”

The firm’s plans to have an open house and a big celebration to commemorate its 10th anniversary this year have been tabled for the time being.

“We’ll probably still figure out something that we can do, even if it’s a virtual open house,” Jason Petersen said.

Over the past three to four years the firm has gotten an increasing number of leads through Google.

“We usually average between two and four quality leads a month where people locally or regionally have never heard of us would contact us for marketing,” Petersen said. “[In the past] we didn’t get that in our industry [which] was purely referral-based. This isn’t just younger people.

We had many who were baby boomers and beyond who discovered us by searching on Google.”

rural areas and in settings such as hospitals and nursing homes.

In addition, the federal government relaxed rules that had made offering telehealth more difficult for health systems.

The results were dramatic.

NorthShore University HealthSystem went from doing fewer than 2,000 virtual visits a year before COVID-19 to about 38,000 virtual visits in April and 35,000 in May. Amita conducted more than 50,000 visits in April. Rush did about 140,000 between March and August. And Advocate Aurora Health has done about 730,000 so far this year.

Many patients have been thrilled about the shift. Mary Patton, 84, of Peoria, Ill., appreciates the convenience of virtual appointments, given how busy she is with her church, local politics and as a volunteer lobbyist for the AARP. “There are times you have to actually meet in person, but many times you don’t,” Patton said. “I used to just see all my doctors in person but I don’t need to now which saves me a lot of time.”

It also has allowed health systems, which were bleeding money early in the pandemic because elective surgeries were canceled, to continue seeing patients.

But the rule changes that led to the explosive growth of virtual visits in recent months aren’t permanent.

Pritzker’s order requiring insurance companies to cover telehealth was originally set to expire this summer. Pritzker has been renewing it, with the latest extension set to last through Oct. 17. He plans to continue renewing it “as the pandemic continues, and until the Illinois General Assembly passes a bill requiring telehealth coverage for private insurers,” said spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh in an email. A law would be needed to make the changes permanent.

In addition to uncertainty about state requirements surrounding insurance coverage, waivers issued by the federal government that made it easier for doctors to offer the services are set to expire in January.

And health insurance companies have been mum about how they’ll continue to cover telehealth over the long term. Illinois’ two largest health insurance companies — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and UnitedHealthcare — have said they’ll continue to cover an expanded list of virtual services for many members through the end of this year.

Both have waived out-of-pocket costs for in-network telehealth visits for many members through the end of this year, although UnitedHealthcare plans to resume charging many members for non-COVID-19-related visits on Oct. 19.

Blue Cross is monitoring the situation to “determine how best to support members, employer groups, communities and providers delivering care,” spokeswoman Colleen Miller said in an email.

UnitedHealthcare hasn’t decided whether it will continue to cover it at the same rates as in-person care beyond this year, said spokesman Anthony Marusic.

‘I love telehealth right now.’

Many patients, such as 16-year-old Yalina Lopez, worry that as COVID-19 concerns fade, so will virtual medical appointments.

Lopez, of Berwyn, Ill., has Emery-DreiContinued on next page.

12

• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

The first lab-grown meat for sale could come from this Singapore startup that’s re-creating shrimp

by David Pierson

In an industrial corner of Singapore, multiplying steadily in bioreactors heated precisely to 82 degrees, real shrimp meat is being grown from samples of the crustacean’s microscopic cells.

Fed a nutrient-rich soup meant to mimic its diet in the wild, a single cell Food can reproduce over a trillion times into a mound of gray translucent flesh. Think of it as meat growing without all the other parts of the animal, including that chalky black vein.

The venture is being led by Sandhya Sriram and a team of scientists, who are attempting to upend one of the cornerstones of dim sum. Sriram’s company, Shiok Meats, is named after Singaporean slang used to declare something delicious.

Similar work is being done across the

world at other startups and research labs to grow beef, pork, chicken and high-end specialty products such as bluefin tuna and foie gras, but Sriram’s company is the only one known to be focused on re-creating shrimp, a staple in many Asian dishes.

Shiok’s finished product — this reporter was unable to try it because no outsiders are allowed to visit its headquarters during the pandemic — possesses the texture of ground shrimp and has already been tested to make shumai, the Cantonese dim sum mainstay with the yellow dumpling wrapper. But its applications are potentially manifold in Chinese-centric cuisine.

You could layer a dollop of it over a raft of tofu, steam it and douse it with a slightly sweeter soy sauce. It could be squeezed out of a piping bag into a simmering hot pot broth.

And it might be the kind of thing you’d want

to roll into balls, bread and deep-fry.

Eventually Sriram, who cofounded the company two years ago, would like to move beyond ground shrimp meat to produce crab, lobster and a structured deshelled shrimp, one convincing enough to hang off the edge of a glass filled with cocktail sauce.

“We can 3D print the tail if you want,” she said.

Singapore has emerged as a leading player in the budding technology once derided as “Frankenmeat” after Dutch researcher Mark Post unveiled the first “test-tube burger” to a panel of food critics at a news conference in London seven years ago.

Researchers have been able to drive down the price of the meat, which is called cell cultured meat or clean meat, from the nearly $300,000 it cost to produce Post’s debut patty — though not enough to actually sell it to

Getting used to seeing your doctor virtually? Telehealth coverage might not last Continued from preceding page. fuss muscular dystrophy, a condition that can affect joints, muscles and the heart. She mostly uses a wheelchair to get around, and on her tougher days, she often has to take breaks while getting dressed because it’s so draining.

It was an ordeal to go to her doctors’ appointments at Lurie Children’s Hospital before the pandemic. Lopez’s mother would help her get ready, help her down the stairs, load her equipment into the family’s van, drive downtown and park, unload her equipment, and help her into the building.

Sometimes the actual appointments lasted less than a half hour.

“It’s an all-day affair that makes my days really exhausting,” Lopez said.

Since COVID-19 started, about threefourths of Lopez’s doctors appointments have been conducted via video.

“She would miss a full day of school for a 20- to 30-minute appointment, and now maybe she misses just one class,” Wanika Lopez said. “It’s just beautiful. I love telehealth right now.”

Lopez is among those asking Congress to help ensure virtual health services are here to stay. She recently spoke with several members of Congress about the topic as part of the Children’s Hospital Association advocacy.

Dr. Vamshi Rao, a neurologist at Lurie and one of Yalina Lopez’s doctors, said he was skeptical of telehealth before COVID-19.

But he said it’s proven invaluable as a way to continue seeing his patients, some of whom are at high risk of becoming seriously ill if they catch COVID-19.

He’s also noticed some unexpected benefits, such as being able to speak with more of his patients’ family members and seeing his patients’ homes while prescribing equipment. His young patients often seem more comfortable than when they’re sitting in exam rooms, he said.

“It’s not 100% of the exam that I really want through telehealth, but it comes pretty close,” Rao said.

He does, however, miss his in-person interactions with patients, which was one of the reasons he went into medicine.

Virtual limitations Telehealth isn’t for everyone, or every situation.

Also, many patients — and some doctors — worry about the quality of care provided

virtually.

That was the top reason some Chicago-area residents said they would not be open to telehealth in a survey conducted this summer

by Chicago consulting firm West Monroe.

Research has shown that virtual health visits can improve patient outcomes when used for managing chronic diseases, including heart failure, diabetes, depression, obesity, asthma, and mental health conditions, according to an August brief from the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

When used in primary care, for non-urgent matters, the accuracy of diagnoses made over telehealth seems to be about the same as those made in person, according to the brief.

Technology also can be a barrier. Leaders of Chicago-area health systems said they so far hadn’t seen many problems with people accessing virtual appointments. Virtual care can include a simple phone call for patients who lack computers or smartphones.

Still, technological hiccups happen.

LaVera Davis, 72, of North Chicago, likes the idea of virtual health visits, especially during Chicago’s icy winters when going places can be a challenge.

But during a recent appointment, she talked with one of her doctors at NorthShore over the phone. After the call, Davis thought they were done and didn’t realize she was supposed to switch to video.

Other patients, such as Hiola Alston of Chicago, simply prefer to see doctors faceto-face and expect they’ll eventually switch back to traditional visits.

Alston, 76, had a telehealth checkup in August with her doctor. “It was OK,” she said.

“I would definitely choose to go in,” Alston said. “I’d rather see you than just talk with you over the phone. It gives me a truth.

I can look at your face and get a feel for your body language and feel more comfortable with it.”

Many health leaders expect demand for virtual services will decline at least a little when, and if, COVID-19 is no longer as big of a threat. They’ve already seen more of a shift back to in-person visits since Pritzker’s stay-at-home order lifted, though many patients still want telehealth.

“I can’t imagine with the number of patients who’ve had experiences with virtual visits, that that’s something our patients will want to give up,” said Tyler Bauer,

NorthShore senior vice president for clinical operations.

In Illinois, a coalition of health care and consumer advocacy groups are pushing state lawmakers to permanently require Medicaid and private health insurance companies to cover it the same way they cover in-person services.

Many also are urging Congress to take action to make sure virtual health offerings remain widespread. The Trump administration has already proposed a permanent expansion of some telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries. ©2020 Chicago Tribune Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

the public yet. Shiok’s shumai, for example, cost $300 apiece.

In what’s been described as an “edible space race,” at least 55 companies worldwide are now involved in developing some variety of cell cultured meat, according to the Good Food Institute, a Washington-based nonprofit advocating alternatives to animal agriculture.

That includes one in Hong Kong that re-creates fish maw or bladder, a delicacy often used in soups; an Australian startup that’s growing kangaroo meat; and a company in China that’s looking to re-create pork in a country where rising demand for meat will test the limits of the world’s supply. Last year, an Israeli startup successfully grew cow muscle tissue on the International Space Station.

The science’s emergence has provoked existential questions about the provenance of meat, prompting vegans to contemplate whether the technology represents a sort of loophole if it doesn’t harm animals, and Jewish and Muslim religious leaders to ponder if the lab-grown pork could be deemed kosher or halal.

Eventually, the technology could allow for novel kinds of meat to be made, presenting chefs with unusual possibilities.

“Imagine when you can tailor the taste of any piece of meat,” said Ryan Bethencourt, the San Francisco-based cofounder of biotech accelerator IndieBio, who provided Shiok with its initial seed funding. “What does pork with salmon fat taste like? What does a mix between Wagyu beef and other heritage beef steak lines taste like? What about meat that tastes both sweet and sour?”

Investors are pouring hundreds of millions into the industry, inspired by the success Continued on page 26.

SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS

Puzzle on page 11.

Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 • LEGAL NOTICES MBJ legal notice instructions The following are some guidelines to consider when posting legal notices with the Midlands Business Journal: 1. Submit a written notice in either Microsoft Word or as a PDF document to the Legal Department at legals@mbj.com, fax to 402-758-9315 or mail: 1324 S. 119th St. Omaha, NE 68144.

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ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF LANGDON & LEE, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Langdon & Lee, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”), filed a Statement of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on September 23, 2020. The terms of the dissolution provide for the payment of liabilities of the Company and distribution of any remaining assets.

The Company requests that persons with claims against it present them in accordance with this notice. Any claimant shall describe the claim and the date on which the claim arose and mail the claim to the above address.

A claim against the company will be barred unless a proceeding to enforce the claim is commenced within five years after the publication of this notice.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that True North Counseling, L.L.C., has been organized as a professional limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The designated office of the Company is 5814 South 142nd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The registered agent of the Company is Sally E. Hansen, 15248 W Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The Company's members, managers, professional employees and agents are licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render services related to the providing of mental health services in this state. The Company was formed on September 22, 2020.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

CATHERINE E. FRENCH, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF 18TH & PIERCE, 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 18TH & PIERCE, LLC. The address of the company’s initial designated office is 13324 Chandler Road, Omaha, NE 68138. The name and address of the registered agent 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 September 21, 2020 and shall have perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the managers as prescribed by the Operating Agreement.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

The Law Office of Robert E. Burns 11330 Q Street, Suite 220 Omaha, Nebraska 68137 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF OMAHA ONLINE BONDS, Inc. Notice is hereby given that Omaha Online Bonds, Inc. has incorporated under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The general nature of the business is to conduct any lawful business including but not limited to the business of the marketing and sale of surety bonds. Capital is 10,000 shares with a par value of $1.00 per share. The registered agent and Incorporator is: Robert E. Burns, Jr. and the Incorporator's office and corporation's registered office is located at 11330 Q Street, #220, Omaha, NE 68137. The affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by the Board of Directors and such officers as it may elect. The corporation commenced existence on July 30, 2020 with the filing and recording of its articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State, and will have perpetual duration.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

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 ORGANIZATION OF KAREN AND DAVID, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that KAREN AND DAVID, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a registered office at 5101 Grover Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68106, and the registered agent is Natan Schwalb. Its initial designated office is 5101 Grover Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68106. The general nature of the business is to engage in any lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The limited liability company was formed on September 22, 2020, and its duration is perpetual. Management of the Company shall be vested in its Managers.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

T. GEOFFREY LIEBEN, Attorney SLOWIACZEK ALBERS, PC, LLO 2027 Dodge Str., Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68102 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that dHALLOCK. LLC a Nebraska limited liability compaby, is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office at 1510 South 84th Street, Omaha, Nebraska, 68124. The name and address of the initial registered agent for service of process is Dale D. Hallock, 1510 South 84th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The general nature of its business is to engage in and to do 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 limited liability company was formed on September 16, 2020. The period of existence shall be perpetual unless earlier terminated pursuant to its Operating Agreement or as otherwise provided by the law.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Seymour Property, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The street and mailing addresses of the initial designated office of the company are 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The name and street and mailing addresses of the initial registered agent of the company for service of process are Andrew P. Deaver, Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman LLP, 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

Notice of LLC Dissolution Pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 21-150 (RULLCA 704), please be advised that Good is Wood, LLC, doing business at 166625 Jackson Street, Omaha, NE 68118 has been dissolved by mutual consent of the members as of September 30, 2020.

1. All claims against the assets of the limited liability company must be made in writing and include the claim amount, basis and origination date.

2. All claims must be sent to the Registered Agent: Matthew J. Bock, 9802 Nicholas Street, #115, Omaha, NE 68114.

3. All claims against the company are barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five years after the publication date of the third required notice.

Dated: September 28, 2020.

By: Matthew J. Bock, Registered Agent First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF THE BT RISE FUND Notice is hereby given that The BT Rise Fund has been incorporated as a public benefit non-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its registered office at 11818 I Street, Omaha, NE 68137. Its registered agent at that office is Nicholas Knihnisky. The corporation shall not have members. Its incorporator is Nicholas Knihnisky and his address is 11818 I Street, Omaha, NE 68137.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

BENJAMIN J. PICK, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO THE CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF THRIVING FUTURES, LLC Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, the Certificate of Organization of THRIVING FUTURES, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”) has been amended (i) to designate the Company as a professional limited liability company and that the professional services to be performed are mental health therapy services, and (ii) to change the street and mailing of address of the designated office to 105 S. 126th Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The Amended Certificate of Organization was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Nebraska on September 18, 2020.

In all other respects, the Certificate of Organization remains unchanged.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

13

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: SHARLAY THOMPSON You are hereby notified that on, 06/15/20, the Plaintiff, Credit Management Services, Inc., filed a Complaint in the COUNTY Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska against you shown as Case Number CI20 -10570. The object and prayer of which is a judgment in the amount of $500.00, plus court costs and prejudgment interest and attorney fees, if applicable.

The Complaint prays that judgment be entered against you. You are hereby notified that you must answer the petition on or before November 15, 2020, at the COUNTY Court of DOUGLAS County, OMAHA, Nebraska.

BY: MEGAN L BISCHOFF, #25206 P.O. Box 1512 Grand Island, Nebraska 68802 308 398-3801 Attorney for the Plaintiff First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GCP III PRESTON TRAIL GP, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that GCP III Preston Trail GP, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

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

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF KJF HOLDINGS, INC. 1. The name of the Corporation is KJF Holdings, Inc. 2. The Corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 Shares having a par value of $1.00 each.

3. The Registered Office of the Corporation is: 1125 S 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska 68124, and the Registered Agent at such address is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O. 4. The corporate existence began on September 28, 2020, when Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State.

5. The name and address of the Incorporator is: Teresa Beaufait, 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska 68124.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

JODIE HAFERBIER MCGILL, Attorney MCGILL LAW, P.C., L.L.O. 1411 N. 72nd St. Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has formed a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, as follows: The name of the company is Offroad Fiasco, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 7915 Harney Street, Omaha, NE 68144 and the initial registered agent is Jodie Haferbier McGill of McGill Law, 1411 N. 72 St, Omaha, NE 68114. The company is organized to engage in and do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful business, other than banking and insurance, for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of Nebraska. The limited liability company commenced existence on the filing and recording of its Statement of Qualification with the Secretary of State on August 14, 2020 and shall have a perpetual period of duration from the date the Certificate was filed with the Secretary of State.

Management of the Company shall be vested in its members in proportion to their contribution to the capital of the company, as adjusted from time to time, to reflect additional contributions or withdrawals by the members.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PRESTON TRAIL GP, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Preston Trail GP, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

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

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

THOMAS H. PENKE, Attorney THOMAS H. PENKE, P.C., L.L.O 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR20-1459 Estate of DEREK K. GESCHWENDER, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on September 24, 2020, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, SUSAN G. GESCHWENDER, whose address is 1625 Crawford Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68144, has been appointed Personal Representative of the estate.

Creditors of this estate must file their claims with this Court, located at Courtroom No. 30, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before November 30, 2020 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

14

• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GCP III PRESTON TRAIL LP, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that GCP III Preston Trail LP, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

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

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF PRESTON TRAIL LP, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Preston Trail LP, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

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

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF Partners Bid, LLC Notice is hereby given that Partners Bid, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 11204 William Plaza, Omaha, NE 68144. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a Limited Liability Company may be organized pursuant to Nebraska statute and its duration is perpetual commencing on July 9, 2020. Its registered agent is Daniel J Goaley 11204 William Plaza, Omaha, NE 68144.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

CATHERINE E. FRENCH, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF OMAHA HUSTLE, 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 Omaha Hustle, LLC. The address of the company’s initial designated office is 2719 North 141 Avenue, Omaha, NE 68164.

The name and address of the registered agent 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 September 25, 2020 and shall have perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the manager as prescribed by the Operating Agreement. LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

JENNIFER RATTNER, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TREATMENT QUALITY INSTITUTE, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Treatment Quality Institute, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska, 68154. The Registered Agent of the Company is Jennifer L. Rattner, Ringenberg & Rattner Law, LLC, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SEAL TEAM, LLC. Notice is hereby given that SEAL TEAM, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The address of the designated and registered office of the company is 2609 Victoria Ave, PO Box 907, Bellevue, NE 68005. The general nature of the business to be transacted by the company is any lawful business which may be carried on by limited liability companies organized under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The company commenced on August 20th, 2020, and has perpetual duration. The manager and registered agent of the company is Jason McGee. First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), JUSTIN R JULIAN You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 07/23/2020 on Case Number CI20-13706, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $163.22, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs.

You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before 11/16/2020 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly.

CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Alyceum, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, filed its Statement of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on September 28, 2020, 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. The Member of the company will wind up and liquidate the company’s business and affairs.

If you have a claim against Alyceum, LLC, please provide the following information with respect to your claim: (1) your name or the name of your entity; (2) the nature of your claim; (3) the amount of your claim; and (4) the date your claim arose. All claims shall be mailed to 13030 Pierce Street, 3rd Floor, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. A claim against Alyceum, LLC is barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five (5) years after the publication date of the third required notice.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Vapes & Tobacco 2, Inc., whose registered agent is Dennis Guinn and registered office is 9341 Davenport Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68114, was formed on September 29, 2020 to engage in any lawful business. The corporation has authorized 10,000 shares of capital stock. The name and address of the incorporator is Thomas E. Whitmore, 7602 Pacific St., Ste. 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

MATTHEW WURSTNER, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF SEELHOFF & ASSOCIATES, LLC Notice is hereby given that SEELHOFF & ASSOCIATES, LLC is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The Company’s initial registered agent in the State of Nebraska is: Darren R. Carlson, whose address is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful business and activity, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Members from time to time, and which are not prohibited by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The Company commenced with filing its Certificate of Organization on September 30, 2020, and shall have a perpetual period of duration. The Company is a Manager Managed Limited Liability Company. The initial Manager of the Company is Janet K. Seelhoff whose address is 450 Regency Parkway, Ste. 340, Omaha, NE 68114. Darren R. Carlson, Organizer First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF REKSUH DISMAL, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Reksuh Sandy Pointe, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

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

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF CAP 1151, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that CAP 1151, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 20740 Rawhide Road, 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 September 24, 2020.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020 CAMERON M. RIECKE, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF KSM HOME RENTALS, 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 KSM Home Rentals, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 1311 South 185th Cir., Omaha, NE 68130. The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc, 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The general nature of the business is any or all lawful business. The company commenced existence on September 29, 2020 and shall have a perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Members, as prescribed by the Operating Agreement. LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF CONVERSION OF JAMAICA INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPAND ORGANIZATION OF JAMAICA INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Jamaica Investment Partnership has been converted into Jamaica Investment Partnership, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office of the company is 11030 O Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The Registered Office of the company is 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the Registered Agent at such address is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O. The conversion of the general partnership into the limited liability company was accomplished by the filing of Articles of Conversion and Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska Secretary of State on September 30, 2020.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

SCOTT A. MEYERSON, Esq. LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TJ HOLDINGS LLC Notice is hereby given that TJ Holdings LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial designated office is 5237 S. 24th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68107. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial agent for service of process is 5601 S. 59th Street, Suite C, Lincoln, Nebraska 68516 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Registered Agent Solutions, Inc First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

DARREN R. CARLSON, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP, Attorneys 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ESCAPE NETWORK CARAVAN, LLC Notice is hereby given that ESCAPE NETWORK - CARAVAN, LLC is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The initial designated office is 2002 Douglas Street, Ste. 102, Omaha, NE 68102. The initial registered agent is Darren R. Carlson, whose address is 17525 Arbor Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. The purpose of the Company shall be to engage in any lawful business and activity, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Members from time to time, and which are not prohibited by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The Company commenced with filing its Certificate of Organization on September 25, 2020 and shall have a perpetual period of duration. The Company is to be managed by the Manager, Joel Jacobs 2002 Douglas Street, Ste. 102, Omaha, NE 68102. Darren R. Carlson, Organizer First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Opportunities, Inc. has been incorporated under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The street address of the corporation's initial registered office is 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114, and the name of the initial registered agent of the corporation at that office is Andrew P. Deaver. The corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 shares of Common Stock. The name and street address of the incorporator of the corporation are Andrew P. Deaver, 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020 DVORAK LAW GROUP LLC 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF MERGER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Articles of Merger merging ZOMD, Inc., a Nebraska corporation into ZO Skin Health, Inc., a California corporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on September 30, 2020, in accordance with the Nebraska New Model Business Corporation Act. The surviving entity in the merger is ZO Skin Health, Inc. First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

CAMERON M. RIECKE, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF FREEBIRD FLOCK, 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 Freebird Flock, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 3443 Pershing Road, Lincoln, NE 68502. The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc, 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The general nature of the business is any or all lawful business. The company commenced existence on October 2, 2020 and shall have a perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Members, as prescribed by the Operating Agreement.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 • LEGAL NOTICES HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Attorneys 13330 California Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MINDMIXER, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that MindMixer, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska on September 18, 2020 (the “Company”). The Company has designated its registered agent as Nathan Preheim, with registered office at 2012 N 55th Street, Omaha, NE 68104. The Company’s initial designated office is at 2012 N 55th Street, Omaha, NE 68104. The Company shall be governed by one or more mangers. The general nature of business is any lawful purpose.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Crumb Roller, Inc. has been incorporated under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The street address of the corporation's initial registered office is 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114, and the name of the initial registered agent of the corporation at that office is Andrew P. Deaver. The corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 shares of Common Stock. The name and street address of the incorporator of the corporation are Chase P. Chartier, 2623 South 166th Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68130.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TCB PROPERTIES, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that TCB Properties, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 16258 Monroe Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68135 and designating its registered agent as Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C. a limited liability company with its registered office at 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION 1. The name of the Corporation is Champions of Aging.

2. The Corporation is a public benefit corporation.

3. The Registered Office of the Corporation is: 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the Registered Agent at such address is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O. 4. The name and address of the Incorporator is as follows: Nicholas W. O’Brien, 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.

5. The Corporation shall have no members.

6. The corporate existence began on September 25, 2020, when Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

15

DANA ROCHE, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 201 S. 16TH STREET, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that 201 S. 16th Street, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 222 S. 15th Street, Suite 1404S, Omaha, Nebraska, 68102. The Registered Agent of the Company is Kendra Ringenberg, Ringenberg & Rattner Law, LLC, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

MATTHEW G. DUNNING, Attorney VANDENACK WEAVER LLC 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3 Omaha, Nebraska 68118 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF RESTORATION STATION LLC Notice is hereby given that RESTORATION STATION 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 9663 "V" Plaza, Apt 43, Omaha, NE 68127. The agent for service of process for the Company is VW Agents LLC located at 17007 Marcy Street, Suite 3, Omaha, NE 68118.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

MATTHEW WURSTNER, Attorney CARLSON & BURNETT, LLP 17525 Arbor Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 Notice of Amendment – WRP ENTERPRISES, LLC Notice is given that on October 2, 2020, WRP ENTERPRISES, LLC, filed an amendment to its certificate of organization. The amendment stated the Company is to be managed by the Manager of the Company.

The Manager is Teresa A. Pfeiffer, 2904 B Road, Avoca, NE 68307. In all other respects the original certificate of organization remains unchanged.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION Notice is hereby given that the undersigned has formed a corporation under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

1. The name of the corporation is DR. SWIRCZEK DDS, PC. 2. The address of the registered office is 4879 S 132nd Ave, Omaha NE 68137, and the initial registered agent at the address is Cynthia Breasch.

3. The general nature of business is to provide dentistry services, and, in general, any type of service ancillary thereto, and to do business which is not forbidden by the laws of the State of Nebraska.

4. The authorized capital stock of the corporation is 10,000 shares of common stock with a par value of $1.00 per share, each of which may be issued for any medium permissible under the laws of the State of Nebraska and as is determined from time-to-time by the Board of Directors.

5. The corporation commenced existence on August 20, 2020 and shall have perpetual existence.

6. The affairs of the corporation shall be conducted by a Board of Directors, President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and such other officers as may be chosen by the Board of Directors.

Holly Swirczek

SCHMIT LAW FIRM, LLC 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 3 Papillion, Nebraska 68046 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF MAINE EVENTS CO., LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that MAINE EVENTS CO., LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office at 1246 Golden Gate Dr., Ste. 3, Papillion, Nebraska 68046. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a limited liability company may be organized, including but not limited to event planning. Its duration is perpetual commencing September 9, 2020. Its Registered Agent is Angela Schmit, Schmit Law Firm, LLC, 1246 Golden Gate Dr., Ste. 3, Papillion, Nebraska 68046.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

SCHMIT LAW FIRM, LLC 1246 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 3 Papillion, Nebraska 68046 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ABBY’S CORNER, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that ABBY’S CORNER, INC. has been organized as a public benefit corporation under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office at 134 N. Washington Street, Papillion, Nebraska 68046. It is organized to transact any lawful business for which a public benefit corporation may be organized, including but not limited to a faith-based thrift shop. Its duration is perpetual commencing from August 27, 2020. Its Registered Agent is Angela Schmit, Schmit Law Firm, LLC, 1246 Golden Gate Dr., Ste. 3, Papillion, NE 68046.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

DANA ROCHE, Attorney RINGENBERG & RATTNER LAW 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 222 S. 15TH STREET, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that 222 S. 15th Street, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 222 S. 15th Street, Suite 1404S, Omaha, Nebraska, 68102. The Registered Agent of the Company is Kendra Ringenberg, Ringenberg & Rattner Law, LLC, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 204, Omaha, Nebraska 68154.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

NICK R. TAYLOR, Attorney FITZGERALD, SCHORR, BARMETTLER & BRENNAN, P.C., L.L.O. 200 Regency One, 10050 Regency Circle Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3794 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR 20-1463 Estate of MARCELLA H. SYKORA, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on September 22, 2020, 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 MATTHEW G. SYKORA, whose address is 630 South 90 Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68114, has been appointed by the Registrar as Personal Representative of this estate.

Creditors of this estate must file their claims with this Court, located at Courtroom No. 30, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before December 2, 2020 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

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

The designated office of the Company is 11579 Rambleridge Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68164. The registered agent of the Company is Hannah Le, 11581 Rambleridge Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68164. The Company was formed on October 5, 2020.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

LINDSEY A. SCHULER, Attorney C R O K E R , H U C K , K A S H E R , D e W I T T, A N D E R S O N & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF AUTOMOTO OMAHA, LLC The name of the limited liability company is Automoto Omaha, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 2001 North 24th Street, Omaha, NE 68110. The name and address of the initial agent for service of process is Lindsey A. Schuler, 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, NE 68124.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that KiSS Transport, L.L.C. (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the Company is 10130 Grand Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68134. The registered agent of the Company is Kyle Sheppard, 10130 Grand Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68134. The Company was formed on October 2, 2020.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

Incorporator First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020 SCUDDER LAW FIRM, P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 411 S. 13th Street, Second Floor Lincoln, NE 68508 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION A Certificate of Organization was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State for L Street Property Partners, LLC, with its initial designated office at 1125 S 103RD St., STE 800, Omaha, NE 68124. The registered agent and address for service of process is: Capitol Corporate Services, Inc., located at 1125 S 103RD St., STE 800, Omaha, NE 68124.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

AMANDA M. BARRON, Attorney P.O. Box 597 Fremont, Nebraska 68026 LEGAL NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT(s), KELVIN E TOLSTON You are hereby notified that Credit Bureau Services, Inc., a corporation, filed its complaint in the County Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska on 05/18/2020 on Case Number CI20-9471, the object and prayer of which is to recover the sum of $ 211.61, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs.

You are required to answer the complaint of the Plaintiff on or before

11/23/2020 or the allegations in said complaint will be taken as true and judgment entered accordingly.

CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, INC., A CORPORATION First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney JAKE T. HOULIHAN, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68144 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: ISSAK HUSSEIN aka Hussein Issak, 3306 Madison St, Omaha NE 68107, you are hereby notified that on August 5, 2020, Allstate Insurance Company filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI20-14012, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $13,579.69, 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 30th day of November, 2020, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 30, 2020

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION On September 18, 2020, Service Corps of Lutheran Business Executives, a Nebraska nonprofit corporation (“Corporation”) filed Articles of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State. The terms of the dissolution provide for the payment of all liabilities of the Corporation and the distribution of all remaining assets to the Lutheran Church MissouriSynod Nebraska District. A. William Kernen as Chairman is to wind up and liquidate the corporate affairs and distribute its assets. The Corporation has assets totaling $34,410.11 and no liabilities.

First publication October 2, 2020, final October 16, 2020

16

• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

LEGAL NOTICES KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF FAB PROPERTIES, LLC The name of the Company is FAB Properties, LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 11826 North 178th Circle, Bennington, Nebraska 68007. 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 October 6, 2020.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF LLDU, 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 LLDU, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara Medbery-Prchal, P.C., L.L.O., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164. The designated office is located at 28018 Heron Circle, Valley, NE 68064.

Brian Urban and Robert Urban, Member First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ARBOR CARE CENTERS ORD, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Arbor Care Centers – Ord, 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 October 5, 2020.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney JAKE T HOULIHAN, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68144 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: ADOLFO A LOZANO, 7910 Blondo St. Apt 20, Omaha NE 68134, you are hereby notified that on July 21, 2020, American Family Mutual Ins. Co., S.I. filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI20-13075, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $7,070.03, 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 30th day of November, 2020, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 30, 2020 KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF TELEGRAPH LOFTS WEST, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Telegraph Lofts West, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 121 S 13th Street, Suite 100, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508. 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 October 5, 2020.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

THOMAS H. PENKE, Attorney THOMAS H. PENKE, P.C., L.L.O. 12010 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68154 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR 20-1507 Estate of CELESTE M. MICEK, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on 2 day of October, 2020 in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, the Registrar issued a written statement of Informal Probate of the Will of said Deceased and that MICHAEL A. MICEK, whose address is 2429 Southern Hills Drive, Keller, Texas 76248, was informally appointed by the Registrar as Personal Representative of this Estate.

Creditors of this estate must file their claims with this Court, located at Courtroom No. 30, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or before December 16, 2020 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

Notice Of Organization Of Axe Building Services, LLC Notice is hereby given that Axe Building Services, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The designated office address of the Company is 1125 S. 119th St, Omaha, NE 68144. The registered agent of the Company is Philip S. Murante, whose mailing address is 1125 S. 119th St, Omaha, NE 68144.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF MERGER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Articles of Merger of TLCB, Inc., a Nebraska corporation, with and into AF Holdings, Inc., a Nebraska corporation, were filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on October 2, 2020, in accordance with the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The merger was effective as of October 2, 2020. The surviving entity in the merger was AF Holdings, Inc., a Nebraska Corporation.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

SAMUEL J. TURCO, SR., Attorney at Law 2580 South 90th Street Omaha, NE 68124 LEGAL NOTICE In the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. PR 20-1495 Estate of DONALD G. SKADELAND, Deceased Notice is hereby given that on September 30, 2020, in the County Court of Douglas County, Nebraska, the Registrar issued a written statement of Informal Probate of the Will of said Deceased and that DEAN RAY SKADELAND, whose address is 8235 NW Birch LN, Kansas City, MO 64151, was informally appointed by the Registrar as Personal Representative of this Estate.

Creditors of this estate must file their claims with this Court, located at Courtroom No. 30, Third Floor, Probate Division, Douglas County Hall of Justice, 17th & Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68183, on or beforeDecember 16, 2020 or be forever barred.

CARROL L. MILLS Registrar First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ARBOR CARE REALTY - ORD, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Arbor Care Realty – Ord, 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 October 5, 2020.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

BARBARA MEDBERY-PRCHAL, P.C., L.L.O., Attorney 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF GOLF ALCHEMY, USA, 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 GOLF ALCHEMY, USA, LLC The name and street address of the company’s initial registered agent is Law Offices of Barbara MedberyPrchal, P.C., L.L.O., 11102 Blondo Street, Suite 103, Omaha, NE 68164.

The designated office is located at 18407 C Street, Omaha, NE 68130.

Scott Dannehl, Organizer First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

THOMAS H. PENKE, Attorney 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 Notice is hereby given that TNC LOGISTICS, INC., has incorporated under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The general nature of the business is any lawful business. Authorized capital is 10,000 shares of common stock, with a par value of $1.00 per share. Thomas H. Penke is the incorporator and the registered agent. The incorporator’s address and the address of the registered office is 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by the Board of Directors and such officers as it may elect.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION The Nebraska limited liability company’s name is BLT Trucking, LLC. The name of its initial agent for service of process is Brian Hoffman. The street and mailing address of its initial designated office and of its initial agent for service of process is 84956 565th Avenue, Winside, Nebraska 68790. The Company is not organized to render a professional service. /s/ Joseph J. Skudlarek, Organizer First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Oppurtunities Name of Applicant: Oppurtunities, Inc. Address: 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114 Applicant is a Corporation If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Nebraska Date of first use of name in Nebraska: September 30, 2020 General nature of business: To provide residential, day, and behavioral health services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

ANDREW P. DEAVER Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative October 16, 2020 CAMERON M. RIECKE, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF RELAX LAKE LIVING, 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 Relax Lake Living, LLC. The address of the initial designated office is 18608 Vinton Street, Omaha, NE 68130. The name and address of the registered agent and office is LDM Business Services, Inc, 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The general nature of the business is any or all lawful business. The company commenced existence on October 6, 2020 and shall have a perpetual duration. The affairs of the company shall be conducted by the Members, as prescribed by the Operating Agreement.

LDM Business Services, Inc., Organizer First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

THOMAS H. PENKE, Attorney 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 Notice is hereby given that MNB LOGISTICS, INC., has incorporated under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The general nature of the business is any lawful business. Authorized capital is 10,000 shares of common stock, with a par value of $1.00 per share. The incorporator and the registered agent is Thomas H. Penke and the incorporator’s address and the address of the registered office is located at 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by the Board of Directors and such officers as it may elect.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

THOMAS H. PENKE, Attorney 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68154 Notice is hereby given that MNC LOGISTICS, INC., has incorporated under the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The general nature of the business is any lawful business. Authorized capital is 10,000 shares of common stock, with a par value of $1.00 per share. Thomas H. Penke is the incorporator and the registered agent. The incorporator’s address and the address of the registered office is 12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68154. The affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by the Board of Directors and such officers as it may elect.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

MATTHEW T. PAYNE, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF MERGER Notice is hereby given that Rogers Construction, Inc., a Nebraska corporation, has merged with Rogers Development, Inc., a Nebraska corporation. Effective October 2, 2020, Rogers Development, Inc. succeeded to all rights and interests, and all debts and liabilities of Rogers Construction, Inc. in accordance with the Articles of Merger which have been filed with the Secretary of State of Nebraska. The surviving corporation is Rogers Development, Inc. First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

KATHRYN J. DERR, Attorney BERKSHIRE & BURMEISTER 1301 South 75th Street, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68124 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF JA BARRETT LAND COMPANY, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that JA BARRETT LAND COMPANY, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The address of the initial designated office of the company is 1301 s 75th Street, Ste. 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The registered office of the Company is 1301 S 75th St. Ste. 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the agent at such office is Kathryn J. Derr. The general nature of the business to be transacted by the company is any lawful business which may be carried on by a limited liability company organized under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The company commenced operations on September 29, 2020, and shall have a perpetual duration.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 • LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of Conquer Fitness LLC Notice of organization is hereby given that Conquer Fitness LLC has been organized in accordance with the laws of the state of Nebraska, commencing September 3, 2020. The designated office address is 2324 N. 113th St Omaha, NE 68164.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

ERICKSON l SEDERSTROM, P.C., Attorneys 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ROS Interiors, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that ROS Interiors, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, has been duly organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with its designated office located at 10070 Garvin Road, Omaha, NE 68122 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, NE 68114.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF KOS ROOTS TWO, LLC The name of the Company is Kos Roots Two, 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 October 1, 2020.

First publication October 9, 2020, final October 23, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ACCESSORY.PARTS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Accessory.Parts, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 4537 S. 88th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68127. 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 Certificate of Organization was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State on October 7, 2020.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

SCOTT A. MEYERSON, Esq. LIKES MEYERSON HATCH LLC 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF 610 LLC Notice is hereby given that 610 LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial designated office is 5237 S. 24th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68107. The street and mailing address of the Company’s initial agent for service of process is 5601 S. 59th Street, Suite C, Lincoln, Nebraska 68516 and the Company’s initial agent for service of process at such address is Registered Agent Solutions, Inc. First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

ABRAHAMS KASLOW & CASSMAN LLP, Attorneys 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Maier Enterprises, LLC was organized as a Nebraska limited liability company. The address of the initial designated office of the company is 9936 Broadmoor Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. Upon formation, the name and street and mailing address of the initial registered agent of the company for service of process were Christian R. Blunk, 1005 South 107th Avenue, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. Effective as of August 31, 2020, the name and street and mailing address of the registered agent of the company for service of process are M. Tyler Johnson, Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman, LLP, 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020 WHITMORE LAW OFFICE LLC 7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Leick Realty, L.L.C., has been organized as a professional limited liability company under the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The designated office of the Company is 5103 Hamilton Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132. The registered agent of the Company is Stephen C. Leick, 5103 Hamilton Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132. The Company's members, managers, professional employees and agents are licensed or otherwise legally authorized to engage in the sale of real estate in this state. The Company was formed on October 7, 2020.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

BROWN & WOLFF, P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys and Counselors at Law 1925 North 120th Street, One Bennington Place Omaha, Nebraska 68154 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF QUANTIFY ROI LLC NOTICE is hereby given that Quantify ROI LLC is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The registered agent is KENNETH GORDMAN and the address of its registered office is 13520 Discovery Dr., Ste. 221, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. The purposes for which the Company is organized are to engage in any and all lawful businesses for which a limited liability company may be organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska including but not limited to sales, marketing and distribution.

The Company commenced on the 25th day of August, 2020, and shall have perpetual existence. The affairs of the Company are to be conducted by its Members and/or Managers as set forth in the terms of the company’s Operating Agreement from time to time. The Company shall be managed by one (1) manager, KENNETH GORDMAN, whose address is 13520 Discovery Drive, Ste. 221, Omaha, Nebraska, 68137.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF CRAFTSMAN ENTERPRISES LLC A NEBRASKA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 1. The name of the limited liability company is CRAFTSMAN ENTERPRISES LLC. 2. The period of duration for CRAFTSMAN ENTERPRISES LLC is perpetual.

3. CRAFTSMAN ENTERPRISES LLC is organized for the purpose of conducting any and all business as permitted by the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. 4. The address of the initial designated office for CRAFTSMAN ENTERPRISES LLC in Nebraska is 4305 Barker Ave, Omaha, NE 68105.

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

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

7. Holly Swirczek, organizer(s) of CRAFTSMAN ENTERPRISES LLC has signed the Foregoing Certificate of Organization effective this 19st Day of August 2020 .

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that M & S Binfield, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company, filed its Statement of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State on October 8, 2020, and the company is in the process of voluntary dissolution. The terms and conditions of such dissolution are, in general, that all debts and obligations of the company are to be fully paid and satisfied or adequate provision is to be made therefore, and that the balance of any remaining assets are to be distributed to its Members. The Manager will wind up and liquidate the company’s business and affairs. If you have a claim against M & S Binfield, LLC, please provide the following information with respect to your claim: (1) your name or the name of your entity; (2) the nature of your claim; (3) the amount of your claim; and (4) the date your claim arose. All claims shall be mailed to Kurt F. Tjaden, 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.

A claim against against M & S Binfield, LLC is barred unless an action to enforce the claim is commenced within five (5) years after the publication date of the third required notice.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF ORBITAL GLOBAL MEDIA, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Orbital Global Media, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The Designated Office Address of the Company is 13233 C Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68144. The Registered Agent of the Company is Jaime Suarez Delgado, 13233 C Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68144.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

PATRICK M. FLOOD, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF HENNINGS ACRES, INC. Notice is hereby given of incorporation of Hennings Acres, Inc. under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: 1. The name of the Corporation is Hennings Acres, Inc. 2. The number of shares that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 1,000 shares of common stock.

3. The name of the initial registered agent is Patrick M. Flood, 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 Patrick M. Flood, 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

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

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

17

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF DOMESTICATION OF CUPID’S MIDWEST MATCHMAKERS, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Cupid’s Midwest Matchmakers, Inc. has domesticated to the State of Nebraska from the State of Nevada. The name of the Corporation will be Nebraska Expert Matchmakers, Inc. The Corporation is authorized to issue 10,000 shares of common stock having a par value of $1.00 each. The Registered Office of the Corporation is: 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, and the Registered Agent at such address is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O. The domestication was accomplished by the filing of Articles of Domestication with the Nebraska Secretary of State on October 2, 2020.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

LAWRENCE F. HARR, Attorney LAMSON, DUGAN and MURRAY, LLP 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3743 NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF SUMMIT SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY Notice is hereby given that a corporation has been formed under the laws of the State of Nebraska, and that the name of the corporation is Summit Specialty Insurance Company. The Articles of Incorporation are on file with the Nebraska Secretary of State. The corporation is authorized to issue 10,000,000 shares of common stock of $1.00 par value per share.

The address of the corporation’s principal office is 1601 Dodge Street, Suite 3800, Omaha, NE 68102. The name and street address of the corporation’s registered agent and office is Lamson Dugan & Murray LLP, 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, NE 68114. The incorporators are Patrick G. Vipond, Craig F. Martin, Andrew J. Huber, Andrew R. Wilkinson, and Lawrence F. Harr, located at 10306 Regency Parkway Drive, Omaha, NE 68114.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

KARINE E. SOKPOH, Attorney SOKPOH LAW GROUP 10730 Pacific Street, Suite 247 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF LOZAFINA, LLC Notice is hereby given that LOZAFINA, LLC has been organized as a limited liability company under Nebraska laws, with its designated office at 1206 S 138th Street, Omaha, NE 68144. 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 September 30th, 2020. Its affairs are to be conducted by the manager Josefina Loza. Its registered agent is Josefina Loza and her office is located at 1206 S 138th Street, Omaha, NE 68144.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF APOGEE, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Apogee, LLC (the “Company”) has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The Designated Office Address of the Company is 13233 C Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68144.

The Registered Agent of the Company is Jaime Suarez Delgado, 13233 C Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68144.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

JOHN Q. BACHMAN, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF STLLP GENERAL PARTNER, LLC Notice is hereby given of the organization of STLLP General Partner, LLC: 1. The name of the limited liability company is STLLP General Partner, LLC. 2. The street and mailing address of the initial designated office is 209 South 19th Street, Suite 150, Omaha, Nebraska 68102, and the name and street address of the initial agent for service of process is John Q. Bachman, 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Cecilia Losee Insurance and Financial Services Name of Applicant: Cecilia Losee Address:6634 Layfayette Ave. Omaha, NE 68132 Applicant is a Individual If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Date of first use of name in Nebraska: 2-16-2018 General nature of business: Insurance and Financial Services CECILIA LOSEE Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative October 16, 2020

18

• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

LEGAL NOTICES

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF METTLE, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Mettle, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 1111 N 99th Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.

The limited liability company commenced business on October 9, 2020.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of Ervin Landscaping, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is Ervin Landscaping, LLC. Registered agent and office of Ervin Landscaping, LLC is Ervin Hernandez Ramirez at 4411 S 25th Street, Omaha, NE 68107. The designated address is 4411 S 25th Street, Omaha, NE 68107. Initial members: Ervin Hernandez Ramirez, Filiberto de la Cruz, Pedro Perez Hernandez, Eugenio Hernandez Lopez. General nature of the business is to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute. The LLC was organized in September 2020 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of Tavo Landscaping, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is Tavo Landscaping, LLC. Registered agent and office of Tavo Landscaping, LLC is Octavio Hernandez Ramirez at 4411 S 25th Street, Omaha, NE 68107. The designated address is 4411 S 25th Street, Omaha, NE 68107. Initial members: Octavio Hernandez Ramirez, Jose Luis Hernandez Lopez, and Hugo Hernandez. 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 September 2020 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF HEMPHILL-WILSON PROPERTIES, L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that HEMPHILL-WILSON PROPERTIES, L.L.C., is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a designated and registered office at 508 3rd Street, Waterloo, Nebraska 68069. The affairs of the company are to be conducted by the manager and registered officer, MISTY J. HEMPHILL-WILSON. The Limited Liability Company is organized to transact any and all business, and perform services of every kind and nature whatsoever, which are not inconsistent with law.

The Limited Liability Company commenced on September 3, 2020, and shall have perpetual existence.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF HONEST CARE, INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that HONEST CARE, INC., is incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska, with a registered office at 2305 North 104th Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68134. The registered agent is LAUREN TAYLOR OGBORN. The general nature of the business is to operate a general home health care 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 home health care 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 September 3, 2020, and shall have perpetual existence.

The affairs of the corporation are to be conducted by a Board of Directors, the number of directors to be provided in the By-Laws, and the offi¬cers shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as shall be designated in the By-Laws.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: LATASHA MITCHELL You are hereby notified that on 05/18/20, the Plaintiff, Credit Management Services, Inc., filed a Complaint in the COUNTY Court of DOUGLAS County, Nebraska against you shown as Case Number CI20-8980. The object and prayer of which is a judgment in the amount of $250.00, plus court costs and prejudgment interest and attorney fees, if applicable.

The Complaint prays that judgment be entered against you. You are hereby notified that you must answer the petition on or before 11/29/20, at the COUNTY Court of DOUGLAS County, OMAHA, Nebraska.

BY: STEVEN J MORRISON, #24708 P.O. Box 1512 Grand Island, Nebraska 68802 308 398-3801 Attorney for the Plaintiff First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF A PLUS NEW AND USED TIRES LLC The name of the Company is A Plus New and Used Tires LLC. The Designated Office of the Company is: 5705 South 60th Street, Suite 109, Omaha, Nebraska 68117. The Registered Agent and Office of the Company is: Thomas Hansen, 5705 South 60th Street, Suite 109, Omaha, Nebraska 68117. This limited liability company commenced business on October 9, 2020.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF TRADE NAME Trade Name to be registered is: Nebraska Radiation Oncology Name of Applicant: Hematology & Oncology Consultants, P.C. Address: 6901 North 72nd Street, Suite 2244, Omaha, NE 68122 Applicant is a Corporation If other than an Individual, state under whose laws entity was formed: Nebraska Date of first use of name in Nebraska: upon filing General nature of business: radiation treatment RICHARD D. VROMAN Signature of Applicant or Legal Representative October 16, 2020

KOLEY JESSEN P.C., L.L.O., Attorneys 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, One Pacific Place Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1079 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF HIDE-A-WAY 08, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Hide-A-Way 08, LLC has been organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska. The designated office of the limited liability company is 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The registered agent and office of the limited liability company is Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O., 1125 South 103rd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The limited liability company commenced business on October 8, 2020.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION of a Limited Liability Company Notice is hereby given the registration with the Nebraska Secretary of state’s office of Hidro Framing, LLC under the laws of the State of Nebraska as follows: The name of the company is Hidro Framing, LLC. Registered agent and office of Hidro Framing, LLC is Alejandro Norberto Hernandez at 2804 S 38th Street, Omaha, NE 68105. The designated address is 2804 S 38th Street, Omaha, NE 68105. Initial members: Alejandro Norberto Hernandez. General nature of the business is to transact any and all lawful business for which limited liability companies are allowed by statute. The LLC was organized in October 2020 for the perpetual duration and is managed by its members.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Collaboration Matters, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska, with its initial designated office at 520 Shorewood Lane, Waterloo, Nebraska 68069. The initial agent for service of process of the Company is Aimee L. Lowe at 14301 FNB PKWY, STE 100, Omaha, NE 68154. Aimee L. Lowe, Organizer First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that DCM Strategies, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska, with its initial designated office at 3789 Buckthorn Dr., Blair, Nebraska 68008. The initial agent for service of process of the Company is Aimee L. Lowe at 14301 FNB PKWY, STE 100, Omaha, NE 68154.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that SL Shillcutt, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska, with its initial designated office at 14301 FNB PKWY, Ste. 100, Omaha, NE 68154. The initial agent for service of process of the Company is Aimee L. Lowe at 14301 FNB PKWY, STE 100, Omaha, NE 68154.

Aimee L. Lowe, Organizer First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION Notice is hereby given that Griffin Holdings, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, has been organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska, with its initial designated office at 10009 Pacific Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68114. The initial agent for service of process of the Company is Aimee L. Lowe at 14301 FNB PKWY, STE 100, Omaha, NE 68154 Aimee L. Lowe, Organizer First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

AMANDA M. FORKER, Attorney PANSING HOGAN ERNST & BACHMAN LLP 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68114-3728 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO THE CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF WEAVER PROPERTIES LLC Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Nebraska Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, the Certificate of Organization of WEAVER PROPERTIES LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company (the “Company”) has been amended (i) to change the name of the Company to DREAM 2020, LLC; (ii) to change the street and mailing of address of the designated office to 659 North 63rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132; and (iii) to change the name and mailing address of the Registered Agent to Jeff Ferris, 659 North 63rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68132. The Amended Certificate of Organization was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Nebraska on October 6, 2020. In all other respects, the Certificate of Organization remains unchanged.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

WAYNE S. RASMUSSEN, Attorney SMITH SLUSKY POHREN & ROGERS LLP 8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, Nebraska 68114 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT OF THE CERTIFICATE OF ORGANIZATION OF KW EQUITY PARTNERS, LLC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on October 8, 2020, the Certificate of Organization Limited Liability Company for KW Equity Partners, LLC was amended by action of Kirk L. Meisinger, the Company’s Manager, to change the name of the limited liability company to: Blackstone Equity Partners, LLC. First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

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

The designated office address of the Company is 6324 South 118th Street, Omaha, NE 68137. The name and address of the registered agent of the Company is DDLG Business Services, Inc., 9500 West Dodge Road, Suite 100, Omaha, Nebraska 68114.

First publication October 16, 2020, final October 30, 2020

DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney JAKE T. HOULIHAN, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68144 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: LARRY LAUTENSCHLAGER, 516 Wheeler, Grand Island NE 68801, you are hereby notified that on August 6, 2020, American Family Mutual Ins. Co., S.I. filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI20-14095, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $7,350.63, 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 7th day of December, 2020, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication October 16, 2020, final November 6, 2020

DENNIS P. LEE, Attorney JAKE T. HOULIHAN, Attorney LEE LAW OFFICE 2433 South 130th Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, Nebraska 68144 NOTICE OF SUIT TO: EDWARD HENDERSON, 7407 N. 107th Street, Omaha NE 68122, you are hereby notified that on July 21, 2020, American Family Mutual Ins. Co., S.I. filed a suit against you in the Douglas County Court at docket CI20-13070, the object in prayer of which was to secure a judgment against you in the amount of $3,486.35, 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 7th day of December, 2020, the Petition against you will be considered as true and judgment will be entered against you accordingly.

First publication October 16, 2020, final November 6, 2020

SANDRA STERN, Attorney 1904 Farnam Street, Suite 701 Omaha, Nebraska 68102 LEGAL NOTICE On August 18, 2020, Antoinette Provencher, filed a Petition in Douglas County, Nebraska, District Court, Case No. CI 20 - 6528, on behalf of herself to change her name to Khadija Danielle Provencher. A hearing on the Petition will be held on November 19, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. before the Honorable James T. Gleason in Courtroom No. 505, 5th floor, Hall of Justice, 1701 Farnam Street, Omaha, Nebraska. Anyone objecting to the Petition may be heard. By: Sandra Stern, Petitioner’s Attorney.

First publication October 16, 2020, final November 6, 2020

Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 •

19

Professionals Philanthropy

in Health Care A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

& Charity

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include:

Topics may include:

Health care professionals adapting to current climate • Hiring health care works during the pandemic Health care degree programs at local universities Saying thanks to health care workers: What the Omaha community can do to support front line workers

The state of philanthropy & charity in the metro today Catering to younger generation of donors Fundraising during the pandemic • Grant making and charities

Issue Date: October 30 • Ad Deadline: October 22

Issue Date: October 30 • Ad Deadline: October 22

Franchising Gift Guide A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include:

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

Topics may include:

Franchising trends Tips to starting a franchise safely in current economy Experts offer advice on expanding a franchise concept

Employee appreciation Corporate gifts during the pandemic Shopping small to help local economy

Issue Date: November 6 • Ad Deadline: October 27

Issue Date: November 6 • Ad Deadline: October 27

To advertise your company’s products or services in one of our upcoming sections, contact one of our MBJ advertising representatives at (402) 330-1760 or at the email addresse below.

Karla Steele - karla@mbj.com

20

• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

REGIONAL LANDSCAPES

Briefs…

Rakesh Srivastava, owner and founder of Innovative Prosthetics & Orthotics, has been named the 2020 Nebraska Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Nebraska Small Business Person of the Year Award is given to the owner of a local business who has demonstrated staying power, job growth, sales and profit increases over the last three years, serves the community and has overcome adversity. Srivastava opened his first clinic in Hastings in 2006 and now has clinics in Grand Island, Kearney and Omaha. He is part of the Cyborg Beast research program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Facebook Papillion Data Center announced the new cycle of its Community Action Grants program. This annual grant program addresses local needs by making grants available to nonprofit organizations and schools for projects address critical community needs by doing one or more of the following: Putting the power of technology to use for community benefit; connecting people online or off; and improving local science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The recipients included: Springfield Platteview Community Schools, $57,842; Papillion La Vista Community Schools, $51,850; and Nebraskans for Solar, $10,000.

Four years ago, Diann Moore put one of her aspirations on a vision board.

It was simple: feed the hungry. However, as a full-time elementary school teacher,

she never had the time to begin. That all changed with the pandemic. Moore found a truck and now spends her Saturdays cooking meals. Each weekend she delivers meals to 100-125 people who are in need and that number continues to grow as word spreads and more donations come in. For more information contact Diann Moore at 402-320-2347 or diann.moore@ops.org.

Nebraska Enterprise Fund, an SBA microlender and Certified Community Development Financial Institution, has been awarded a $91,000 Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

These grants are designed to help nonprofit organizations help low-income entrepreneurs to gain access to capital to establish and expand their small businesses. Over the past five years, NEF has provided $14.9 million to small and micro-businesses in Nebraska through 368 loans, which has impacted 1,977 jobs. The organization also offers free business assistance in the form of coaching and entrepreneur training sessions. In the past five years, NEF has had 9,362 mentoring sessions and provided training to 7,515 people through workshops and webinars.

The Omaha Storm Chasers and Centris Federal Credit Union announced a Founding Corporate Partnership extension, securing the naming rights of Werner Park’s Family Fun Zone through the 2030 season. The ballpark’s kids area has been named the Centris Family Fun Zone since its official opening in April of 2011. The partnership between Centris Federal Credit

Union and professional baseball in Omaha dates back to Rosenblatt Stadium. Centris Federal Credit Union was announced as one of two founding corporate partners, and one of only nine premier partners, for the Sarpy County Baseball Park in 2010.

Chief Ethanol Fuels, Inc. is currently producing USP Grade Ethanol from its ethanol plant in Hastings. Chief Ethanol has modified its current process operations to produce higher grades of ethanol for use as the active ingredient in hand sanitizer during the COVID-19. Chief Ethanol is able to provide long-term supply of higher grades of ethanol into industrial alcohol markets. This includes Specially Denatured Alcohol that passes FCC and USP purity testing. The plant is capable of providing close to 10 million gallons per year of higher purity ethanol with plans for increased production. The plant has two 250,000-gallon storage tanks to meet customer needs.

Education notes…

College of Saint Mary launched a program to help ease some of the stress brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ‘CSM Kids Club’ is designed to support students, faculty, and staff while their children have moved to a remote learning environment this fall. The program is provided free of charge with the help of CSM education students who need handson field experience, at a time when access to local schools has been curtailed by the pandemic.

Understanding the physical characteristics of a plant can drive development of improved crops, resulting in higher yields and greater food security, however, phenotyping, the science that captures these characteristics, is labor and time intensive.

With the help of a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln associate professor Yufeng Ge is leading a team of researchers from three universities to change that. The grant will help continue to expand phenotyping research; expand the use of drone-based and other high-tech phenotyping methods; create nationwide standards for collecting, cataloguing and analyzing data; and teaching the next generation.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation announced plans to help make a difference during the upcoming academic year with the award of $15,500 in literacy grants in Nebraska. With these funds, educators in seven schools and nonprofit literacy organizations in Nebraska communities that Dollar General calls home will have additional resources to support new and ongoing youth literacy programs.

Local school and organizations include: Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands, Girls Inc. of Omaha, Park Middle School in Lincoln, and Belleaire Elementary School in Bellevue.

The Davidson Fellows Scholarship Program has announced the 2020 scholarship winners. Among the honorees is 18-year-old Audrey Anderson of Omaha.

Anderson won a $25,000 scholarship for her project, Resilin Distribution and Abundance in Apis mellifera Wing Joints across Biological Age Classes. She is one of only 20

students across the country to be recognized as a scholarship winner. Anderson will be attending University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a Regents Scholar in the fall where she plans to study biological systems engineering with the goal of using her scientific research, and engineering skills to restore degraded habitats across the world.

Health care notes…

Researchers from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the National Institute of Mental Health are collaborating on a $2.2 million study to advance treatment research for youths who experience anger outbursts, aggressive behavior and have difficulty regulating their emotions. If not effectively treated, mental health issues can lead to consequences in adulthood, including depressive disorder, anxiety disorder and substance use disorder. Researchers plan to enroll 80 youths in Nebraska and Iowa between the ages of 14 and 18 to study the impact of different doses of oxytocin on the brain.

Students in the accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center now have additional tuition support available.

The Helene Fuld Health Trust has made a $650,000 gift commitment to help students as they prepare for nursing service. The gift establishes the Helene Fuld Health Trust Scholarship as a permanently endowed fund at the University of Nebraska Foundation. Income from the fund will enable the College of Nursing to award annual scholarships to students enrolled in the accelerated nursing program.

Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals announced the commercialization of its First Hope system, a medical device that provides patients with limited mobility the capability to communicate their needs and control their hospital room environment by harnessing their remaining abilities.

Madonna has partnered with Curbell Medical to translate the Madonna First Hope system into the Assistive Control Adapter, or AC20, now available for distribution.

The First Hope system hones in on an individual’s abilities — a sip or puff of air, a wiggle of a toe or a muscle twitch — and translates that into actionable electric signals that enable them to call a nurse, surf TV channels, turn off the lights and more.

Activities of nonprofits…

The American Heart Association will bring together industry, academia and the investment community to award $85,000 in grants for innovation in rural stroke care at the first ever Mission: Lifeline Rural Stroke Innovators Grant Digital Summit on Oct. 29. Mission: Lifeline is the American Heart Association’s community-based initiative to develop systems of care to improve outcomes for heart attack and stroke patients in Nebraska. The Mission: Lifeline Stroke project is funded by a statewide commitment of $6.5 million from the American Heart Association.

The foundation of this new initiative is a three-year grant of $5.35 million from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on nonprofits by changing the need for services, threatening staff and client Continued on next page.

Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 •

21

REGIONAL LANDSCAPES Continued from preceding page. safety and straining financial resources.

In response, Category One Consulting has developed a free Crisis Response Toolkit. The Nonprofit Association of the Midlands supports the Crisis Response Planning Toolkit, which provides evidence-based strategies that most nonprofits should consider when developing an effective COVID-19 response plan. Nonprofits can visit http://www.category1consulting. com/crisisresponse to complete the online planning tool and receive a personalized crisis response plan.

TekBrands, parent company of AccuQuilt, AccuCut, Custom Shape Pros, and MemoryStitch, donated $100,000 to No Kid Hungry. No Kid Hungry was launched in 2010 and is a national campaign run by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world. Early in the pandemic, TekBrands die manufacturing divisions of AccuQuilt, AccuCut, and Custom Shape Pros quickly developed new products to help members of the maker movement more easily cut and produce masks. From April 2020 through August 2020, $10 from each of the mask dies sold was donated, and the TekBrands family met its $100,000 donation goal.

Veridian Credit Union announced a gift-match campaign for the Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership. Veridian will match all donations to ENCAP from Oct. 1-31 up to $10,000.

ENCAP is a private, nonprofit community action agency that’s been providing social and human services to people facing pov-

erty in Douglas and Sarpy counties since 1965. ENCAP offers a holistic approach to service delivery, including hunger relief, homelessness prevention, child abuse and neglect prevention, skills development, senior well-being initiatives and transportation.

Arts and events…

The Claire M. Hubbard Foundation Sustainability Speaker Series will feature an online discussion regarding climate change and agriculture on Oct. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will be offered via Zoom and is free and open to the public.

Speakers include Doug Kluck, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Regional Climate Series director, who will talk about the big picture when it comes to climate change, and Andrea Basche, University of Nebraska-Lincoln assistant professor of Agronomy and Horticulture, who will illustrate the connections between climate change and agriculture. A short Q&A session will follow both speakers. To join the online event, visit mccneb.edu/hubbard to find a Zoom link.

The Durham Museum is hosting Spooky Tales for Tots from 10 a.m. to noon on Oct. 23 and Oct. 30. Guests can celebrate Halloween with spooky tales and crafts. Each week will include a reading of a Halloween story followed by a craft.

Registration is required and online.

The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts Virtual Benefit Art Auction and Concert will kick off on Saturday, Oct. 24 with the art auction. Online bidding will continue through Oct. 30, ending with a virtual concert on Oct. 30 at 8 p.m.

cial previews of exhibits by Watie White, Pamela Conyers-Hinson, and Therman Statom. On Oct. 29 its first-floor galleries will open to the public and by the end of November, the Tessellation Project installation and Juan Sanchez’s exhibit will open in second-floor galleries. Regularly updated information can be found at thekaneko.org.

The Durham Museum is hosting “The Great Halloween Drive-Thru” on Oct. 27 from 5 p.m. to 8p.m. Guests are invited to come in costume and decorate their cars for an adventure through the parking lot visiting themed stations like the Wild West Saloon and the Zombie Zone all while collecting treats. Advance registration is required.

The Durham Museum is hosting a “Virtual Trick or Trivia for Adults” on Oct. 29 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Participants can test their knowledge of Halloween past and present, everything from horror movies to costume and candy trends. The event is free but registration is required.

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MEETINGS AND SEMINARS Tuesday, Oct. 20 The Heartland Women’s Network is hosting Tony Veland, director of community engagement at AIM Institute, for its virtual get-together. The AIM Institute works to increase the tech talent pipeline. Veland will speak about the demand and opportunities for careers in technology in the area and the need for more women and minorities to be recruited for careers in tech. He will also overview the AIM Institute’s training & career development opportunities, community outreach programs, and involvement opportunities to grow and support the tech talent pipeline.

Registration for the event, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., is online.

The Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance – Omaha is hosting its monthly program virtually from noon to 1:30 p.m. The speaker will be Blaine Kahle, director of engineering at Five Nines, and his presentation will be “Practical IT Security for your Business and Home Office.” Registration for this event is online.

Wednesday, Oct. 21 Best Care EAP is hosting a free live webinar called Parenting in Pandemonium from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Parents and their children continue to adapt to the fluidity of the COVID-19 environment. Many families are finding themselves grappling with how to support not only their children’s mental health but their own. This conversation will discuss what parents can

All proceeds support participating arts and raise critical funds for Bemis Center programs.

The Durham Museum is hosting “Hallo-weekend” on Oct. 24 and Oct. 25 from noon to 4 p.m. All weekend long, children ages 12 and under get in free and costumes are encouraged. The event will feature a Haunted Great Hall, a scavenger hunt with historic characters and goodie bags with crafts to take home. Reservations are required.

The Joslyn Castle is hosting “Polka Dots & Moonbeams” as part of its A Little Dinner Music series on Oct. 24. The event features a themed menu, signature cocktail, and live music. Guests will step back into a 1940s lounge. Saxophonist Stan Harper and bassist Steve Gomez will be performing and the themed menu will be based on vintage American fare. Registration is online.

KANEKO is opening its new exhibition, Community, which will progressively open throughout October with three spe-

do to help themselves and their children with practical real-life advice for our “new norm.” To register, call 402-354-8000 or email EAP@bestcareeap.org.

FranNet of the Heartland is hosting a virtual webinar on “A Business Committed to Fighting Grime” from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursday, October 22 The Bellevue Chamber of Commerce & Bellevue Offutt Rising Professionals have come together to present a day of professional development for groups & individuals. Leadercast: Positive Disruption will feature the following speakers: Earvin “Magic” Johnson, basketball hall-of-famer and entrepreneur; Amy Jo Martin, digital media pioneer and best-selling author; and Richard Montnez, VP of multicultural sales & marketing at PepsiCo North America. Ticket prices include both in-person and virtual options and registration is online.

The APICS Midlands Chapter is hosting a free webinar from noon to 1 p.m. Burdette Brown will present “It started with an idea: a look at supply chain while we transisition from the background to the foreground.” Burdette has converted multiple hospitals to offsite distribution, par levels to two bin KanBan, capital purchasing programs, and worked with multiple EHRs (Electronic Health Records), including conversion/building of new EHR. Registration for the webinar is online.

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22

• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

Ag Trends Lincoln Business Journal Pages

A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal

October 16, 2020

Support services of all kinds a lifeline for producers within state’s largest industry

by Michelle Leach

At the start of this month, the Department of Agricultural Economics and the Bureau of Business Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported that ag accounted for nearly 34% of the state’s business sales, 22% of its gross product, and almost 25% of its jobs. Researchers speculated Nebraska is more insulated from pandemic-related impacts than other states due to investment decisions based on longterm rather than shortterm trends.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Nelson Harlan Vice Chancellor and NU Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mike Boehm, referred to IANR hosting U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in September at Nebraska Innovation Campus. Perdue participated in a panel on ag innovation alongside university and state leadership.

“As the world population grows, the U.S. agriculture industry will have to increase production by 40% while decreasing its agricultural inputs by half,” Boehm said. “That goal drives much of our research, and more widespread use

Antony Aerts, member of the agricultural, estate planning and business services practice groups at Rembolt Ludtke. of precision ag techniques, such as precision working ag landscapes. Rural Prosperity Neapplication of fertilizer and use of technology braska launched earlier this year with extension to gather data about everything from cattle professionals, faculty and programs like Rural behavior to the growth rates of crops, will be Poll and Nebraska Thriving Index tasked with critical in reaching it.” exploring how to support rural communities.

IANR researchers are engineering heat- and “Ag innovation and rural prosperity are both drought-tolerant crops and, starting in 2016, the complex, expansive issues that touch many fields Nebraska Integrated Beef Systems Initiative’s di- of study, and we’ve become sharply focused on verse university experts are maximizing efficien- bringing together experts from a wide array of cy, profitability, and preserving and improving disciplines to address them,” he said.

In its seventh year, IANR’s Rural Fellows participate in 10-week internships in areas such as economic development in rural communities.

Last year, the program placed 15 students in seven communities; in 2021, it will place 200 students in as many as 100 communities.

Anthony Aerts grew up on a farm in David City, and now splits his time between Rembolt Ludtke’s Lincoln and Seward offices as a member of the law firm’s ag, estate planning and business services group.

“In this day and age, it is tough to be a farmer or rancher,” he said. “Finances, regulations and employment situations are complex. It’s a lot to synthesize, and the modern farming and ranching operation needs to have some sort of entity in place to do the tax planning and to make sure they’re in compliance.”

Advisers such as CPAs may be brought into the conversation. Aerts indicated he’s having many discussions with clients related to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

“It’s been a tough year for everyone and ag producers are not excluded,” he said. “They’re looking for stability, predictability, and constancy … When the [Paycheck Protection Program] and other programs came out, there was a feeling that ag had been left out.”

During this first round of applications and funding, Aerts has helped producers understand the program rules and requirements, and reviews Continued on page 24.

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• Ag Trends •

Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 •

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• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

• Lincoln Business Journal Pages

• Ag Trends

Innovation in agriculture impacts industry from multiple angles

by Gabby Christensen Another trend in agriculture is a push towards New technology is impacting the agriculture more sustainable farming practices, driven by industry every day. consumer demand.

Mark Johnson, CEO of GrainBridge, said “The goal is to grow even more food for a data is affecting agriculture at every level, from growing population, while doing so in the most agronomics to grain trading. environmentally friendly way,” he “Satellites in the sky are monitorsaid. “Data will also be a huge factor ing global crops, combines are pulling in growing crops with less water, detailed data from the field and weathless fertilizer, while still optimizing er sensors are helping to create more yields.” accurate, granular forecasts,” Johnson Brian Schupbach, head of Nesaid. “The challenge with data is that braska Beef Technology Lab for there’s a lot of it and it needs to be anAllflex Livestock Intelligence, said alyzed to be useful. Smart companies Merck Animal Health Intelligence, a are creating ‘data refineries,’ which newly formed, specialized operating pull in data from multiple internal and unit part of Merck Animal Health, is external sources. Then companies are at the forefront of transforming the hiring data scientists to build products animal health industry through animal Schupbach on top of these data refineries.” intelligence and data expertise by This process has just begun in agriculture, he connecting animals and people for a better future. said, but could yield some amazing results.

“Our brands in this business — Allflex Live“For example, imagine a system that auto- stock Intelligence, Sure Petcare, Biomark and matically gives agronomic recommendations to Vaki, including the recent acquisitions of Identifarmers, increasing yields and driven by data and Gen and Quantified Ag — have advanced the way science,” Johnson said. we identify animals, engage with them, monitor

their activity, anticipate their health needs and help people manage and care for them,” Schupbach said. “One specific technology developed by Quantified Ag monitors cattle body temperature and movement in order to detect illness early. It’s one of the top trends that I’ve seen in the last few years. You can think of this as using electronic devices on livestock similar to how humans use a Fitbit or carry a smartphone in their pocket. In using these devices, farmers and producers can continually collect data and use this information to optimize the contribution of each animal on an individual basis. This can lead to better care, healthier animals and improved labor efficiency.”

Mitch Minarick, founder and CEO of FarmAfield, said one of the most pressing changes in agriculture technology is the increase of vertically integrated operations and a stronger consumer push for local food supply.

“The shock of grocery store shelves being empty in March and April of this year forced a lot of consumers, as well as supply chain leaders to examine the status quo,” he said.

Minarick noted there is an increasing focus on soil health.

“As more information clarifies on the impact of chemical fertilizers and various field applications, two opportunities are arising: agriculture biologicals and more information on carbon sequestration,” he said. “Ag biologicals could be an interesting opportunity as for the most part it is not coming from the traditional industry incumbents.”

Minarick said there has also been a lot of recent focus on carbon sequestration.

“The business model that will prevail is not quite as clear yet,” he said. “Indigo Ag announced in June it will pay farmers $15 per metric ton for the carbon that they store in their soils and in trees on their farms. Companies like Trimble and Syngenta have also begun to offer carbon credits of their own sort and marketplaces for these credits are becoming established.”

Support services

Continued from page 22. their business setup to determine eligibility for benefits.

Aerts said it wasn’t a “complete reinvention of the wheel,” as many producers documented and certified operations relative to this program.

“Estate planning in the ag context involves a complicated set of tradeoffs,” he said. “There is a greater prevalence of off-farm and on-farm heirs.”

Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation weighed in on the UNL Economic Impact of Nebraska Agriculture Report and CFAP 2. The bureau referenced many differences between the up to $14 billion program and the original CFAP. Sign-up runs through Dec. 11. President Steve Nelson recognized the important role the report makes in supporting Nebraska’s largest industry.

“Understanding the vast majority of Nebraskans will never sit behind the steering wheel of a combine during harvest or start their day feeding livestock, the findings in this report clearly show that many Nebraskans are still connected to agriculture through the jobs that are created as a direct result of production agriculture activities,” he said.

Details on CFAP 2 and key ag issues can be found at NEFB.org, an organization with 58,000plus member-families.

The UNL College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Dean Tiffany Heng-Moss is supporting future professionals through today’s challenges.

“There is no doubt that COVID-19 has changed the college experience,” she said. “This semester, many classes are offered via a blend of remote and in-person instruction, and I have been positively blown away by the lengths to which our faculty members have gone to ensure an enriching experience.”

For instance, Heng-Moss said when they shifted to remote instruction in March, CASNR Cares called every student to check in and see how they’re doing.

“Students can also approach CASNR Cares staff for help and guidance with just about anything,” she said, “struggles with coursework, conflicts with friends or roommates, financial hardship, you name it.”

When producers first felt the pandemic’s effects in March, IANR’s Boehm said its extension team “hit the ground running” with free webinars (i.e. on risk management) and food security and mental health support. The Nebraska Farm Bureau, too, spotlighted Rural Stress Training; described as a Farm Credit, American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union program, any member who interacts with farmers and ranchers can register to understand the likes of signs and sources of stress effective communication strategies.

Lincoln Business Journal Pages

• Ag Trends •

Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 •

25

Crop insurance now a more sophisticated part of farm management

by Dwain Hebda

Time was when crop insurance was about as straightforward as insurance got.

Today, experts say crop insurance is not only more sophisticated, but it’s an important part of overall risk and financial management for producers.

“Crop insurance is a fairly complex decision where there are multiple options that a producer can select,” said Jessica Groskopf, regional economist with Nebraska Extension. “What we really need to think about is that farm-level risk.

“Location is very important because as we change location, we change our risk. So, as you go farther west in Nebraska, we actually have an increased chance of adverse weather. That’s something that’s really important to that crop insurance decision.”

Groskopf co-hosted a series of workshops in January and February to help producers understand such variables as a part of overall farm management. She said despite the ravages of COVID-19 since

then, the message is the same.

“We need to understand the risks of our area,” she said. “We need to work with the market we have, not the market we want, and we need to make the best decisions we can based on the information that we currently have, knowing that that information is going to change.”

Cory Walters, associate professor with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Agricultural Economics, who co-hosted the seminars, said farmers need to look at crop insurance as more than something one pulls off the shelf after a storm.

“Insurance is one of those things that you’re making a strategic choice based upon your financial exposure,” he said.

“You want to use that financial tool to be strategic in how you behave going into the future because your revenue outcomes have all been rearranged because of your insurance.

“One, your costs have gone up because

you’re paying premium. What changes is your exposure to events, and particularly the bad financial events. You are no longer exposed to those because insurance kicks in and provides you a payment. You now can calculate the worst outcomes you can possibly have on your farm. Years ago, that outcome would be zero revenue because a drought could come through with a wind event and if you’re not insured for wind, that’s zero revenue. That is not the minimum today. Today the minimum would be what your average yield multiplied by coverage level, multiplied by a price, minus your premium. That is now your minimum revenue.”

Nick Glanzer, managing partner of Crop Insurance Solutions in Milford, said producers can be far more precise in planning their insurance needs thanks to technology.

“Ten years ago, the technology for a lot of producers included precision planting and precision harvesting,” he said. “But

now we’re seeing more and more farmers taking advantage of pairing it with their federal crop policy.

“More and more precision data basically talks with the policy to set up how many acres you have and what your guarantee is. Even in the process of paying a claim, [regulators are] allowing you to use that which, from my standpoint, it makes a ton of sense because all the data is there.”

Glanzer said after COVID-19 dealt a springtime market scare, conditions have improved to the point his customers have cause for optimism.

“Back in March, we saw prices just tumble for harvest contracts of December for corn and November contract for beans,” he said. “We saw ethanol plants stop grinding because we had too much ethanol. And we’ve seen them come back. The conversations I have had with producers are a lot more encouraging than they were. Like okay, we will get through this, it’s just a matter of time.”

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• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal

Junk haulers have hands full with pandemic cleanouts

by Colleen Schrappen

The basement of Kate Walter’s home had been overtaken by Christmas decorations, her grown children’s grade school art projects and a dining room set that once belonged to her ex-husband’s parents.

August was the breaking point. Walter made a call to 2nd Life Junk Removal, and in less than three hours, a truckload was hauled out of her home and a weight was lifted off her shoulders.

“You tend to accumuTrends late a lot of things, and there comes a time when you need to relinquish it and let it go,” said Walter.

That time came for many people during the homebound days of the pandemic. Junk hauling companies have been taking more calls than ever, packing their trailers with sagging mattresses, threadbare couches and dust-covered treadmills.

And all of that trash has led to a boom of sorts in the junk industry here, helping startups get started and veterans expand.

Micah Bounds, owner of Florissant, Mo.-based 2nd Life, doesn’t have much to compare the rush to. He started his company just weeks before the first coronavirus case was reported locally in March. He delayed the initial advertising campaign while he waited to see how everything unfolded.

“It was nerve-wracking,” Bounds said.

But pretty quickly, clients found him, including Judy White of New York state.

After her sister died in June, White flew to St. Louis. Her sister, a skeet-shooting champion, left a Maplewood home overflowing with duck decoys, sports equipment and trophies.

White was concerned about potential travel restrictions. She knew she didn’t have the time or know-how to plan a long-distance estate sale, so she looked up “junk people” on her phone. Bounds was the first person she reached.

“A bigger blessing I could not have found,” White said. In three days, the house was all but emptied, and she was on her way back to New York.

The reality television series “Hoarders” depicts junk haulers deftly dismantling mountains of possessions in houses overrun with trash and vermin. But those circumstances are exceedingly rare, haulers say. Most jobs are one-item pickups, like an old recliner that is tricky to maneuver up a staircase or an extra refrigerator that’s taken its last breath.

Sometimes, it’s a collection — bowling balls, fancy stemware, boxes and boxes of nuts and bolts — that is no longer as valuable as the space it takes up.

Pack rats and collectors Rod Green, owner of Jungle Busters Junk Removal and Lawn Care, started a side business selling the comic books, belt buckles and stamps he has come across in his three decades of junking. He once cleaned out an eyeglass store and sold spectacles on eBay for years after.

Most of his work comes from lawn care — the “jungle busting” side — but the money is in junk.

“I can cut all day for $600 or make that in 30 minutes of junking,” Green said.

It pays to move quickly, categorizing

items as they’re placed in the truck. The disposal fees at waste transfer stations are an incentive to recycle or donate as much as possible. And there are always a few finds that are too good to let go of.

“I’m a pack rat,” said Green. “A lot of people’s stuff is at my house.”

Over the summer, he was working seven days a week to keep up with calls, zig-zagging his three trucks and three trailers across town. It’s more manageable now, but he doesn’t see a complete return to normal any time soon.

“We live in a society that bombards you with commercials. It’s buy, buy, buy,” Green said. “Junk will always be around.”

An increase in home improvement projects has also contributed to the spike in demand for junk removal.

“People are making their homes more like a vacation because they can’t go on vacation,” said Les Claypool, who owns a 1-800-JunkPro franchise in Granite City.

Many of his jobs this summer involved removing the debris left from contractors who were resurfacing decks and upgrading backyard patios.

“They’re busy, and that keeps us busy,” Claypool said.

Even with a slowdown in the spring, his business is up 10% on the year. In addition to hauling, JunkPro drops off dumpsters to customers for DIY junk removal. In the past, all dumpster rentals were a week long. A new three-day option lets Claypool turn them over more quickly.

Dumpster rental is popular, he said, because it runs a little cheaper than hauling.

Most junk removal jobs are based on the volume the junk takes up in the truck. An eighth of a truck comes in under $100; a full load runs closer to $600.

Tim Weatherby, owner of Junk King St. Louis, has lost a slice of the revenue he used to earn from businesses upgrading equipment or renovating their cubicles. In

six months, he’s had one office job. But the jump in residential calls has made up for it, with more repeat customers than he’s ever seen.

Weatherby opened his Fenton-based franchise in 2015 with one truck and one other full-time employee. As Junk King expanded, he shifted to the office side of the operation. But this summer — after adding two trucks to bring his fleet to six — Weatherby hopped back behind the wheel to keep up.

Starting from what he calls the “ghost town” of March, each month has been busier than the one before. Last month, Junk King made double the calls it did in September 2019.

Weatherby is not sure what to expect when the temperature drops.

“St. Louis tends to roll up in the winter,” he said. “But it’s been an interesting year.” ©2020 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The first lab-grown meat for sale could come from this Singapore startup Continued from page 12. of plant-based meat companies Beyond Meat and Impossible, which helped demystify alternatives to eating farm animals for a far wider audience than previously thought possible.

Financial backers in the burgeoning field also include giants in the conventional meat industry such as Tyson, Cargill and Bell Food Group. Bill Gates, Richard Branson and Li Ka-shing, one of Hong Kong’s richest tycoons, are betting on the meat’s success — as are massive investment funds such as SoftBank and the Singapore government’s Temasak.

Cell cultured burgers, chicken tenders and other breakthroughs are still a year or more away from landing in restaurants and grocery stores, experts say, but current events have heightened the urgency to develop more choices for meat.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed flaws in the conventional meat industry after workers at processing plants in the U.S. and Europe suffered massive outbreaks of the disease and the industry’s supply chain buckled under the crisis, leading to shortages, price hikes and purchasing limits.

Critics of conventional meat say the virus provides one more reason to turn away from an industry that has wreaked havoc on the natural environment, served as a vector for infectious diseases like salmonella and E. coli and, through its rampant use of antibiotics on crowded and inhumane factory farms, undermined human health.

But it’s not entirely clear whether cell cultured meat is safer and healthier. Companies are loathe to share data, choosing instead to operate in secretive silos to protect their intellectual property. Shiok denied a request to view or taste-test its raw product for this story, citing a pending patent.

Bethencourt later provided The Times with video of the company’s lab-grown shrimp cells under a microscope.

“They’ve achieved their objective of making scalable cell-based shrimp,” he said.

The environmental benefits of clean meat could be significant. The Good Food Institute estimates cell cultured beef will cut the amount of land used by cattle to produce

regular beef by 95% and the amount of emissions by at least 74%.

That could certainly win converts, but it’s how the meat tastes and feels that will ultimately determine the industry’s success.

“Not all companies who make this are created equal,” said Chase Purdy, an expert on cultured meat and author of “Billion Dollar Burger: Inside Big Tech’s Race for the Future of Food.”

Purdy tasted lab-grown foie gras, duck chorizo and ground beef but nothing impressed him more than a chicken tender made by Berkeley’s Memphis Meats, with strands of muscle that peeled apart with startling authenticity.

“It’s really hard to get cells to grow in that linear, structured way,” Purdy said.

That might be the exception. Anyone hoping for a facsimile of a dry-aged Porterhouse steak or a loin of Berkshire pork crowned with a sheet of crackling might have to make do with ground meat — much easier to replicate — for tacos, pasta sauces and burgers for some time.

Re-creating recognizable butcher cuts with complex layers of muscles and fat (think of the patchwork of beef chuck or the mosaic of fat and muscle on the rim of a rib-eye) remains the elusive grail for the industry — one that’s being tackled by several companies.

“We’re still at the prototype stage, showing proof of concept and proof of value,” said William Chen, the Michael Fam Chair professor and director of food science and technology at Nanyang Technological University Singapore, which is working on growing steak. “Think of it as a car. We’re able to make a basic sedan.

But to make beef steak, we need to build a racing car.”

The simplicity of shrimp is what drew Sriram, 35, to the crustacean, which unlike beef, pork or chicken comprises one uniform muscle.

Being in Asia was also a plus. Shiok’s own surveys, and at least one study, suggest Asians are more willing to try novel foods like clean meat than people in the West.

A stem-cell biologist born in India and raised in the Middle East before moving

to Singapore, Sriram was thrilled when she realized cell cultured shellfish was an open field.

Asia consumes three-quarters of the world’s supply of shrimp. And the industry’s notorious practices, which include slave labor, pollution and the overuse of antibiotics, convinced Sriram there would be a market for an alternative.

Shiok was founded by Sriram and fellow scientist Ka Yi Ling, 32. The pair initially struggled to find private lab space to rent, settling briefly at a marine institute on a mostly secluded island that required careful adherence to a ferry schedule, lest they wanted to stay a night alone on the eerie redoubt.

By 2019, the pair had moved out and developed a prototype that required Sriram, a vegetarian, to eat shrimp for the first time so that she could compare the two.

“I could definitely smell and taste the ocean,” she said of the creation.

Driving down costs remains the biggest hurdle. Shiok’s proto-shrimp costs $5,000 a kilogram, which is about $2,268 a pound, mostly due to the price of the nutrient fluids needed to feed the cells. Access to more affordable nutrients has reduced the cost of Shiok’s meat to $3,500 a kilogram, or about $1,588 a pound. The goal is to make Shiok’s shrimp 100 times cheaper by the first half of next year.

Unlike the U.S., Singapore has developed regulations for the sale of cultured meat.

The tiny Southeast Asian country, whose entire width is the distance between Burbank and El Segundo, has supported the technology with tax breaks and grants to bolster a government campaign to break the country’s near-total reliance on imported food by 2030.

“Singapore is doing more of its own investing and is the most receptive from a regulatory angle to greenlighting this to go to market first,” Purdy said. “It will likely be a restaurant in Singapore that serves this up to consumers for the first time in history.” ©2020 Los Angeles Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Midlands Business Journal • OCTOBER 16, 2020 •

27

In the Spotlight Paid Content

LEGAL SERVICES

LEGAL SERVICES

LEGAL SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION

Hired

Added

Hired

Added

Alexandria M. Bartels

Elizabeth Stevenson

Ellen Prochaska

Dan Codispot

Associate

Attorney

Associate

General Manager

Gross & Welch Law

Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P.

Carlson & Burnett, LLP

Chief Fabrication

The Omaha law firm of Gross & Welch is pleased to announce Alexandria M. Bartels has joined the firm as an Associate. Ms. Bartels earned her law degree from University of Nebraska College of Law in May 2020. She received her undergraduate degree from Wayne State College.

While at UNL’s College of Law, she was involved in the Family Law Organization, the Student Bar Association, and the Women’s Law Caucus. Ms. Bartels is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society, Pi Gamma Mu Social Sciences Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, and Alpha Kappa Delta Sociology Honor Society. Ms. Bartels clerked for Gross & Welch prior to taking the bar exam. Ms. Bartels is a member of the Nebraska State Bar Association and is licensed to practice in Nebraska.

The law firm of Gross & Welch was founded in 1927 by Daniel J. Gross and is located in Omaha, Nebraska. Lawyers within the firm practice in the following areas: civil litigation, business law, insurance law, employment law, estate planning and probate, real estate, family law, creditor bankruptcy and workers’ compensation. The firm represents clients throughout Nebraska and Iowa.

More information about the firm can be found at www.grosswelch.com.

Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P. is pleased to announce the addition of Elizabeth Stevenson. Elizabeth (Libby) Stevenson graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (B.S., Leadership Education, with highest distinction; B.A., Psychology, with high distinction) in 2017 and the University of Nebraska College of Law (J.D., with high distinction) in 2020.

Stevenson served as Editor-in-Chief of the Nebraska Law Review and is a member of Order of the Coif. She authored the article “Is Prior Salary a Factor Other Than Sex?: An Approach to Resolve the Ongoing Debate,” which was published in the Nebraska Law Review. She will focus her practice on labor and employment law and general litigation matters. Established in 1857, Cline Williams, a full service law firm, presently has 60 attorneys representing and assisting individual and institutional clients in six offices across Nebraska in Omaha, Lincoln, Aurora and Scottsbluff, and in Fort Collins and Holyoke, Colorado. Our attorneys practice in multiple areas of both transactional law and litigation. The firm currently has 25 lawyers included in one or more of the notable best lawyers lists published in the United States. To learn more about the firm, our attorneys, and information on current issues that may impact our clients, visit our website at www.clinewilliams.com.

Ellen was born and raised in Blair, Nebraska. She graduated from Creighton University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and obtained her J.D. from Creighton University School of Law, graduating cum laude, in 2020.

Ellen also participated in several international programs while in law school, including studying international human rights in Florence, Italy and interning at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.

Ellen received an award from Creighton University School of Law for Outstanding Pro-Bono Service as a second-year student. Ellen will be a member of the firm’s litigation team. Her practice will focus on general litigation, personal injury, and family law. Ellen stays involved with her community by volunteering as a Chapter Advisor for the Creighton chapter of the sorority Alpha Phi.

Chief Fabrication is proud to welcome Dan Codispot to its leadership team.

Codispot joins the team as the new General Manager and will help to provide leadership to support Chief’s overall mission. An industry veteran, Codispot brings decades of experience to Chief.

His extensive experience in the metal manufacturing and fabrication environment will provide vision, leadership, and operational direction for Chief Fabrication’s products and services. As General Manager, Codispot will work to maintain operational efficiencies, expand our client base, and provide industry insights to lead a highly effective team. Prior to joining the team, Codispot began his career with Robinson Fans Florida, Inc. At Robinson Fans he held positions ranging from estimating/ production coordinator, estimating manager, general manager, and regional production manager before accepting the director of operations position with Robinson Machine Company. Throughout his career, he has produced industry-leading growth and success. “We are thrilled to welcome Dan to Chief,” said DJ Eihusen, Chairman of the Board, CEO, President of Chief Industries.

“The role of General Manager is integral to expanding our business with adherence to our mission. He is already making a positive impact in our efforts to prioritize innovation and cultivate relationships for our diverse customer base.”

ARCHITECTURE

INSURANCE, RISK MANAGEMENT

PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE

Appointed

Hired

Hired

Steve Meyers

Tim Huber

Joe Sorrentino

Director, Architecture

Vice President, Client Advocate

Account Executive

WoodmenLife

WoodmenLife has appointed Steve Meyers as Director, Architecture. This critical role allows him to steer organizational change by focusing on enhancing our customer experiences and building

innovative solutions. His team of architects introduces new technologies and drives the development of creative solutions to ensure growth for the organization and care for our members.

Lockton Companies

Tim has been in the property and casualty insurance industry for 30 years and assists clients with placement of various property and casualty coverages and implementing risk management processes. He earned his BA in economics degree from Creighton University holds the CPCU and ARM insurance professional designations.

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

Lockton Companies

Joe is a local to Omaha, Nebraska and is a graduate of Creighton University. He has been in the P&C industry for 10 years, beginning his career in 2010 as an Excess Property Placement Specialist in the UK. He also worked on the agency and carrier sides in Chicago for five years. Joe and his wife Madeline now reside back in Omaha with their two children.

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• OCTOBER 16, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal