Outlook 2014 by Omaha World-Herald

OUTLOOK SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

Great beginnings. Great expectations. A 50-page special report.

Time is almost up!

The deadline to buy health insurance under the new law is March 31, 2014. Call 855-766-5960 or visit BlueStore.nebraskablue.com to get what you need. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

OUTLOOK

OVERVIEW

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

Building on a proud past, looking to a bright future: a report that breaks it all down in eight sections

OVERVIEW

REAL ESTATE & DEVELOPMENT

» What are the hot jobs? Page 2Y » Omaha and surrounding communities earn top rankings. Page 2Y » Longtime Omaha companies continue to make their mark. Page 3Y

» In little more than a decade, the former Western Electric property is transformed. Page 6Y » Development and renovation provide downtown and midtown with many residential options. Page 7Y » Ready to move? Local real estate agents offer tips on selling — and buying. Page 8Y

Landmarks on cover: Nathan P. Dodge Real Estate Agency, First National Bank Building, First National Tower, Union Paciﬁc Headquarters

Landmarks: Western Electric; former Northern Natural Gas Building, now the Highline building; Midtown Crossing

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

FINANCE & INSURANCE

» Book gives kids ﬁnancial tips, courtesy of Warren Buffett. Page 18Y » Mutual of Omaha’s focus evolves, but its commitment is constant. Page 20Y » Is a bank or credit union is right for you? Page 22Y

» The Strategic Air Command’s communication needs helped make this area a telecom hub. Page 10Y » Wireless hot spots offer convenience for consumers. Page 11Y » Driverless cars and their technology show up at the International Consumer Electronics Show. Page 12Y

Landmarks: former First National Bank Building, Mutual of Omaha, First National Tower

Landmarks: SAC underground command post, PayPal, West Corp.

HEALTH CARE

ENTERTAINMENT

» Omaha’s two medical schools still train the area’s health professionals. Page 24Y » New treatments for vision care might have you tossing your glasses. Page 25Y » Hospital gift shops go out of their way to ﬁnd unusual items. Page 30Y

» Newer entertainment venues draw performers who used to skip Omaha. Page 32Y » Huge sports events (think Olympic Swim Trials) don’t come here by accident. Page 33Y » Readers tell us about their favorite sports bars. Page 33Y

Landmarks: St. Joseph Hospital (Creighton Memorial), University Hospital, Sorrell Center (UNMC), Creighton University Medical Center

Landmarks: Omaha Civic Auditorium, Orpheum Theater, CenturyLink Center Omaha, Ralston Arena

MANUFACTURING

EDUCATION

» No longer just the stuff of science ﬁction, robots and lasers are making things. Page 36Y » Distribution companies are a vital link in the chain from manufacturer to consumer. Page 37Y » Coffee roasters grind on in the metro area. Page 38Y

» Community colleges give high school students a jumpstart on their future. Page 40Y » An Executive MBA program caters to professionals. Page 41Y » Creighton and UNO keep enhancing their proﬁles. Pages 44-45Y

Landmarks: Omaha University (UNO), Creighton University, Hixson-Lied Science Building (Creighton), Roskens Hall (UNO)

Landmarks: Butternut Coffee building, destroyed in ﬁre; Skinner Macaroni building, converted to apartments

OUTLOOK STAFF

Special sections editor: Shelley Larsen Assignment editors: Howard K. Marcus and Shelley Larsen Designers: Jan DeKnock and Tom Knox Writers: Steve Beideck, Kim Carpenter, Joe Hearn, David Hendee, Judy Horan, Jill Koegel, Katherine Leszczynski, Russell Hubbard, Daisy Hutzell-Rodman, Joseph Janowski, Howard K. Marcus, Liz McCue, Derek Noehren, Jane Palmer, Chris Peters, Todd von Kampen, Mike Watkins, Mike Whye Full-page illustrations: Dave Croy Copy editors: Melinda Keenan, Pam Richter, Dan Sullivan and Pam Thomas Advertising information: Contact Dan Matuella, 402-444-1485 or dan.matuella@owh.com. For additional copies of Outlook, call 402-444-1419.

Climbing atop the rankings OMAHA No. 1, “The 10 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America,” Movoto Blog No. 2, “The 9 Best Up-and-Coming Cities for Music,” MTV Iggy No. 3, “Number of Economic Development Projects (for MSAs with a population between 200,000 and 1 million)” Site Selection Magazine No. 4, “Top 50 Military-Friendly Cities,” G.I. Jobs No. 4, “Spring Break Spot for Families,” livability.com No. 6, “Top 10 Mid-Sized Cities of the Future 2013/14 -- Human Resources,” fDi Magazine No. 6, “Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S. (for Large Metro Area of 500,000 or More Residents)” Farmers Insurance Group No. 7, “10 Fittest Cities in the United States” Apartment Guide, Houston Chronicle No. 7, “Best Cities for Job Seekers,” NerdWallet (Jan. 7, 2014) No. 7, “Top 10 Best American Cities to Live In,” Top10Stop.com

For 2013, unless otherwise noted

No. 9, “The 10 Best Cities for College Graduates,” MSN No. 9, “The 10 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs,” NerdWallet. com No. 10, “Best Cities to Start a Business,” NerdWallet.com

PAPILLION No. 1, “Best place to raise children in Nebraska,” Bloomberg Businessweek No. 8, “Best Place to Live in America,” (Money magazine) No. 9, “Best City Festival in the United States,” livability.com

NEBRASKA No. 1, “Overall for Economic Performance During the Last Recession,” Brookings Institute No. 2, “Top 10 Pro-Business States,” Pollina Corporate Real Estate No. 3, “On Numbers Economic Index” (measures 18 indicators, including private-sector job growth, unemployment and retail activity), the Business Journals (Sept. 2012)

No. 3, “Best States for Young Adults,” MoneyRates.com (Oct. 2013) No. 4, “America’s Top States for Business,” CNBC No. 5, “Best Live-Music Scene in the Nation Outside of Nashville, NYC, and LA,” livability.com No. 6, “Best States for Business and Careers,” Forbes No. 7, “Best States to Make a Living,” MoneyRates.com

IOWA No. 2, “Best Places to Retire,” MoneyRates.com No. 5, “Best States for Young Adults,” MoneyRates.com No. 12, “Best States for Business,” Forbes

COUNCIL BLUFFS No. 31, “50 Most Affordable Suburbs,” Movoto Real Estate

OMAHA-COUNCIL BLUFFS METRO No. 3, “Best Cities for Successful Aging,” Miliken Institute (2012) — Joseph Janowski

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Fastest-growing jobs include nurse, truck driver, food prep worker BY KATHERINE LESZCZYNSKI WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Registered nurses, truck drivers and food prep workers are in some of the hottest jobs in Nebraska. While these particular jobs might not sound glamorous, they are the fastest-growing jobs in the state, beating out dozens of other jobs in eight different categories. The list includes the top growing jobs in various categories, as compiled and conﬁgured by Jodie Meyer, a research analyst at the Nebraska Department of Labor. The “hot jobs” are ranked by the number of additional workers needed for each job in each industry from 2012 to 2014. Meyer then selected the top 10 jobs in each category and put them from biggest increase to smallest, numerically. Below are eight job categories, their projected growth percentage and projected number of jobs to be added.

HEALTH

TRANSPORTATION AND AUTOS

Registered nurses, 2.8% (538) Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants, 3.0% (367) Home health aides, 9.5% Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, 3.4% (181) Child care workers, 2.6% (157) Personal-care aides, 10.5% Social and human service assistants, 4.1% Medical secretaries, 4.3% Food servers, non-restaurant, 5.3% Receptionists and information clerks, 4.4% (108) Medical assistants, 3.3% Cooks, institution and cafeteria, 4.3% (83) Maids and housekeeping cleaners, 3.0% (72) Physical therapists, 5.3% (65) Medical and health services managers, 3.0% Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, 3.4% (60) Dental assistants, 3.0% Child, family and school social workers, 4.1% (49)

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 3.6% (736) Locomotive engineers, 2.8% (59) Laborers and freight, stock and material movers, hand, 1.9% (58) Railroad conductors and yardmasters, 2.7% (57) Rail car repairers, 4.9% (49) Dispatchers, except police, ﬁre, and ambulance, 2.8% (31) Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, 2.8% (29) Ofﬁce clerks, general, 3.0% (22) Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks, 3.1% Customer service representatives, 2.7% First-line supervisors of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand, 3.1% (13) First-line supervisors of transportation and materialmoving machine and vehicle operators, 2.0% (12)

MANUFACTURING Meat, poultry, and ﬁsh cutters and trimmers, 3.3% (393) Team assemblers, 2.1% (117) Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers, 4.2% (104) Industrial machinery mechanics, 5.4% (75) Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers and weighers, 2.6% (70) Machinists, 3.2% (52) Slaughterers and meatpackers, 1.8% (51) Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic, 5.3% First-line supervisors of production and operating workers, 1.1% (36) Laborers and freight, stock and material movers, hand, 0.7% (26) Packaging and ﬁlling machine operators and tenders, 0.6% (21)

EDUCATION Elementary school teachers, except special education, 2.1% (231) Teacher assistants, 2.1% (225) Secondary school teachers, except special and career/ technical education, 2.1% Teachers and instructors, all other, 2.1% (133) Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners, 2.1% Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, 2.1% (78) Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education, 2.0% Ofﬁce clerks, general, 2.1% (64) Vocational education teachers, postsecondary, 2.1% (46) Health specialties teachers, postsecondary, 2.0% (37) Bus drivers, school or special client, 2.1% (36) Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school, 2.0% (35) Education administrators, elementary and secondary school, 2.1% Educational, guidance, school, and vocational counselors, 2.2% (32)

TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS Software developers, applications, 8.5% (131) Software developers, systems software, 10.2% (127) Accountants and auditors, 3.3% (84) Market research analysts and marketing specialists, 10.4% (75) Network and computer systems administrators, 7.0% (73) Computer programmers, 4.3% (57) Computer systems analysts, 6.5% (57) Interviewers, except eligibility and loan, 2.5% (56) Computer support specialists, 6.1% (55) Sales representatives, services, all other, 5.9% (52)

REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT Maintenance and repair workers, general, 2.2% (24) Counter and rental clerks, 1.0% Real estate sales agents, 4.5% Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, 2.4% (7) Ofﬁce clerks, general, 2.2% (6) Landscaping and groundskeeping workers, 2.4% Receptionists and information clerks, 3.3% (5) Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners, 1.9% Residential advisers, 2.2% (3) Accountants and auditors, 2.3% (3) Market research analysts and marketing specialists, 7.0% Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, 0.4% (2) Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession and coffee shop, 1.2% (2) Customer service representatives, 1.3% (2) First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers and repairers, 1.7% (2)

FINANCE AND INSURANCE Loan officers, 3.9% (110) Insurance sales agents, 3.1% (102) Customer service representatives, 1.5% (79) Tellers, 1.4% Computer systems analysts, 4.1% Market research analysts and marketing specialists, 5.3% Network and computer systems administrators, 4.6% (27) Insurance claims and policy processing clerks, 0.5% (26) First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers, 1.0% (22) Software developers, applications, 2.0% Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks, 1.1% (16) Office clerks, general, 1.1% (15) Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents, 1.1% (13) Financial analysts, 2.9% Training and development specialists, 2.6% (10)

LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food, 3.2% (510) Waiters and waitresses, 2.0% (321) Cooks, restaurant, 2.9% (141) Maids and housekeeping cleaners, 5.2% (140) Food preparation workers, 3.4% (104) Bartenders, 2.3% (104) Hotel, motel and resort desk clerks, 5.4% (97) Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors, 6.2% (90) Cashiers, 2.9% (89) First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers, 2.2% (86)

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

OVERVIEW

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

Surviving and thriving for more than a century Longtime companies First National Bank, Renze Display, Drake-Williams Steel and Lueder Construction credit their employees over the years for their success. AT LEAST 100 YEARS OLD AND COUNTING

This is a sampling of 100-year-oldplus companies and institutions of higher learning that operate in the area. Some were born and raised here while others started elsewhere but now have a local presence. In a number of cases, the name of the company today (as you see here) is not the name the company had when ﬁrst established. 1855: NP Dodge; The Weitz Co. 1856: Byron Reed Co. 1857: First National Bank 1858: Omaha Print 1862: Union Paciﬁc Corp. 1865: Arbor Bank 1866: U.S. Bank; YMCA of Greater Omaha 1868: Sergeant’s Pet Care Products 1869: University of Nebraska 1870: Borsheims Fine Jewelry & Gifts 1871: Ingersoll-Rand Air Center 1872: Northwestern Mutual Financial Network of Nebraska 1873: Baird Holm LLP 1874: Bank of the West 1876: The Chicago Lumber Co. 1878: Creighton University 1879: Armour Eckrich Branded Meats; Principal Financial Group 1880: Ahern Fire Protection; Cornhusker Beverage Mart; Heafey-Hoffman-Dworak & Cutler Mortuaries; Packaging Corp. of America 1882: Drake-Williams Steel Inc.; Knights of Columbus Insurance 1883: Midland University; O’Keefe Elevator Co. Inc.; Sunderland Brothers Co. 1884: Kiewit Corp.; Lyman-Richey Corp.; Lueder Construction Co. 1885: John Roth & Son Inc.; Omaha World-Herald; Paxton & Vierling Steel Co. 1887: J.P. Cooke Co.; Nebraska Wesleyan University 1888: Bergman Jewelers Co. 1889: AmeriPride Services Inc.; Bemis Paper Packaging; Catholic Mutual Group; Henningsen Foods Inc. 1890: Omaha Box Co.; Woodmen of the World; Two Rivers Bank 1891: Siemens Building Technologies; Nebraska Methodist Hospital 1892: The Scoular Co.; Woerner Wire Works; Child Saving Institute; Continuum FinancialMass Mutual 1893: Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce; The Daily Record Inc.; Women’s Center for Advancement-formerly YWCA 1894: Malashocks Jewelry 1895: Renze Display 1898: Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co.; Fraser Stryker; I-Go Van and Storage Co.; OHARCO 1900: Firestone Complete Auto Care; J.R. Barger & Sons Inc. 1901: Lincoln Financial Group; McAnany, Van Cleave & Phillips 1902: Physicians Mutual Insurance Co. 1903: World Insurance Co. 1905: Coreslab Structures Inc. 1906: AAA Nebraska; Briggs Inc.; John A. Gentleman Mortuaries; Lincoln Federal Savings Bank of Nebraska; Waldinger Corp. 1908: Hockenbergs; University of Nebraska at Omaha 1909: Barnhart Press; Charles Vrana & Son Construction; Great Plains Communications; John Day Co.; Mutual of Omaha; SimmonsBoardman Books 1910: Atlas Awning/Tent Event/ Division of Steril Manufacturing Inc.; Searle Petroleum Co. 1911: American Machine Works Inc. 1912: HunTel Communications Inc.; Miller Electric Co.; Roeder Mortuary Inc. 1913: Claas North America Holding Inc.; Metropolitan Utilities District; UMB Bank; Mosaic

BY DAVID HENDEE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

R E N Z E D I S P L AY

Renze employees stand in the second-story windows of their sign-making business above a saloon on Farnam Street in 1895, the year the company was founded.

If Omaha had a Century Club, its founding members would be a corporate Who’s Who of an old cow town gone uptown. NP Dodge. First National Bank. Union Paciﬁc. Kiewit. Mutual of Omaha. The list goes on. Knocking at the door would be grizzled veterans Leo A Daly, HDR, Omaha Steaks and ConAgra Foods. The list goes on. Tenderfeet peering in the windows would include TD Ameritrade, Godfather’s Pizza, American Gramaphone, Election Systems & Software, West Corp., Tenaska and Home Instead Senior Care. The list goes on and on. Big names each. Big businesses all. Roughly 150 companies and organizations that sank roots into the fertile soil on the west bank of the Missouri River in Omaha at least a century ago survive today. More than a few thrive. They nurtured ideas, courted customers and evolved with the landscape. Today they are the bedrock foundation of a midsized metropolis on the edge of the Great Plains with a business environment poised for the 21st century. And plains people get the credit. Business executives and historians say the trailblazing success of scores of old companies and the city’s high national rankings as a best place for careers and jobs, young entrepreneurs, economic performance and college graduates start with those who work in Omaha. It’s the No. 1 asset of businesses across the community. Doug Buchanan, president of Renze Display, founded in 1895: “We’re all blessed to live in Omaha. It’s always been a community of talented people and talented entrepreneurs. Those two things make a company successful.’’ Clark Lauritzen, executive vice president of First National Bank, founded in 1857: “We seem to have had the right people at the right times. Whether it was the Depression, the ag crisis of the 1980s or the Great Recession, we had ... employees who had the right temperament and approach to banking that was needed.’’ R. Brad von Gillern, president of Lueder Construction, founded in 1884: “The work ethic is different here than other places. There’s a pride here that doesn’t necessarily

exist in other places. That pride conveys into how people perform on their jobs and the level of ownership they take in their tasks.’’ Dave Williams, president of Drake-Williams Steel, founded in 1882: “The people who worked here over the years have been very resilient and loyal. They believe in what they’re doing and that’s sustained us through some tough periods.’’ Renze, First National, Lueder and Drake-Williams each had humble origins. First National, one of Omaha’s oldest businesses, was started by brothers Augustus and Herman Kountze. They named it Kountze Brothers Bank. Omaha was a frontier village of less than 2,000 people. Nebraska was a young territory. The nation was in the midst of the Panic of 1857, the world’s first global economic crisis. The brothers traded primarily in gold dust and bison hides. Their safe, the only one in town, was secured by a giant leather strap. “They kept gold dust in a coffee can on the top shelf and took turns sleeping in the bank with a shotgun,’’ Lauritzen said. First National — its name since the 1860s — is the oldest national bank west of the Missouri River and is in its sixth generation of family ownership. It is one of the largest family-owned holding companies in the United States and the largest privately owned banking company. It has branches in seven states and is the nation’s fifth-largest agricultural lender. The company’s landmark headquarters tower in downtown is built on history and tradition. The paneling in Lauritzen’s office covered the office walls of his great-grandfather Tom Davis, who was bank president during the Great Depression and World War II. “You don’t get to choose when you’re bank president and that was a pretty tough period,’’ Lauritzen said. “But he was critical in allowing the bank to survive.’’ Lauritzen said he is inspired and humbled by the people whose creativity and courage cultivated the bank through the decades. “No matter what we had to do, we did it,’’ Lauritzen said. The fiscally prudent and conservative nature of most businesses in Nebraska over the years helped First National and Omaha flourish, he said. First National has a history of innoSee Century: Page 4

At right, Mike Haugh of Lueder Construction adds the ﬁnal touches to the new water park at Zorinsky Lake in 2010. Lueder Construction began in 1884.

THE WORLD-HERALD

Buchanan

Williams

von Gillern

Lauritzen

Source: Greater Omaha Chamber THE WORLD-HERALD

Nate Crook, a computer numerically controlled operator, watches a Kinetic plate processing machine in 2011. Drake-Williams Steel, formed in 1882, was working on some of the steel beams for the TD Ameritrade headquarters.

RELATIVE NEWCOMERS These are some widely known companies that have operated in the area for the last four-plus decades years – relative newcomers: F I R S T N AT I O N A L B A N K

Bob Lueder circa 1938. Lueder left Iowa State to ﬁght in WWII, returned to graduate and joined his father at Lueder Construction. He was president from 1961 to 1994. He died last year.

First National Tower at 16th and Dodge Streets was completed in 2002. At 633 feet, it’s the tallest building between Chicago and Denver. With roots dating to 1857, First National of Nebraska and its afﬁlliates now have $17 billion in managed assets and nearly 5,000 employees.

1971: First Data; MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co.; Central States Group 1972: TD Ameritrade 1973: Godfather’s Pizza; Jensen Tire & Auto Co. 1974: American Gramaphone; Spirit World 1975: Midlands Business Journal; Rockbrook Camera & Video 1979: Election Systems & Software Inc.

1980: Vic’s Corn Popper 1981: The Lund Co. 1982: inSOURCE 1983: Mi Mama’s Tortillas; Wallace R. Weitz & Co. 1985: AOI Corp. 1986: Amcon Distributing Co.; West Corp. 1987: Bakers Candies Inc.; Tenaska Inc. 1988: Nobbies Party Superstore

1990: Enterprise Bank 1993: InfoUSA 1994: Home Instead Senior Care 1995: Pinnacle Bank 2002: Fat Brain Toys 2006: Five Nines Technology Group 2007: Mutual of Omaha Bank; ACCESS bank

OUTLOOK

OVERVIEW

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Renze Display created this exhibit for Tate & Lyle, the makers of Splenda, at the IFT show in Chicago. The 19th-century sign-making company evolved with the times as a leading builder of advertising displays. It was among the nation’s ﬁrst exhibit houses to offer portable, modular tradeshow displays.

R E N Z E D I S P L AY

AUTO & TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN 2014

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Century: Many old companies still going strong Continued from Page 3 vating and changing its business model to fit the times. The bank is committed to remaining independent and maintaining family ownership. “We’ve remained solid at the core but flexible,’’ Lauritzen said. “It all goes back to two guys who had the courage and tenacity to start a bank.’’ Oliver Pollak, a bankruptcy attorney and history professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha who has written books about historic city businesses and organizations, said good trade ideas are never guaranteed success. “A lot of people have good ideas that don’t last,’’ he said. “The businesses that endured had good succession plans — lots of sons and daughters interested in the business — and managed to change with the times. They watched the bottom line, watched labor costs, watched the competition and remained relevant in the marketplace.’’ Omaha was a boom town in the 1880s. The 1880 Census counted a little more than 30,000 residents. A decade later the official total was a wildly inflated 140,000. Historians say a more accurate number is about 102,000. Still, the city almost tripled in size in the 1880s. It was bonanza time. Among the new businesses serving the growth spurt was a construction company founded by A.C. Busk. Now known at Lueder Construction, the employee-owned company, has gone through five ownership transition in 130 years. “The common thread that has carried the company forward is that none of us are in business to create a personal legacy,’’ said von Gillern, the company president. “We want to create an environment where people succeed. The mindset is to create an enterprise that outlives me and others in the organization can carry forward.’’ Lueder is a full-service general contracting firm with projects that include the new Nebraska Furniture Mart headquarters, Lifegate Church in Papillion, science and technology centers at Iowa Western Community College, Creighton University Medical Center, a health center in Columbus, Neb., St. Patrick Catholic Church in Fremont, Neb., and the Lied Conference Center in Nebraska City. The company prefers to limit its projects to a 100-mile radius of Omaha, said von Gillern. “How far we can commute to a project without having people travel and work away from home is a cultural issue with us,’’ he said. “We’ve turned down jobs so we wouldn’t have to ask people to be away from home.’’ Renze Display charts more than a little of its growth to the success and growth of other Omaha businesses. The company produces exhibits and displays for trade shows and custom wallpaper and window and wall graphics for corporate and retail clients. It also produces the state-by-state Remembering the Fallen exhibits recognizing U.S. war dead from conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Most Renze customers are based in the Midwest but the company works across North America. Local clients include TD Ameritrade, ConAgra, Mutual of Omaha, First National Bank, Valmont Industries and Union Pacific Corp. There was a time after World War II and in the 1950s that Union Pacific represented half of Renze’s business, Buchanan said. The company produced exhibits and promotional materials advertising the railroad’s Idaho ski resort and other destinations. The company started when Gus Renze purchased floats from the 1895 Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans and shipped them to Omaha. Workmen repainted and refashioned them for the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Parade and Coronation Ball. Renze’s Electric Night Parades attracted thousands to watch floats powered by

the electric current from the city’s streetcar lines. Streetcars disappeared decades ago, but thousands of 21st-century Omahans encounter Renze at Eppley Airfield daily. The back-lighted displays advertising local businesses and colleges lining the corridors to the terminals are Renze products. Buchanan said innovation and risk taking are company traditions. It started with his grandfather, Maynard Buchanan, who traveled the nation buying and selling hotels for Omaha hotel magnate Eugene C. Eppley in the 1930s. Renze Display has a decades-old, double-door safe with old Omaha police detective business cards taped to the doors. About 15 years ago, Buchanan discovered an envelope in the safe with a folded, carbon copy of his grandfather’s resignation letter to Eppley. In the letter, Maynard Buchanan thanked Eppley for years of service but told him he had an opportunity to realize his dream of owning a business. He planned to go into partnership with Gus Renze. “That took a high tolerance of risk in the 1930s,’’ Buchanan said. Businesses develop distinct cultures for better or worse over the years that shape a company’s future. Williams, of Drake-Williams, said his company’s culture of innovation and loyalty has kept the business from stagnating. “You don’t always initially create that culture. It’s just a byproduct,’’ Williams said. “We tend to attract the kind of employees that stick with us. They buy into the culture.’’ Drake-Williams was known as Wilson Steam Boiler when founded in the early 1880s. It produced steam boilers and smokestacks. During the 1920s, the company started making drag line buckets used in river excavation and levee work. By 1960, the company shifted to the fabrication of structural steel. Company workers cut to length and punch or drill holes in beams and plates used in erecting the framework of structures such as the First National Tower and TD Ameritrade Park. Drake-Williams’ first geographic expansion took the company into the Denver area about five years ago. It now works in a 600-mile radius of Omaha. “Our Mountain Steel Division provides the opportunity for even more growth and diversity in the future,’’ Williams said. Williams said the company tries to develop and promote new leaders from within the ranks. Some employees have been with the company 30 to 50 years. Dave and his brother, John, are the third set of Williams brothers to run the company. Williams said acquiring, adopting and embracing new technology — even in an industry that still relies on many manual processes — keeps the company young. Harl Dalstrom, a professor emeritus of history at UNO who has written books about frontier Omaha, said the community’s historic role as a wholesaling and retailing center for a territory that stretched from western Iowa to deep into Wyoming set up the city to emerge as one of the largest and most economically stable in the central and northern plains. Still, Omaha’s rise wasn’t a steady pattern of progress, Dalstrom said. “The 1930s were not good to us,’’ he said. “The late 1980s were difficult times for Omaha and we wondered what will happen to this place. Are we stalling?” But Omaha showed a impressive ability to adapt, Dalstrom said. “The simple reason for that was the diversification of our economy,’’ he said. “We keep finding new things to keep our economy diversified and vibrant.” Contact the writer: 402-444-1127, david.hendee@owh.com

“It all goes back to two guys who had the courage and tenacity to start a bank.’’ Clark Lauritzen, executive vice president of First National Bank

Professional People ■ Proven Performance (402) 339-1000

■

www.lueder.com

ZEITNER & SONS, INC.

A Family Tradition Of Caring

We’ve been serving area families with compassionate and caring funeral services for over 130 years. That’s why families call us ﬁrst!

DWORAK CHAPEL

16th & Vinton • 346-1144

391-3900 • 7805 W. Center Rd. www.heafeyheafey.com

BELLEVUE CHAPEL

Bellevue • 291-5000

Thank You

for 93 Years in Business . . .

from The

Rotellas Italian Bakery Company.

REAL ESTATE & DEVELOPMENT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

REAL ESTATE & DEVELOPMENT

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Western Electric plant timeline

THE WORLD-HERALD

At top is the Western Electric administration building as it appeared in January 1983. The building is now owned by Industrial Realty Group LLC and houses Kiewit Business Center and other tenants.

JAMES R. BURNETT/THE WORLD-HERALD

The former Western Electric plant is shown at the upper right in this September 2006 aerial view that looks northwest from 120th and L Streets. At the upper left are Home Depot, Walmart and Sam’s Club. The green space in the photo — roughly half of what had been the plant’s front lawn — was developed shortly after the photo was taken. Its occupants include L Street Marketplace and the Omaha FBI ofﬁce.

Redevelopment and rebirth Over the years, the site of the now-closed Western Electric plant has been transformed into an office, retail and dining hub. BY HOWARD K. MARCUS

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

he front lawn alone was about 100 acres — a kind of welcome mat for the thousands who once worked at Western Electric’s Omaha Works. These days, it’s a destination for shoppers, diners and others. As a subsidiary of American Telephone and Telegraph, the plant near 132nd and L Streets produced switches, cables and other equipment that made the nation’s communications system hum. When it opened in 1958 and for decades thereafter, it was a boon to the economic life of nearby Millard. Many Western Electric workers moved to live close to the plant, which boosted Millard’s population from hundreds to thousands in just a few years. But as time and technology marched on, much of what the plant produced was no longer a necessity. The final Western Electric-related company operating there closed its Omaha manufacturing operation in November 2011. By that time, redevelopment of the approximately 375-acre property was well underway. The changes began in 2003, with transformation of the front lawn into retail space. Bordered by 120th, 132nd, L and I Streets, the lawn was the most visible feature of the Western Electric property to passers-by. The western half was developed first. Known officially as Home Depot Plaza, that portion includes a Sam’s Club membership warehouse, a Walmart superstore and a Home Depot, with a Wendy’s restaurant and a Great Western Bank branch in the outlot. When the western half of the lawn was developed, Omaha’s rules for redeveloping industrial property were less defined than they are today. “The way the code was structured,

H O WA R D K . M A R C U S / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D

The L Street Marketplace shopping center is situated on the eastern half of what was the front lawn of the Western Electric plant near 120th and L Streets. The design promotes pedestrian trafﬁc between stores. you were able to develop retail and ofﬁce projects on property that was zoned industrial, and it was allowed, by right,” said Steve Jensen, a former director of the City of Omaha Planning Department. “The industrial zoning part of the code didn’t require much. Part of the whole issue there was that the planning board and the (Omaha City) Council realized that what might be developed might be less attractive than what they wanted,” he said. “Here you had what at the time was a beautiful lawn that folks in the city really appreciated, especially folks in that Millard area. They saw it as almost a park — very well maintained, very nice, very attractive, nicely landscaped. And then suddenly it was going to have some big parking lots put on the site with a whole bunch of signage. People didn’t like that and wanted to have the city either say no or require them (the developers) to do something better. But the code didn’t really give the city that kind of authority,” Jensen said. In the end, the council and planning board asked the developer to do some nicer things, he said. “And they agreed to some things, but really, people didn’t feel that was good enough. People realized we didn’t have the kinds of tools we needed to create more attractive, better laid-out projects,” Jensen said. By 2006, when development began on the eastern half of the lawn, the city was

formulating new rules. Developers came forward with proposals, options and concepts that took the new guidelines into account, even before the new code was adopted. “It was all in progress, and so they tried to follow the guidelines that we were developing at that point,” Jensen said. The eastern portion of the lawn, known ofﬁcially as L Street Plaza, is bordered by 126th Plaza and 120th, L and I Streets. It includes the L Street Marketplace shopping area — with stores such as Target, OfﬁceMax, Michael’s, Ulta, Shoe Carnival, Sports Authority, Books-A-Million, Kirkland’s and PetCo — along with more than a dozen other businesses. “Everything in that center has been done to meet those requirements. So even the fast-food restaurants or Cheddar’s, they needed to have what we call ‘four-sided buildings,’ where you didn’t have just nice materials facing out to L Street and then everything else was concrete block painted some color. You are required to really give the building four nice sides — even the rear,” Jensen said. In a recent visit to the center, Jensen said he saw people who were walking between stores, which was the whole idea behind the design changes. In other, somewhat similar kinds of projects, Jensen said people might park in front of one store, then get in their cars and drive half a block down the parking See Rebirth: Page 8

March 1956: Western Electric Co., a subsidiary of American Telephone & Telegraph Co., announces plans to build the plant, estimating that it will ultimately have a workforce of 4,000. September 1958: Company begins production with 2,000 employees. May 1959: Plant becomes known as the Omaha Works of Western Electric. June 1970: Employment at the plant reaches its all-time high of 7,700, thanks to unusually high demand for its copper cable and electromechanical switches. WA LT E R S . C R A I G January 1984: Western Electric workers assemble Plant’s name switches in this 1959 scene at the changes to AT&T Technologies’ Omaha Omaha plant. Works after the courtordered breakup of the Bell System. Employment that year stands at about 5,000. April 1996: Plant becomes a property of Lucent Technologies when AT&T spins off its telephone equipment operations. Plant has 3,300 employees. September 2000: Plant becomes part of Avaya Inc., the company created when Lucent spins off three businesses. The Omaha plant, with 3,500 employees, becomes the headquarters for Avaya’s Connectivity Solutions unit. November 2002: Plans emerge for Walmart, Sam’s Club and Home Depot to build on the property’s front lawn, the first retail redevelopment on the site. October 2003: Avaya announces that it will sell its Connectivity Solutions division and the 1,200-employee Omaha plant to CommScope Inc. January 2010: CommScope announces that it will lay off 110 people at the plant and says it will consider closing the plant to reduce costs. March 2010: CommScope announces that it will close plant by the end of 2011, laying off the remaining 400 manufacturing workers and relocating 70 corporate employees. November 2011: Shutdown of CommScope’s Omaha manufacturing operation. An office with some non-manufacturing CommScope employees remains on the site. Sources: World-Herald files; CommScope

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The former Western Electric property has undergone signiﬁcant redevelopment in the past dozen years. The companies and organizations listed on this sign near 120th and I Streets represent a sample of the many entities that occupy the approximately 375acre site. H O WA R D K . M A R C U S / THE WORLD-HERALD

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REAL ESTATE & DEVELOPMENT

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

Building a future Rehabilitation of historic structures downtown and redevelopment in midtown have increased Omaha’s residential housing options. BY MIKE WATKINS

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

uildings are more than bricks and mortar. Through their years of existence, serving a variety of purposes and welcoming a variety of people, they become storytellers. You just have to listen to hear and learn from them. At least, that’s what Chris Erickson of City Ventures real estate development believes, especially about the many historic buildings in Omaha. “These buildings hold tremendous value. That’s why it’s so important to make sure they remain useful and continue to have a purpose,” said Erickson, who worked on many historic rehab projects with Shamrock Development before starting City Ventures more than a year ago. He is currently working on the new apartment building and warehouse renovation at Ninth Avenue and Jones Street. “They tell the story of the city, how it grew over 100-plus years, and they help create new stories for those who live there and will live there. But without the tax credits, we could never afford to do it, and then our heritage and history would be lost or sit vacant.” Vacant and unused is the state that many of the landmark buildings were in before they were rescued, rehabbed and repurposed. Most are downtown, left behind as businesses and people moved further and further west during the past century. But the rejuvenation of downtown and midtown in the past few decades, starting with the life breathed into the Old Market, brought business and people back to the river. As more companies returned downtown and restaurants and entertainment options sprang up, the real estate market ﬂourished. But it quickly became clear that options and opportunities were scarce or limited. All those empty buildings — some dating back to frontier days and others connected to Omaha’s turn-of-the-century role as a distribution and manufacturing hub — provided the housing opportunities needed by the city’s growing downtown population. With historic rehab projects, however, come regulations and requirements that must be met to get the previously mentioned tax credits, creating challenges to preserving the historic integrity of a structure while adapting it to comply with current building codes and zoning laws. “It’s all about maintaining what was while still trying to create what is needed for the new purpose of the building,” said Katrina Stoffel, an interior designer with Alley Poyner Macchietto Architects, who has been involved with many historic rehabs in Omaha, most recently the conversion of the former Omaha Federal Building at 15th and Dodge Streets into the new Marriott Resident Inn Omaha. Stoffel said that to obtain tax credits, certain building features such as facades or certain interior characteristics must be maintained. “If we take down a wall for some reason, we have to put it back up to keep the historic integrity. These buildings were built to last, and to build new with the same types of materials used

JEFF BARNES FOR THE WORLD-HERALD

The Hub, a community room, is on the eighth floor of the Highline building at 2223 Dodge St. The former office building, now an apartment building, is one of many area historic structures that have been transformed in recent years. 100 years ago would be financially impossible, so it’s important to keep them intact. Plus, they are part of our heritage, and it’s important to keep them up and productively used. It’s a process, but if you believe in maintaining the history, it’s all worth it.” NuStyle Development Corporation of Omaha has been a major player in the rehabbing of many historic buildings in downtown and midtown during the past couple of decades, among them the Old Market Lofts Phases I, II and III, the Bull Durham Building and Ford Warehouse Apartments, and the repurposing of the Highline building at 22nd and Dodge Streets. Now high-rise apartments, the Highline was constructed in three phases between 1950 and 1957, with the iconic tower finished in 1957. Originally an office building for Northern Natural Gas, it later served as office space for First National Bank of Omaha before sitting vacant for more than a decade. NuStyle President and founder Todd Heistand said he looked at the building several years ago but only recently purchased it for the historic conversion. Even with the Midtown Crossing development providing much-needed housing in midtown Omaha, Heistand knew there was still demand eight blocks closer to downtown. The Highline provided the space and opportunity for that. “It’s such a great building, a landmark in the area, that it needed to find new life, and now it provides housing in a part of the city that’s not quite downtown but not midtown and fills a market niche,” said Heistand, whose current projects also include recapitalizations — changing the original use of a building for something new or different — of the Wire, the former Northwestern Bell building at 19th and Dodge Streets, and the Slate, the former headquarters for Black Hills Energy near 19th Street and Capitol Avenue, among others. “We had some challenges with the Highline — including having to keep the original aluminum windows, which aren’t very energy efficient, as well as keeping original hallways and the lobby in order to keep the historic integrity and get the tax credits. People

are definitely looking to rent more after the housing downturn a few years ago, so we’re providing those opportunities. But it’s a small sacrifice to return this building to use again. It had been too long.” Midtown Crossing, the development started and owned by Mutual of Omaha, has transformed the Turner Park area around 30th and Farnam Streets into a destination location and is creating new history of its own. Offering 500 condos and apartments — with high-end finishes and great city views — Midtown Crossing also provides dining, entertainment and retail options within walking distance, all in a couple of city blocks. “Midtown Crossing is a $365 million project that has completely transformed a once-blighted area of the city into a destination location where people can eat, shop and live,” said Molly Skold, vice president of marketing and communications for East Campus Realty, which manages the development. “Add in the improvements made to Turner Park, which welcomes upwards of 120,000 people each year for concerts, etc., and we truly have a place where people want to live.” How much has Midtown Crossing impacted the neighborhood and community as a whole? According to a study conducted by Goss & Associates, the development has not only acted as a catalyst for overall real estate values for property in close proximity to the development by more than 12 percent between 2006 and 2011, but it also has created and supported hundreds of jobs, increased city tax coffers significantly and given hope to a community looking for financial assistance and a reason to hope. “Midtown Crossing’s future operations will not only boost the overall Omaha economy via direct and indirect spending, but the development will serve to further stimulate tourism and purchases by visitors from outside Omaha,” Skold said. “Additionally, by enhancing the quality of life for residents of the city, Midtown Crossing is expected to contribute to the area’s retention and recruitment of well-educated and highly productive workers.”

H O WA R D K . M A R C U S / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D

The Midtown Crossing at Turner Park development brought a variety of new luxury-living options to the area near 32nd and Farnam Streets. The condominum model above, Unit 4301, features two bedrooms and 2.5 baths, and is priced at $452,900. At left is a view of midtown and downtown, looking northeast from the balcony of the club room.

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OUTLOOK

REAL ESTATE & DEVELOPMENT

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Looking good: In an improved market, ‘staging’ pays off BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The weather outside is cold, but the real estate business is hot. If current trends continue, 2014 will be a great year to buy and sell real estate. “The market was strong this last year. We set a record in Omaha for number of homes sold,” said Mike Pettid, a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate. “There were more than 12,000 homes sold. New construction was up 25 percent year over year for 2013. At the same time, new-construction inventory dropped by 26 percent.” In other words, the number of newly-constructed, move-in ready homes decreased. While 2013 was a good year for real estate, 2014 looks to be even better. “It looks like we’ll be in the 5 to 10 percent increase in the number of homes sold,” Pettid said of the new-construction market. He said other factors driving a strong real estate market include low interest rates, affordability of homes, low unemployment and a strong construction labor force. Though those who want to buy a home this year have options, how do they weed through the

DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN/ THE WORLD-HERALD

To compete in a rising market, sellers of this home at 5204 Jones St. have arranged the furniture to show off the built-in cabinetry. possibilities to ﬁnd the home of their dreams? Cassi Petersen, executive director of the Metro Omaha Builders Association and a real estate agent with NP Dodge, said one big factor is location. “Know what part of town you want to be in. Sometimes people think they will be in a home for ﬁve or 10 years, and they end up there longer. I was working with buyers recently who just wanted to upsize. But in talking with them, they were a young family,

they hadn’t really thought about schools. When we found a home that was in walking distance of a school, it changed their perspective.” Before thinking about location, buyers need to consider price. Joe Valenti, president and CEO of CBSHome, said changes to the banking industry affect mortgage lenders. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, created in 2010, has made many changes to the lending industry. For example, for a potential buyer to be eligible for a mortgage, lenders must now verify and document specific criteria, including income, employment status, credit history, assets, and other debts. “Buyers really need to get connected with a mortgage loan officer to really understand what the loan process is going to look like in today’s environment with the new consumer protection advances,” Valenti said. “In the new lending world, there are hundreds of new regulations coming out. In that new environment, buyers need to be very prepared for any information they will need to present to mortgage loan officers in order to obtain a loan.” Along with the mortgage, other financial factors go into buying a home.

“Do your research,” Petersen said. “Get good information up front. How long is the title company going to take to do the search? Things like that. Know what your utility bills are going to be. Know what the taxes are.” Once the monetary side has been established, buyers need to realize that an existing home might not be picture-perfect. “Recognize that it’s not going to be in perfect condition, and that beyond structural or mechanical issues, most of that can be taken care of reasonably,” Valenti said. “Buyers are expecting homes to be in perfect condition when they move into them, and that’s just not practical. Beyond major defects, there needs to be an understanding that there may be some things that may need to be fixed. Let’s say you have a drain gutter that extends out beyond where it should be. These aren’t major items, and the buyer may need to get that fixed themselves.” For potential homebuyers who can’t distinguish a major flaw from a minor one, there are professionals who can help. “Get a home inspection,” Petersen said. “I think it’s important to have someone take a look at things you can’t see. There’s a lot of people that have been in their homes for a while, or may-

be the person before them was doing DIY, and you don’t know if it’s up to code. I would even get two or three quotes.” Don’t want an existing home? New construction will be a hot commodity in 2014. “In new construction, there’s a different dynamic,” Petersen said. “For example, we have weather that is a contender.” With many potential buyers seeking newly constructed homes and other buyers having a variety of existing homes from which to choose, sellers of existing homes will want to maximize their sales potential. “Keep it clean,” Petersen said. “You think that is just something people know, but when buyers are looking, they don’t want to have to see past your stuff.” Even if a homeowner is a self-described neat freak, it doesn’t mean the house is clean — at least not in the way real estate agents describe clean. They are talking about staging a home, which is much like creating a theatrical set. “Staging is essentially making your house the most appealing to the largest number of buyers,” Pettid said. “You’re trying to have your furniture arranged so that each room looks the largest. You want every home to look like a model home, essentially.”

Don’t look at model homes often? There is an entire industry devoted to creating the model home effect. “You can hire a professional stager or have an agent you are working with hire one,” Pettid said. “A lot of the agents actually know how to do it themselves.” Don’t want to hire a stager? Get family and friends to help. “Have someone else walk through your house and take a look around,” Petersen said. “Sometimes it’s simple things, like updating your curtains, or your hardware.” Staging might be a great real estate buzzword, but it is becoming a standard practice. “I think that you need to be aware that buyers in general are going to ﬁnd reasons not to buy your home,” Valenti said. “You want to eliminate as many reasons as possible why someone won’t buy your home.” Carpets need to be updated, and the lawn needs to be kept up. The home needs to be in the best possible condition. Why would potential buyers ﬁnd reasons not to buy a home? “When people pull up to a home and they see the driveway is cracked or the carpet needs to be replaced, people think ‘Oh, what else didn’t the home buyers do?’ ” Petersen said.

Rebirth: The site of the now-closed Western Electric plant has been transformed Continued from Page 6

lot to the next store. But in the L Street Marketplace area, that is less often the case. “It’s a nicer kind of pedestrian experience. There’s seating and there’s landscaping and there’s nicer sidewalks, and windows to look into and see displays,” he said. Having more ground-level windows encourages people to walk between stores. “It’s designed for pedestrians. If you go over to the front of the Home Depot and the Walmart and then the Sam’s Club, they’re laid out and designed to be separate projects. The design

that they follow is getting people from the parking lot in front of the store into the store,” he said. “They’re designed very much as completely independent packages, and that’s one of the fundamental differences between the way things used to be designed and the way things are designed today. “I think the retail frontage on L Street that’s developed is probably a good reuse of that front lawn. If you’re going to lose the front lawn, it was probably better to have what we got rather than see industrial buildings out there.” Though redevelopment of the former Western Electric plant

itself proceeded less noticeably than development of the front lawn, the square footage that has since changed uses or otherwise become available for development or redevelopment is substantial, totaling more than 2 million square feet in the property’s primary buildings alone. “I think that whole industrial area ... is just another example of that kind of ongoing evolution of the industrial portion of the property, where you’re changing from one industrial use to another industrial use, but not really changing the overall use of the land,” Jensen said. Los Angeles-based Industrial Realty Group LLC, a nationwide

real estate development and investment ﬁrm, owns 93 acres of the former Western Electric Omaha Works site, including two key buildings that were part of the original complex: Building 20 (the property’s iconic ofﬁce building) and Building 30 (a former manufacturing/warehouse facility). The land and buildings were purchased in November 2011. “IRG likes the Midwest, and this was a project of large enough scale to allow us to enter this market,” said Stuart Lichter, IRG’s president and chairman of the board. “Our focus on this development has been a mix between

office and industrial. The office building is currently 100 percent occupied, and we have a goal of converting approximately 25 percent of the warehouse building to office space as well, with the remaining portion left as warehouse,” he said. “We have not reached the desired mix yet, but have solid momentum. The market conditions have continued to improve. We recently added an additional office tenant in the warehouse portion, and we believe as we continue to convert the space to office, other users will see our vision.” Jensen, the former Omaha city planning director, said

redevelopment of the Western Electric site has been a positive for Omaha. “The plant itself and the entire project going back to its very early days when it was ﬁrst created — I think was pretty impressive. It was built very well. It was laid out well, it was constructed well. It was a stateof-the-art kind of facility back in its day, and I think that’s why it’s still there today,” Jensen said. “And consequently, it lent itself to be redeveloped and divided up in different ways and reused.”

Contact the writer: 402-444-1397, howard.marcus@owh.com Twitter.com/OWHhoward

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

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OUTLOOK

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Your home could soon be like the Jetsons’ BY TROY WOLVERTON MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

For decades, futurists have been predicting the era of the “smart” home, where you don’t need to be home to lock your doors, dim your lights or adjust your thermostats. But except for the homes of the wealthy and a few hobbyists, the smart home has been a dream of the distant future. The necessary gadgets have been too expensive and too difficult to configure, and there have been few standards to ensure that the various pieces would work together. But new products unveiled in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas suggest that the smart home may soon be within reach of the average American. “We’re close,” said Chet Geschickter, an industry analyst. Among the developments at CES: Security provider ADT unveiled an application that allows users to turn off lights or lock doors by speaking commands into their smartphone. The company also announced a new wireless control panel that it says will reduce installation time and difficulty. The Z-Wave Alliance, a trade group representing manufacturers who produce home automation products that employ the Z-Wave wireless protocol, announced that there are now 1,000 products on the market that incorporate the technology, which allows users to communicate with everything from their window shades to their living-room lamps. Among the new products is an automated valve that can shut off the water pipes if the system senses a leak, and a low-cost controller that can alert homeowners if their garage doors are open and allow them to close the doors remotely. Canary and Sen.se showed off inexpensive sensor systems that can alert homeowners when someone enters their home, or if the temperature changes suddenly. Allure Energy demonstrated an upcoming location-sensing smartphone app that works with its EverSense thermostat. Users can configure the app to tell the thermostat to turn the air conditioning on when they approach the house or turn it off when they leave. “Both in terms of new subscribers and devices available, we’re seeing growth across the board,” said Jonathan Collins, who covers the smart home market as an analyst for ABI Research. “What we saw (at CES) was a broadening of what the (smart home) platforms can be used for.” Even before the latest wave of product announcements, it was clear that the home automation market had grown beyond its hobbyist and highend roots. Home improvement store Lowe’s, for example, is now showcasing its Iris home-automation system and related products in all of its more than 1,500 stores. Introduced in 2012, the system is sold in kits designed for easy installation. The system allows users to remotely turn appliances on or off and to receive alerts when someone enters their home. The systems range in price from $180 to $300. Meanwhile, Nest Labs, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based startup that makes “smart” thermostats and smoke detectors, announced that it would be sold to Google Inc. for $3.2 billion. In the past several years, the big telecommunications companies, notably AT&T and Comcast, have been rolling out smart home features, offering them as add-ons to their broadband services. Until recently, most mainstream consumers either were unaware of new home automation systems or unwilling to pay the high cost of having them installed. But the entry of big companies into the space is raising awareness of the new technology and pushing down costs. In part, that’s because the sensors and radios that underlie many home automation devices have also dropped in price. Also, smart-home products can now piggyback on other technologies. Instead of having to buy pricey control panels, consumers now can typically operate such systems over their existing Wi-Fi networks and Internet connections using smartphones and tablets they already own. Instead of having to spend thousands of dollars to have a custom installer put in a home automation system, consumers can get a system for $30 to $50 a month from their broadband provider. “We’ve had this fundamental shift,” said Shawn DuBravac, the chief economist for the Consumer Electronics Association, the industry trade group that puts on CES. Home automation devices “have gotten cheaper and smaller.” The age of the smart home “is happening,” added Geschickter, who said broadband providers will popularize the service. It’s just a matter of “how they can market the service, how many homes they can sign up and how quickly and how many technicians they can get out.”

THE WORLD-HERALD

First Data’s global payment-processing operations are run from its main Omaha campus, located on the former Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack property.

Launching a new industry The Strategic Air Command’s need for redundant phone capability was a catalyst for the Omaha area’s advanced telecommunications framework. BY TODD VON KAMPEN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Pioneer Cold Warriors planted the telecommunications seeds that sprouted one of the Omaha area’s trademark economic sectors. Decades of careful local cultivation have kept it healthy and growing. Omaha’s importance as a national telecom hub was no more inevitable than was its choice 150 years ago as a launching point for the first U.S. transcontinental railroad. But just as they have long nurtured their status as a transportation nexus, metro-area leaders have kept building on their good fortune in information resources and convincing local and national employers to exploit it. The U.S. military’s ongoing need for state-of-theart telecommunications capability has been vital to that success, local experts say. But so has a twodecade-long effort to ensure that Omaha and nearby cities can supply workers with high-tech training to complement their generally dogged work ethic. Though it’s true that Omaha “started with a leg up with this robust infrastructure, nothing stays static in technology,” said Kathleen Berg, director of corporate communications for Omaha’s Applied Information Management (AIM) Institute. But community leaders realized “we need to exploit that (infrastructure) because we need to see how we can become a leader in information technology.” The results can be seen in the 1999 opening of Omaha’s Peter Kiewit Institute and the expansion of Omaha’s list of established information-reliant employers — firms such as First Data Resources, West Corp. and the Marriott and Hyatt hotel chains — to include the Gallup Organization and Internet mainstays such as PayPal, Google, Yahoo and LinkedIn. And it isn’t only self-evident data-driven firms who have tapped Omaha’s telecom potential. Cabela’s Inc., ConAgra Foods, Union Pacific Railroad and Fidelity Investments are among other firms to invest in local data centers, encouraged in part by state tax incentives but also by the growing importance of information technology to employers of all types. On top of that, “we’ve got good, cheap power, we’ve got a lot of water, we have good communications and good land. And we have our labor market,” said Kenneth Dick, who works at the Kiewit Institute as a research fellow in telecommunications in the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Department of Information Science and Technology.

Telecom-driven employers Given the ongoing convergence of voice, data and computer technologies, it’s ﬁtting that the Omaha area’s growing roster of telecommunications-driven employers reveals a mixture of recent high-tech stars and more established ﬁrms that continue to adapt to a digital-driven age. Here’s a look at some of the leading companies in the metropolitan area (arranged in order of their arrival):

CENTURYLINK COMMUNICATIONS

A 1960s-era billboard promoted the Strategic Air Command, which helped give the Omaha region its strength in the telecommunications industry. S T R AT E G I C AIR COMMAND

Historians rightly credit Air Force Lt. Gen. Curtis LeMay, who relocated the infant Strategic Air Command to Bellevue-based Offutt Air Force Base in 1948, for the area’s telecom bounty. But the area’s initial stroke of luck can be traced to the 1941 decision to build the Martin Bomber Plant, which counted the Enola Gay — delivery vehicle for the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan — among its hundreds of completed World War II U.S. aircraft. When LeMay moved SAC from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, the Martin site already boasted the necessary runways and infrastructure. But SAC also needed redundant telephone calling capacity so it could stay in operation if the area’s primary switches failed or were destroyed, Dick said. So “Ma Bell” — the once-mighty Bell System

debit-card swipes around the world that are processed by its computer systems. About 5,000 people currently work in Omaha for First Data, whose parent has been owned since 2007 by the investment ﬁrm of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Its main Omaha campus sits on the former Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack property, which First Data bought in 1996. After closing the deal on the site’s northern section, First Data donated 70 acres that became home to the University of Nebraska’s Peter Kiewit Institute.

MARRIOTT AND HYATT HOTEL RESERVATION CENTERS

Monroe, La.-based CenturyLink, which bought out Qwest Communications in April 2011, now holds the local inheritance of the defunct Bell System. Qwest in 2000 had taken over US West Communications, which was created as the new “Baby Bell” parent for Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. and two other Bell companies by the 1984 court-ordered divestiture of the original American Telephone & Telegraph Co.’s local telephone ﬁrms. CenturyLink remains a major provider of voice and data services in the Omaha area, having introduced 1-gigabit-persecond Internet service in May 2013. Some 1,250 people still work for the company in the area.

In 1971, the same year First Data was born in Omaha, the Marriott hotel chain opened a reservation call center in the city. Now called Marriott Global Care and Customer Care, it still employs more than 1,000 people and handles many of the worldwide hotelier’s customer needs. While celebrating Marriott’s 35th anniversary in Omaha in 2006, founder J.W. Marriott called the Omaha center “the mother church” among Marriott’s worldwide reservation centers. Several other hotel chains also have operated reservation centers in Omaha, including Hyatt, which employs some 600 people at its Omaha location.

FIRST DATA RESOURCES

WEST CORP.

The company was founded in 1971 by a group of Omahans led by P. E. “Bill” Esping, who had been persuaded in 1968 to leave IBM’s Omaha ofﬁce and run a previous charge-card processing ﬁrm. First Data’s bread and butter still comes from the billions of credit- and

Omaha’s history as a telemarketing giant owes much to Gary and Mary West, who started WATS Marketing of America (which they later sold to First Data) in 1978 and then founded the company bearing their names in 1986. The couple sold most of their stake

operated by American Telephone & Telegraph Co. — installed a second set of switches. One set was dedicated to SAC’s needs, but the redundant set was available for local needs, said Dick, who spent 10 years at Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. and its successor, US West Communications. His tenure covered the court-ordered breakup of the Bell System in 1984. During the 1960s and 1970s, Dick said, businesses relying on high call volumes began to take advantage of Omaha’s plentiful capacity, its central location and a local workforce that typically lacked a distinctive speaking accent and were easier to understand on the phone. By the 1980s, Omaha was known as the “800 capital of the world,” a reference to the toll-free phone lines used extensively by telemarketers, “as seen See Telecommunications: Page 12

20 years later, but West Corp., which employs 3,700 people in Omaha and 37,500 worldwide, still relies greatly on the area’s telecommunications capacity. It’s the leading U.S. provider of telephone conference calls, handles many customer service calls for other companies and supplies cloud computing services. It’s also a leader in software for 911 emergency switchboards.

GALLUP ORGANIZATION The opinion polling giant joined in the redevelopment of Omaha’s riverfront when it relocated its corporate headquarters, including some 550 jobs, from Lincoln to Omaha in 2003. Gallup leaders said at the time that Omaha’s telecommunications infrastructure was a major reason for the move, as well as its proximity to Eppley Airﬁeld and its remaining Lincoln operations. The company has opened two Omaha call centers since its move, adding 400 additional jobs.

PAYPAL

The online payment company has become La Vista’s largest employer since it opened the ﬁrst of its two buildings in the city’s Southport East development in 2003. Customer support is the major mission of the 3,000 PayPal employees on the campus, one of the more prominent in the area with its frontage along Interstate 80.

LINKEDIN Think social networking with a professional twist. LinkedIn resembles Facebook in connecting millions of

people through the Internet. But it zeroes in on supporting their career objectives, allowing them to post their professional proﬁles, promote themselves and make business and employment contacts. Omaha has been home since 2006 to LinkedIn’s Global Customer Operations ofﬁce, which employs about 120 people.

GOOGLE Council Bluffs captured a highprofile share of the metro area’s telecommunications-related business when Google, one of the leading Internet search engines, built its first data center near Lake Manawa in 2009. It subsequently added a second data center near the MidAmerican Energy plant, which opened last fall. Google’s Gmail and Google Maps services also rely on the resources of the two Bluffs centers, which employ at least 300 people. The firm also has set up free wireless hotspots in some Bluffs parks and donated Chromebook laptop computers to city schools.

YAHOO One of the oldest Internet search engines, Yahoo came to the metro area in 2010 when it opened a data center in La Vista. It set up a call center in west Omaha at about the same time and recently expanded the La Vista operation — one of Nebraska’s largest data centers — to add customer service functions. Between the two sites, some 400 people now work for Yahoo. — Todd von Kampen

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

11Y

Strong passwords are just one step toward securing Internet accounts BY ANICK JESDANUNAP THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — Security experts say passwords for more than 2 million Facebook, Google and other accounts have been compromised and circulated online, just the latest example of breaches involving leading Internet companies. Some services including Twitter have responded by disabling the affected passwords. But there are several things you can do to minimize further threats — even if your account isn’t among the 2 million that were compromised. Here are some tips to help you secure your online accounts.

ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER

When a malicious hacker gets a password to one account, it’s often a stepping stone to a more serious breach, especially because many people use the same passwords on multiple accounts. So if someone breaks into your Facebook account, that person might try the same password on your banking or Amazon account. Suddenly, it’s not just about fake messages being posted to your social media accounts. It’s about your hard-earned money. It’s particularly bad if the compromised password is for an email account. That’s because when you click on a link on a site saying you’ve forgotten your password, the service will typically send a reset message by email. People who are able to break into your email account can use it to create their own passwords for all sorts of accounts. You’ll be locked out as they shop and spend, courtesy of you. If the compromised password is one you use for work, someone can use it to break into your employer’s network, where there are ﬁles with trade secrets or customers’ credit card numbers.

BETTER PASSWORDS

Just a click away

THE WORLD-HERALD

Whether it’s used as a marketing tool by merchants or offered purely for public convenience, free wireless Internet access is spreading. BY JANE PALMER

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

all it a necessity or call it an amenity. Wi-Fi is something that consumers have started to expect in upscale settings and in libraries, as well as in coffeehouses. Midtown Crossing, Village Pointe and Nebraska Crossing Outlets are among the newer locations in the region to offer free wireless access to the Internet. Westroads Mall is getting ready to be a Wi-Fi hotspot as part of a remodeling project. Midtown Crossing spokeswoman Molly Skold said free Wi-Fi was launched in June as an enhancement for the development’s residents, business tenants and visitors, and also to fulﬁll an ongoing commitment to be a “green community” using less paper to communicate. In doing so Midtown Crossing also opted to provide free Wi-Fi to nearby Turner Park, a city park where thousands attend Jazz on the Green concerts in the summer. “We are in the electronic age,” Skold said. “People need to be connected to the Internet for life, work and play. If we can provide something that makes life easier, it’s a win-win for everybody.” Skold credits Wi-Fi for helping create a positive impression for the lifestyle at Midtown Crossing and for assistance in maintaining apartment rental occupancy rates of more than 90 percent. “It’s an added convenience, something that more sophisticated neighborhoods and developments offer,” she said. “A lot of people offer apartments with granite countertops. Free Wi-Fi is staying ahead of the curve.” Village Pointe marketing director Kim Jones said free Wi-Fi was instituted in September as an amenity for visitors and as a way to tell shoppers about special promotions, contests and events. Smartphone users can opt into an electronic system at Village Pointe that recognizes them when they return to the 600,000-square-foot

Where to ﬁnd it

Restaurants, coffeehouses, shops, hotels and hair salons might offer Wi-Fi but those locations sometimes require purchases and have restrictions. The list here is a sampling of locations where Wi-Fi is available free to the public. If you live and travel far from these locations, you might ﬁnd a free Wi-Fi connection at a public library. The Nebraska Library Commission lists 163 libraries with free Wi-Fi at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/ libraries/internet.asp. The Iowa Library Commission notes which

facility. The system sends these “opt-in” users SMS (short message service) text messages. The brief messages alert shoppers to events, special sales and offers. If interested, the customer can click on a link to learn more, Jones said. “We’ve had positive feedback from people who have opted in and started using it,” Jones said. The number of “opt-in” customers grows every week, she said. Nebraska Crossing Outlets was designed as a technology hub to give people more electronic sales offers and to encourage them to stay longer, according to marketing director Jenni Mitten. Free Wi-Fi is integral to the experience, and shoppers are encouraged to acquire the outlet mall’s Nex mobile application to receive notification of sales promotions and discounts, Mitten said. The app also includes a way for shoppers to find their cars after shopping. “We want to be a technology hub to keep people here longer,” she said. “We want them to take pictures of things they like and share the photos online.” In mid-December, the outlet mall began installing iBeacons, an Apple technology, throughout the mall. When Nex users arrive at the mall and as they move about the mall, the beacons send notifications about stores and special sale offers. The technology and the discounts may remind a shopper of other items to shop for, Mitten said. “I think it will boost sales. People will stay connected, stay longer and visit stores they didn’t know about,” she said. Access to Wi-Fi is an integral part of the Omaha Public Library system, according to Gary Wasdin, the executive director. “It’s almost an expectation that we have it in a library,” Wasdin said. “Demand just continues to grow.” Patrons at the city’s 12 libraries can use Wi-Fi to access the catalog of books available to borrow and to download items from the

libraries have Wi-Fi at www. statelibraryoﬁowa.org/ ld/c-d/directories/maindirectory.

OMAHA

Douglas County Courthouse: 1701 Farnam St. Omaha-Douglas Civic Center: 1819 Farnam St. Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce courtyard: 13th and Howard Streets. Omaha Visitors Center: 1001 Farnam St. The center also maintains a list of other Wi-Fi providers at www. visitomaha.com/aboutomaha/free-wiﬁ-locations/. Joslyn Art Museum: 2200 Dodge St.

Omaha Public Library: W. Dale Clark Library, 215 S. 15th St., and all 11 branch libraries listed at www.omahalibrary.org. University of Nebraska at Omaha: 6001 Dodge St. Aksarben Village: West Center Road at 67th Street. Midtown Crossing and Turner Park: South 31st Avenue and Dodge Street. Village Pointe: 17305 Davenport St. Westroads Mall: 10000 California St.; installation of Wi-Fi planned for early 2014.

DOUGLAS COUNTY

Bennington: Public library, 15505 Warehouse St.

library’s collection of e-books, digital music, audio books and documentaries. The tax-supported libraries began offering Wi-Fi in 2004 and 2005, after many years of providing library patrons with hard-wired computer stations, Wasdin said. Wasdin said he sees Wi-Fi as a cost-effective way to serve patrons. The library system can have up to 508 patrons connected to the Internet at the same time. That’s double the number that the library could accommodate in 2012, he said. “Wireless gives us the ability to provide Internet to a larger number of people,” he said. “People can use their own device or check out one of the library’s laptop computers. Wi-Fi is incredibly important to people and a high-demand item.” “The demand is there, just like for magazines, newspapers and books,” Wasdin said. “A decade ago, Internet access was a luxury item. Most people were using it to connect with friends and family. Today, it’s a necessity. You can’t apply for a job without going online. You need Internet if you are choosing your Medicare drug plan or signing up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Even the city is moving more of its services online. You use it to apply for permits.” For individuals and families who cannot afford to purchase Internet at home or to pay the fees for data plans on mobile devices, Wi-Fi at a public library is an important resource, Wasdin said. Access to Wi-Fi brings more students to public libraries to conduct research and to submit their written reports electronically to teachers and professors for grading, the library director said. “Schoolkids have online portfolios,” Wasdin said. “They need to go online for their records and to check grades. “ Wasdin said students going to a coffee shop or mall to ﬁnd Internet access may feel pressure to buy something, but they won’t feel that economic pressure at a public library.

Ralston: Baright Public Library, 5555 S. 77th St. Waterloo: Robinson Public Library, 23704 Cedar Drive.

SARPY COUNTY

Bellevue: Public library, 1003 Lincoln Road; and Bellevue University, 1000 Galvin Road South. Gretna: Public library, 736 South St.; and Nebraska Crossing Outlets, 21209 Nebraska Crossing Drive. La Vista: Public library, 9110 Giles Road. Papillion: Sarpy County Courthouse, 1210 Golden Gate Drive; and Sump Memorial Library, 222 N. Jefferson St.

Springﬁeld: Public library, 665 Main St.

SAUNDERS COUNTY

Mead: Public library, 316 S. Vine St. Yutan: Public library, 502 Third St.; library card required.

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY

Council Bluffs: City Hall, Pottawattamie County Courthouse, public library, 100 Broadway District, River’s Edge Park, MidAmerica Center and Bayliss Park. Avoca: Public library, 213 N. Elm St. Carter Lake: Owen Public Library, 1120 Willow Drive.

Many breaches occur because passwords are too easy to guess. There’s no evidence that guessing was how these 2 million accounts got compromised, but it’s still a good reminder to strengthen your passwords. Researchers at security company Trustwave analyzed the passwords compromised and found that only 5 percent were excellent and 17 percent were good. The rest were moderate or worse. What makes a password strong? » Make them long. The minimum should be eight characters, but even longer is better. » Use combinations of letters and numbers, upper and lower case and symbols such as the exclamation mark. Try to vary it as much as you can. “My!PaSsWoRd-32” is far better than “mypassword32.” » Avoid words that are in dictionaries, as there are programs that can crack passwords by going through databases of known words. These programs know about such tricks as adding numbers and symbols, so you’ll want to make sure the words you use aren’t in the databases. One trick is to think of a sentence and use just the ﬁrst letter of each word — as in “tqbfjotld” for “the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” » Avoid easy-to-guess words, even if they aren’t in the dictionary. Avoid your name, company name or hometown, for instance. Avoid pets and relatives’ names, too. Likewise, avoid things that can be looked up, such as your birthday or ZIP code. One other thing to consider: Many sites let you reset your password by answering a security question, but these answers — such as your pet’s name or mother’s maiden name — are possible to look up. So try to make these answers complex just like passwords, by adding numbers and special characters and making up responses

A SECOND LAYER

Many services offer a second level of authentication when you’re accessing them from a computer or device for the ﬁrst time. These services will send you a text message to a phone number on ﬁle, for instance. The text message contains a code that you need in addition to your password. The idea is that a hacker may have your password, but won’t have ready access to your phone. Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter are among the services offering this dual authentication. It’s typically an option, something you have to turn on. Do that. It may be a pain, but it will save you grief later. In most cases, you won’t be asked for this second code when you return to a computer you’ve used before, but be sure to decline that option if you’re in a public place such as a library or Internet cafe.

A FINAL THOUGHT

Change your passwords regularly. It’s possible your account information is already circulating. If you have a regular schedule for changing passwords for major accounts, you reduce the amount of time that someone can do harm with that information. You’ll need to decide what counts as a major account. Banking and shopping sites are obvious, as are email and social-networking services. It probably doesn’t matter much if someone breaks into the account you use to read newspaper articles (unless it’s a subscription). Strong passwords alone won’t completely keep you safe. Make sure your computer is running the latest software, as older versions can have ﬂaws that hackers have been known to exploit. Be careful when clicking on email attachments, as they might contain malicious software.

12Y

OUTLOOK

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

BLOOMBERG

The Audi AG Connect vehicle was unveiled during a news conference at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month. The CES is the world’s largest annual innovation event, offering an array of entrepreneur-focused exhibits, events and conference sessions for technology entrepreneurs.

Wired cars reach out at CES

BY JERRY GARRETT

THE NEW YORK TIMES

LAS VEGAS — Not that long ago, a telephone meant a black two-piece unit with a handset and a rotary dial. These days, the telephone has been completely redeﬁned as a smartphone capable of performing an exponentially expanding array of tasks. Similarly, the automobile is being redeﬁned in its second century as not necessarily a “smart car” (that name is taken), but as something of a rolling infotainment machine. At the sprawling International CES in January, applications, systems and gadgets for automotive use were among the fastest-growing categories on display for the industry-only consumer electronics show. The total array was in the uncountable thousands, but a few stood out. A CES Innovation Award winner was the Aha in-dash cloud-based entertainment interface. According to the developer, Harman Industries, Aha provides access to more than 600 free radio stations, 40,000-plus entertainment choices and more than 10 million songs. Among its offerings are podcasts, sports events, e-book readers and newscasts. Like most of this latest generation of infotainment options, it will work with either Android or Apple systems. Harman lists eight automakers it is working with to make the system an option in new cars; aftermarket units would be available from audio makers like Pioneer, Alpine and Kenwood.

Mercedes-Benz demonstrated a new “wearable” interface that would let a smart watch monitor auto functions such as maintenance intervals, climate control, tire pressures and an electric vehicle’s rate of charge. Mercedes used a Pebble watch in its demonstration, but said the technology would be functional in a variety of smart watches yet to come. Asked if the selection might include a long-anticipated wearable device from Apple, a Mercedes engineer smiled and said, “No comment.” Another Mercedes system would let a car talk to your house. The interface is with the Nest home protection system, which can provide remote control of a home’s thermostat and monitoring of the smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms. A demonstration showed a car passenger raising the temperature in a mountain cabin so it would be cozy when the travelers arrived. A version of this kind of system being developed by AT&T would allow you to watch any webcams set up in your home. Audi showed, among other things, searingly powerful laser headlights and a suite of aids that it calls Intelligent Traffic Management. For one on-road demonstration, Audi was allowed to tap into the Las Vegas traffic control center, which electronically monitors and controls traffic signals across the metropolitan area. An Audi sedan equipped with an in-car receiver was able to drive around town and display what the next traffic light on the road was about to do. Approaching an intersection, for example, it could tell how many seconds remained before a

T H E A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S

Audi’s autonomous car was driven on stage during the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Telecommunications: Omaha is a leader

Continued from Page 10

on TV” retailers and other local employers. The metro area’s attractiveness to telecom-based ﬁrms has endured through the Western victory in the Cold War, the evolution of Internet-linked computing and the ongoing transition from copper-based phone systems to ﬁber-optic and cellular-based voice and data transmission. Though SAC evolved into StratCom following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, Dick said, the federal government has continued to require redundant telecommunications capacity to support its operations at Offutt. The Scott Technology Center, spun off from the Kiewit Institute in 2006, also has bolstered Omaha’s data-handling capabilities through its Scott Data Center. But a pair of 1995 studies by

the AIM Institute — founded jointly in 1992 by Omaha business, educational and government leaders — warned that data-reliant businesses were having trouble supplying employees with the technological training they would need. State and Omaha-area leaders responded, Berg and Dick said, by pushing local higher-education institutions toward greater efforts to prepare young people and retrain older workers. One fruit of their efforts was the Kiewit Institute, which houses several University of Nebraska-Lincoln engineering programs as well as UNO’s College of Information Science and Technology. Other two- and four-year colleges in the Omaha area also stepped up their efforts, said Berg and Brad McPeak, director

of AIM’s Midwest Center for Information Technology. By 2009, AIM found that three of every five information-technology employees at surveyed local employers held bachelor’s degrees, up from two of five in 1995. AIM offered more encouraging news in October 2013, issuing a report that local employers had given “good” or “excellent” ratings to 88 percent of their recently hired Omaha-area employees in information technology and 83 percent of new local employees in engineering. Nonetheless, McPeak said, the Omaha area can never afford to take its prime position as a telecommunications leader for granted. “There’s no operating system (for computers) out there that we can say is good for five to 10 years, no less 30 to 40 years,” he said.

green or red light would change. In an unexpected twist, the Audi system also found some bugs in the Las Vegas control center’s system, including a traffic light in front of the Rio hotel and casino that had been permanently locked in “ambulance override,” preventing it from functioning normally. The information was passed along to the traffic control center, which confirmed and corrected the issue. Audi is also apparently headed into the tablet business. Its Smart Display system is an Android-based 10.2-inch tablet computer that “lives in your car” and lets passengers control many vehicle functions. A demonstration included a back-seat passenger adjusting the cabin temperature, radio selections and stereo volume.

The tablet also can connect to the Web through a new higher-speed Wi-Fi system that is being rolled out in many Audis this year. The tablet, which Audi said would carry its brand name, is powered by a new Nvidia Tegra 4 chip. Audi also unveiled part of the interior in its coming, otherwise unrevealed 2015 TT sports car. A highlight was a conﬁgurable 12.3-inch three-dimensional instrument display. It could be set to show only gauge readouts or adjusted to include an enormous navigation screen — directly in front of the driver. The intent, said Audi board member Ulrich Hackenberg, is to equip the company’s sports cars with information systems that concentrate exclusively on the driver.

FINANCE &INSURANCE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

Every community HAS A STORY WAITING TO BE TOLD. WHYCOMMUNITYMATTERS.COM

14Y

OUTLOOK

FINANCE & INSURANCE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

THE WORLD-HERALD

After the April hailstorm that hit the Omaha area, American Family Insurance adjuster Derek Swedlund visited a home near 136th and Cedar Streets to record the damage.

Condition, value and prior damage figure into insurance settlement BY HOWARD K. MARCUS WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Just a few minutes. That’s all it took for an April 9 hailstorm to damage thousands of Omaha-area homes and autos. The hail, which in Douglas County ranged in diameter from an inch to 2.5 inches, also caused slippery driving conditions with an unusual under-wheel crunch. The storm has generated about 11,000 Nebraska homeowner claims and about 7,000 Nebraska auto claims for State Farm Mutual Insurance, which insures about one-fourth of the homes and autos in the state, said Marc Forsyth, a Lincoln-based State Farm catastrophe react adjuster. Forsyth said that for insurance companies such as State Farm, a situation is considered catastrophic when resources from outside the affected area must be brought in to assist Forsyth local adjusters. “We look at the dollar amount. It could be the number of homes in the storm area that were affected,” he said. In a small community, even 50 affected homes might trigger the need for additional resources. The large number of claims from the April storm prompted State Farm to set up three temporary Omaha metro-area locations, which were staffed by Omaha-area personnel and those on the insurer’s catastrophe team. Two of the centers had adjusters and other personnel available to settle automotive claims on the spot. Adjusters spent about eight weeks inspecting vehicles for damage and cutting checks for repair work or as payouts to those whose vehicles were deemed total losses. The third center was for homeowner claims. Forsyth recommends that homeowners, renters and auto owners prepare for future storms by talking with their insurance agents.

“Make sure you have the correct coverage for your needs. For an example, if you are a renter, it’s important to understand that your personal property that may be on the patio and is affected by the storm damage is not going to be covered by the property owner’s policy,” he said. A separate policy would be needed to cover those items, such as a grill or a patio set. After a catastrophic event, homeowners and auto owners need to ask their insurance adjuster lots of questions, Forsyth said. Not doing so is a frequent mistake. “We would rather answer every question that you have, rather than having any scenario where you’re not sure if there’s coverage or you didn’t bring something up,” he said. “There is no such thing as a stupid question.” Rushing to hire a contractor is another frequent mistake that homeowners make after storms. Forsyth said it should be kept in mind that those who go door to door looking for business are not contractors. “They’re salesmen.” To ﬁnd a local licensed bonded contractor, he suggests verifying the contractor’s paperwork, getting references and checking the Better Business Bureau website. Communication is another important factor. Is the contractor easy to reach on the phone? “Two years down the road, if that roof starts leaking, you want to be able to ﬁnd that contractor,” Forsyth said. After hiring a contractor, homeowners should ask their insurance agents about products that might reduce premiums, such as impact-resistant shingles, he said. Also ask about labor and product warranties, and get them in writing. In general, keep good records. Forsyth suggests keeping a “storm notebook” to store receipts for expenses related to protecting your property from further damage. If trees fall onto your home, keep track of the hours spent if you, a friend or a neighbor remove them.

Forsyth said that while a tree that just falls over is not covered, the home is. “To do the repairs to the home, we have to take that tree off the home,” he said. If the homeowner does the work, “we would consider them as the professional contractor and pay them as such.” For auto owners, an approaching severe storm should be a signal to get your vehicle under cover. If that’s not an option and the vehicle is damaged, you’ll probably find yourself talking with your insurance agent. “If you had an insurance claim before, and you’ve had the repairs done, it’s really important to keep that documentation,” Forsyth said. “If you have a second claim, you can show your insurance company that the work has been performed, and full coverage of whatever you have under that policy should apply.” Documenting previous auto repairs is essential. “That’s important, because it’s a little different from the home,” Forsyth said. With homes, previous damage shows its age. Vehicle damage doesn’t change as much over time, which can make it difficult for an adjuster to tell the difference between old and new damage. Forsyth said the biggest misunderstanding regarding storm-caused auto damage is that some customers think they will be financially responsible for any additional damage discovered while the vehicle is being repaired. That’s not the case. “Your insurance companies are going to be made aware of it by your repair facilities, and if related to the storm, it’s going to be paid under the policy,” he said. Those whose autos are considered a total loss after a catastrophic event need to consider how their insurance company will determine its value. Prior damage is taken into account. “That’s why we talk about having the documentation of repairs,” Forsyth said.

Also important is the condition of the vehicle at the time of the loss. A third consideration — knowing the average market value of your vehicle — might not be as apparent. If you think you want to turn the totaled vehicle over to the insurance company, “go talk to somebody to see what it’s valued at and what it’s worth before making that decision,” Forsyth said. That “somebody” could be various vehicle dealerships or the Internet. “When you’re sitting down with your adjuster, you’ll have an idea of what that vehicle was worth. That’s going to expedite the settlement,” he said. After you turn in a claim, the insurance company works to make a decision based on condition, value and prior damage. “There’s no reason why the auto owner shouldn’t be doing the same thing,” Forsyth said. The discussion between vehicle owner and adjuster typically begins with the idea that a vehicle is of average value. At that point, show any documentation of completed repairs or work done that will elevate the value to something above average. For example, those new wheels you added might change the value. Such modiﬁcations might not increase the value appreciably, but at least you will know where you stand. “I have a ’99 Jeep. I’ve put so much money into it that to me it’s worth $30,000. Well, I could never get $30,000 for it. But if it was destroyed, I would want to see what the market value is, plus the extras I have in, so when I sit down with my adjuster I can say, ‘Here’s what I’ve found to be the value,’” Forsyth said. “It’s important for you two to work together to come to a solution. It’s a lot easier when you’re within a narrow gap rather than $12,000 to $13,000 difference, and it’s more emotional than documented.” Contact the writer: 402-444-1397, howard.marcus@owh.com Twitter.com/OWHhoward

RESOURCES Websites and apps: The Insurance Information Institute site, www.iii.org, offers a variety of free consumer-oriented information and apps, including the I.I.I. Toolkit (through iTunes), which includes three mobile apps: Know Your Coverage, Know Your Plan and Know Your Stuff — Home Inventory. The inventory app is available to Android users through the Google Playstore by searching for “III Inventory” and on the web at www.knowyourstuff.org. Use the Better Business Bureau site, www.bbb.org, to check out home repair contractors and auto repair facilities. Phone: Many insurance companies have toll-free numbers that can be useful after a catastrophe. It’s a good idea to write down the relevant numbers now and put them in a safe place for use when needed. Insurance agent: Speak with your agent to learn about apps and websites specific to your insurance company. You may be able to use the apps and sites to file claims, turn in photos, keep in touch with your agent, locate an agent if yours is not available, find a repair facility, check claim status, get help when doing a home inventory, or to find a locksmith, taxi, towing service, lodging, etc. Sources: State Farm, Insurance Information Institute

Be sure you know what you have — before it’s lost As you document your possessions, record every item in every room but concentrate on unique or expensive items.

Even with proper insurance coverage, it is important that possessions be documented in advance of a loss. “That just means writing it down, remembering what they have. When you’re in that situation where the emotions are going in seven different directions, it’s an impossible task,” said Marc Forsyth, a Lincoln-based State Farm catastrophe react adjuster. “When I speak to homeowners — before, during and after a storm — I always talk to them about documenting what they have, taking a few minutes to video everything that they own in every room,” Forsyth said. “We’re not saying you have to do this, but it’s going to make the process much easier. It’s recommended, not only by State Farm, but by everybody in the insurance world. Because we don’t know what you had, so to be able to replace that, we need your help.” As you document your property, think worst-case scenario.

“You could say, ‘If I know that a ﬁre or tornado is going to take my home, what will I need the following days to help assist my insurance in putting me back to where I was before?’ That’s the mentality I have,” Forsyth said. He favors using video instead of still photos to document possessions. “When you’ve had a catastrophic event happen to you, sometimes it’s hard to sit there and look at a photo and say, ‘Where did I get this from?’ Where if you have that on a video, all that information is given to you,” he said. “You can talk while you’re taking the pictures. So now you’re documenting not only with audio but with visual. When you’re looking at something you can say, ‘Ah, yes, this was that picture that we bought from that art gallery on the south side of Omaha.’ It gives you some clarity.” As you document your possessions, record every item in every room but concen-

trate on unique or expensive items. “I may walk through a room and say, ‘OK, there’s a SpongeBob T-shirt or a SpongeBob quilt. I’m not worried about that.’ But what I’m worried about are the high-dollar items, the antiques, the unique items,” Forsyth said. As for sales receipts, they are helpful to have but fragile. “They’re going to burn in a ﬁre just as easy as everything else,” he said. Some people document selectively, not realizing there are additional items to include. That’s especially true of collectors. “They’re going to know what they have and what they don’t have,” Forsyth said. “And I’ll say, ‘That’s great for your collection. Let’s go over here to your electronics room where you have three teenagers and four different electronic games and the computer sitting on the desk. Let’s make sure that’s documented as well.” Don’t forget to include possessions stored

in garages, sheds or off-site locations. Though a video documentation should take only about an hour, it isn’t a one-time thing. In Forsyth’s case, he adds to the video on his memory cards each year. “I just walk through and note anything different,” he said. Once your documentation is complete, safeguard the video. “You could have a copy of it at your house, but it’s good to have a copy someplace else,” he said. “I have all my documentation on a couple small little cards, and I have it in an envelope at a friend’s home.” Other places to store the video would include a bank safety-deposit box or even with your insurance agent. “I would talk to your agent to see if they’re able to do it,” he said. The key is to keep the original off your property. — Howard K. Marcus

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

15Y

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

Carol A. Anderson LUTCF, CFP Curnes Financial Group 402-397-5440

Bob Burk

CLU, CLTC Northwestern Mutual Financial Network 402-390-8287

Lewis A. Doane

Paula Anderson, Harris NAIFA, LUTCF Cumes Financial Group 402-397-5440

Jeanne Boisen-Baum CFP, ChFC Heritage Financial Services, LLC 402-558-6860

Brad R. Burwell

James R. Christensen Jr.

Vintage Financial Group LLC 402-932-7233

Ameritas Insource Inc 402-827-4467

Michael J. Booth

Securian Financial Services, Inc. 402-558-6860

Greg V. Cismoski

Lori A. Gartner

Kay E. Georgiana

Timothy Flott

Kyle Fuchtman Northwestern Mutual 402-379-6960

Associate Vice President Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC 308-698-0150 or 1-800-658-4435

Michael D. Headlee

Terry K. Headley

Mary Pat Heck

Jesse Hinrichs

LUTCF, CFP Heck & Moeler Financial Services 402-492-8444

David L. Darlington

CFP, ChFC, CLU, CLTC, CASL, MBA Northwestern Mutual 402-483-7871

Compass Beneﬁt Advisors 402-201-2715

LIC Headley Financial Group 402-492-2773

New York Life Ins. Co. Norfork 402-371-1123

CRSP DC Retirement Strategies 402-492-8896

CLU, LUTCF Doane Associates 402-898-0050

LUTCF, FSS Northwestern Mutual Financial Network 402-390-8247

James C. Bradford

CLU, CLTC Northwestern Mutual 402-379-6960

Lee W. Bridgman Lincoln Financial Group 402-361-7434

James Daubert

Robert J. Brown

Legacy Estate Planning Group Inc. 402-614-9489

Keith A. Deras

Darrin L. Brumbaugh CLU, ChFC, CFP Northwestern Mutual 402-362-1832

Rick J. Dhabalt

Joe Dierks

Daubert & Butler Associates 402-429-1300

CLU, ChFC Williams & Deras & Associates 402-398-9898

FLMI, QPA DC Retirement Strategies 402-492-8896

CLU, CLTC Northwestern Mutual 402-484-3881

LUTCF, MSFS Principal Financial Group 402-462-6871

Renaissance Financial Corporation 402-682-3918

Cole Grandﬁeld

Michael D. Guilliatt

Michael J. Hall

Timothy J. Harrison

Rodney Hunt

Michael C. Hutchinson

Christine J. Insinger

Randall H. Jensen Principal Life Insurance Co. 308-237-2717

Rod Jewell

CLU, CFBS, CLTC Mass Mutual Financial 402-397-8600

Steven J. Kontz

Joseph F. Labedz

Tony R. Larsen

Marlyn L. McClain

Kyle Miller

AEP, ChFC, CASL, LUTCF, MDRT Farm Bureau Financial Services 402-462-2920

New York Life Ins. Co. 402-312-3173

CLU, CFP Guilliatt & Associates 402-727-4845

Insurance & Investment Consultant Heritage Financial Services 402-558-6860

RHD Financial Services Lincoln, NE 402-420-2274

CIMA, CFP, CLU, ChFC, MSFS Harrison Financial Services 402-891-2302

MDRT members are trusted advisors who demonstrate superior product knowledge, exceptional client service and unquestionable ethical conduct. MDRT membership is recognized as the standard of excellence in the life insurancebased ﬁnancial services business.

Joseph M. John

CLU, ChFC Marcotte Wealth Management 402-926-2850

Jonathan Leymaster

Douglas B. Kelly

F. Nick Kelley

Knights of Columbus 402-884-0364

CLU Kelley Financial Services 402-991-7595

Lewis Linkugel

John L. Lord

The Premier Association of Financial Professionals®

There are 141 current Million Dollar Round Table Members in the Nebraska area. Those pictured are participating members who brought you the information included in this Financial times.

Paul A. Ludacka

Chad T. Mackland

Nicholas Mazgaj

Richard Otto

A. Robb Pantano

CFP, CLU, ChFC Northwestern Mutual Financial Network 402-891-2304

Jamison Moeller

Todd A. Morris

Michael Murphy

Robert Nelson CLU, LUTCF, FSS Nelson Murphy Insurance & Investment 402-963-0206

Woodbury Financial Services 402-488-8404

S. Kent Porter

Mark E. Prince

Nicholas J. Ramaekers

Patrick J. Ramaekers

Craig J. Reiser Mutual of Omaha 402-379-6745

Principal Financial Group 402-690-0962

CFP Vintage Financial Group LLC 402-932-7233

CFP Rickets Executive Planning 402-932-8260

Northwestern Mutual 402-390-8282

Chad M. Rutar

CLU, ChFC PM Financial 402-491-3400

LUTCF, CLTC Mutual of Omaha 402-916-5122

LUTCF, CFS PJ Ramaekers & Associates 402-331-3337

CLU, CFS PJ Ramaekers & Associates 402-331-3337

CFP Renaissance Financial Corp 402-421-2151

Ryan Miller

RHU, LuTCF New York Life Ins. Co. 402-496-6429

LUTCF, CSA Nelson Murphy Insurance & Investment 402-963-0200

New York Life Ins. Co. 712-325-0126

New York Life Ins. Co. 308-346-4786

Lewis P. Linkugel Financial Services Lincoln, NE 402-423-9500

CLU, ChFC Midwest Capital 402-571-1505

CFS Renaissance Financial 402-682-3904

ChFC New York Life Ins. Co. 402-398-1900

Northwestern Mutual Financial Network 402-891-2317

AAMS, CMFC, CRPC Heck & Moeller Financial Services 402-492-8896

Northwestern Mutual Financial Network 402-960-7141

CLU, ChFC Renaissance Financial 402-682-3900

Renaissance Financial 402-682-3900

Pearce Financial Services 402-502-6900

Kevin P. Pearce

Neil J. Pfeifer

Alicia Richards

Kirstin Ricketts

Pat Ricketts

FICF Knights of Columbus 402-379-0180

Renaissance Financial Corp. 402-682-3943

David Ping

Northwestern Mutual 402-709-2216

Scott Royal

CFS, ChFC Renaissance Financial 402-932-9005

Steve Ryan

CLU, ChFC, CASL Northwestern Mutual 308-384-2790

Chris Schaedel

Paul Schlieker

Daniel J. Scholz

Mark Scholz

Michael Scholz

Jeff R. Shreeves

Nathan Silva

Dave Snyder

Guy D. Strevey

Richard Strevey

Brad S. Swiggart

Michael F. Tews

Jerry Tjards

Sheila Tringe

F. Joe Vlock

Richard D. Vonderlage

CLU, ChFC, CASL Northwestern Mutual 402-390-8248

CFP, CLU, ChFC Guy Strevey & Associates 402-493-0253

Justin Wanek CFP, CLU, CLTC, ChFC Northwestern Mutual 402-390-6320

Northwestern Mutual Financial Network 402-484-3895

CFP, RFC Strevey Financial Services 402-445-2288

James T. Wapelhorst ChFC, CLU, CASL, CLTC Northwestern Mutual 402-397-6966

LUTCF Prudential 402-861-3679

CLTC Northwestern Mutual Financial Network 402-483-7871

Kevin M. Weber Knights of Columbus 402-933-6090

ChFC, CLU Ameritas Financial 402-397-1952

CLU ChFC Northwestern Mutual 402-391-6651

Raymond Welsh

CFBS, LUTCF Mass Mutual Financial Group 402-385--2449

Ameritas Financial 402-779-7342

LUTCF Tjards Financial 402-334-1094

Thomas G. Whiteing Renaissance Financial 402-682-3900

Knights of Columbus Bertrand, NE 308-991-6157

LUTCF Principal Financial Group 402-995-4423

Michael R. Williams Williams-Deras & Associates 402-398-9898

LUTCF, CLTC New York Life Ins. Co. 402-496-6450

CLU, ChFC, CAP New York Life Ins. Co. 402-496-6446

Warren “Tony” Wolpa Lincoln Financial Group 402-392-1018

Ameritas Financial 402-779-7332

Heritage Financial Services 402-964-2277

Ben Wormington Renaissance Financial 402-682-3970

16Y

OUTLOOK

FINANCE & INSURANCE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

Legacy banks hold top rungs

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

National Bank of Omaha 1 First 27.54% $7.1 billion 35 branches

Omaha’s First National and Lincoln’s Union are tops in their cities. BY RUSSELL HUBBARD

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

hen it comes to banking in Nebraska, a few miles can mean a passel of dollars. METRO AREA BANK That’s one conclusion to be drawn from the DEPOSIT MARKET SHARE just-released bank deposit market-share statistics from As of June 30 the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Take Omaha and Lincoln. In Omaha, the runaway leader in deposit share is First National Bank of Omaha, the largest bank based in the state and the largest Fargo privately held bank in the nation. 2 Wells Bank It commands 27.5 percent of the deposits in the 13.35% $3.5 billion Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan statistical area, a 21 branches $7.1 billion cash cache that is more than double that of the No. 2 entrant, San Francisco-based Wells Fargo Bank. of 3 Mutual Omaha Bank But just a few dozen miles aways, in Lincoln, it is a 13.1% far different story. $3.4 billion There, Lincoln-based Union Bank & Trust leads in 5 branches deposits, with 24 percent of that metro-area’s share. First National Bank of Omaha ranks eighth in Lincoln, with barely 3 percent, from five branches. And it is a two-way street; Lincoln top dog Union Bank doesn’t even crack the top 10 in Omaha, commanding fewer than 1 percent of the metro-area’s deposits, with only three branches. Both banks are oldtimers in Nebraska. Union Bank is almost 100 years old, and First National of Omaha is Bank 4 U.S. even older. 27.54% $7.1 billion “What you are looking at is a state with a very stable 35 branches population and tremendous loyalty to legacy banks that have been in business for a very long time, ” said Tony Plath, a banking professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. “You don’t see those kinds of splits in states and cities with a lot of coming and going. “I would bet Nebraska’s older banks have been doing business with the same families and companies for generations.” Overall, bank deposits in Nebraska as of June 30 rose 7 percent from a year earlier, to $55.1 billion, according to the FDIC. Deposits in Nebraska have risen in all but one year in the past five; they fell 7 percent in 2010 from a year earlier, to $43 billion. They rose 12 percent in 2011 and 8 percent in 2012. Statewide, the deposit share numbers are a lot closer than they are in the large metro areas, according to FDIC figures, which are released annually in October. First National of Omaha is the statewide leader, with about 13 percent of the deposits; only one other bank, Wells Fargo, has more than 10 percent. In all, 15 banks command at least 1 percent of the state’s bank deposits: First National Bank of Omaha, Wells Fargo Bank, Mutual of Omaha Bank, U.S. Bank, Pinnacle Bank, Great Western Bank, Union Bank & Trust, Bank of the West, World’s Foremost Bank, AmeriNEBRASKA TOP 5 can National Bank, Cornerstone Bank, Five Points Bank, BANK DEPOSIT SHARES Security National Bank of Omaha, Security First Bank As of June 30 and Elkhorn Valley Bank & Trust. In the Omaha area, 2013 movers in rank included Wells First National Bank of Omaha Fargo, which elbowed its way into second place this year, Wells Fargo from third a year ago. Bank Mutual of The president of Wells Fargo’s Nebraska region, Kirk 6.2% Omaha Bank Kellner, attributed the increase to “business from new U.S. Bank 5.9% customers and deepened relationships with existing ones.” Pinnacle Bank 5.2% He added: “We also saw more customers keep more deposits with Wells Fargo. This is especially true on the business side. Businesses are keeping cash on hand, and continue to be cautious about making investments.” Omaha-based American National Bank cracked the top five in the metro area, moving up from sixth place a year earlier. Steve Ritzman, president of American National’s holding company, said his bank gained deposits by opening two new branches, one in La Vista and one in west Omaha at 144th Street and West Maple Road. “The economy is better, but still not as robust as you would hope for,” Ritzman said. “A lot of people are keeping a lot of their liquidity in the bank, as opposed to buying new equipment, hiring or otherwise growing their businesses.” In cash, market leader First National of Omaha increased its metro-area share by $700 million, good for a half-percent increase in deposit share. and businesses are continuing to keep cash on hand,” he said. “We “The significant increase in First National Bank’s market share expect businesses will invest more as the economy improves, and deposit volume reflects the strong response we’ve had to our deploying more cash and drawing down credit to grow their operfree checking account,” said President Dan O’Neill. “We listened ations.” to customer concerns about checking account fees and requireExecutives at Pinnacle Bank, which added almost $300 million ments and, based on their feedback, dedicated ourselves to creatof deposits over the year, said economic uncertainty has fueled ing an account that is simple, transparent and free.” deposit growth. Minnesota-based U.S. Bank, which added $420 million in Oma“Consumers and businesses want to have easier access to their ha-area deposits over the year, attributed part of the gain to a funds,” said Christine Wendlandt, senior vice president at Pinnacle savings-account incentive program. Bank. “The program rewards customers with $50 rewards cards when Wendlandt also said Pinnacle’s banks statewide are led by local they reach a $1,000 savings goal and then again when they save executives who make their own decisions, which he said helped that amount a year,” said Steve Erwin, U.S. Bank’s regional presthe Lincoln-based company increase state market share from 4.9 ident for Nebraska and western Iowa. “Omaha customers have percent to 5.2 percent. earned more than $450,000 in rewards as a result.” There is a lesson to be learned from the growth in deposits, said Erwin concurred with banking counterparts in Nebraska about Plath, banking professor in Charlotte: People and companies are business spending. “We also see customers continuing to shore up their savings keeping their cash in the bank because they do not feel confident

BANK

5 Great Western

Bank 5.38% $1.4 billion 29 branches

LINCOLN METRO AREA BANK DEPOSIT SHARES As of June 30

13.4% 10.4%

Union State Bank & Trust Wells Fargo Bank U.S. Bank Pinnacle Bank Cornhusker Bank

24% 17.8% 10.6% 8.1% 5.3% SOURCE: Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

M AT T H A N E Y / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D

“What you are looking at is a state with a very stable population and tremendous loyalty to legacy banks that have been in business for a very long time. ” Tony Plath, banking professor enough to spend or invest it. “Washington, D.C., is a mess,” Plath said. “No well-managed business is investing right now, there is too much political and economic instability. That is not a criticism of any single person or policy, but rather the entire Congress and government apparatus, which shows zero understanding of what is required to get the economy and employment back on track.”

Real estate and retirement planning are intertwined BY MARILYN KENNEDY MELIA CTW FEATURES

At its most basic level, retirement planning boils down to this: Will your assets be sufficient to fund your expenses after you stop working? For homeowners, one key factor falls on both sides of the equation, since their home is both an expense and an asset. Financial experts usually advise homebuyers not to think of their purchase as an investment that will escalate in value, but as an expense, with a mortgage payment fitting into a budget along with other living costs. But a home assumes a more prominent role in retirement planning. “A home is a bedrock asset upon which the rest of your financial security lies,” said Rick Brooks, vice president for investment management at Blankinship & Foster, Solana Beach, Calif. Try these strategies to build a retirement plan considering that bedrock.

LIVING MORTGAGE-FREE

EQUITY ON TAP

PROFITING FROM MORTGAGE MANEUVERS

Consider a hypothetical couple in their late 50s earning a combined income of $100,000. Hoping to retire at 65, they have no debt other than a mortgage payment that takes 20 percent of their pretax income (including property taxes and insurance). They have 10 years left to pay off their mortgage. Their savings total $400,000, and $200,000 of equity on a home worth $350,000. They have no pension. “Most clients hate going into retirement with a mortgage,” said Bozeman, Mont.-based ﬁnancial planner Alan Moore. That’s why he’d advise this couple to “crank up their savings if possible” to prepay their mortgage and host a mortgage-burning party at retirement.

This hypothetical couple is better off financially than many, according to research conducted by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. In 2010, said Anthony Webb of the CRR, the median home equity — which is defined by subtracting mortgage principal owed from a home’s value — of households ages 50 to 59 amounted to just over $70,000. Although many retirees want to live mortgage-free in their current home, the CRR stats show that many don’t have the resources to do so, Webb said. “An increasing proportion of homeowners will tap housing equity, either by downsizing or through a reverse mortgage to make ends meet in retirement,” Webb said. A reverse mortgage might make it possible for those with limited resources to stay in their home. These loans provide funds up to a specified limit, based upon factors like a homeowner’s age and equity. The loan doesn’t need to be repaid until the senior owners leave the home. On the other hand, retirees can “downsize,” meaning they would sell a more expensive home, pocket the profits and move to a less expensive place. It’s not always easy: “Certainly there is an emotional attachment to a home,” said Thomas Duffy, principal at Jersey Shore Financial Advisors in Red Bank, N.J. But, like Webb, he believes practicality will trump sentiment for many retiring boomers.

Yes, there’s considerable comfort in entering retirement mortgage-free, said Cleveland-based fee-only planner Ken Robinson. But that’s not the only option. Our hypothetical couple “should consider a new 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, and should also consider taking another $130,000 of their home equity to invest,” he said. That’s because the couple is making a big payment on a mortgage with around a 6 percent rate. By refinancing to a lower interest charge, they’d have several hundred dollars monthly to invest for retirement, Robinson said. If the couple is comfortable with the idea, they could refinance to take out some of their equity and invest the proceeds, too, Robinson adds. Indeed, the many ways real estate can impact retirement depend not only on the owners’ finances, but on their tolerance for risk and lifestyle aspirations, Robinson and the other experts agree.

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

FINANCE & INSURANCE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

17Y

C T W F E AT U R E S

Should you seek help on finances?

Here’s what to know about finding a planner. BY ALEXANDRA GALLUCCI CTW FEATURES

Many ﬁnancial planners offer free sessions to attract potential clients, but when should you consider taking one? We talked with a few experts to ﬁnd out what to expect from a free consultation and how to make the most of it.

HOW FREE IS FREE? C T W F E AT U R E S

Know where and how to save your money Create a monthly budget and short- and long-term goals.

BY ALYSSA KARAS CTW FEATURES

As the ﬁnancial outlook for many Americans becomes a little brighter, it’s easy to sail off on that postponed tropical trip or race out and buy that new pair of shoes. “If they have been utilizing good and proper money savings, it’s a great reward to go out and spend a little something on you and your family, whether that be a vacation, or it’s time for new furniture in the house,” said Stan T. Webb, CEO of Dreamcatcher Wealth Management, based in Wichita, Kan., and co-founder of the Minerva Foundation for Financial Literacy. Still, Webb and other experts agree: Knowing where and how to save money is a key to thriving in any economy. Here are a few tips for cautiously optimistic families and individuals.

BUILD A RAINY-DAY FUND When it comes to making money work for you, Paul Dolce has three key steps for his clients. The ﬁrst is saving money, period. The second is putting those savings into what Dolce calls “buckets.” Buckets might be anything from retirement savings to auto loans to college savings. The third step is investing, which Dolce said most people believe is the most important. But in fact, placing savings into the appropriate buckets is what makes the real difference. “They think, ‘I just need to invest my money better,’” said Dolce, founder and president of Financial Solutions, based in Dublin, Ohio. “They need to place their money in the right buckets.”

GETTING PAID Before hiring a financial planner, be sure to ask about his or her compensation structure. Some work on a “fee-only” basis, meaning they charge a standard fee for their services. In general, fee-only planners also hold fiduciary responsibility to make financial decisions in your best interest and are held accountable if they do not. Some financial planners, especially those affiliated with a certain bank or investment company, are paid a commission based on which products you purchase from them. In this case, be cautious; you want to be sure the advice is in your best monetary interest, not someone else’s.

THE 2-FOLD INTERVIEW Planners have different specialties within the field, said James Daniel, a financial planner in Alpharetta, Ga. Some are qualified to sell only certain financial products or insurance. Because of this, clients should ensure that they understand the financial planner’s capabilities/specialties as much as the planner understands the client’s needs.

HOW YOU CAN PREPARE If you come ready with questions about developing a financial plan, retirement, investing or insurance, the meeting will be a good use of your time, Daniel said. Consult a financial planning website, such as cfpboard.net, fpanet.org, or napfa.org, which can help you ask the important questions during your meeting. “Even if you’re young and you don’t have a family or children or a very complex financial situation, it’s never a bad idea to just get professional recommendation,” Dvorak said.

MAKE A ROAD MAP It’s tempting to see an improving economy as evidence that your own finances have improved as well. But it’s important to examine exactly where you stand, regardless of what pundits are saying or how the markets might be fluctuating. “Each individual family has its own economy,” said Ryan H. Law, director of the University of Missouri Office for Financial Success. “For one family, the economy might have improved dramatically; maybe they got a raise. Maybe the family next door, their economy might have decreased drastically; maybe they lost a job.” To keep an individual family’s “economy” in control, create a road map. That includes a monthly budget and short- and long-term goals. Write it down and refer to it regularly. Webb recommends breaking down the road map into simple and attainable goals and steps. Ask yourself: “‘Where do I want to be in one year, five years, 10 years, 20 years and at the end of my life? What are things that I need to purchase or to do during those time frames? Like, I need to buy a new car in three years,’” Webb said. “It’s about painting that picture for that goal.”

Some financial planners will offer free dinners with investing seminars or free first sessions to get new clients in the door. As long as you check the fine print (do you get the first free session only if you pay for subsequent ones?) these sessions should be safe to attend. The main question to ask yourself is, what is the other party getting from this transaction? If they get paid only if you buy something, then you need to take the advice with a grain of salt. A short, one-hour meeting can be enough time for a client to learn more about the financial-planning process and for the planner to learn about the client’s situation, said Jeff Dvorak, managing principal at 4D Financial Advisors in Naperville, Ill.

Most ﬁnancial advisors agree that the ﬁrst “bucket” for every family should be an emergency fund, in case of accidents, job loss, sickness or any other unwelcome surprise. Families should save three to six months’ worth of expenses in a safe account. “If it’s an emergency fund, it’s an emergency fund,” Webb said. “It’s not for those shoes that go on sale.”

REDUCE DEBT After shoring up an emergency fund, paying down – and then staying out of – debt is an important next step. “America has a debt crisis in a lot of ways, a lot of credit card debt and student loan debt,” Law said. “I’d say that we’re getting into a lot of trouble ﬁnancially in terms of our debt load that we’re taking on.”

PREPARE FOR RETIREMENT “Even with things being better, the reality is the Gen X, Gen Y generations, we’re not even coming close to saving what we need for retirement,” said Jeff Rose, author of “Soldier of Finance” (AMACOM, 2013), and CEO and founder of Alliance Wealth Management in Carbondale, Ill. With the loss of so many pensions and the uncertain future of social security, most households need to ramp up retirement savings. Plus, it’s never too early to start. “They might be putting away 10 percent of their paychecks and think they’re doing a good job,” Rose said. “I don’t want to scoff at that, but it’s nowhere near where it needs to be.”

PLAN FOR EDUCATION “It’s always a great time to save for education because education costs are always going up more than inﬂation,” Webb said.

And while how much (or little) parents choose to contribute to a child’s education varies from family to family, be sure to have clear priorities. For example, sacriﬁcing retirement funds to pay for college is not a sound long-term strategy. “If you can afford to pay for college, you pay for it,” Dolce said. “I see too many people who pay for their kid’s college but can’t afford to retire. Retirement is a priority.”

PRACTICE GOOD SAVING HABITS If your household has beneﬁtted from extra job security or a larger income, it can be nice to treat yourself. But remember, more income brings a chance to save even more. Cary Siegel, author of the independently published book, “Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School?: 99 Personal Money Management Tips to Live By” (2013), still remembers the rules he learned in business school: “Every time you get a pay increase, take half of it and live a little bit better, and take the other half and save it,” said Siegel, a former business executive and speaker who was able to retire at 45 by saving, investing and working hard. To make saving for goals easier, ﬁnancial advisers recommend automatically deducting funds from your paycheck or bank account. If you never see the money, you’re not as tempted to spend it. This is proven to be the “easiest and best way to invest,” Webb said. “This type of savings and investing takes the mind out of having to rethink the savings every paycheck.” You can also set up separate bank accounts for individual goals, emergency funds or any other savings goal. Dolce suggests shopping around for banks for the best deal. Young people especially should look for a bank with no minimum balance, minimal fees and high interest rates.

Tips on choosing a financial adviser » Ask about experience and qualifications — understand the different certifications. » Find someone you feel comfortable with and can trust. » Discuss the pay structure: How and when you will pay, and how much. » Ensure the planner has fiduciary responsibility. » Be prepared to answer questions about your life/financial goals.

PLANNING BY THE NUMBERS 51 percent People who have a comprehensive or basic financial plan. 86 percent Of those with a financial plan, people who are confident in managing their finances. Source: Consumer Federation of America

A Wise Man puts his house in order... Have you? Make arrangements now and give your family the peace of mind they deserve. Forest Lawn Cemetery is Nebraska’s only recognized Bird Sanctuary and Arboretum

FOREST LAWN MEMORIAL PARK

7909 Mormon Bridge Rd Omaha, Nebraska

402-451-1000

18Y

OUTLOOK

FINANCE & INSURANCE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Kids, get advice from Warren Buffett

Ten of the secrets to success shared by billionaire investor Warren Buffett in “Secret Millionaires Club,” by Andy and Amy Heyward: » Try to learn from your mistakes — better yet, learn from the mistakes of others! “When you own a business or manage a company, the last thing you want to do is make a mistake. You can lose customers and lose money by making too many mistakes. But sometimes slip-ups happen and a successful business manager learns from his or her mistakes. “It’s the same thing in life. Learn from your mistakes — better yet; learn from the mistakes of others!” » Following your passion is the key to success. “Since we all need to work for a living, it’s best to work at something you like. I love what I do and think everyone should pursue his or her dreams. One of the keys to success is to be excited about what you do and to always have a dream. “So remember: The person who can’t be stopped, won’t be.” » Failure is not falling down, it’s not getting up. “‘Trying new things’ and knowing that you will make mistakes in life is important to understand — because today’s failure can lead to tomorrow’s success! “Think about it: What wonderful things could you do in life if you knew you could not be stopped by failure?” » It takes years to build a reputation but only minutes to ruin it. “Building a good reputation is important in life. The best thing you can do for yourself is to build a reputation for being kind, generous and thoughtful to others. Make sure that you act as if everything you say, the things you do and how you treat others could be posted on the Internet for the whole world to see. “So remember: A good reputation is the greatest thing to build over your lifetime — and make sure to never do anything to harm it in any way.” » If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. “In life, as in business, you want to make sure that you carefully think things through when offered something. If someone guarantees that you will make easy money or they make promises that are unbelievable, then a warning bell should ring in your head. In other words, don’t believe everything you hear. “So remember: Always be careful when considering a promise and always use good, common sense to make up your mind.”

» If your service is outstanding, you’ll always stand out. “Being nice and making friends is important for success in life. You should always strive to be nice, care for others and be friendly; if you do this, you’re sure to stand out. “So remember: the first three rules for making friends are: Be pleasant, be respectful and care for others. The fourth rule is to pay attention to the first three rules!” » It’s not just the outside that counts. It’s the whole package. “Packaging yourself properly is important. It’s like having a scorecard showing on the outside that reflects your inner scorecard. “For example, you should show respect if you want to be respected. Admire honesty as part of being honest. And be lovable to be loved.” » Make sure you stay in school. “Ever heard of the domino effect? ... “A decision you make today might affect events in your future. The best example that comes to mind is that you should stay in school, because failing to complete your education today can lead to not achieving your dreams in the future. “Remember: One decision can affect your future — just like one domino can knock down a row of one hundred dominos!” » Save money for things you need instead of spending it all on things you want! “Saving money is a very important habit for you to form as early as you can. As you earn money, you should get into the practice of putting some aside so you can buy the things you need in the future. “In other words, as Ben Franklin once said, ‘A penny saved is a penny earned!’ ” » Be smarter at the end of the day than you were at the beginning. “Did you know that learning could last you a lifetime? ... “I’ve often said that the best investment you can make is in yourself — and to do that, challenge yourself to learn something new every day. “Remember: Learn to be better at what you like to do and that will make you happy with yourself. And if you are happy with yourself, others will be happy with you!” The Omaha World-Herald Co. is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

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Discover all 26 secrets in the “Secret Millionaires Club: Warren Buffett’s 26 Secrets to Success in the Business of Life” (Wiley; August 2013), by Andy and Amy Heyward, co-founders of A Squared Entertainment; written with Warren Buffett’s support and input; based on the TV show on The Hub. To purchase the book, go to www. wiley.com and search for the title or authors.

IMAGES COURTESY OF BY KIDS FOR KIDS

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

FINANCE & INSURANCE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

19Y

Here’s how to design your ideal retirement As you save money, make sure your plan reflects your hopes and dreams.

JOE HEARN

Think for a minute about the architecture around Omaha. The gas station where you fill up. The Dodge Street Expressway that you take to work. The farmer’s barn. Your home or office. Or maybe something a little more imposing. The Holland Performing Arts Center. The Henry Doorly Zoo. TD Ameritrade Park. The Old Market. The First National Bank Tower. Boys Town. Joslyn Castle. What do these all have in common? At first glance, not much. They were built in different time periods using different methods and different materials. They are in different parts of town. Some are little known. Others are celebrated. Some are massive while others are more modest. The common thread woven through all of them, however, is design. None of those structures just appeared out of thin air without design or forethought. Whether it was a horse barn in 1854 or the new Gavilon building in 2013, before the first hole was dug or the first block was laid, someone sat down with pencil and paper and came up with a design. It was a very intentional process that took into account things such as the building site, climate, technology, cost, schedule, regulations and, perhaps most importantly, what the building or structure would be used for. Consider those buildings as a metaphor for your retirement. Your ideal retirement won’t just spring up out of thin air. Someone needs to design it. And since it’s YOUR retirement with YOUR plans and dreams, YOU need to be involved with the designing. It’s your job to consider all the

ON RETIREMENT

factors involved and decide what you want that period of your life to look like. To help, here are three key elements that your plan should include.

or scale back your retirement expenses. While these options might not sound ideal, they are certainly preferable to running out of money during retirement.

FOUNDATION

FORM

Your retirement, similar to a new building, needs a strong foundation. Rather than concrete and rebar, however, the foundation of any retirement plan is money. Without money, your dreams will never get off the drawing board. Because of that, it’s important to know exactly how much you will need to fund the type of retirement you want. Said another way, you should retire based on your bank account, not your birthday. So how can you calculate your “number”? The best way is to work with a trusted adviser and calculate your need based on a careful analysis of your plans, circumstances and estimated expenses. There are certain rules of thumb, however, that will enable you to make a quick estimate right now. One such way is to calculate your need based on your current income. Recent research by Aon Hewitt shows that the average person needs Social Security plus a nest egg worth about 11 times their annual income to maintain their standard of living in retirement. With that in mind, multiply your income by 11. That’s a rough estimate of how much you would need to have set aside if you were going to retire today. How are you doing? Are you on track to accumulate the assets you will need? If not, there are a number of things you can do to catch up. The obvious solution is to save more. Both 401(k)s and IRAs have higher contribution limits for people over 50, which could help you make up lost ground. Other options would be to work longer, work part time during retirement

When you look at a set of blueprints, you quickly notice that the building in question is made up of much more than just concrete and steel. There are a number of other systems — plumbing, electrical, heating, etc. — that come together to form the ﬁnal structure. In a similar way, the typical retirement has a number of separate parts that come together to form the whole. Answering “How much?” (as we did earlier) is important, but retirement is more than just a math problem. Don’t forget about things such as Social Security, Medicare, housing, health, asset allocation, distribution strategy, long-term care and estate planning to name a few. Your plan needs to be comprehensive and cover each of these areas. If one is missing or isn’t designed properly, it will create problems. It would be like designing the Century Link Center to include everything except electricity. It would look much like it does now, but it wouldn’t be a great place to see a concert. Your retirement will be just as incomplete if you overlook a key part of your plan.

FUNCTION There is an old design adage that says form follows function. In other words, the design should be heavily inﬂuenced by the intended purpose. That is why the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge looks much different from the Mormon bridge. Different functions. Different designs. Applying that idea to your retirement, your design should reﬂect your unique

plans and dreams. Think about what you actually want to do during your retirement years and then plan accordingly. After all, what’s the point of having money and time if you don’t spend those valuable commodities doing what is important to you? A detailed lifestyle plan will greatly improve your odds of having a fulfilling retirement doing the things you want with the people you love. To get started in this area, just ask yourself some basic questions. What do you actually want to do during your retirement years? What hobbies or activities do you enjoy? Do you want to continue to work part time? Do you want to travel? Do you have a bucket list? If you were to die tomorrow, would you have any regrets? What can you do that will provide purpose and satisfaction? What relationships are important to you? Is there a particular state where you’d like to live? As you answer these questions a picture or your ideal retirement will come into focus. Those plans, along with the solid foundation and comprehensive structure that we discussed earlier, are the key ingredients to a rewarding, successful retirement. Note: Want some help with your design? Just like Omaha has great companies such as HDR and Kiewit to help people design and build buildings, it has great financial planners, accountants and estate planning attorneys to help you design your retirement. I’d encourage you to connect with one or more of those advisers in the new year so you can keep your plans on track. If you’re interested, I’ll be doing a series of workshops in 2014 to help people design their ideal retirement. Visit www.intentionalretirement.com/workshop to learn more. Joe Hearn is an Omaha financial planner. He can be reached at 402-331-8600 or by email at joe@intentionalretirement.com.

Pick your number

The time has finally come — you think — to retire. Do you know what your retirement age means for your financial future? BY DAWN KLINGENSMITH CTW FEATURES

Roughly one-third (34 percent) of middle-class Americans plan to work until they are at least 80 because they have saved too little for retirement, according to a recent Wells Fargo survey. While there’s no ideal retirement age, 80 is beyond the average person’s life expectancy. “Many people who think they have to work until they die have never sat down and worked the numbers,” said Stuart Ritter, a senior financial planner with the Baltimore-based investment management firm T. Rowe Price. The FuturePath online retirement calculator on T. Rowe Price’s website generates a “confidence score” on how people will fare based on factors including retirement age. To the extent that a person’s financial and physical state allows for some flexibility, he or she will want to consider the implications when plugging in various retirement ages. Read on to learn what your retirement age means for you.

62: EARLY RETIREMENT This is the earliest that most folks can start collecting Social Security benefits (or 60 for widows or widowers). Social Security benefits continue to increase until age 70; beyond that, if a person continues to work, the amount no longer increases. Though it is possible to tap into Social Security earlier, the monthly amount will be lower. In addition, “If you claim your benefits early and you die, the check your spouse receives will be lower for the rest of their life,” Ritter said.

65: “TARGET” RETIREMENT AGE For decades, 65 has been a target age for retirement because that’s when people are eligible for Medicare. Retiring earlier means giving up employer-sponsored health insurance and paying for coverage until Medicare kicks in. “First and foremost, you have to determine how you’re going to take care of medical expenses,” said certified financial planner Rick Rodgers, president of Rodgers & Associates in Lancaster, Pa. The Affordable Care Act “takes a lot of uncertainty out of the equation” for those with preexisting conditions, he adds, “so it comes down to whether insurance is affordable” through the health care exchanges. As a rule of thumb, people who retire at age 65 should spend no more than 4 percent of their retirement savings that first year to ensure their money will last, Ritter said.

66-67: MODERN RETIREMENT The Social Security Administration previously considered “full retirement age” (or “normal” retirement age) to be 65; however, beginning with folks born in 1938 or later, that age gradually increases until it reaches 67 for people born after 1959. Those who work beyond their full retirement age (see the calculator at www.ssa.gov) “will get a higher payout; take it earlier, and you’ll get a reduced payout,” said Brent Lindell, a ﬁnancial adviser with Savant Capital Management, based in Rockford, Ill.

C T W F E AT U R E S

70: POSTPONED RETIREMENT Working to age 70, a person receives the maximum Social Security benefit. Generally speaking, “You lose out for every month earlier than 70 that you claim benefits,” Ritter said. But maximizing Social Security benefits isn’t the only reason to stay in the workforce. “One of the biggest considerations is, are you mentally prepared to retire? Work stimulates you physically and mentally,” Lindell said. Healthy sexagenarians may want to consider transitioning by working part time or giving what Ritter calls “practice retirement” a spin: “When you’re close but not quite ready, continue working full time but take the money you would usually set aside for savings and start having some fun.” The point isn’t to accumulate stuff but to travel and pursue hobbies while still relatively young.

75+: LATE RETIREMENT Folks whose ﬁnances aren’t in the best of shape don’t necessarily need to work for their whole lives; in fact, deteriorating health and mental acuity may necessitate retirement before the end of life. Perhaps, instead, they can work full time until age 70 or so and then scale back to part time work. “Just working a couple of extra years has a huge effect (on ﬁnancial health),” Ritter said. “It increases your retirement savings balance while reducing the number of years it needs to support you.”

BY THE NUMBERS

Average age of retirement for current retirees (up from 57 in 1993).

Average expected age of retirement for non-retirees (up from 60 in 1995). Source: Gallup 2013 Economy and Personal Finance Survey

20Y

OUTLOOK

FINANCE & INSURANCE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

A Mutual commitment to Omaha, though focus has evolved Entering the banking business is the latest example of how Mutual of Omaha stays strong.

MUTUAL OF OMAHA INSURANCE CO. Location: Mutual of Omaha Plaza (33rd and Farnam Streets) Founded: March 5, 1909, Mutual Benefit Health & Accident Association Fortune 500 ranking (2013): No. 394 Employees: 4,897, including 3,500 in Omaha home office (January 2014) Contact: 402-342-7600 or www.mutualofomaha.com Primary products: Life, accident, disability, dental and supplemental health insurance; financial retirement services; banking services Individual customers, 2014: 3.5 million Total members, 2014 (preliminary): 7.4 million Annual benefits paid, 2012: $3.2 billion

BY TODD VON KAMPEN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

A nimble constancy in putting customers first. Five — and only five — chairmen of the board in 100-plus years. And one soft-spoken zoologist who pitched a TV show. Such has been the formula that made Mutual of Omaha a Fortune 500 company, a bedrock of its community and a nationally known name. It’s visible in the insurer’s imposing 75-year-old campus and the shining shopping center linking it to downtown Omaha. It’s reflected in the local university buildings named for its first chairman, the west Omaha high school christened for its second — and, of course, the Wild Kingdom Pavilion near the entrance of Omaha’s world-class Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium. Mutual has shuffled its lineup of insurance and financial products from time to time, most dramatically when it shed its group health insurance lines in 2007 — the same year it entered the banking business just as a “bubble” in nationwide housing prices began its colossal collapse. Still, neither the Great Recession of the past decade nor the Great Depression in the last century could knock Mutual off its rails. Longtime company spokesman Jim Nolan said the same factors that saw Mutual through those crises remain the key to its future: stable leadership and an unshakable focus on customer service. The latter, he added, flows naturally from Mutual’s status as a mutual insurance company. Because insurers so organized are owned by their policyholders, “we can make decisions for the long term,” Nolan said. “And we’re called upon to make decisions for the benefit of our policyholders, not for shareholders.” Even Mutual’s bold moves in launching and quickly growing Mutual of Omaha Bank can be traced to its historic identity, he said. Company leaders immediately declared their intention to become a major player in banking, then followed up by buying weakened and failing banks — but not their toxic real-estate loans — in growing from zero to $6 billion in nationwide banking assets in six years. “It was a matter of making decisions that … (promote) continued financial strength and can continue to grow to meet the needs of our policyholders,” Nolan said. Mutual’s enduring principles began to take root in July 1910, when a Creighton University medical student named C.C. Criss was elected treasurer of the fledgling insurer originally known as Mutual Benefit Health & Accident Association. Founded in March 1909, the firm needed nearly a year to gain the 250 policy applications necessary to be licensed to sell health and accident insurance in Nebraska. After reaching that goal in January 1910, it received only 29 more applications in the six months before Criss’ election, according to a timeline on Mutual’s website. Criss encouraged a corporate attitude of customer service “from a populist perspective for the common man,” Nolan said. Customers repaid the approach with their confidence. Mutual Benefit was licensed to sell insurance in 15 states by 1920 and in all of the then-48 states, Alaska, Hawaii and Canada by 1939. Criss never did practice medicine. Working alongside his wife, Mabel, who joined the leadership team in 1928, he served as Mutual Benefit’s president from 1933 to 1949 and then as chairman until his death in 1952. The couple’s impact on their city, Nolan said, is reflected in the buildings named for them at each of Omaha’s major universities: the Health Sciences Building at Creighton and the library at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Already a top-five U.S. insurer by 1929,

Far left, Mutual of Omaha’s headquarters. At left, Mutual spearheaded the development of Midtown Crossing, a 15-acre, $300 million retail and residential development.

MUTUAL OF OMAHA

Below, Mutual of Omaha’s headquarters building had a new face for a time in 2009. A giant image of a tiger was draped across the front of the Dodge Street facade, and the building was lit in the evening. The company turned 100 in 2009.

JAMES R. BURNETT/THE WORLD-HERALD

At left, in 1988 a group from data processing gathers for lunch in the Mutual of Omaha dome. A garden of trees, plantings and natural light contribute to the outdoor setting of the indoor cafeteria.

Mutual Benefit barely broke stride during the Depression. It acquired other insurers, entered the hospital-insurance field in 1936 and broke ground at its longtime campus at 33rd and Farnam Streets on Sept. 4, 1939, three days after World War II began. Its 613-employee home office moved into its new headquarters a year later. By 1946, Mutual Benefit had become the leading U.S. insurer in premium income. Four years later, it had a new insignia — the familiar Indian chief in full headdress — and a new, shorter name in Mutual of Omaha. Transforming them into national icons was the lasting contribution of Criss’ successor, V.J. Skutt, who was involved at Mutual for 69 years until his 1993 death. Skutt was “the consummate salesman and promoter,” Nolan said. The insurer See Mutual: Page 21

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OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

FINANCE & INSURANCE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

21Y

Mutual: The company entered the banking business in 2007, now has 44 branches Continued from Page 20 sponsored the national radio show “Freedom of Opportunity” in 1944 and backed several notable TV shows during the 1950s, including “Father Knows Best,” “What’s My Line?”, “The Lawrence Welk Show” and the earliest versions of NBC’s “Today” and “Tonight” shows. None of those sponsorships yielded the fame that followed after TV producer Don Meier — an Oshkosh, Neb., native — and St. Louis Zoo director Marlin Perkins approached Skutt with their idea for a weekly show featuring animals and nature. “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” debuted on NBC Jan. 6, 1963, and remained on that network for nine years before entering first-run syndication. The show entered millions of U.S. living rooms each Sunday night, usually as lead-in to “The Wonderful World of Disney.” Perkins hosted the show until 1985, a year before his death. He would introduce film footage of animal species in their habitats, usually showcasing co-host and successor Jim Fowler, and introduce Mutual’s commercials. “It set the stage for our sales agents and opened a lot of doors,” Nolan said. But Mutual also is proud that “a lot of people in the (wildlife) field say they became interested by watching ‘Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.’” Skutt — namesake with his wife, Angela, of Creighton’s student center and Skutt Catholic High School — handed over Mutual’s reins in 1986 to his son, Thomas. Jack Weekly, who first joined the insurer in 1950, became president in 1987 and succeeded the younger Skutt as chief executive officer in 1996 and chairman in 1998. Their tenures, Nolan said, coincided with the beginning of the acceleration in U.S. health-care costs. Though health insurance had accounted for as much as 60 percent of premium income, he said, Mutual increasingly sought to diversify its offerings “so

we weren’t so reliant” on what long had been the insurer’s “bread and butter.” Mutual’s withdrawal from individual and group health insurance was completed by 2007, two years after Weekly died and was succeeded by current Chairman and CEO Daniel Neary. But the insurer continues to offer dental, critical-illness, longterm care and supplemental health policies in addition to financial retirement services and life, accident and disability insurance. It was Neary who shepherded Mutual’s entry into banking, which began with its fall 2007 purchases of Nebraska State Bank in Omaha, Security Federal Bank in Lincoln and Peak National Bank in Golden, Colo. Mutual of Omaha Bank now operates 44 branches in nine states, including four in Omaha, one in La Vista and two in Lincoln. Neary also spearheaded the development of Midtown Crossing at Turner Park, a 15-acre, $300 million retail and residential redevelopment of Mutual-owned land east of the home-office campus that was dedicated in 2010. Work on Midtown Crossing’s multistory buildings — designed to fit into long-prevailing architectural styles in its neighborhood — began in 2006 and continued through the depths of the Great Recession. But one shouldn’t expect Mutual to become a regular player in Omaha redevelopment projects, Nolan said. It built Midtown Crossing only due to “an extraordinary set of circumstances,” most notably its deep involvement in Omaha’s Destination Midtown studies that encouraged similar redevelopments. That said, Nolan added, Midtown Crossing reflects Mutual’s ongoing commitment to Omaha after more than a century. “It’s fun to drive through on a Friday or Saturday night and see all the activity buzzing, (especially) when you remember how (the neighborhood) was before,” he said.

THE WORLD-HERALD

Above, Cindy Ziegman, left, and Paulette Matthews look over the building plans with project engineer Bill Antilla after the remodel and addition of stone facing to the Mutual of Omaha building in 1968. The Mutual of Omaha Bank, on the south side of 34th and Farnam Streets, opened in 2007. Banking has become another priority for the insurance company. THE WORLD-HERALD

At left, a sculpture of a swimmer sits outside the Mutual of Omaha building in June 2012. Mutual has been a corporate sponsor of USA Swimming since 2001.

Mutual keeps its wild side alive with webisodes BY TODD VON KAMPEN

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

From Sunday night network television in the 1960s through Internet streaming today, Mutual of Omaha has kept the door open to its “Wild Kingdom” for generations of viewers. So it was only logical that the insurer’s most iconic brand would once more be revived through November’s debut of four all-new “webisodes” of “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom,” starring Stephanie Arne in the host’s role originated by Marlin Perkins. “If you think about it, ‘Wild Kingdom’ has always been on the cutting edge” of video entertainment, said Jim Nolan, Mutual’s director of corporate communications. “Now entertainment has changed again. You watch what you want, when you want, how you want. … This new iteration of ‘Wild Kingdom’ responds to that phenomenon.” Nolan said Mutual commissioned the webisodes to honor the 50th anniversary of “Wild Kingdom,” which debuted on NBC-TV on Jan. 6, 1963. They appeared between Nov. 3 and Nov. 24 on Mutual’s wildkingdom. com website and YouTube, with each program posted at the same Sunday night time — 6 p.m. Central — that

Perkins’ original series aired. Each webisode is between six and seven minutes long. “Wild Kingdom” aired continuously through 1988, with Mutual directly syndicating the program to TV stations after it left NBC in 1971. The show made a comeback in 2002 on the Animal Planet cable network, lasting for nine seasons. Mutual began a contest in March 2013 to choose a host for the webisodes, including an online vote to narrow the ﬁeld. Arne, who beat out two other ﬁnalists after interviews at Mutual, is a wildlife educator for the Honolulu Zoological Society. But the South Dakota native began her zoological career at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium — home to the “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” Pavilion. Nolan said Arne “has a good background” to continue the tradition of previous “Wild Kingdom” hosts Perkins, Jim Fowler and Peter Gros. She’s “extremely energetic, extremely knowledgeable, a fun person.” Additional webisodes of “Wild Kingdom” will be released in the coming months, Nolan said. Episodes of the original “Wild Kingdom” are available at wildkingdom.com, while the Animal Planet shows are available at animal.discovery.com/ tv-shows/wild-kingdom.

At left, Jim Fowler and Marlin Perkins in the original “Wild Kingdom” television show. Below, Stephanie Arne of Mutual of Omaha’s “Wild Kingdom” webisodes.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MUTUAL OF OMAHA

“MUTUAL OF OMAHA’S WILD KINGDOM” Debut: Jan. 6, 1963 Original network run: 1963-71, NBC-TV Syndicated television: 1971-88 Cable television: 2002-11, Animal Planet Webisodes: 2013-present, wildkingdom.com and YouTube Hosts: Marlin Perkins, 1963-85; Jim Fowler, 1963-88; Peter Gros, 1985-88; Stephanie Arne, 2013-present On the Web: wildkingdom.com (NBC and syndicated episodes, 1963-88, and webisodes, 2013-present), animal. discovery.com/tv-shows/wild-kingdom (Animal Planet episodes, 2002-11).

22Y

OUTLOOK

FINANCE & INSURANCE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Whether you choose bank or credit union, you can’t go wrong BY RUSSELL HUBBARD WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

“Bank or credit union?” is a question many people have asked themselves over the years. From the standpoint of safety and financial soundness, you can’t go wrong with either. Both insure depositors for up to $250,000 for each qualifying account at each qualifying institution — banks through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and credit unions via the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, which is federally backed and offers the same protections as the FDIC. In Nebraska, records show both are solidly profitable, financially sound, strong and solvent. It then often comes down to personal preference. Consumers should compare interest rates, fees, service, convenience and online features. Credit union and bank association leaders outline some basic differences here: CREDIT UNIONS

BANKS

They are democratically owned and controlled institutions that have a “people helping people” philosophy, said Scott Sullivan, president of the Nebraska Credit Union League. Credit union boards of directors are elected by members; each member has an equal vote, regardless of how much he or she has on deposit. Only members may serve as directors, and directors generally serve without pay. Also, Sullivan said, credit unions have no outside stockholders. After reserves are set aside, earnings are returned to members in the form of dividends on savings, lower rates on loans and fees, and additional services. About 450,000 Nebraskans are member-owners of the state’s 69 credit unions. There are many to choose from, from small workplace-oriented ones centered on one employer to the giant SAC Federal, with 75,000 members and about 20 branches. At most credit unions, anyone who lives, works or goes to church within a fairly large geographic area is eligible to join. “As not-for-profit financial cooperatives, credit unions generally offer more attractive savings and loan rates as well as generally lower fees,” Sullivan said. “Surveys consistently rank credit unions first among financial institutions in consumer satisfaction.” Sullivan said credit unions primarily engage in consumer, small business and mortgage lending, as opposed to arranging complex derivatives and trading for their own accounts, like at the Wall Street investment banks that failed and required federal bailout money in 2008. That means credit unions rarely run into trouble with unpaid loans — some do, but it is rare. In any case, Nebraska credit union asset quality remains very high, with mortgage delinquencies at .59 percent and overall loan delinquencies at .80 percent as of June 30, Sullivan said. When it comes to regulation and supervision, there is plenty at credit unions, Sullivan said. Federally chartered credit unions are regulated by the National Credit Union Administration, an independent federal agency. NCUA’s three board members are nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. State chartered credit unions are regulated by the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance. NCUA administers the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, and has authority to subject all federally insured credit unions to insurance examinations. “No taxpayer money is used to regulate or oversee credit unions, as the activities of NCUA and NCUSIF are funded by credit unions,” Sullivan said.

Safety and soundness is stellar at Nebraska’s commercial banks. Banks are well-positioned to handle economic downturns and, if necessary, take steps to put losses behind them, said Joni Sundquist, vice president of communications at the Nebraska Bankers Association. “The most important thing for insured depositors to know is that their money is safe, protected and accessible,” she said. “Customers’ deposits are protected. In the entire history of the FDIC, no depositor has ever lost a penny of insured deposits.” The banking industry’s capital — which serves as a “rainy day fund” in case of losses — is near historic highs. As of September 2013, the industry nationally held just over $1.6 trillion in capital plus $142.6 billion in reserves for a total buffer of almost $1.75 trillion, according to the FDIC. “The vast majority of banks, nearly 98 percent, are ‘well capitalized’ — the highest rating available — according to the FDIC,” Sundquist said. Nor do Nebraska banks have any problems of note with unpaid loans, which in large quantities can threaten a bank’s capital and solvency. At last FDIC count, such loans comprised .77 percent of loans at Nebraska banks, lower than the national average of 1.74 percent. With all that in mind, there are dizzying arrays of choices when it comes to a bank. “When choosing a bank, consumers should start with their own needs and preferences ﬁrst,” Sundquist said. “The number and location of branches and ATMs may be most important to some people while others prefer to do their banking via the Internet.” A bank like First National Bank of Omaha, the leader in deposit share and the largest privately held bank in the nation, of course is going to offer more branch and ATM locations than a single-location bank. Other people still prefer to write a lot of checks. “Packaged or multiservice accounts offer a variety of services for one fee,” Sundquist said. “No-frills accounts offer a minimum number of services at an extra-low price. But always ask about minimum balance requirements and limits on monthly or quarterly transactions.” Sundquist said fees and service charges vary widely. It will not be hard, she said, to ﬁnd the right combination of price, location and technology to satisfy most any requirement. “Banking today is very, very competitive,” Sundquist said. Contact the writer: 402-444-3133, russell.hubbard@owh.com

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Compare rates, service and convenience to ﬁnd your personal preference.

At First Nebraska Educators

MORE OPTIONS • • • • • • • • •

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Built on the credit union philosophy of “People Helping People,”

First Nebraska Educators Credit Union has been providing affordable f_o_lgo` []`qZg]_[ [g_lj 1932. Our members enjoy lower loan rates, higher savings rates and minimal fees. rZ^[ jo[mc Join online at ppptf\[Z_jn\o[bot]\i i or stop by the branch nearest you. You are eligible for membership if you are employed by one of our 200 Select Employee Groups (see our website for a current listing), work for any public school in the state of Nebraska, are Methodist or Lutheran or have an immediate relative who is already a member. Main Branch 10655 Bedford Ave. Omaha, NE 68134 402.492.9100

Central Branch 4740 S. 48th Street Omaha, NE 68117 402.553.7999

West Branch 4203 S. 120th Street Omaha, NE 68137 402.330.5373

Lincoln N. Branch 5070 N. 32nd Street Lincoln, NE 68504 402.477.7766

Lincoln S. Branch 3933 S. 14th Street Lincoln, NE 68502 402.420.0644

Outside Omaha & Lincoln: 800.882.0244 *Mobile Banking requires a phone with internet capabilities. A fee may be charged by the mobile phone carrier for text messages or internet service. **Bill Pay is free with First Class, Preferred, and Premier checking accounts. A $3.99 per month fee applies with Basic and Classic checking. Federally insured by NCUA. .

Time drives change. People drive success. U.S. Bank was established on July 13, 1863. Since that time we’ve been establishing ourselves in cities and communities all over America. Focused on serving you... with good, honest, old-fashioned trust backed by the innovation and progress that moves us ahead, together. Old and new combine. Values rooted in history. Advancements untethered by possibility. We were established to lend. To volunteer. To lead. To serve. All 63,000 U.S. Bankers are committed to establishing relationships with people, not numbers or SIC codes. Relationships that will help establish the course of the next great chapter in our continuing story.

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24Y

OUTLOOK

HEALTH CARE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Nebraska health professionals often have roots at CU or UNMC The medical schools have led training efforts for more than a century. BY BOB GLISSMANN WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Chances are good that the physician who is treating you in Omaha or Lincoln or Hastings or Norfolk graduated from one of two Omaha medical schools with campuses less than three miles apart. The University of Nebraska Medical Center and the medical, nursing and pharmacy/health professions schools at Creighton University also supply many of the nurses, pharmacists and occupational and physical therapists who practice across Nebraska. “We’re looking for the best and brightest students, particularly those who are native Nebraskans, to come and enter into a health professional training program,” said Bob Bartee, UNMC’s vice chancellor for external affairs. “Hopefully, they also will be more inclined to stay in Nebraska once they graduate.” Not as many Creighton grads stick around, said the Rev. Jim Clifton, an associate vice president at Creighton. “We’re drawing kids from across the country,” he said. “The kids tend to go back where they grew up or stay where they were residents.” Creighton statistics show about 380 of the 3,400 med school alumni from 1984 to the present stayed in the Omaha area. Nevertheless, Nebraska is one of the top 5 feeder states for Creighton’s medical school, he said, and probably is among the top 3 suppliers of pharmacy and physical therapy students. Bartee said 70 percent of the state’s health professionals, excluding nurses, who reside outside of Omaha and Lincoln are UNMC graduates. About 86 percent of UNMC students have some kind of Nebraska tie, he said. The two schools have been producing doctors for more than a century. The University of Nebraska med school is the older of the two institutions, opening in 1880 as the Nebraska School of Medicine and changing its name a year later to the Omaha Medical College. The school didn’t afﬁliate with the University of Nebraska until 1902. Creighton established its medical school in 1892. The two academic medical centers focus on different things, Clifton said. “For Creighton, we’re not in the health care business, we’re in the business of educating health care professionals,” he said. “The ﬁrst thing is we want our medical school and our clin-

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In 1941, Creighton Medical School students gather to study anatomy. One of the many skeletons in the school is shown at the rear of the room. On the table is a plaster model of an ear. ical partner to be of the caliber that attracts the best faculty from around the country. We think ﬁrst of a destination for faculty, as a destination for students and residents and then a destination for patients.” UNMC, Bartee said, has “a threefold mission: the education piece, the research piece and then the clinical care and outreach piece.” Research is a bigger pursuit among more faculty at UNMC, the state school, than it is at Creighton, the private, Catholic school: UNMC investigators were awarded $94.3 million in research grants in 2012-13, while Creighton researchers received $19.3 million. Clifton is proud of the research that’s done at Creighton, but notes it’s not the school’s main focus. “What we’re known for is producing excellent clinicians, as opposed to researchers,” he said.

“They (UNMC) have made federally funded research a much higher priority than we have. That’s helped to give them a really distinct niche. “For us, we constantly tell our faculty that we always have to remember that we have a different mission. If we’re doing what UNMC is doing, then there’s no need for us to exist.” When John Creighton persuaded the Creighton board of directors to open a medical school, Clifton said, he told them he wanted to create a “special kind of physician.” Creighton wanted a physician “who is clinically competent, trained in the best techniques of the day, but also who sees medicine as a sacred calling and a way to spend one’s life in privileged service to those in need,” Clifton said. “We still set our sights on doing what John Creighton originally envisioned.” Some doubted that UNMC could do great

research while continuing to train primary care and family practice physicians, Bartee said. “We’re very proud that we can do both very well and have an impact in Nebraska in the research and the training aspects.” The research focus at UNMC, he said, has helped local economic development efforts. “The cities, the communities who have survived and thrived in this past decade of the 21st century have been those with major research institutions in their midst,” he said. Bartee noted that the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis had found that 31 jobs are created in Nebraska for every $1 million of academic research and development, meaning UNMC has created thousands of jobs over the years. People sometimes confuse the Nebraska Medical Center, UNMC’s teaching hospital, with UNMC. The Nebraska Medical Center was formed in 1997 by a merger of Clarkson Hospital and University Hospital. Bartee said the confusion isn’t a major issue. “We are linked at the hip, if you will,” he said. UNMC, whose 122-acre campus has added many buildings over the last decade, will add 575,000 square feet of building space in the next couple of years as the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center is constructed on the campus’ west end. The $323 million project will include a research tower and inpatient and outpatient areas. It will sit across the street from the two Durham Research Center towers. Creighton’s campus also will change in the next couple of years: the Creighton University Medical Center no longer will serve as a teaching hospital. That function will shift to Bergan Mercy Medical Center, at 75th Street and Mercy Road. The move will create “a two-campus approach to health-care delivery, to medical education and to research,” said Dr. Don Frey, Creighton’s senior vice provost for clinical affairs. To provide students with a clinical setting near campus, he said, a “state-of-the-art” center will be built that will provide space for physicians’ ofﬁces, research, community outreach and neighborhood meetings. A location has not been selected. “Our preference would be a site just north of our main campus and ideally situated somewhere along the Burt/Cuming corridor,” Frey said. Contact the writer: 402-444-1109, bob.glissmann@owh.com twitter.com/bobglissmann

Above, a caption with this Creighton Medical School photo from 1941 read: It takes at least these 38 books to carry a student through medical school. Many of them cost between $10 and $12 each. Average book costs — ﬁrst year, $45; second year, $40; third year, $100; fourth year, $20. At left, transplant surgery is performed at University Hospital in 1990. Dr. Mark Cattrall, a fellow in the transplant department at the time, is at left; Dr. Rod Taylor is second from the right.

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At Creighton University Medical Center, Dr. James Smith, chairman of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, center, takes CU medical students through the ward last year. From left are Keegan Stombaugh from Tucson, Ariz.; Sarah Henn from Springﬁeld, Ill.; Smith; Kathryn Moreland, from Portland, Ore.; and Claire Markham from Atlantic, Iowa.

CITIES WITH MORE THAN ONE MED SCHOOL Fourteen U.S. cities have more than one medical school, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Omaha’s metropolitan area is much smaller than any of the other cities’ metro areas. The list: Atlanta Baltimore Boston Chicago Houston

Los Angeles Miami Nashville New Orleans New York

Omaha Philadelphia St. Louis Washington, D.C.

Above, this undated photo shows the old Creighton Medical School building, located on 14th Street between Davenport and Chicago Streets. At right are medical students in 1893 at a forerunner of the University of Nebraska medical school in front of their new brick building. With a decade of success behind it, the medical college had replaced an old frame structure on the same site. UNMC

Below, Dr. John Ijem checks a patient while making the rounds with medical students in 1990 at University Hospital, which merged with Clarkson Hospital in 1997 to form the Nebraska Medical Center.

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

HEALTH CARE

OUTLOOK

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Seeing is believing

MORE OPTIONS

New treatments, many of which could help an aging population, might have you throwing away your reading glasses. BY JUDY HORAN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

The ﬁrst infants born in 1946 turned 68 this year. And their fellow baby boomers — born between 1946 and 1964 — also have reached a time in life where they are susceptible to age-related eye diseases. Because this is a large population, more incidences of such diseases are showing up at doctors’ ofﬁces. With age comes wisdom, but it also brings less pleasant outcomes such as presbyopia, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The good news is that research is keeping up, developing treatment for many of those diseases. In a few years, there probably will be an approved procedure for the treatment of presbyopia, said Dr. Harold Bares of Eye Specialists in Bellevue. If you are reaching for reading glasses right now, you know what we’re talking about. The new surgical procedure would implant a device in the cornea of the non-dominant eye, increasing the ability to read without glasses. “As we are blessed with a few birthdays, our human lens stiffens to the point where we need to have supplemental reading help,” Bares said in describing presbyopia. Current treatment for presbyopia is either

• • • • • • • • •

bifocal reading glasses or bifocal contact lens. “Macular degeneration is a hot topic right now and speciﬁcally the ‘wet’ type of the chronic eye disease,” said Dr. David Ingvoldstad of Midwest Eye Care. “This is a condition that not long ago had few treatments available,” he said. “Within the last 10 years, treatments have become available that can signiﬁcantly slow or stop the disease progression.” Eylea and Lucentis are new FDA-approved medications that are injected into the eye. “A third, Avastin, has not been approved for this use, but it has been shown to be safe and effective,” Ingvoldstad said. The medications cannot cure, but can stop or slow down progression of wet macular degeneration in the majority of cases. Laser treatments have been used as an adjunct to injection, “but the gold standard is injections,” he said. Macular degeneration is usually linked to aging. But some types affect young people. An infectious disease called histoplasmosis that occurs in areas such as the Missouri Valley, which includes Omaha-Council Bluffs, can eventually cause retinal problems for children. “It can be passed from mom to child in utero,” Bares said. “The individual gets this bug harbored in the retina when born.“ See Vision: Page 29

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Dr. David Ingvoldstad, Midwest Eye Care, exams a patient’s eyes at right.

Main Branch 10655 Bedford Ave. Omaha, NE 68134 402.492.9100

Central Branch 4740 S. 48th Street Omaha, NE 68117 402.553.7999

West Branch 4203 S. 120th Street Omaha, NE 68137 402.330.5373

Lincoln N. Branch 5070 N. 32nd Street Lincoln, NE 68504 402.477.7766

Lincoln S. Branch 3933 S. 14th Street Lincoln, NE 68502 402.420.0644

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FOR THE HEALERS serving those in need of care

Whether you’re seeking to begin or advance your career in healthcare, your next step begins at Creighton University. As the only institution in the country that offers eight healthcare programs in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, nursing, emergency medical services and public health, we provide the challenging, engaging learning environment you need to truly make a difference in people’s lives. Creighton University partners with the area’s largest healthcare provider to offer an innovative educational environment for students. Alongside health professionals they gain valuable insight and clinical training at Alegent Creighton Health hospitals and clinics throughout the region. Students also conduct clinical research that is essential in discovering the underlying causes of disease and new ways to prevent and treat illness. And in the Jesuit tradition, students volunteer hundreds of hours of community healthcare service. For the healers ready to provide exceptional discoveries and care that begins with an exceptional education.

START PLANNING YOUR FUTURE TODAY: admissions.creighton.edu | 402.280.2703

For the greater

26Y

OUTLOOK

HEALTH CARE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Youth athletes, be careful not to overdo Kids who play one sport after another with few days off increase their risk for injuries. BY JUDY HORAN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Athletes ages 5 to 18 make up 60 percent of all sports-related injuries treated in emergency rooms in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some experts believe the increasing number of sports injuries are due to youths taking part in more and more sports. Athletes are paying for their over-enthusiasm, such as a 14-year-old patient of Dr. Kevin O’Malley of GIKK Ortho Specialists in Omaha. He was diagnosed with Osgood-Schallters, an injury that occurs in boys and girls who are vulnerable because their bones are still growing. O’Malley said kids are playing in tournaments as well as at their high schools, increasing their chances of injury. “That’s something we didn’t see 20 or 30 years ago,” he said. More athletes ages 12 to 14 are now focusing on one sport and often playing it year-round. “When I was in high school, kids played every sport,” O’Malley said. “Now they are specializing. I think there are multiple reasons for focusing on one sport, but for many it is the chance to obtain a college scholarship. “The more they play and practice one sport, the chances of injury increase.” Over the years, Dave Schultz has seen more emphasis put on sports for kids in order to develop skills and learn to set goals. “Part of our culture is remaining active. Being out there. Having fun. Giving it up for the big game,” said Schultz, an athletic trainer with Nebraska Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine in Lincoln. “Some kids practice and play volleyball at school, then at night go to a conditioning program with another coach,” he said. “You can’t go out every day and practice and play without repercussions.” Taking a day off during the weekend or having a lighter, less intense practice the day after a game are practical ways to recover. Allowing time to recover after a period of practices also is important, he said. “A balance should exist that allows progressive development while reducing the number of exposures to athletic activity and minimizing injuries,” Schultz said. The body responds to stress by becoming stronger, but if stress is too much too soon too often, the body doesn’t have time to repair itself. “If that constant buildup and breakdown is excessive, rest and recovery is very critical,” Schultz said. Dr. Scott Haughawout is disturbed about the increasing number of young people ages 13 and older with herniated disks in their back and fractures of the spine called spondylolysis. Some patients with spondylolysis might require surgical correction if conservative measures fail. His theory is that they don’t give their bodies a chance to heal. “They play sports year-round with an emphasis on getting scholarships via athletics,“ said Haughawout ,who is a doctor of osteopathy at the Nebraska Spine Center in Omaha. Hannah Dunter was 13 years old when she ﬁrst experienced severe pain in her lower back last fall. “It got to the point that I started crying,” she said. A series of health professionals tried to diagnose her problem before she was referred to Haughawout. After an MRI, he determined she had four fractures in her lower back vertebrae. She blames herself. “I pushed myself too hard. I play a lot of school sports and softball in the summer (with the Elkhorn Slammers Black team).” Some kids are born with the fracture of the spinal vertebrae, but it also can be caused by a traumatic injury, Haughawout said. “A herniated or bulging disk causes back pain and leg pain and could lead to irreversible nerve damage.” The healing experience is not pleasant. “They’re put in a brace for three months from chest to hip and can’t bend for 24 hours a day,” Haughawout said. Hannah had to give up sports temporarily. She’s healing but is not back to playing sports or participating in physical education in school. Once the team’s catcher, she now watches softball practice without playing “Our kids played baseball through the Elkhorn Baseball Association. Some of their friends that play select games may play three times as many games and don’t get a whole lot of rest,” Haughawout said. He describes select sports as advanced games and leagues formed outside schools. “My wife and I have chosen not to have select sports, because we want them to have a chance to be a kid. We want them to be able to have time to do other things than sports,” he said. “I love sports as much as the next guy, but I don’t want sports to rule my life.”

P H O T O S B Y H O WA R D K . M A R C U S / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D

Hannah Gunter, with the brace she had to wear for several months during the ﬁrst part of her recovery from fractured vertebrae. She now wears it only when she is in pain. When not working out at school, Hannah uses the machines in her home gym to keep in shape and aid her recovery from vertebrae fractures. Her physician allows her to use only certain machines, such as an exercise bike and an elliptical machine, and she is not allowed to lift much weight. For variety, she sometimes uses an inversion table to lessen the pressure on her spine.

“I pushed myself too hard. I play a lot of school sports and softball in the summer.” Hannah Dunter Haughawout has a warning for all young athletes: “Kids younger than 16 years old should avoid Olympic lifts, such as squats, clean and press, and lifting that places increased load on the spine. Their skeletons don’t mature until at least 16, sometimes 18 or 19, and aren’t mature enough to withstand the loads put on them,” he said. Safety is just common sense, Schulz said. “Building muscles and developing skills are integral to being successful in the sport, he said. “Just as important is rest and recovery.”

“You can’t go out every day and practice and play without repercussions.” Dave Schultz, athletic trainer

Local specialists give advice on how to keep kids safely engaged in sports BY JUDY HORAN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

A research report about youth athletes released by Safe Kids Worldwide in August said: “Every 25 seconds or 1.35 million times a year, a youth athlete suffers a sports injury that sends him or her to the emergency room.” Coaching, physical conditioning, proper equipment and recognizing injuries work together to build a safer environment for youth athletes. Three local specialists in youth sports share their views on how parents can help keep children and adolescents healthy and engaged in sports.

Scott Haughawout is a doctor of osteopathy with the Nebraska Spine Center in Omaha. » “Because there’s so much emphasis on safety, at least in football concussions, they’re making safety advances all the time. I’m 40 years old. The equipment now is head and shoulders better than when I was younger. Trainers are so adept at recognizing early signs of concussions.” » “What we need is more education directed to parents and athletes. It’s asking a lot of a gym coach to properly supervise who knows how many kids.” » “Know the difference between muscle soreness and ‘this really hurts.’ The athlete will always say ‘OK’ because they want to play.”

Dave Schultz is an athletic trainer with Nebraska Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine in Lincoln. The staff works with high schools and acts as Husker team physicians for the University of Nebraska athletic department. » “Remember that kids are not little adults. They are still undergoing skeletal and mental development. Young kids can’t withstand the same stresses as older kids. Children’s strength and stamina is less than adults.” » “Training is important, but you’re not going to set up an 8-year-old on an Olympic weight-training program.” » “Many injuries happen during sports played outside of schools where school coaches have no control. Be sure the people working with your athlete have proper knowledge of safety.” » “When it comes to conditioning and playing and practicing, the amount of activity a person undergoes has been really accelerated over time. Kids should not be practicing seven days a week.”

Dr. Kevin O’Malley is with GIKK Ortho Specialists in Omaha. GIKK has athletic trainers in several high schools, conducts sports injury clinics and act as team physicians for the College World Series. » “Safety begins with proper-fitting equipment. A helmet that is too big isn’t going to help you. Mouth guards are needed for football, field hockey, lacrosse and other types of collision sports. Different types of shoes are necessary when playing on real grass versus artificial surfaces. Cleat number and pattern can cause the foot to stick to a surface and result in injury to the ankle or knee.” » “A very important part of children’s safety in high school sports are the athletic trainers. They are specially trained members of the athletic staff who focus on all aspects of athlete safety. They are often the eyes and ears of the team physician because they attend all practices and are readily available for player evaluation.” » “Children are more prone to heat exhaustion because their small body surface area does not allow the increased heat caused by exercise to disperse. Children can overheat and display symptoms of heat exhaustion such as flushing confusion, diminished sweating and dizziness. Fluid balance and resuscitation are important to avoid these occurrences.” » “Parents should listen to the athlete’s complaints. If parents notice changes in the player’s behavior or performance, it may indicate an underlying injury. Swollen joints and loss of motion or limping are symptoms that should be promptly addressed, most often requiring a visit to the sports medicine physician or someone with experience in sports injuries.” » “There is increasing concern with players who are exposed to sporting activities such as football and soccer. As research continues, we’re finding more incidents where concussions are problems later in life with brain damage. If your son or daughter has one, they become susceptible to the next one. If it was my kid, I would be thinking about a different sport.” (Football had the highest injury rate in a survey of nine youth sports reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

HEALTH CARE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

27Y

HILLCREST PHYSICAL THERAPY

Jake Costello, director of Hillcrest Physical Therapy, works with Sharon Smith, who is using the leg-press machine to build lower-extremity strength.

Keep your balance as you age Staying active and doing simple exercises can make a world of difference. BY KIM CARPENTER WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

It’s that time of year when sidewalks, front porches, stairs and parking lots are all dangerously slippery. For most of us, that means treading a bit more carefully. For the elderly, however, slick surfaces can be intimidating. That’s because every year one in three adults age 65 and older falls. And these are no minor tumbles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of moderate to severe injuries such as hip fractures and head traumas, and they can also increase the likelihood of an early death. Although problems with balance can develop at any age, most people start to notice changes in their late 60s or early 70s. “As we age, balance deteriorates for a number of reasons, ranging from weakening eyesight, changes in blood pressure, weakening muscles, hearing lost, loss of sensation in the feet due to illnesses such as diabetes, as well as any other health issues that may cause sensory loss,” said Sarah Pohl, physical therapist and the clinic director for Excel Physical Therapy’s Dodge Street Clinic. “Lifestyle also plays a role, such as if a person is sedentary or regularly active, if they smoke or drink and maintain a healthy diet.” Grace Knott, administrator of Hillcrest Health Services’ physical therapy and board-certified in geriatric physical therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, concurred. “There are a lot of changes in our bodies. If you have a heart condition, and your heart doesn’t pump blood as effectively as it should, that affects balance,” she said. “If you get up too quickly, you can fall.” Poor balance, however, isn’t inevitable. Staying active and doing simple exercises can make a world of difference for maintaining equilibrium. “Exercise makes a tremendous difference in maintaining balance and avoiding falls,” Knott said. “Research indicates it makes the biggest impact on reducing falls.” Sarah Blomenkamp, Knott’s colleague and a certified exercise expert for aging adults at Hillcrest, agreed. “Research shows that there are benefits to strength training at any age. Strength is the key to function. If you gain strength, you will improve function. Exercise is more important than ever. Unfortunately, we see a lot of patients after they’ve already experienced a fall.” Before hitting the gym, though, it’s important to seek guidance to find out what kind of a physical fitness regime is right for you. “We start with a balance assessment and see if a patient is at risk of falling,” Pohl said, “and we evaluate each patient to see what their functional limitations are — whether because of surgery, aging arthritis or sports injury — anything that interferes with daily activity — and then we set up an individualized treatment plan. We talk with patients about

their goals and where they want to get.” Blomenkamp stresses that with older adults, it’s additionally essential they have an exercise program that takes into account their chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart or kidney diseases. “Physical therapists are uniquely qualified to do this,” she said. Pohl says an assessment includes several movements including if patients can sit and rise several times from a chair without using arm rests, stand with their feet together, stand on one foot, retrieve an object from the floor, stand with their eyes closed as well as perform a host of other activities. She also stresses that it’s important to make sure there are no underlying health issues such as pulmonary or intestinal problems that may require treatments aside from physical therapy. Exercises that improve balance run the gamut. For example, some exercises focus on strengthening calf and ankle muscles. “The very first strategy to maintaining balance is ankle strength,” Knott said. “If you’re on a boat, you use your ankles to lean forward.” To strengthen the ankles, she has worked with patients to do a single leg stance or practice standing on tiptoes. Similarly, strong hips make it easier to move forward and backward. “If you’re standing, and your hips are stiff,” Knott said, “you can’t move forward or backward.” Sitting or standing exercises that involve working specific leg muscles can strengthen the hips and significantly shore up the body’s core. Blomenkamp adds that just standing still or going from sitting to standing in as many times as possible in 30 seconds can be good ways to improve balance. She said weights or exercise equipment aren’t necessary. “Body weight can be resistance,” she said. And when our mothers reminded us to stand up straight, they knew what they were doing. “Good posture goes a long way to improving your balance,” Knott said. “If your head is way in front of your body, your center of gravity is away from the base of support.” For that reason, strength training and stretching to maintain good posture can additionally be very important. Blomenkamp also works on a less quantifiable aspect of balance. “One of the major things people face is a loss of confidence,” she said. “They can become anxious about falling and don’t want to leave the house. We work on instilling confidence by challenging them.” Pohl agrees. “Sometimes, we just work on getting out of a chair and walking and building up their confidence.” Results don’t happen overnight. “It normally takes between six to eight weeks and consistency on the patient’s part,” Pohl said. That means seniors can’t expect physical therapy sessions alone to improve their balance. They need to exercise on their own and remain active. Pohl recounted an 82-year-old patient who had fallen twice in the month prior to coming to Excel, one who didn’t believe exercise would make a difference. “She sat with her arms crossed in front of her and said the only reason she was there was because her son insisted,” Pohl said.

Jenifer Johnson, physical therapist at Hillcrest Physical Therapy, works with Bette Swanson on a knee-extension stretch to improve her range of motion. Hillcrest Physical Therapy is located at 1804 Hillcrest Drive in Bellevue.

“As we age, balance deteriorates for a number of reasons, ranging from weakening eyesight, changes in blood pressure, weakening muscles, hearing lost, loss of sensation in the feet due to illnesses such as diabetes, as well as any other health issues that may cause sensory loss.” Sarah Pohl, physical therapist After a month of coming three times a week, however, the patient was amazed at how much her balance had improved, and she hasn’t had any falls since completing therapy. Cleo Snyder, 87, is another prime example of how therapy and exercise can improve balance. She began physical therapy with Pohl three years ago when she developed sciatica, a painful nerve disorder. She was referred by her doctor, who wasn’t sure physical therapy would work, but a simple exercise that involved stretching her hamstrings as well as other sitting and standing exercises improved her balance tremendously. Pohl worked with Snyder to strengthen her lower extremities and challenged Snyder to walk sideways and in straight lines as well as to use a recumbent treadmill to improve her cardiovascular health. “It’s amazing,” Snyder said. “For one thing, I’m a little more agile; I have more get up and go. I walk with a cane, but mainly for safety. At home I don’t. “A friend and I went out to dinner, and I was able to walk from the restaurant to the car. My friend said, ‘Cleo, I can see you’re walking faster.’ ” For this reason, Snyder remains dedicated to her physical fitness regime, which involves exercising for about 15 minutes twice a day. “I certainly recognize this type of program is beneficial,” she said. “I can tell if I skip the exercises, I get stiff. I think it’s been beneficial to me and my health.” Jim Ryals, 81, has experienced similar benefits from physical therapy. He had knee surgery several years ago before becoming one of Blomenkamp’s patients at Hillcrest. His wife, Carol, said, “His legs were

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. so weak, he couldn’t stand on his own. He needed help. We have a raised ranch, and he could barely get up the stairs.” At ﬁrst Ryals was resistant. “I didn’t want to do some of the stuff,” he said. “I thought it was kind of childlike — walking around cones, for example. But it helped me with my balance and coordination.” He also enjoyed the relationship he developed with Blomenkamp. “Sarah’s a ‘ramrodder,’” he said. “I’d try to get out of something, but she wouldn’t budge. I can see where she helped me. She cares about the people.” Ryals is pleased with the progress he’s made. “I can do the dishes now,” he said. “Before I had to lean on something. Now I can just put my walker aside and do them. I can get out of a chair without holding on.” Carol has noticed the difference, too. “He can stand for longer lengths of time,” she said. “Before he couldn’t stand in place on his own. And now he can walk without his walker. When we go out to a restaurant, he just uses his cane.” While Ryals no longer needs physical therapy, like Snyder, he continues exercising. In fact, he and Carol go to Hillcrest’s gym three times a week together so they can both maintain their health. “It just makes us feel better,” he said. “I know I can do it. I see how much I can do.” Whether someone is 65 or 85, it’s never too late to improve your balance. “Elderly patients outdo what we expect from them all the time,” Pohl said. “They don’t always believe us, and then they see improvements.”

It’s Simple

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28Y

OUTLOOK

HEALTH CARE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Dentists take on new roles in health care BY JUDY HORAN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

any of the innovative trends seen at dentist’s offices today have little to do with dentistry. Helping identify sleep apnea is one of those trends. The trend has been seen only in the last five years. “Because dentists look in mouths all day, they can spot signs of sleep apnea such as inflammation or a tongue the size of a semi,“ said Dr. Jeffrey Garvey, an Omaha dentist. In fact, Garvey diagnosed his own sleep apnea in a dentist’s office — his office. “My wife told me I was snoring. I tested myself and found I had stopped breathing for 60 to 80 seconds,” said Garvey, who practices with The Dentists at Hillsborough. “I had severe sleep apnea.” Patients who stop breathing are in a life-threatening situation. “We have a testing device people can use at home, and we analyze how loudly they snore. If they stop breathing, you can see it,” Garvey said. “We try to guide the patient in the right direction for treatment.”

ORAL CANCER DETECTION In the last five years, more methods to test for oral cancer have become available to dentists. Some infrared lights will show oral cancers in a different color from the flesh. A swab of the mouth can be tested for cells. “The good news is that they are very rare. The bad news is that when you get cancer, it starts rolling,” Garvey said. The oral cancer check is done during a patient’s routine examination. A dentist observes the lips, tongue and cheek, looking for changes in color and contour. Dentists keep an eye on patients who chew tobacco. “We find a lot of them with what we call precancerous lesions,” Garvey said. “I bet we receive one of those patients every day.” Because the tobacco is smokeless and under the lip, Garvey said the user thinks, “I can get nicotine, and no one will see me.” “I have seen kids as young as 14 See Dental: Page 29

P H O T O S B Y RYA N S O D E R L I N / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D

Dr. Jeffrey Garvey works on patient Ryan Jenkins last month at The Dentists at Hillsborough, 13808 West Maple Road. Garvey was making Jenkins a temporary bridge. At left, he makes adjustments to a temporary bridge.

“Because dentists look in mouths all day, they can spot signs of sleep apnea such as inflammation or a tongue the size of a semi.” Dr. Jeffrey Garvey

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OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

HEALTH CARE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

29Y

When should you have your eyes screened? If you have no family history of glaucoma, macular degeneration or cataracts (even before age 50 or in childhood), routine eye checks with a family physician or ophthalmologist are OK from childhood through age 40, said Dr. David Ingvoldstad of Midwest Eye Care. Some medical problems that may put people at high risk —such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol — can affect the eye, because the eye is an organ like any other organ in the body. The eye has a high density of blood vessels and is particularly susceptible to changes in blood pressure or blood sugar that can damage the eye. From ages 40 to 65, patients should have a complete eye exam every two to four years Over age 65, an exam every one to two years. Children’s eyes are getting more attention. Pediatricians do eye screening during school exams, and school nurses are taught to screen. Eye exams sometimes catch more than eye problems. They can spot possible illnesses. “Sometimes through screening the eyes, we pick up signs of an underlying medical problem affecting the eye such as blood pressure, diabetes, cancer,” Ingvoldstad said. “The eye has been called ‘the window to the body,’” he said. “Inside the eye is the only place in the body that we as physicians can examine blood vessels and nerve tissue in real time without doing a biopsy or X-ray.” — Judy Horan

T H E A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S

At left, a “sight” camera is fitted in a pair of glasses, which works in conjunction with an artificial retina implant called the Argus II fitted in his right eye, enabling the wearer to detect light. For two decades, Eric Selby, 68, had been completely blind and dependent on a guide dog to get around. But after having an artificial retina put into his right eye, he can detect ordinary things such as the curb and pavement when he’s walking outside. Below right Image is of a telephoto ocular prosthesis. The central optical portion is a micro-lens system that renders a magnified image on the retina.

Vision: Retinal prosthesis called first step toward artificial vision Continued from Page 25 The subsequent retinal problem can activate at any time in life to create a type of macular degeneration. Watch for decreased vision as an indicator that something could be wrong. Bares said patients now show up at their doctor’s ofﬁce each month for injections of drugs to treat retinal problems such as macular degeneration. In the near future, they might be able to cut back those doctor visits to every six months or one year with improved medication. Ingvoldstad notes another recent discovery that has received attention. “A telescopic implant that can help patients with macular degeneration is essentially a low-vision aid for patients who lost central vision. It can be effective for some patients, but not all.” Patients taking better care of their eyesight has led to fewer problems. “We’re not seeing types of work-related injuries that I saw 20 years ago because of better safety awareness and protection,” Bares said. “We’re seeing less severe diabetic retinopathy. It’s standard now for primary care physicians to routinely send newly diagnosed patients to eye specialists.” Diabetes is one of the leading causes of

preventable blindness in the country. If the condition is caught early, it’s almost always treatable. “Genetics and the length of time somebody has diabetes predisposes to eye trouble,” Bares said. “Even with good control, people can lose their eyesight to diabetic retinopathy.” Science-fiction fans will be intrigued by a new “bionic eye.” In the past year, the FDA approved Argus 2, a retinal prosthesis that is implanted in the eye. “Argus 2 is basically an electronic eye for patients with severe retinitis pigmentosa,” said Ingvoldstad. “It acts like a camera and helps to stimulate the eye to function.” The retinal prosthesis might help patients with essentially no vision see large shapes and movement. The effectiveness of Argus 2 for the rare, hereditary eye disease is still to be determined. “It’s a first step toward artificial vision, and it is exciting because, though not now useful for the general public, it will get better in the future so that one day it will increase options for patients who have lost their vision.” “We get a lot of people asking about it,” Ingvoldstad said. “It’s exciting. It’s cool technology. But it’s not yet ready for prime time.”

“It’s a first step toward artificial vision, and it is exciting because, though not now useful for the general public, it will get better in the future so that one day it will increase options for patients who have lost their vision.” Dr. David Ingvoldstad

CENTRASIGHT

Dental: Innovative treatments

are helping today’s patients Continued from Page 28

14 or 15 that have precancerous lesions,” he said. “Their parents don’t even know.”

X-RAYS New 3-D X-ray technology gives dentists an in-depth look inside the mouth. About ﬁve years ago, X-rays were two-dimensional. What the 3-D X-ray discovers might have nothing to do with teeth. Dentists can ﬁnd abnormalities in the bone, sinuses with polyps and other signs that all is not well. “We’ve caught some oddities in early detection,” Garvey said. “You could have a growth in the mouth whether a cyst or abscess.” 3-D X-ray technology helps diagnose and treat patients as well as helps in placement of implants during surgery.

TOOTH-COLORED RESTORATIONS

THE WORLD-HERALD

Most of the time, the best snacks are foods that are fresh and unpackaged.

Healthy snacks: Five things to consider before taking that bite Snacks get a bad rap, because we think of them as “extras” and we think of snack time as a time to eat something just to ﬁll the stomach or satisfy a craving. What if there were some easy ways to determine a healthy snack so they could be added to your grocery cart with a purpose in mind? Before we get to the important criteria JILL KOEGEL for “healthy,” let’s free your mind of calories for a minute. Yes, calories are not one of the criteria! The truth is, if you follow the guidelines LIVEWELL BLOGGER below, you are either going to pick a snack that doesn’t have a lot of calories anyway, or you will choose a snack that is going to satisfy you and provide a lot of nutrients. Your body utilizes those nutrient-rich calories in an efﬁcient way, providing a boost to your metabolism and overall energy level. So, what are the criteria for a healthy snack? I am prioritizing this list, so it is in order of how I, as a registered dietitian

and ﬁtness trainer, would select a snack by its label: A realistic serving size. If a bag of chips says seven chips per serving, can you stick to that? Make sure the answer is yes! Then, measure your snack food at least once, to make sure you know what a serving looks like. Ingredients you can pronounce. Choosing whole ingredients, less additives, and foods with readily available nutrients are very important criteria! Examples of these are snacks with sprouted whole grains, low sodium foods and snacks without ingredients such as hydrogenated oils and preservatives. Fewer than 3 grams of saturated fat. Most of the time, saturated fat indicates poor nutrient value. Protein. At least 3 grams per serving. This assures that either the food is whole grain, or it is providing some other source of protein that also has vitamins and minerals. Vitamins, minerals, and protein are helpful in boosting metabolism and snack time satisfaction!

Low sugar. I tell my kids to find another snack if the label has more than 9 grams of sugar. Double-digit sugars are sure to provide a quick sugar rush and a crash later. There are a few exceptions, such as with certain dairy and fruit products, but in general, lower sugar is better. Another way to read a label quickly is to avoid sugar as the first or second ingredient, but you have to know all of the technical words for sugar. There are a lot of them! There are many healthy options when choosing a snack, and most of the time I would advocate for eating fresh, unpackaged foods.However, there are packaged snacks that can be healthy, too. Just be critical of the ingredients label. One snack example that meets the “healthy criteria” is made by the Way Better Snack Company. They turn the traditional fatty chip into a healthy snack that meets all of the above guidelines. My recent favorites are the sprouted sweet potato and pumpkin varieties, available at Walmart, Costco and Whole Foods. Jill Koegel is a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer based in Omaha. She blogs every Wednesday for livewellnebraska.com.

Silver fillings with mercury in them are being replaced with tooth-colored restorations made of material that bonds to tooth enamel, creating a stronger bond. This trend became more common about 10 years ago. Because mercury is a health issue, use of silver fillings has declined. The primary benefit of the restoration is its bonding to the enamel, whereas a filling just fills a hole. “Tooth-colored restorations are made out of composite resin material, almost like a putty type of porcelain,” Garvey said. “Put a high-intensity light on it, and it gets hard in about 10 seconds.” The tooth-colored restorations are not necessarily more expensive than silver fillings and last about the same.

PORCELAINS Ninety percent of crowns and caps now are made with all porcelain instead of gold. The advantages are greater strength and better aesthetics. “The old-fashioned crown used to have a metal undercarriage; the porcelain was applied to it,” Garvey said. “There were limitations in aesthetics.” The porcelains are designed by and manufactured with CAD-CAM technology. When the crown or capped front teeth are discolored or broken, a porcelain veneer is applied. “It’s like a fake ﬁngernail analogy, but bonded to your tooth,“ Garvey said.

IMPLANTS Implants have become more common in the last 10 to 15 years, said Garvey, who has been practicing dentistry for 30 years. Implants act as an artificial root. They can be used to replace a specific tooth, maybe one that got knocked out during a baseball game. In the past, dentists would make a bridge to replace that tooth. It is now replaced by an implant or crown. (The crown is the visible part.) Some are fixed partial bridges that are glued in and some are removable bridges. “If the supportive teeth around the missing tooth are not strong enough to support the fixed bridge, an implant-supported crown would be the treatment of choice,” Garvey said. Implants are a big benefit for people with dentures. An implant is placed in a jaw bone, and the denture is snapped onto the implant. “Dentures’ big problem is that they float and move around,” he said. “This is a life changer for a lot of denture patients.” As dentistry looks forward to more innovation, some things never change. “We get people who walk in, and their hair and suit are perfect. But their mouth is a garbage dump,” Garvey said. Brush and floss, he urges. Brush and floss.

30Y

OUTLOOK

HEALTH CARE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Hospital gift shops find hidden gems to sell Local buyers travel to large markets such as Las Vegas, Chicago and Dallas to acquire items. BY DEREK NOEHREN WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

For most people, the hospital is a place they want to avoid, but for some folks in Omaha, it’s an oasis for hard-to-ﬁnd goodies. “We’re the best-kept secret in town,” said Linda Rajcevich, the director of volunteer and pastoral services for Methodist Hospital and Methodist Women’s Hospital. “We have things you can’t ﬁnd in the rest of the city.” Much of the merchandise found in many of the area hospital gift shops are unusual because they primarily come from large markets in Las Vegas, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta. The hospitals typically send representatives called buyers to markets twice a year, once in January and once in July to scour for hidden gems to bring back to Omaha. In between market visits, many of the gift shop buyers look for items online. The buyers try to limit the number of each item they purchase for the shop to preserve its distinctiveness. “We try to have very few of any one item. Unique is key,” said Stephanie Fryers, manager of volunteer services for the Nebraska Medical Center. “We want to make it so when you buy a gift for a patient you don’t have to worry about them getting a dozen of the same thing.” As for what the buyers look for when they go to the markets or online, that varies. “Some of our most popular items are jewelry, purses and watches,” said Patty Stewart, who serves as the gift shop coordinator at Bergan Mercy. “It’s a wide variety. Elves were very popular this year around Christmas.” The buyers have a major responsibility to keep a keen eye on changing trends while looking out for their customers. “Our buyers take extra effort and the patients and their families are kept in mind when choosing our merchandise,” Rajecvich said. “Our buyers are talented and have a good eye for what’s new,” Fryers said. “A few years back Pillow Pets were hot. Right now it’s silicon kitchen items.” Like the buyers, the staff at the gift shops are almost exclusively volunteers. While there are many different hospital volunteering avenues, the gift shop is often the most sought-after position. “We’re lucky because most people who sign up want to work at the gift shop,” Rajcevich said. At Bergan Mercy, the entire gift shop staff is made up of volunteers, some who have been

longtime devotees of the shop. “Our volunteer staff is very loyal. One person has been here 30-plus years,” Stewart said. At Methodist and Methodist Women’s Hospital, there are 130 volunteers between the two gift shops, including nine volunteer buyers. The Nebraska Medical Center has around 750 volunteers total and around 80 for their two gift shops, according to Fryers. Not only are the gift shops popular, but they also are an essential part of the facilities’ lifeblood in terms of funding. At Bergan Mercy, the Nebraska Medical Center, Methodist and Methodist Women’s Hospital, all of the proceeds from gift shop sales are kicked back into the hospital. “One hundred percent of our proceeds go back to the hospital,” Rajcevich said. “Right now they are going to surgery rennovation, but it changes based on need.” Stewart estimates 60 percent of the customers at the Bergan Mercy gift shop are hospital staff, but there is also a large contingent of patients and their families. Another base of customers is a group of people who speciﬁcally seek out gift shops around town. “Some people make a special trip to our gift shop that have no other reason to be at the hospital,” Stewart said. “There’s a segment of the population that just shops gift shops,” said Jody Hoatson, spokeswoman for Alegent Creighton Health. “They’ll say to each other, ‘Did you see what they had at the Bergan Mercy gift shop or what they had at the gift shop across town?’ ” But perhaps the most loyal customer base is the volunteers themselves. “Our staff are also our customers,” Fryers said. “The joke is, working at the gift shop is the most expensive volunteer job around.”

CornerStone Gift Shop at the Nebraska Medical Center prides itself on having a lot of unusual items. “We want to make it so when you buy a gift for a patient you don’t have to worry about them getting a dozen of the same thing,” said Stephanie Fryers, manager of volunteer services for the Nebraska Medical Center.

PHOTOS BY DEREK NOEHREN/THE WORLD-HERALD

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ENTERTAINMENT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

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ORPHEUM THEATER 2,600 SEATS

2.2 MILLION

1.3 MILLION

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2,100

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people within an hourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drive

people in attendance at education and community engagement events over the last seven years

Events over the last five years

world-class venues

proprietary ticket retailer, TicketOmaha.com

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Arts lovers of all ages can find something to see in the area BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Omaha offers plenty of family-friendly entertainment, whether one wants to view works by renowned artists, walk through Fontenelle Forest or see a performance at the Omaha Community Playhouse. Deborah Ward, director of marketing and communications at the Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Omaha has become a great place for family entertainment. “Omaha enjoys a constantly evolving entertainment scene, which continues to grow and provide distinct experiences for visitors,” she said. “For example, Midtown Crossing’s impact has completely transformed the city’s landscape and revitalized the area into an entertainment hot spot. “Omaha’s Benson neighborhood, with ... new restaurant offerings makes this area one of Omaha’s newest nightlife attractions,” Ward said. “Dundee, with eCreamery, Pitch, Dario’s, Marks and other foodie fun spots, makes it another great place where visitors can enjoy a uniquely Omaha experience. And Omaha’s North Downtown entertainment scene continues to grow since the addition of TD Ameritrade Park and the Saddle Creek development (Slowdown, Film Steams, etc.).” Here’s a selected list of venues.

Omaha legends

These places are the ones people talk about across the nation and around the world.

JOSLYN ART MUSEUM 2200 Dodge St. This pink marble Art Deco building, which opened in 1931, holds a permanent collection of nearly 20 galleries with ancient pottery and other treasures, including European art ranging from the Renaissance to Impressionism, American art from the 18th to 20th centuries and contemporary art. Admission is free.

DURHAM MUSEUM 801 S. 10th St. The Durham Museum is in another art deco building, the former Union Station, and features permanent exhibits explaining Omaha history. Traveling exhibitions rotate every few months and feature a variety of topics, from “1968” to “Into the Wild Blue: Omaha Aviation History in Photographs.”

OMAHA’S HENRY DOORLY ZOO & AQUARIUM

OMAHA COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE 6915 Cass St. America’s largest community theater produces musicals and dramas for all ages. The current season includes everything from the fun “Young Frankenstein” to the more serious “Race.”

ROSE THEATER 2001 Farnam St. This professional children’s theater is nationally known for original and familiar productions.

BLUE BARN THEATRE 614 S. 11th St. Contemporary, professionally produced plays are staged in this space, which is situated downtown. Elmwood Park, 60th and Dodge Streets This nonproﬁt professional theater production delights families each summer on the “green” near the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Running one comedy and one tragedy in repertoire, the series celebrates its 28th season in 2014.

Art galleries

Along with Joslyn, Omaha boasts several other family-friendly art galleries.

ARTISTS’ COOPERATIVE GALLERY 405 S. 11th St. This gallery is managed by members and features art in all mediums. Exhibits rotate frequently.

BEMIS CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS 724 S. 12th St. International artist in residency programs and art talks are featured in this space, along with edgy exhibits.

EL MUSEO LATINO 4701 S. 25th St. Omaha is home to the ﬁrst Latino art and history museum in the Midwest, which features exhibits from Latino artists in a variety of mediums, along with lectures, classes and demonstrations.

HOT SHOPS ART CENTER 1301 Nicholas St. Omaha’s current hot spot features art from glass to pottery to welded sculpture. The area also houses the workspace of nearly 70 studio artists.

THE KANEKO 1111 Jones St. Art, science and philosophy are the highlights of this nonproﬁt art space, established by internationally known artist Jun Kaneko.

LAURITZEN GARDENS

Nature areas

OMAHA CHILDREN’S MUSEUM 500 S. 20th St. Bring the youngsters to this museum for hours of age-appropriate fun. The museum contains a permanent playground with a child-sized ﬁrehouse, grocery store, a two-story play farmhouse and a Wiggle Room for children under age 3. Other permanent exhibits include Zooland and a science and technology center. Traveling exhibits have focused on bugs, dinosaurs and things that go.

THE OLD MARKET 10th to 14th Streets from Farnam to Leavenworth Take a leisurely walk, and shop or dine in this historic district, a former fruitand-vegetable market. In the summer and fall, people ﬂock to the Saturday farmers market. During the Christmas season, Dickens in the Market delights people young and old. Shops range from candy stores to record shops, plus restaurant options from quick service to ﬁne dining.

Theater

Omaha’s theatrical scene thrives through the annual Shakespeare on the Green festival, “A Christmas Carol” at Omaha Community Playhouse, productions at smaller community theaters and more.

ORPHEUM THEATER 409 S. 16th St. This grand, Rococo-inspired theater brings in touring Broadway musicals. Big hits for 2014 include “Sister Act” and the return of “Wicked.”

Big shows now frequent at area’s major venues

SHAKESPEARE ON THE GREEN

3701 S. 10th St. Kids of all ages love this worldrenowned zoo, which features animals from large cats (including a group of lion cubs born last spring), to reptiles and butterﬂies. The zoo also includes the Desert Dome, Lied Jungle, Expedition Madagascar, Simmons Aviary, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Pavilion, Hubbard Gorilla Valley, Kingdoms of the Night and much more. The Lozier IMAX Theater shows nature documentaries and other ﬁlms. 100 Bancroft St. Lauritzen Gardens features botanical exhibitions, from orchid displays in the early spring to the annual poinsettia show. The Spring Flower Show and the Sweet Corn Festival in August are among special events that provide even more fun.

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CenturyLink Center Omaha got a prestigious booking last March, when it was chosen to open Taylor Swift’s Red tour.

KENT BELLOWS STUDIO AND CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS 3303 Leavenworth St. Guests can view exhibits, and young people can discover their creative side at this venue through mentorship with professional artists.

Even in winter, there’s plenty to experience, explore — and enjoy.

DESOTO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 1434 316th Lane, Missouri Valley, Iowa This 8,326-acre refuge includes a lake, woods, wetlands and grasslands. The area is a go-to spot for bird-watching during migrations. The refuge also includes nature trails, biking trails, ﬁshing and picnic facilities. A popular feature is the visitor center, which features an exhibit of artifacts from the Bertrand, a steamboat that sank north of Omaha in 1865 and was unearthed in the late 1960s.

FONTENELLE FOREST 1111 Bellevue Blvd. North, Bellevue This national landmark features 1,400 acres of woodlands and 19 miles of trails. The Katherine and Fred Buffett Forest Learning Center is open to the public.

HITCHCOCK NATURE CENTER 22792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek Iowa This center includes 22 acres of campsites, a playground, an archery range and skiing/snowshoeing trails. The Loess Hills Lodge Interpretation Center features interactive exhibits and a children’s area.

LEWIS & CLARK NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL VISITOR CENTER 601 Riverfront Drive Situated at Lewis & Clark Landing in downtown Omaha, this center teaches visitors about the Lewis and Clark expedition, which passed through this area.

MORMON TRAIL CENTER 3215 State St. The visitor center commemorates the difﬁcult circumstances the Mormon community faced while living in this area during the winter of 1846-47. Features a full-size log cabin and a covered wagon.

BY TODD VON KAMPEN

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

t’s hard to remember the 20th century, when Omaha had only three major indoor venues and folks complained about having to leave town for big shows. The downtown Civic Auditorium handled the “big” indoor concerts and sporting events. Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum in central Omaha took care of the medium-sized ones. And the Orpheum Theater downtown hosted the theatrical shows and the more intimate and “classical” concerts (with help from the Civic’s Music Hall on the latter). As the new millennium dawned, metro-area leaders feared the times and the great concerts were passing them by. Not so in 2014, the year the Civic is set to join the long-demolished Ak-Sar-Ben in the realm of fond memories. Until the last 15 years, “Omaha had a very small group of entertainment choices,” said Paul Hendrickson, general manager of the newest venue, the Ralston Arena. “They have since then exponentially increased way beyond the normal nationwide.” National touring acts and major sports events — along with the ticket-buying public — have taken note of the Omaha area’s plentiful lineup of attractive, popular venues of varying capacities, said Hendrickson and two other managers of Omaha-area entertainment organizations. Consider this: The venerable 2,600-seat Orpheum, built in 1927 and renovated in 1975 and 2002, ranked 59th among all indoor U.S. and Canadian venues — including the largest domed stadiums — in gross ticket income from October 2012 to October 2013, according to the December 2013 issue of Venues Today magazine. The Orpheum sold $11.5 million in tickets for 106 shows during the period, ranking it 13th among venues of 2,001 to 5,000 seats, the magazine reported. Meanwhile, the eight-year-old, 2,000-seat Holland Performing Arts Center ranked 10th among venues of 2,000 or fewer seats, taking in $3.1 million in tickets sold for 85 shows. Statistics like those remind Joan Squires, president of Omaha Performing Arts, why she took on the task of building her organization from scratch in 2002. “I think we were known at the time as having very good performing-arts institutions, but we lacked the capacity to present high-quality touring programs or Broadway shows,” said Squires, whose organization manages both the Holland and the Orpheum. “I felt there was tremendous pent-up demand for the kinds of productions that just bypassed Omaha.” Though CenturyLink Center Omaha didn’t make the Venues Today list, the 11-year-old facility — still the largest among the area’s modern performing venues — has attracted an impressive array of performers that includes U2, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift. The risk for Omaha’s entertainment industry, the managers say, has shifted to overbuilding in light of the October 2012 opening of the Ralston Arena, a shortage of arena business at Council Bluffs’ 12-yearold Mid-America Center and a projected on-campus sports arena for the University of Nebraska at Omaha on the site of the former Chili Greens golf course. “I think everyone looks at big dollar signs when they build these facilities” and expects guaranteed success, said Roger Dixon, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority, which manages CenturyLink and the Civic. “It will be interesting to see how these arenas operate.” Hendrickson, who took the Ralston Arena job in February 2013, acquired an outsider’s view of Omaha’s pre-2000 indoor entertainment scene when he promoted ﬁgure-skating events in 1997 and 1998 at the Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum and in 2002 at the Civic. The latter, built in 1954, was the home of minor-league hockey and pro basketball in its prime and hosted concerts by Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel and many others. Ak-Sar-Ben attracted Bill Cosby, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, George Burns, Liberace, Jerry Lewis, Wayne Newton and others, largely through the Knights of AkSar-Ben Foundation’s member shows. But by the 1990s, the technical demands of touring rock acts mushroomed beyond the old arenas’ capabilities — something even the 1997 renovations at the Civic

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The venerable Orpheum Theater continues to host a variety of events, including opera productions. It also is a popular location for touring Broadway shows. couldn’t fully solve. “Older facilities weren’t equipped to handle 120,000 to 135,000 pounds of sound (equipment) and lights,” Dixon said. Meanwhile, concert dates were disappearing at both arenas. Creighton University men’s basketball and the then-new UNO hockey team claimed increasing shares of the Civic’s schedule. During the past quarter-century, the Omaha Lancers junior hockey team has played at Ak-Sar-Ben, the Mid-America Center, the Civic and now the Ralston Arena. The Orpheum, renovated by the City of Omaha in the 1970s, long had tried to squeeze in touring performers and Broadway shows among busy schedules for local arts groups, notably the Omaha Symphony and Opera Omaha. All the pressures culminated in the pivotal 2000 approval by Omaha voters of a $198 million bond issue to build CenturyLink, originally known as Qwest Center Omaha, on downtown land formerly occupied by a Union Paciﬁc Railroad yard. Private fundraising covered the rest of the $291 million project. Around the same time, Council Bluffs built and opened the 8,500-seat Mid-America Center, beating Omaha’s much larger arena by a year and brieﬂy capturing a share of the sports and concert market. Meanwhile, a $100 million private fund drive paid for the Orpheum’s 2002 renovation and the construction of the Holland — now the symphony’s home — on the site of a former Swanson frozen-food factory. These days, Squires said, she has little trouble booking acts even if they’re also playing elsewhere in the region. “If a performer is several hours away from here, he or she will also play us,” she said. “We’re really well-positioned for these tours coming across the country.” Competition is more intense among large arenas, Dixon said, but Omaha can compete well. The CenturyLink complex has ample room for a band’s production trucks, and “it helps them to know the (arena) crew is seasoned and can get them in and can get them back out,” he said. Even so, he said, top bands visiting the region also can choose major indoor venues in Denver, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Des Moines, Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kan. Lincoln’s new Pinnacle Bank Arena may become a greater rival of CenturyLink, Dixon said, if the University of Nebraska-Lincoln men’s and women’s basketball teams can’t sell enough tickets over time. Hendrickson keeps tabs on arenas in Sioux City, Iowa, Sioux Falls, S.D., St. Paul, Minn., Bismarck, N.D., and even Billings, Mont., in booking concerts for Ralston Arena. It opened a few months after the City of Council Bluffs hired Caesars Entertainment Corp., owners of Harrah’s and Horseshoe casinos, to stem annual operating losses at the Mid-America Center. Since its opening, Ralston Arena has hosted concerts by Kenny G, Martina McBride and Wynonna Judd and gained Omaha Beef football and Lancers hockey as sports clients. The UNO men’s basketball team is playing there until the university opens its projected 7,500-seat arena at Chili Greens, likely in 2015 or 2016. It remains to be seen, Hendrickson said, whether UNO’s arena will become a rival for non-athletic entertainment acts. Based on his years of experience, he added, “the city needs to grow into what’s here and participate in what’s here.”

Omaha-area indoor entertainment venues LARGE ARENAS CenturyLink Center Omaha 455 N. 10th St. Opened: 2003, as Qwest Center Omaha Capacity: 18,320 Primary tenants: Creighton University men’s basketball, University of Nebraska at Omaha hockey

MEDIUM-SIZED ARENAS Mid-America Center 1 Arena Way, Council Bluffs Opened: 2002 Capacity: 8,500 Omaha Civic Auditorium 1804 Capitol Ave. Opened: 1954; renovated 1997 Capacity: 10,960 Projected closure: summer 2014 Ralston Arena 7300 Q St., Ralston Opened: 2012 Capacity: 3,500 Primary tenants: UNO men’s basketball, Omaha Lancers hockey, Omaha Beef indoor football Proposed UNO arena 67th and Center Streets Projected opening: 2015 or 2016 Capacity: 7,500 Projected tenants: UNO hockey, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball

CONCERT HALLS AND THEATERS Orpheum Theater 409 S. 16th St. Opened: 1927; renovated 1975 and 2002 Capacity: 2,600 Primary tenants: Opera Omaha, Omaha Performing Arts Holland Performing Arts Center 1200 Douglas St. Opened: 2005 Capacity: 2,000 Primary tenants: Omaha Symphony, Omaha Performing Arts Civic Auditorium Music Hall 1804 Capitol Ave. Opened: 1954; renovated 1997 Capacity: 2,315 Projected closure: uncertain

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

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Playing on so many strengths The Omaha Sports Commission uses the city’s attributes to best advantage when competing for championship sporting events. BY STEVE BEIDECK WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

When Harold Cliff has the time to indulge himself in a hobby, he might want to consider cooking. As president and executive director of the Omaha Sports Commission, Cliff has led Omaha’s charge into the arena of hosting big-time sporting spectacles. How Omaha has become a destination for championship events sought out by governing bodies of a variety of sports is due in large part to how Cliff and other sports commission members and staff have designed a recipe for success. The way Omaha has embraced the NCAA College World Series for more than 60 years laid a foundation that has helped the city host two U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials — and a third scheduled for 2016. CenturyLink Center Omaha also has been the site of the 2013 U.S. Figure Skating national championships, NCAA basketball and volleyball events, and two major equestrian events. More are on the way, including three events in 2015 — the FIVB World Grand Prix volleyball finals, second- and thirdround NCAA basketball games and the NCAA volleyball final four, which the city hosted in 2006 and 2008. Omaha also is one of the finalists — along with London, Hong Kong and a Dutch city call ‘s-Hertogenbosch — to host another equestrian event, the Federation Equestre Internationale’s 2017 World Cup Finals. This recipe has specific ingredients — some can be shared, others understandably aren’t allowed to leave Cliff’s kitchen. “When we look at large events, there are 10 or 11 things that are core group things that stand out from other bids,” Cliff said. “These are things we look to highlight in our proposals and bids.” Though these events are one or two years out, there are many things that need to be done in advance. Cliff recently traveled to Indianapolis to meet with USA Swimming officials about decking and special effects plans for the ’16 Olympic Trials. “We worked on concepts, the budget process for this area of work,” Cliff said. “We’re discussing some special-effects ideas to see if they are doable for the venue. Then we fine-tune it to a dollar level to see what is doable.” Work also is underway on other aspects of the eight-day event in July 2016, including the overall budget, price of tickets and the dates the tickets will go on sale. Cliff took a one-day trip to Las Vegas last fall for the Live Design International trade show to gather ideas about the latest in light, sound and special-effects options. “We wanted to see what new things

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The U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials were a major success in Omaha in 2008 and 2012 — and will be back again in 2016. might be available and would be adaptable to a swimming pool,” Cliff said. “It’s fun to see what new and outrageous things are out there.” Flames went off — accidentally — during one of the first finals races at the 2012 Trials. Seasoned veterans such as Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps continued on and laughed it off after the race. There are some fun things that can’t be part of the entertainment package of an event because they could affect the quality of the television broadcast. “With live television you can’t have smoke, so that eliminates pyrotechnic and laser possibilities,” Cliff said. “All of these kinds of things need to be taken into account.” The hotel rooms are another piece of the Trials puzzle that has been finalized. Cliff said close to 27,000 nights have been negotiated with hotels near the CenturyLink Center, and the Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau will manage those requests. When it comes time to bid for any event, Cliff said there are some core elements that help Omaha’s bids stand out from the competition. Here are some of those elements:

VOLUNTEERS “I won’t speak for others, but in Omaha we are very, very fortunate that there are so many people anxious to volunteer and help us with these events,” Cliff said. For the 2012 trials, more than 90 percent of the people who volunteered at the 2008 event were back to help a

second time. Cliff anticipates that when the requests for volunteers are made for 2016, the return rate will be “very similar.” “You can’t run the event without the volunteers,” he said. “Their willingness to work that number of sessions, it’s very gratifying.” Cliff said more than 1,000 volunteers are needed for the trials, and volleyball events usually require between 500 and 600. “That’s a large number of people to volunteer their time and their expertise,” he said.

VENUE “CenturyLink Center is an incredible venue,” Cliff said. “With the convention center attached on the same footprint, athletes and coaches in all sports love that. “It’s a strong selling point because no transportation is needed for practice. The hotel is right next door, you don’t have to go outside.” For the swim trials, a warm-up pool was set up in the convention center, 100 feet from the pool. A practice/warm-up rink was installed for the ﬁgure skating championships in that same area. Basketball teams can pull their buses inside and not have to deal with the elements when coming into or leaving the building. For the bigger volleyball tournaments, extra courts are set up in the convention center. “Many locations, to get training courts or pools, people have to drive 30 minutes each way,” Cliff said. “Here you have the court, walk 100 feet to training court or second pool.”

MEDIA SUPPORT

BUSINESS COMMUNITY

“It’s amazing how much support we get from the media,” Cliff said. “We have a press conference, everybody turns out. It’s important for these events to know they will get covered.” Cliff said sport ofﬁcials like that they’re the only event in town and not competing with a lot of other sporting activities. “It’s a real selling point for national governing bodies that they will get coverage,” he said.

“A huge part has been corporate support, both philanthropic and business,” Cliff said. “People appreciate the sports commission trying to bring different types of activities to the community.”

AUDIENCE “These events produce a great atmosphere that is family-focused,” Cliff said. “We try to put them on at a more affordable price. When you do that, people tend to bring children more.” So many of the professional events in bigger cities have become unaffordable for families because of higher ticket, food and souvenir prices.

THE OLD MARKET “This area may get overlooked by locals but it’s a very strong selling feature,” Cliff said. “For events that have morning and evening sessions, people can stay in the area and be entertained without having to travel.” With the arena being part of the downtown core, the proximity of the Old Market to the arena bodes well for selling the event. Cliff said businesses there are busy all day, and visitors are happy they can walk somewhere to eat, go shopping and not have to move their car.

EPPLEY AIRFIELD The proximity of Omaha’s airport to the downtown area has been another aspect that receives nothing but positive feedback. “In some other cities, it can take 45 minutes or more to get from the airport to the downtown area,” Cliff said. “Here it’s only ﬁve minutes, and so many of the hotels have shuttle service to and from the airports. They even will take people to attractions within a certain radius.”

A RECORD OF SUCCESS “The track record the sports commission now has on hosting events, people are more comfortable with a known product,” Cliff said. “We’re not promoting that, we’re just hoping to do well. When they’re familiar with your track record, they know you are able to deliver the goods you’re promising.”

MIDWESTERN VALUES Cliff is from Montreal, but has made Omaha his home since arriving in May 2007 to run the 2008 swimming trials. “I‘ve come to appreciate being here over the last number of years,” Cliff said. “I get a big kick out of organizing these events, working with these people. I’m just fortunate I have been able to be a part of it.”

Home is where the game is World-Herald readers share their favorite spots for sports-watching, drinking — and sometimes dining. BY KEVIN COFFEY WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The Jays game is on and you don’t have tickets. Maybe you’re not heading to Lincoln to see the Huskers. Or perhaps you only want to see the Steelers instead of paying for the whole football TV package. Whatever the reason, we love going to sports bars to catch our favorite teams play any of the major college or pro sports. Whether it’s the availability of every game, a barrage of highdef televisions or those crispy, delicious chicken wings, we can’t keep ourselves out of them. This area is home to many sports bars, but we spoke to readers to identify the places they feel at home when they want to watch their favorite teams.

DJ’s Dugout’s four locations in Omaha and Bellevue are favorites among all kinds of sports fans. UNO superfan Ryan Snyder catches Maverick games at DJ’s, and Omahan Nick Gustafson says the sports bar’s west location is his favorite spot to watch Husker football. Oscar’s Pizza & Sports Grille was mentioned by nearly a dozen readers as a great sports bar for any fan. Derek Feilner goes there to catch Creighton games. Several readers said it’s a bar that caters to New York Jets fans and, according to Matthew Manning, Oscar’s is the place to get some “seriously tasty wings.” The Icehouse is another spot that sports fans love for almost any game. One reason, said Jaime Wegner: “If you can get

THE WORLD-HERALD

Customers watch games at DJ’s Dugout in downtown Omaha at 10th Street and Capitol Avenue. THE WORLD-HERALD

Fans cheer on the Green Bay Packers at Danny’s Bar & Grill near 72nd and Blondo Streets. a booth, you get your own small TV” at your table. What local bar isn’t a Husker bar on Saturdays? But Tiger Tom’s is a place a lot of people like to go to see Nebraska football. “Excellent food, great people, and they play the ﬁght song really loud before kickoff and after every score,” said Kevin Van Winkle. Fan of Chicago sports? Check out Beer City. The tiny bar near 42nd and L Streets caters to the Chicago Cubs, Bears and Blackhawks. (But not the Sox.)

Several readers identiﬁed Danny’s Bar & Grill near 72nd and Blondo Streets as the place to watch the Packers. The bar proudly names itself “Omaha’s Green Bay Packers Bar.” Barrett’s Barleycorn Pub & Grill, also the home-awayfrom-home for LSU Tigers fans during the College World Series, hosts a lot of Creighton fans and even runs buses to CenturyLink Center Omaha for home games. In addition to Creighton basketball, the bar is the home of quite a few fans who watch the U.S. men’s soccer team. Bar-

rett’s basement is full of rowdy soccer fans during every big match. Some Kansas City Chiefs fans make their way down to KC to see the game. But if you can’t do that, Pat & Mike’s on 90th Street will be full of fans rocking the KC red and gold. The Loose Moose, a good spot to watch any game, is known for having a large contingent of Oakland Raiders fans on Sundays. Stick around for live music after the games. It doesn’t matter what team you’re rooting for, but the Leavenworth Bar is usually full of NFL fans on fall and winter Sundays. Same with the Sydney in Benson, where Landon Hedges and his friends usually hole up

to watch the games. Though not a exactly a sports bar, Aksarben Cinema sometimes simulcasts UNO hockey games. Since the movie theater has both a full bar and food, we’ll count it as a sports bar just this once. Iowa State fans from the Omaha Cyclone Club often get together at the Fox & Hound to watch their teams compete. Four bars in the area — Scott Street Pub and the Tack Room Saloon in Council Bluffs and J.D. Tuckers and the Stadium Club in Omaha’s Old Market — are good spots for sports and for fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Contact the writer: 402-444-1557, kevin.coffey@owh.com twitter.com/owhmusicguy

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Fans of this team have been known to show their school spirit by wearing ﬂoppy ears to athletic events.

It’s not a deer and it’s not an elk. Name the animal and the school.

This high school team has an elegant equine mascot.

This school has produced some of Omaha’s biggest sports stars.

8 These birds are Big 10 rivals with the University of NebraskaLincoln.

How well do you know your mascots?

5 This one’s easy. No hints. 7 This school

What’s a Reiver? If you were a fan of this school, you would know that it’s a term for “river pirate” that dates back to the Middle Ages.

uses a stylized “O” for its ofﬁcial logo, but its mascot is a feisty-looking bull.

All of these creatures help Midlanders cheer for their favorite team — whether it’s high school, college or pro. See how many of their schools you can name, then check below for the answers. — Compiled by Jan DeKnock

This team plans to soon add three new characters to a “family” of mascots that already includes this twisty guy.

9 How about that makeover? This formerly cuddly mascot

showed up this year with a new look, left, that included a more sophisticated color scheme, ﬁercer eyes and a sleeker body. The fan verdict? Some parents say their kids think he’s too scary. Then there’s that goofy gaping beak.

ANSWERS 5. Herbie Husker of the Cornhuskers; University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

10. Vortex; mascot (along with Stormy and Casey) for the Storm Chasers baseball team, based at Werner Park in Papillion.

4. The Eagles; Omaha Central High School, alma mater of NFL running backs Gale Sayers, Ahman Green and Calvin Jones.

9. Billy Bluejay (old and new); Creighton University in Omaha. 8. The Hawkeyes; University of Iowa in Iowa City.

3. The Mustangs; Millard North High School.

7. The Mavericks (Mavs); University of Nebraska at Omaha.

2. The Bunnies (sometimes called Mighty Bunnies); Omaha Benson High School.

6. The Reivers; Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs.

1. The Lopers (antelope); University of Nebraska at Kearney.

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

MIKE WHYE FOR THE WORLD-HERALD

A robot welder at Distefano Technology & Manufacturing works on a piece of steel. The work area is surrounded by heavy curtains to protect nearby workers from the intense light of the welder.

Automation leads the way Updated machinery, better robots and more powerful lasers help area companies streamline production while maintaining quality. BY MIKE WHYE WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Technological advances affect companies in various ways. The leaders of some companies embrace those advances, while others are cautious to adopt them. Sometimes, technological advances simply take a long time to come to certain industries. James Skinner, who opened his bakery in 1983, came from a family long associated with making food. His grandfather and great-uncle had founded Skinner Macaroni in 1910. When Hershey Foods Corp. bought the macaroni company in 1979, the younger Skinner decided to open his own independent business. Although it was toward the end of the 20th century, bread was still being made as it had been for years. “We used rolling pins on tabletops and hand-loaded the ovens,” Skinner said. In 1989, the bakery acquired a fully-automatic oven. “You put a pan on a conveyor belt, and it came out the other end,” said Skinner, who is now chairman of the board of James Skinner Baking Company. From that time on, Skinner invested in equipment that would increase production of his baked goods. A machine called a sheeting line eliminated hand-cutting of dough. Other machines dispensed dough and icing. “We put in conveyors that had auto fillers and auto panners, which put the product into the pans,” said Audie Keaton, chief executive officer of the Omaha-based company, which is now the fourth-largest sweet goods bakery in the United States. “What once took 30 to 35 people to do was now done by eight.” Another machine shrinkwrapped the products when they reached the end of the production line. “About 22, 23 people had done it by hand,” Keaton said. “Now seven do it.” In some companies, new technology has meant letting people go. Not so with Skinner. “We never lost a person. Everyone was shifted to another position,” Skinner said with pride. “The nicest thing to see is how a person who had been on the line for years is now in an office on a computer.” The technology the bakery buys is off the shelf, said Keaton, but the programs are custom-made for the company, which makes more than 300 products, including muffins, cinnamon rolls, snack cakes, sweet dough, frozen dough, croissants and its signature Danish rolls. Skinner said customers expect his baked goods to remain consistent over the years, and advances in technology have allowed his company to achieve that consistency. Maintaining quality is also a concern of another Omaha firm, Distefano Technology & Manufacturing, which makes components of machinery for other companies, such as the decks of lawn

mowers for Toro. “Advanced technology allows us to make good quality parts and to maintain quality through the process,” said Brian Turner, the company’s vice president and general manager. Bought by Behlen Manufacturing Co. in 2008, Distefano fabricates metal parts more precisely and more quickly than it could not long ago. “We’re big into lasers,” Turner said. “In early 2000, we used a 2,000-watt laser. Now we use a 6,000-watt laser.” The more powerful laser operates three to five times faster than its older counterpart and cuts thicker sheets of steel. “We’re doing things that were impossible 10 years ago,” Turner said. In one area of the plant, which is on South 108th Street just south of Interstate 80, a computer directs a laser to slice an intricate design into a heavy sheet of steel, showering sparks around its sheltered workspace. Nearby, two long-armed robots hover over pieces of steel steadied for them to weld. Tall, thick curtains lining their work areas protect nearby workers from the sharp, blue-white flashes of the welding heads. Distefano’s products also are used by other companies that manufacture machinery used in turf care and agriculture, such as combines. At Ellison Technologies Automation in Council Bluffs, a cluster of three yellow, one-armed robots near a larger one-armed robot were motionless as company President John Burg walked around them. “In 2000, we couldn’t have designed this,” said Burg, who founded the forerunner of ET Automation — Automated Concepts Inc. — in 1983 with his father, Marlo Burg, to integrate robotics into the production lines of manufacturing companies. He pointed at the large robot and talked about technological advances. “In 2005, the most an arm could lift was 1,300 pounds,” he said. “This one can lift 3,000 pounds and turn whatever it holds in all directions.” The setup of robot arms was undergoing final testing before being shipped to a company where the big arm will lift a partially assembled cab frame of a long-haul truck from a storage pen and hold it as the other three robots work on it with their welders. At times, the welding robots will back off so the big arm can reposition the cab frame for the welding of different areas. The system must work properly as soon as it is set up at its work location. If the system has a problem, it is programmed to fix itself. “Our customers have no tolerance for us to teach them or to fix something. That takes time from their production,” Burg said. “They want to press a button and it will go. “There’s a lot more technology available than we can absorb,” Burg said. “We’re probably going to see more change in the next 10 years than in the past 20.”

JAMES SKINNER B A K I N G C O M PA N Y

At James Skinner Baking Company, a machine is used to dispense icing over rings of pastry, above. After the baked items are completed, other machines place them in boxes and move them along a conveyor.

MIKE WHYE FOR THE WORLD-HERALD

A medical-company representative, left, meets with two Ellison Technologies Automation employees about the operation of a machine that helps manufacture thin metal tubes that are used within patients’ bodies.

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

MANUFACTURING

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OUTLOOK

37Y

PHOTOS BY MIKE WHYE FOR THE WORLD-HERALD

Workers in the warehouse at AMCON Distributing Company in northwest Omaha are connected to a computer via terminals on their forearms. Upon receiving a list of items to pick up for an order, the workers locate the items, then scan them individually with a ﬁnger-mounted scanner.

From their hands to yours Distributors harness technology to fill orders. BY MIKE WHYE

A worker in Warren Distribution’s Council Bluffs warehouse ﬁlls his vehicle with items needed for an order.

As the nation’s seventh-largest convenience store distributor, AMCON has more than 100 trucks of varying sizes to deliver more than 16,000 products from its six warehouses to more than 4,500 outlets across the nation.

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

t’s not unusual for someone to visit a convenience store for some candy, beef jerky or a sweet roll. But where do such stores get those items? The answer is a distributor, which is another name for the middle man. “We provide more than 16,000 products to more than 4,500 outlets,” said Andy Plummer, chief financial officer of AMCON Distributing Company, which has its headquarters and a warehouse on Irvington Road in northwest Omaha. Listed as the nation’s seventh-largest distributor in the September 2013 issue of Convenience Store News, AMCON is a one-stop shop for convenience stores and groceries in 23 states. According to the National Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing, the trade association for convenience stores, the United States has more than 149,000 convenience stores. Some are large chains that have their own distribution systems, such as Casey’s General Stores, which has 1,772 locations. Others belong to smaller chains or are independently owned. These rely on distributors such as AMCON. “Everyone needs a distributor,” Plummer said. “Either themselves or us.” He said orders may come from individual stores or from a small chain’s headquarters. Most orders come via the Internet. “A few still call or fax us,” he said. Most stores place an order once a week, though some order more often. Usually the goods are delivered the day after an order is placed. When an order arrives at AMCON, it generates a list that is given to one of many people who pick items in AMCON’s warehouses, located in Omaha; Quincy, Ill.; Rapid City, S.D.; Bismarck, N.D.; Springfield, Mo.; and Crossville, Tenn. On each picker’s forearm is a smartphone-sized computer terminal that shows the list on its display screen. The picker then sets out in one of AMCON’s warehouses — the one in Omaha covers 100,000 square feet — to hand-pick the items and put them into a red plastic basket that rolls along a roller conveyor. Pickers sometimes go through the aisles in the company’s large walkthrough refrigerated units and freezers that hold perishable goods. As each item is located, the picker scans its bar code to note it has been picked up, and the arm monitor shows the next item to be found. When the order is complete, it is boxed, placed in an AMCON truck and delivered. Besides those who fill orders, other employees meet the trucks that bring supplies to the warehouses to replenish the stocks, an operation that has lots of people ensuring that each product goes into its particular niche in the warehouse. The items seem endless — Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup, paper towels, ChapStick moisturizer, Rand McNally maps, duct tape, Oreo cookies, chips of every sort and more.

“Pistachios are selling more now,” Plummer said. “And e-cigarettes are, too.” He said AMCON also supplies foods for convenience stores that offer madeto-order items such as sandwiches, salads and pizzas. Compared with AMCON, which brings in supplies and sorts them to ship to its customers, Warren Distribution makes many of the items it distributes. Founded in 1922, Warren originally just distributed oil-based products. “In the 1970s, Warren started manufacturing items including the containers that hold them,” said Jim Douglas, the company’s senior vice president. Now, most of the company’s revenue comes from the production of its products. However, it is still heavily involved in distribution of chemicals and lubricants, accessories and aftermarket repair parts for auto supply shops, convenience stores, car dealerships, large chain retailers and farm-supply stores, to name a few types of Warren’s customers. Among Warren’s products are antifreeze/coolants, various motor oils, de-icers, oils for two-cycle engines, automatic transmission fluids, power-steering fluids, brake parts cleaners and hand cleaners. “We have 3,000 SKUs,” Douglas said. Each SKU, or stock keeping unit, is associated with a bar code that represents a specific type of item. Warren makes products under many labels, including Accel, Mag 1 and Polar. Warren’s headquarters are on South 13th Street near the Old Market, but its main manufacturing plant and distribution center are in Council Bluffs. Other manufacturing and distribution centers are in Glen Dale, W.Va., and Guntersville, Ala. “We ship primarily to other companies’ warehouses, some direct to stores,” Douglas said. “Most of what we ship in terms of volume is in truckload increments.” At Warren’s warehouse, which has 37 truck-loading bays, workers use a couple of systems when filling orders. In the voice-pick system, workers wearing headsets listen to computer-generated orders that direct them to where an item is stored and how many units of that item are needed. The system also understands what workers say in response as they pick up the items. Pick-to-light is a system that uses lights to direct employees how to fill orders. To help move goods, the workers use a variety of vehicles, from small Walkie-Riders to regular forklifts to order-pickers that can rise up to fetch heavy loads from tall metal racks. Once an order is filled, a worker places the pallet near the loading docks, where a machine spins around the pallet, wrapping the order in layers of clear plastic. The plastic waterproofs the items and serves as a tamper-proof covering, said Jeff Patterson, shipping operations supervisor.

38Y

OUTLOOK

MANUFACTURING

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Doc Huynh, a worker at the LaRue Coffee & Roasterie plant on Centech Road in southwest Omaha, prepares bags of coffee for shipping.

Fertile ground Coffee roasters build on the Omaha area’s lengthy history with the mighty bean.

BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Coffee roasting has long been big business in Omaha. In 1879, Omahans William A. Paxton and Benjamin Gallagher started a wholesale business that by the turn of the century became known throughout the West for its groceries. One of those products was a coffee brand called “Butternut.” Though the building that once housed that well-known brand was consumed by fire in 2004, its destruction roughly coincided with a new era of coffee roasting in the Omaha area. “There has been an incredible number of changes in the 10 years that I have been in this business,” said John Larsen, president of Pear’s Gourmet, which roasts coffee for consumers nationwide. “Coffee has been a growing industry year over year,” said Terry Herr, vice president of field operations at LaRue Coffee & Roasterie. This year LaRue will service 12,000 clients in 13 states, from convenience stores to business offices. The company also does private-label roasting and packaging for 60 coffee and vending companies. One of the changes driving the coffee trend, Larsen said, is that people are drinking coffee made from a different species of coffee bean. Prior to the age of luxury coffeehouses, people drank Robusta coffee. Robusta coffee beans come from plants that can be grown at low altitudes and produce more beans per acre planted than Arabica coffee. “Starbucks really was a game-changer for us,” Larsen

P H O T O S B Y H O WA R D K . M A R C U S / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D

“Crouch’s Catch” is one of the licensed Husker coffee products manufactured at the LaRue Coffee & Roasterie plant. said. “You used to never hear the term Arabica coffee. It was a lot more Robusta.” Arabica coffee beans must grow at higher elevations in cool, subtropical climates and need a lot of moisture, rich soil, shade and sun. The Arabica beans can be damaged by cold temperatures or poor handling. Arabica, according to coffee roasters, is a better quality coffee, and people are interested in quality. “Commodity coffee is like the craft breweries of 10 years ago,” said Chris Smith, owner of Beansmith Coffee. “I think people are looking for the best experience for the buck.” Commodity coffee refers to the way coffee is traded. The popular term is “fair trade.” Fair trade guarantees coffee growers a set price prior to harvest, as opposed to the more traditional

method of setting a price at the end of growing season based on yield. “There’s some countries where coffee farmers will make a dollar a day, on a good day of picking coffee,” Herr said. “That may not be much, but that is their livelihood.” Fair trade has led to more privately negotiated deals with coffee co-ops around the world. These privately negotiated deals mean that local roasters get a better chance of bringing quality product to the consumers. Smith, for example, currently sells a very limited quantity of a coffee called Taza Dorada No. 1. “It’s from the Olmedo, Loja region of Equador,” he said. “It won the Taza Dorada No. 1 award. It’s a once-a-year award given to the best coffee out of Ecuador. It’s pretty honorable to get this coffee.” How unique is the coffee? Coffee distribution is measured in container loads. A container is about 234 bags of 150 pounds each, for approximately 40,000 pounds in a container. Ecuador annually exports a total of 100 containers of coffee beans. Colombia, by contrast, exports 32,000 containers. “We were super-excited, even though we got such a small allotment. It’s pretty special to us,” Smith said. Smith, and Beansmith manager of roasting Nick Tabor, both stressed that roasting coffee is a delicate art. “We are looking to bring in a really high quality of coffee. We want to make it what it can be,”

Tabor said. It starts with the packaging. Larsen and Smith both advocated the Grain Pro bags that are now being used to package coffees, especially Arabica coffees. “That’s a plastic bag that goes inside the burlap sack,” Smith said. “That makes a difference in the freshness of the coffee when it arrives to us, and in how fresh the coffee stays every step along this process. “When we open the bags of green coffee, it almost smells like fresh-cut grass,” Smith said. The green coffee is roasted for about 12 minutes, which Smith said is the ideal time to

bring out the best in coffees. Each person’s taste in coffee is unique. Herr said he likes the customization available with Arabica coffee. “If someone comes in and says, ‘We like Starbucks Café Verona, we can cup the coffee and grade it, and we can make a blend that is similar to Café Verona that our customers will like,” Herr said. “We ask our customers some questions to qualify what their needs are. We want to know if they like a particular strength, a particular mouth feel or a particular taste.” “We’re pretty big sticklers on detail,” Tabor said. “We want

people to have a complete (coffee-drinking) experience, but that has to come in a balanced way. If the coffee is polarized, meaning it could be too light or too dark, the taste could be too acidic or too tart.” The specialty roasters in the Omaha area know that although there are many factors involved in roasting coffee, they agree on one factor related to drinking it. “Have fun, enjoy coffee,” Herr said. “We hear the stories of how someone bought a pound of coffee, and they were able to make some memories while drinking it. It allows them to sit down and relax for a while.”

MANUFACTURING

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN 2014

Terry Herr, vice president of ﬁeld operations for LaRue Coffee & Roasterie, shows some of the many concentrated syrups used to produce ﬂavored coffee at the LaRue plant. No matter how large the batch of coffee being produced, the syrups are always added by hand to ensure a proper mix.

• Greater Omaha Packing Company proudly employs over 900 employees, providing high quality Midwestern beef products domestically and to 56 countries worldwide. • We operate one of the newest, most technologically advanced and safest facilities in the country and were voted by our employees as one of the best places to work in Omaha, Nebraska. • Our employees and their families have a great opportunity to better themselves through our Scholarship Program which helps college students with tuition and our Citizen Beneﬁt Program that helps employees achieve United States Citizenship.

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EDUCATION SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

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Questions? Call Omaha Public Schools Student Placement Office at

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40Y

OUTLOOK

EDUCATION

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Community colleges give high school students a jump-start on credits For teens, it’s an affordable way to start their college education and learn about possible careers. BY JUDY HORAN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

When high school students become juniors and seniors, they ramp up their thinking about future careers. Some want to test drive a career. Others want to acquire college credits early to ease their way into postsecondary education. They can do both by attending programs at Metropolitan Community College or at Iowa Western Community College. About 150 junior and senior students are enrolled in one of 16 Career Academies at Metro Community College that offer high school students opportunities to explore career

fields. Students get practical job skills and exposure to a college environment. “They gain job-seeking skills and interpersonal skills for the workplace while earning college credit at half the cost,” said Connie Eichhorn, Metro’s director of secondary partnerships, Programs include a Data Career Academy at Metro’s Fremont campus; an EMT, Trades and Certified Nursing Assistant Academy at Metro’s South campus; Diesel Technology and Auto Collision at the Applied Technology Center; and an Early Childhood Academy at the Sarpy Center. Justin Ethofer and T.J. Shanahan were still in high school

when they earned credits from Metro. They attended their high schools in the morning and Metro’s Auto Collision Academy in the afternoon. Ethofer took the college credits he earned while at Papillion-La Vista South High School and enrolled in auto body classes at Metro. He said the Career Academy experience gave him hands-on experience. He left the community college early to take a position as a conductor trainee for BNSF Railway in Lincoln. Shanahan was a Gretna High School student when he attended Metro’s Auto Collision Academy. He enrolled at Metro full time and will graduate earlier than typical because of the credits he earned.

IOWA’S SENIOR YEAR PLUS In Iowa, the Department of Education’s Senior Year Plus serves as an umbrella for all programs designed to provide high school students with college credit before they graduate, including postsecondary enrollment options, simultaneous enrollment and career academies. Ninety percent of the credits earned under the program are from general education courses such as English and math. “There are several statewide and local initiatives designed to align what is happening in the workplace with what is being taught in the classroom,” said Chris LaFerla, dean of admissions and records at Iowa Western Community College. Some students graduate with an associate degree at the same time they graduate from high school. School districts pay tuition and fees, and in most cases school districts receive some funds from the State of Iowa. Students can take classes taught by their high school instructors or they can take courses at a variety of colleges. “Career and technical education is perhaps more relevant now than ever,” LaFerla said.

METRO DUAL ENROLLMENT

METRO GATEWAY TO COLLEGE

In the fall of 2013, there were 2,450 students from 17 high schools enrolled to receive college credit — Metro’s largest enrollment of high school students. Most courses are offered during a regular school day, taught by high school instructors who meet Metro’s adjunct qualiﬁcations.

Gateway to College is for high school students ages 16 to 20 living in any of Metro’s four-county service area — Dodge, Sarpy, Washington, Douglas — who have dropped out of high school or become disengaged. The unique program is funded by an anonymous philanthropic organization. The State of Nebraska offers Access College Early Funding for students who show ﬁnancial need. “Gateway provides opportunity for students who just don’t ﬁt in the big metro high school,” Eichhorn said. “It’s not an easy out. They’re working on college classes and earning college credits.” Sometimes it’s not about a student’s academic ability or attendance. Maybe life gets in the way, or the student’s helping the family, she said. “There are all kinds of reasons high school students did not get their diploma,” Eichhorn said. “Taking college courses will also lead to a high school diploma. “You need something beyond high school to get a decent job and sustain yourself, whether an associate degree or apprenticeship.”

METRO COLLEGENOW

METRO COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Matthew Hufstettler, who earned college credits through Metro CollegeNOW courses while being home schooled, later enrolled in Metro Community College. He will graduate in 2014 with an associate degree.

This Metro program is for Nebraska high school students who receive half-price tuition through the summer quarter following their graduation. The program helps high school students jumpstart their college education. They might earn an associate degree or transfer the Metro Community College credit to other colleges and universities. “We have a number of students who might take a course in summer they know they have to have for another postsecondary college,” Eichhorn said. “Maybe it’s a language course not offered at their school such as Arabic or Chinese.” Matthew Hufstettler was a home-schooled student when he took CollegeNOW courses in French, English and some electives. He then entered Metro and will graduate in 2014 with an associate degree. “I felt like I got an early start because I got done with home schooling when I was 15,” he said. “I’m now focusing on general studies and leaning toward something involving media or 3D modeling and animation.”

While attending high school, Nick Carman, Greg Eccles and Seth McIntosh take auto technology classes at the Tucker Center, which is part of the Council Bluffs Community School District. Job shadowing is also a part of the curriculum at the center.

TUCKER CAREER AND COLLEGE CENTER

At left, Tucker Career and College Center instructor Charm Smith with culinary students Zach Burgett, Jenna Dunn, Preston Robb and Katelyn Hunter Mullin. In addition to college credit, the students earned an industry credential called ServSafe Certiﬁcation.

Council Bluffs’ Tucker Center helps with transition to college BY JUDY HORAN

Job shadowing at the Tucker Center while a student at Abraham Lincoln High School gave Laura Capel a handson look at the life of a teacher. The credits she earned from Iowa Western allowed her to enter the University of Nebraska at Omaha as a sophomore.

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

aura Capel leaped forward a year when she entered the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2013. She enrolled as a sophomore instead of a freshman, thanks to college credits she accumulated while a senior at Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln High School. Capel took Exploring Teaching classes at the Tucker Career and College Center, part of the Council Bluffs Community School District, and received credits from Iowa Western Community College. In March, Capel was accepted into UNO’s College of Education. She anticipates graduating in 2015, one year closer to her dream of being a teacher than she would be without her transferable credits from Iowa Western. “I have always wanted to be a teacher, but job-shadowing at the Tucker Center solidiﬁed that decision,” the future educator said. “You get ﬁrst-hand experience what it is to be a teacher. Not just sitting in class, but how to be in charge of a classroom.” Job shadowing is part of the Tucker Center curriculum, said Cyle Forney, principal at the Tucker Center. “For example, health science students attend a career learning experience at Mercy Hospital in

Council Bluffs at least once a week.” Forney points to other high school students who have been successful at the center. Hayley Hochstetler was at Abraham Lincoln High School when she completed a digital photography class at the center. She transferred college credits earned there to Iowa State University, where she majors in journalism and mass communications. Nick Carman, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School in Council Bluffs, is earning credits by taking auto tech classes at the Tucker Center. He has been accepted for admission this fall to the Milford, Neb., campus of Southeast Community College. Jenna Dunn took culinary classes at the Tucker Center while an Abraham Lincoln High School student. She earned both high school and college credits through Iowa Western Community College, where she is now a student. Forney salutes the businesses that support the career and technical education programs. Ellison Technologies is an example. The company donated an industry-standard robot arm for the pre-engineering course and is establishing partnerships with high schools and Iowa Western to create a potential workforce pipeline. An Iowa State study found students who earned credit while in high school had a higher GPA, earned additional minors and graduated sooner

than those who did not have college credit, said Chris LaFerla, Iowa Western Community College dean of admissions and records. “High school students in Iowa earn almost twice as many college credits than the national average,” he said. By Iowa law, all ninth- through 12th-grade students are eligible to earn credits if they meet the college’s requirements and demonstrate proﬁciency in all areas of Iowa’s test of basic skills. Every school in Iowa is required to provide an opportunity for students to participate. The school districts pay and the State of Iowa provides funding. Students using college credit for other goals, such as study abroad, might otherwise not have been able to do so and still graduate within the expected date. From 15 percent to 30 percent of students in the districts served by Iowa Western enroll in college-level credit while in high school. Iowa Western has 1,600 high school students taking college credit courses — about 22 percent of the school’s total head count. LaFerla says there are many beneﬁts to completing college credit while in high school. “It takes less time to graduate in college. ... It helps ease that transition from high school to college. The school district in most cases pays for fees, tuition.’’

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

EDUCATION

OUTLOOK

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Executives with an edge

More professionals are pursuing MBA degrees aimed at them. BY KIM CARPENTER WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

On the surface, Liz Durham-Ruiz and Josette Gordon-Simet don’t have much in common professionally. The former is senior technical adviser at the U.S. Strategic Command, the latter, a physician practicing family medicine with Alegent Creighton Health. As different as their careers might be, though, they nevertheless share an advantage more professionals perceive as integral to their career development: an Executive MBA, or EMBA for short. While similar to the more widely known MBA, or master’s in business administration, EMBAs are tailored toward working executives, managers and other business professionals. There are scores of EMBA programs across the U.S., with the 13th oldest in the country at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Founded in 1975, UNO’s EMBA program is the only one in the state accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The 18-month program takes place on alternating weekends and is cohort based, which

means EMBA candidates remain with the same people for the duration of their studies, with classes typically ranging in size from 20 to 22 students. Demographically, average candidates are 38 years old with 15 years of professional experience, including seven or eight at a managerial level. They tend to come from a 200-to250-mile radius, commuting from as far away as Chicago, Sioux Falls and Des Moines. Bill Swanson, the program’s executive director, said the program draws people from a wide variety of professional backgrounds. “They represent a wide cross section of degrees including IT, business, health care and natural science as well as many others,” he said. “Less than 50 percent have an undergraduate degree in business.” Dr. Phani Tej Adidam, executive management education professor and the director of the College of Business Administration’s International Initiatives, has been involved with the program for 17 years. He teaches marketing strategy, global management and international business strategy. “Back in the beginning, most of the students were executives dealing with new responsibilities in the business sector,” Adidam said. “Now we have younger cohorts. They want to experience new ideas and are open to change. “They don’t know what their speciﬁc options See EMBA: Page 42

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Founded in 1975, UNO’s EMBA program is the only one in the state accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Central Branch 4740 S. 48th Street Omaha, NE 68117 402.553.7999

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WILL HAVE A BIG IMPACT Creighton gives you an EDGE @ the moment you become a student. It’s our unique approach to education that brings together academics, advising, career planning and the pursuit of graduate and professional school studies. This is where students experience mentoring with experts in their field, outstanding alumni network opportunities and internships with Fortune 500 companies. Add to that a challenging, rewarding culture of service, involvement, learning and leadership. Education beyond the classroom—it’s our way of helping you create a purposeful, thoughtful plan for reaching your academic, life, and career goals.

START PLANNING YOUR FUTURE TODAY: admissions.creighton.edu | 402.280.2703

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Above, Phil Taylor, with the Omaha World-Herald, was one of four graduates who joined Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society at the EMBA graduation ceremony. He also received the Distinguished Student Award. At left, Liliana Bronner, center, with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, also joined the honor society. PHOTOS BY

Those seeking a master’s have other options An EMBA might not be the right path for many professionals. But they still have other options in Nebraska. For instance, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln offers an accelerated 11-month, 36-credit-hour master’s of arts in business administration, or MABA, that enable students to learn the basics of business from the same classes they would take to earn an MBA. Sheri Irwin-Gish, executive director of communications and marketing in UNL’s College of Business Administration, said, “The accelerated MABA is designed for students who want a general business administration program that includes the rigorous study of all functional areas of business such as accounting, ﬁnance, marketing and management. Students … learn the basic foundations of business administration with a focus on the strategic business framework and the communication and teamwork skills necessary to achieve success.” Gordon Karels, associate dean for research and graduate studies, added, “What we have is a professional MBA program online. It’s the exact same content as an MBA program in a different format.” On average, students have 10 years of professional work experience. They represent a large range of professions. “We have a wide cross section,” Karels said. “Students aren’t predominantly from Nebraska. We have a lot from the Midwest and from as far away as England.” Like UNO, networking is a major beneﬁt of UNL’s program. “I’m always amazed at the networking between the students,” Karels saud. “They get to know each other quickly and develop their own networks.” UNL also hopes to offer a full-time campus cohort program targeted toward undergraduate students this fall. “It will be an accelerated master’s program in business that they will be able to add onto their BA degrees,” Karels said. — Kim Carpenter

JAMES R. BURNETT/THE WORLD-HERALD

EMBA: UNO’s program attracts working professionals Continued from Page 41 are, but they want to learn new skills. They are more proactive about finding new opportunities and more flexible with regard to their careers.” Durham-Ruiz, who graduated this past December, is reflective of that trend. “I wanted to broaden my horizons and my background in science and technology,” she said. “Sometimes in government you can get myopic and focus solely on what you need to get done. I had been curious at how business looks at different problems, and I wanted to be successful from a business aspect. I hope to bring to the job an extremely competitive advantage.” Gordon-Simet finished the program in 2012 and is today associate medical director of Midlevel Providers at Alegent Creighton Health, a position she directly credits to having earned her EMBA. “I chose to attend because of my decision to direct my career to medical leadership. The program allowed me to leave the bubble that is medicine,” she said. “It enabled me to think outside the parameters of my normal industry.” Adidam said that having students with such widely divergent backgrounds work together is an important facet of the program. “You interact with different people. People from banking interact with individuals in the health sector,” he said. “They enhance and broaden their scope through other cohorts. It’s tremendously valuable to have colleagues with other perspectives. Students learn from each other and other industries. We see this as a strength.” Durham-Ruiz agreed. “The program provides a tremendous opportunity to exchange ideas and see how classmates in different industries view problems from different perspectives, and the opportunity to network with colleagues and faculty is extremely important,” she said. Swanson said networking with alumni is a key to students’ professional success. “Once people are enrolled in the program, they have a huge network of professionals to draw from and contact,” he said. “Networking is huge with both the cohort and the alumni base. It’s a great advantage.” In addition to traditional business coursework in subjects such as finance, management and marketing, UNO’s EMBA program features its International Capstone Project, which is for most students not only a program highlight but professionally transformative as well. Students must complete a consulting project for an international business that involves conducting analysis on the viability of intro-

“Students receive a gamut of experience. They see how transformative this is and how they can leverage it into different perspectives. Students walk out with their eyes — and their ears — wide open.” Dr. Phani Tej Adidam ducing a new or existing product or service into a foreign market, and they travel overseas in several different teams to make those determinations. Projects are undertaken for real businesses, which engage UNO’s services just as real businesses hire consulting ﬁrms. Since the university founded Capstone in 1989, its EMBA teams have conducted over 90 projects in 39 countries for more than 70 business sponsors, which have included companies such as Monsanto, Cargill, American Express and Lucent Technologies. Swanson said the Capstone Project does similar work to what a business consultant does. “Students survey what’s needed, create a formal statement of work, perform site visits and write formal presentations,” he said. “The businesses pay for the travel to and from the countries. We really differentiate ourselves. We send our students in leadership positions. Our students work for paying clients and make strategic decisions.” Adidam sees the Capstone Project as critical to the program. “Quite a few students are born and brought up in the Midwest and have no experience abroad, or if they do, it’s international engagement on a casual level,” he said. “Capstone is a tremendous opportunity. Students do a real project for a real company that is paying real money. The report they submit will be acted upon. It’s a real life experience with international exposure in a real scenario with real careers on the line. They have to make huge strategic decisions and respond to the problem.” For her Capstone Project, Durham-Ruiz traveled to India, where she engaged in a market entry project. “It was an industry and area of business with which I wasn’t familiar,” she said. “It was eye-opening.” Gordon-Simet’s team conducted a market-based study for a Fortune 500 company located in the Caribbean and similarly found the travel outside the United States enlightening. “It opened my eyes to practical and business aspects outside my industry,” she said. “The best part was that it was completely outside medicine. It changed my paradigm because it shifted my focus from my day-to-day industry problems and made me think outside the box. You step outside your normal work environ-

ment and get a different point of view.” An Executive MBA, of course, isn’t cheap. UNO’s costs $45,000, but it’s a concierge program, which means it’s a flat fee that includes everything — tuition, books, even catered-in meals during classes. “We do everything,” Swanson said. “The students do the homework and take the exams.” And while years ago companies often sponsored employees in achieving the higher degree, today the majority of students are self-sponsored. “The return on their investment is tremendous,” Swanson said. “People often earn promotions before even leaving the program.” Both women have found the investment to be well worth it. “In medicine, we are trained to perform our jobs as individuals,” Gordon-Simet said. “I am 110 percent more aware of what my colleagues can bring to the table now. My Executive MBA education has been influential in my current position, and since I completed my degree, the chief medical officer has commented positively on my growth. I paid for the degree myself. I would hope more people would consider it. It has provided more than the value of the tuition.” Durham-Ruiz concurred. “As I went through the different portions of the curriculum, I brought back what I learned to StratCom. Now I have a chance to step back and apply what I’ve learned more rigorously,” she said. “I believe education is something we do through out life. This degree will make you more valuable at any job. This kind of program makes sense. It’s a tremendous program, an outstanding program.” For Swanson, the value of the EMBA is what it brings to people doing business in Nebraska. “First and foremost,” he said, “we want to make sure that our students not only understand what it takes to be successful, they must also understand the nuances of doing business in a global economy and really understand the difference between how business is conducted in the U.S. and in foreign countries. An Executive MBA allows people to stay in tune with dynamics of world economy.” Adidam provides an additional perspective. “Students receive a gamut of experience. They see how transformative this is and how they can leverage it into different perspectives. Students walk out with their eyes — and their ears — wide open.”

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

EDUCATION

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UNL student Frank Stroup works at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln. He is majoring in music education and minoring in music technology.

CHRIS PETERS FOR THE WORLD-HERALD

Internships are crucial to landing a full-time job The experiences are beneficial for both the businesses and the college students. BY CHRIS PETERS WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

LINCOLN — As college students prepare to find jobs after school, nothing has become more important than internships. A college degree is rarely enough anymore — employers expect students to spend time in their career field, getting hands-on learning beyond the college curriculum. Last year, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln surveyed employers who used its “Husker Hire Link” service to find new employees and interns. The survey found that by more than 2-to-1, employers answered an open-ended question saying experience was the top thing they looked for when hiring. “They want to get to talent early,” said Kelli Smith, assistant director for employer relations for UNL Career Services. “They’re realizing their competition is hooking talent early.” Internships range from full-time paid positions to just a few hours per week in an un-

The only one in Nebraska.

paid or college-credit model. They are often the best or the only way to gain experience in the real world. “Internships have been, over time, more and more important for students in term of marketing themselves,” Smith said. “They’re also a great way for students to explore a career field. We would rather them figure that out when they’re a sophomore or a junior than when they graduate.” Mutual of Omaha hires 25 to 40 interns each summer, focusing on IT, actuary and investment students. Sharon Rues Pettid, director of human resources, said she starts the recruiting process in September for the upcoming summer’s interns, making offers throughout the year and rounding off the class before the end of winter. Like many companies, Mutual of Omaha brings in interns as a way of building a relationship with students in order to recruit top talent before they hit the open market. “It’s a try it before you buy it, to be able to see what they’re capable of doing,” Rues Pettid said. “It’s a benefit for both the intern to get the experience, but also for us to see how they’ll perform and how they’ll do.” Mutual of Omaha is one of a long list of See Internships: Page 48

“Internships have been, over time, more and more important for students in term of marketing themselves.”

We are the only institution in the state to be nationally ranked by Washington Monthly, Colleges of Distinction and U.S. News & World Report this year. With high rankings in social mobility, service, innovative learning, campus life, alumni giving rate and acceptance rate, we remain true to our mission of providing an affordable, accessible education.

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44Y

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

UNO, Creighton keep enhancing their profiles BY TODD VON KAMPEN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

All historic appearances to the contrary, Creighton and UNO have much more in common than a hometown. True, they were born 30 years apart and sit 30 blocks apart. Creighton University, with 8,000 students, was and is a private Catholic school. The University of Nebraska at Omaha, now a secular state school, is twice as large and was essentially born Protestant. And yet their respective founders were determined to broaden

access to higher education for all Omahans — missions in which their successors rightly claim signiﬁcant successes. In 2014, Creighton and UNO have legitimate claims to crown-jewel status in Omaha — bolstered by the universities’ signiﬁcant facelifts over the past 20 years, nationally and internationally recognized academic programs and athletic departments that recently have leapt into higher levels of competition. Both institutions have set ambitious enrollment goals over the next decade that would push Creighton’s total enrollment toward 10,000 and UNO’s to 20,000. Creighton leaders hope to parlay the university’s new Big East Conference membership into greater

enrollment from Chicago and the East Coast, even as they expand their online academic footprint and build a nationwide network of partner schools. UNO, for its part, plans to build a set of new athletic fields and an indoor arena to complement its still-new NCAA Division I status. University leaders also intend to keep adding residence halls, expanding fine-arts and telecommunications facilities and improving the high-technology resources and academic programs that helped spark UNO’s transformation from a relatively limited “commuter campus” within the University of Nebraska system. But even as they relish their enhanced profiles, leaders at

both universities vow never to abandon their parallel heritage as universities for Omaha — and for Nebraska. UNO’s culture has always stressed “being of the community as well as in the community,” said Senior Vice Chancellor B.J. Reed, a 32-year veteran faculty member. “We’ve always been very committed to our home state, and we never want to give that up,” said Mary Chase, Creighton’s assistant provost for enrollment management. Regardless of the trends in higher-education costs, “our founders wanted us to provide (educational) access. And so do we.”

Founders’ Catholic ideals left lasting impression on CU Whatever its similarities with UNO, Creighton will forever enjoy the advantage of being first in Omaha. The flagship University of Nebraska campus in Lincoln was less than a decade old when John Creighton and the heirs of his brother, Edward, first devoted some of their fortunes from building the first transcontinental telegraph line to improving education in their hometown. The Creighton brothers were even closer because they married two sisters, said university archivist David Crawford. Edward had expressed the wish to start a college before his 1874 death, and his widow, Mary Lucretia, left that couple’s assets to the then-Vicariate of Nebraska to establish a college. But after Mary Lucretia herself died in 1876, John Creighton poured his money and energy into building up the college for the long term. “Especially for John and (wife) Sarah Emily, the boys of the school became their own,” Crawford said. “All the Creightons were philanthropists on a large scale. This was important to their daily living.” The Creightons, all devout Catholics, not only turned to their church to found the college but also enlisted the Jesuit order to operate and teach in it. The university’s main administration building, Creighton Hall, retains the core structure that housed the first 120 students on Sept. 2, 1878. In fulfilling his family’s vision, John Creighton worked hand in glove with the Rev. Michael P. Dowling, a relentless visionary who first became president in 1885. Dowling left in 1889 but returned nine years later after a national depression threatened the school’s fiscal foundation, Crawford said. He stepped down for good in 1908. Dowling’s first term included the initial dedication of St. John Catholic Church, still the university’s campus church. By the time he returned, Creighton had gained university status and opened its medical school in 1892. The first dormitory and the next three of Creighton’s professional schools — law, dentistry and pharmacy — highlighted Dowling’s second stint as president. Nursing was added in 1958. In light of today’s tuition costs — an estimated $32,812 (including fees) for undergraduates in 2013-14 — it’s worth noting that John Creighton’s dedication to educational access for all enabled the university to avoid charging undergraduate tuition until 1924, Crawford said. Even now, “we’re well-known for being as generous (in financial aid) as we can be because we have a mission to serve,” added Mary Chase, assistant provost for enrollment management. Creighton welcomed diversity nearly from the start, Crawford said. The first medical-school class in 1892 included Kate Drake, the first woman admitted to a U.S. Jesuit college or university. Another woman, C.B. Offersen, graduated from the medical school in 1894. William B. Gordon, an African-American, received his medical degree in 1901. Black, Jewish and Asian students have been part of the student body for decades, he added. Until 1951, however, women could study and graduate from Creighton’s professional schools but not the undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences — at least officially. The Jesuits’ national leadership, Crawford said, insisted

for years that “the pure Jesuit (concept) in education in arts and sciences had a sense that this was for men and (that) women had their opportunities elsewhere.” Creighton’s Jesuits responded by arranging for women to take arts and sciences classes at Creighton under the official auspices of other Catholic colleges. Later, University College was set up for a similar purpose until the national Jesuits relented. Creighton’s modern athletic identity didn’t begin to take shape until after World War II, when it decided not to resume the football program it suspended during the conflict. Omahan Bob Gibson, later a Harlem Globetrotter in pro basketball and a Hall of Fame pitcher in baseball, was the university’s best-known athlete even after its men’s basketball team began to enjoy lasting success in the 1970s. The growth of Bluejay basketball in the era of Dana Altman, Kyle Korver, and Greg and Doug McDermott has accompanied the redevelopment of Omaha’s north downtown area. Creighton has invested some $300 million in new construction and renovations since 2000, including Morrison Stadium, D.J. Sokol Arena and the Mike and Josie Harper Center for Student Life and Learning, said Dan Burkey, the university’s senior vice president for operations. As a result, Creighton’s traditional campus corridor north of Interstate 480 now stretches effectively from the university’s medical center on 30th Street to the City of Omaha’s CenturyLink Center on 10th Street. CenturyLink was filled with 18,525 fans on New Year’s Eve 2013 to celebrate Creighton’s basketball debut in the nationally prominent Big East Conference. Creighton leaders say the Big East affiliation, concluded in March 2013, already is raising the university’s profile among the basketball-rich conference’s historic East Coast audience. In one prominent example, Creighton’s Career Center will have a booth at the conference tournament this March at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Burkey said. Also, “we’ve been told a Creighton graduate could walk into (the) District of Columbia and use the Georgetown (University) career center to seek a job and housing placement in the D.C. area,” Burkey said. “We would offer the same at Creighton.” After enrolling between 800 and 900 freshmen a year during the last decade, Creighton welcomed 961 first-year students last fall and hopes to grow its incoming classes to 1,200 a year, Chase said. The university’s graduate professional programs, meanwhile, are expanding both their real and virtual footprints. With the aid of online courses originating in Omaha, Burkey said, Creighton has extended its programs in pharmacy and physical and occupational therapy to several western U.S. colleges and universities. Students begin their degree work on local campuses and later finish at Creighton, he said. Creighton is in its second year of a partnership with St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, which is providing the last two years of clinical training for 42 Creighton students in various health professions. Provost Ed O’Connor said the university is looking for additional locations to offer similar training partnerships.

At left, UNO students mill around the Arts and Sciences building. Below, a crescent moon sets behind the UNO bell tower as seen from Skutt Field.

CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD

M A R K D AV I S / T H E W O R L D H E R A L D

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY 2500 California Plaza Year founded: 1878, Creighton College Admissions: 402-280-2703 or 800-282-5835; www. creighton.edu Curriculum: Nine colleges or schools, six associate’s degree programs, 73 bachelor’s degree programs, 36 master’s programs, 14 doctoral degree programs and 32 certificate programs. Interesting fact: Creighton didn’t graduate its first college class until 1891 — 13 years after its founding — because its Jesuit founders believed young Omahans (as young as age 10) first needed greater access to upper elementary and high school education to prepare for college work. Creighton’s high school program — which became today’s Creighton Prep — operated as a division of the university until Prep moved to its current site at 7400 Western Ave. in 1958.

KENT SIEVERS THE WORLD-HERALD

The University of Omaha’s administration building, now Arts and Sciences Hall, was under construction on Aug. 24, 1938.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA 6001 Dodge St. Year founded: The univeristy was incorporated in 1908 as the University of Omaha. The first classes began in 1909. Admissions: 402-554-6281; www.unomaha.edu Curriculum: Six colleges, 118 bachelor’s degree programs, 48 master’s programs, one specialist program, seven doctoral degree programs and 21 certificate programs. Interesting fact: The institution that became UNO was non-sectarian from the start but was founded and influenced early on by Omaha Presbyterians. The university’s Presbyterian founding president, the Rev. Daniel Jenkins, served until 1926 and died in 1927. Three years after his death, Omaha voters narrowly approved taking over the University of Omaha.

Creighton University began in 1878 in the three-story brick building seen in the photo at top. Above, freshmen participate in Creighton University’s annual walk across campus. Photo at right shows what Creighton University’s main building looked like from 1903 until remodeling in 1930. The photo was taken before 24th Street was cut through in 1909. Below right, compared with the photo above it, it is easy to see where the art-deco style addition to the building replaced part of the existing structure.

CHRIS MACHIAN/OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Above, the view from the third ﬂoor of UNO’s Mammel Hall facing the north entrance. Carl Mammel’s donation made UNO’s business school, Mammel Hall, possible. Near the entrance is a Jun Kaneko’s sculpture. Left, energy-efﬁcient lights surround Mammel Hall, which is also a green building.

“We have far more international students in proportion to the rest of the campus than you might expect, especially in the middle of the country.”

“We’re well-known for being as generous (in financial aid) as we can be because we have a mission to serve.”

UNO Senior Vice Chancellor B.J. Reed A LY S S A S C H U K A R / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D

Mary Chase, Creighton’s assistant provost for enrollment management

At left, students gather on the UNO campus in the 1970s. UNO founded the Center for Afghan Studies in 1972 — the launch of the program can be correlated to the diverse student body.

At left, a group of high school juniors takes a tour around the Creighton University campus. JEFF BUNDY/THE WORLD-HERALD

UNO has always wanted to provide opportunity for ‘the average person’ As Creighton’s classic identity in Omaha settled in the early 1900s, some community leaders came to believe their city needed a Protestant higher-education alternative. Thus was the University of Omaha born. It’s hard to find traces of those times at the modern University of Nebraska at Omaha, with its 21st-century urban campus culture and a goal of enrolling 20,000 students by 2020. But one constant has been “the idea that this university should provide an opportunity for the average person, the person who might not be from a wealthy background or a family that doesn’t have a history of higher education in their family to go to school,” university archivist Les Valentine said. UNO’s history can be divided into four periods: » The founding period (1908-30), which began with its incorporation followed by its opening Sept. 14, 1909, with the arrival of the first 26 students at the university’s original building at 24th and Pratt Streets. The student newspaper, founded in 1911, has always been known as “The Gateway,” according to a 2006 UNO publication. But the university remained on fiscally shaky ground until Omaha voters agreed to make it a municipal university — by a mere 1,020 votes — in an election on May 6, 1930. » The municipal-university period (1930-68), during which the institution relocated to its current main campus near 60th and Dodge Streets — then on Omaha’s west edge. The initial 20 acres were purchased in 1936, and the new administration building, now Arts and Sciences Hall, was built with a U.S. Public Works Administration grant and dedicated in 1938. Under Presidents Rowland Haynes and Milo Bail (the namesake of UNO’s student center), the university trained hundreds of Omaha defense-plant workers during World War II and developed its continuing emphasis on adult and continuing education as well as affordable undergraduate education. After the war, “we exploded in facilities and enrollment, similar to what we did after ’68,” Valentine said. African-American students had attended Omaha University since the early years, Valentine said. During the 1960s, Don Benning, hired as wrestling coach in 1963, became the university’s first black assistant professor. The football team, then called the Indians, included Omaha’s Marlin Briscoe, later the first African-American starting quarterback in pro football history. » The early UNO period (1968-96), which began taking shape as the university’s finances were strained by stagnant city property tax support. Omaha and state leaders debated and finally agreed to fold the University of Omaha into a new three-institution University of Nebraska system (the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, UNO and Omaha’s NU Medical Center). Under Chancellors Ronald Roskens — later NU system president — and Del Weber, UNO expanded and modernized its main campus. The period included the debut of the university’s “Mavericks” nickname and the construction of the Strauss Performing Arts Center and the Henningson Memorial Campanile, as well as the launch of radio station KVNO. UNO in 1972 founded the Center for Afghan Studies, which began working in Afghanistan even before that nation’s invasions by the Soviet Union in 1979 and the United States in 2001. The presence of Chinese, Indian, Turkish and Korean students can be traced in part to awareness of UNO through the Afghan

center’s work, said Senior Vice Chancellor B.J. Reed, who arrived at UNO as a professor in 1982. “We have far more international students in proportion to the rest of the campus than you might expect, especially in the middle of the country,” he said. » The current period, which can roughly be traced to the 1996 founding of the Peter Kiewit Institute, the debut of UNO’s first doctoral program a year earlier and the opening of UNO’s first on-campus student housing in 1999. PKI resulted from a mid1990s tussle between Omaha and Lincoln community leaders over the course of engineering and information-technology education. The institute, a UNO-UNL collaboration, was established explicitly to prepare workers for the Information Age. The PKI debate and the onset of doctoral studies helped fertilize the ground for additional centers of excellence, Reed said. It also helped raise UNO’s statewide profile, especially in northeast Nebraska, which has been fertile recruiting ground since the late 1990s. Success there also was aided by the successful push for on-campus housing by Chancellor Weber and successor Nancy Belck, Reed said. PKI’s construction on the former site of the Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack launched a period of intense physical and academic growth. Mammel Hall, also built at Ak-Sar-Ben, became a new high-tech home for the university’s business programs in 2010. Growth on the main campus included the renovation and expansion of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, including an advanced biomechanical research center. The 2008 acquisition of the former Chili Greens Golf Course on West Center Road opened new ground for future state-ofthe-art athletic facilities. Three years later, current Chancellor John Christensen and Athletic Director Trev Alberts announced that UNO, which founded an NCAA Division I hockey team in 1997, would leave Division II and enter Division I in its other sports. Though the Mavericks’ Division I debut in 2011 included new teams in men’s soccer and golf, two of UNO’s longtime athletic icons were absent: the wrestling team — national Division II team champion in its final season — and the century-old Maverick football team. Baseball and softball stadiums and competitive track and tennis facilities are part of the athletic complex envisioned at Chili Greens, Reed said. Anchoring the site will be an indoor arena — currently slated for construction in 2015 or 2016 — that will become the new home of UNO’s volleyball, basketball and hockey teams. CenturyLink Arena currently hosts Maverick hockey, while the men’s basketball team plays at the Ralston Arena. But UNO officials also have their eyes on expanding PKI, building an education and research building dedicated to the “STEM disciplines” (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and constructing a home for radio, TV and journalism programs. Reed said the university wants to add more residence halls at Ak-Sar-Ben as part of a goal to increase on-campus housing to 4,000 beds. UNO’s expansion goals also include the long-delayed completion of the Strauss Performing Arts Center, a showcase of the main campus since the 1970s. A wing to the south of the current structure was part of the center’s original plan, Reed said.

45Y

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OUTLOOK

EDUCATION

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

UNMC program gives teens an early look at health careers BY LIZ MCCUE

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

wenty-two students crowd around Dr. William Lydiatt in their classroom at the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education. Lydiatt, professor and vice chair of the department of otolaryngology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, holds a replica of a human skull, to begin teaching the class about the muscles and bones of the head and neck. He uses anecdotes from his 18 years of experience as a surgeon at UNMC to help students understand his course, Medical Decision Making. But these aren’t med students. They aren’t even college students. They are high school juniors and seniors enrolled in UNMC’s High School Alliance program, now in its fourth year of offering students a chance to leave their high school campuses and head to the UNMC campus for an education outside the reach of the average high school curriculum. “The autonomy to check out of their high school campus, get themselves here, walk around a college campus, really increases their confidence,” said Heidi Kaschke, the program coordinator. Fifty-five students from 11 area school districts meet every day from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for classes. Mondays are focus days, where all 55 students gather to listen to speakers from across the fields of health sciences. The students are then split up for their two chosen classes, one on Tuesday and Thursday, the other on Wednesday and Friday. There are different class offerings for each semester in the yearlong program. Carlos Vera is a junior at Omaha South High School. Last semester, he took courses on community health and microbiology. Vera said he is undecided about his career, but the past semester gave him ideas about where he might be headed. “I’d like to go into something with community health, maybe,” Vera said. “I like working in the lab, I know that now.” This semester, Vera has anatomy as one of his courses. His motto is to hope for the best, but expect the worst — he has a slight fear of blood in a class that dissects a human cadaver. “I don’t know how that is going to go down,” he said. Classmates Miranda Schilling and Megan McClanahan don’t share Vera’s concern. Schilling, a senior at Millard North High School, is excited. The opportunity to dissect a cadaver See Alliance: Page 47

LIZ MCCUE/THE WORLD-HERALD

Hayat Rahmeto, left, a junior at Omaha South High School, reaches to touch the mandible, or jawbone, of a human skull replica during Medical Decision Making. Dr. William Lydiatt, right, has taught the class since the program began in 2010.

“The autonomy to check out of their high school campus, get themselves here, walk around a college campus, really increases their confidence.” Heidi Kaschke, program coordinator

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Prospects up in Ag & Food Sectors! Morningside College’s new Applied Agricultural and Food Studies major prepares students for a wide range of career opportunities in food and fiber production, processing, marketing and distribution. Morningside’s ag and food studies program offers: • Small class sizes; • Multidisciplinary curriculum; • Opportunities to specialize — agribusiness, food safety, environmental policy/law, sustainable agriculture, and more; • Hands-on, real-world experience (paid externships) with ag and food related businesses; and • Scholarships, financial aid, job placement and counseling Career opportunities in the ag and food industries are growing. If you are interested in these expanding sectors of the job market, your prospects look amazing at Morningside College. Learn more at www.morningside.edu.

Sioux City, IA www.morningside.edu • 800-831-0806 ext. 511 The Morningside College experience cultivates a passion for life-long learning and a dedication to ethical leadership and civic responsibility.

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Alliance: Metro area high school students get to dissect, job shadow and more Continued from Page 46 isn’t a part of high school anatomy classes, and many undergraduate programs don’t offer it, either, she said. McClanahan, a senior at Papillion-La Vista South, said she was prepared when she arrived in the class. The class actually takes place in the UNMC anatomy lab. It’s hard to miss the white body bags when first entering. “I think I knew what to expect,” McClanahan said. She said she has enjoyed the interactive nature of the course as opposed to lecture. But there’s a lot of work outside the classroom. “Before you come to class, get to know what you’re going to talk about in class,” she said. “Otherwise you’re just going to be kind of confused or you’ll have to be on your toes the whole time.” Lydiatt has the same expectation of his students in his Medical Decision Making class. He assigns readings for homework so class time can be spent in discussion and has changed his curriculum over the years to include more interactivity and small group time, less lecture and Anton Chekhov. “It isn’t a class where you’re going to learn literature, or art or anything specific and in-depth, but my goal is to use all of the different types of understanding,” Lydiatt said. “Then talk about ethical issues and decision making.” Lydiatt begins by teaching his students about head and neck anatomy so they understand his stories and understand proceedings during visits to his clinic. He assigns Tolstoy’s “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” because it presents multiple perspectives of death. He brings in poet Ted Kooser, who will talk to students about his battle with throat cancer. And artist Mark Gilbert gives a class on drawing to teach students about observing patients. “The good news is, we treat you like an adult,” Lydiatt tells students during the first class. “The bad news is, we treat you like an adult.” Dr. Gordon Todd has taught anatomy courses at UNMC for the past 39 years and for the High School Alliance students for the past three. He said one of the benefits of the program is that it gives students an idea of the rigors of college. Like Lydiatt, he has changed the format of his alliance class to include more discussion and fewer lectures. However, Todd said teaching the students has been fun. He is retiring at the end of this year and said one of his regrets will be not continuing with the program. “It keeps you stimulated trying to come up with new approaches where the medical student curriculum really hasn’t changed,” Todd said. The alliance program is primarily funded by the Sherwood Foundation, which invests in social justice initiatives that aim to enhance the quality of life in Omaha. Because of the foundation, the alliance can provide students with polos for uniforms, give gas cards to students based on need and distance, organize activities for current and graduated students, and work with professors and three teachers from Omaha Public

PHOTOS BY LIZ MCCUE/THE WORLD-HERALD

Schools — Ashlie Nelson, Jaynie Bird and Michele Merrill. Another beneﬁt of the program is that students are given the opportunity to shadow working professionals on Saturdays. “We’re trying to expose these students to the wide variety of careers,” Kaschke said. “It’s not just being a doctor.” Kaschke said students can shadow where they think their interests lie, but the program also sends them to shadow in jobs they haven’t considered. “It really opened my eyes,” said Andrea Bierman, a sophomore pre-med student at Hastings College. Bierman participated in the program during her senior year at Millard North in 2011-12. Although she was set on becoming a doctor, she is also considering becoming a nurse practitioner after shadowing during the High School Alliance. Bierman said her senior year classload wasn’t too hard, but she had to learn time management to balance her education at both campuses, which prepared her for studying in college. “I haven’t pulled an all-nighter in college yet, because I learned in high school not to,” Bierman said.

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CATHOLIC KNOWLEDGE SCHOOLS At top, Megan Martin, a senior at Bellevue East, listens to Dr. William Lydiatt during the second day of the Medical Decision Making class.

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Above right, Lydiatt circles his temporal bone with his ﬁnger. He has 23 of the 55 High School Alliance students in his Medical Decision Making class this semester. He begins his class with anatomy so students understand his stories and anecdotes better, and can follow along on visits to his clinic at UNMC. Above, students in the UNMC High School Alliance skate at the UNMC rink on Jan. 7, their ﬁrst day back on campus after winter break. Heidi Kaschke, program coordinator for the High School Alliance, said along with giving students educational opportunities, the program encourages students and alumni to remain in contact by coming to events such as ice skating or meeting at Dave and Buster’s.

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Internships: They benefit students and employers Continued from Page 43 Omaha businesses that work closely with the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce to emphasize internships as a means of bringing intelligent professionals into Omaha and keeping them there. Each summer starting in 2012, the Chamber of Commerce has conducted a program called Intern Omaha, which hosts events throughout the city, encouraging interns to make connections with professionals while checking out different parts of the town. “People are going to come here or stay here because of a job, but what’s going to keep them here is the livability aspect,” said Chamber of Commerce talent coordinator Sarah Wernimont. “This shows them that Omaha is a great place to live.” UNL senior Frank Stroup, 21, is working an internship in Lincoln at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, tying it in with his music education major and music technology minor. He was recruited to his internship by a former classmate, now the marketing director for the Lied Center. Since his internship started in summer 2013, Stroup has managed a free-ticket program for students, also acting as a promoter on campus, among other duties. He’s hoping his internship at the Lied will make him more versatile, giving him a better understanding of how the entire business works. Most of his successful classmates worked in internships or had some form of experience playing with a non-UNL group before going on to play professionally. “At the university, I get a lot of experience playing with the wind ensemble, the symphony orchestra, the jazz orchestra, jazz combos, brass quintets, all that stuff,” Stroup said. “I feel like this gives me a different area — getting more experience and a general world view.” At the university level, most colleges work to connect their students with prospective employers through internship and job listings. At UNL, Husker Hire Link offers free job listings for internships as well as full- and part-time jobs. In the past four years, the number of full-time job listings has increased 400 percent, while internship postings have risen 375 percent. At Nebraska Wesleyan University, a liberal arts college in

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Frank Stroup says through his internship at the Lied Center for Performing Arts he is “getting more experience and a general world view.” Lincoln, the school connects students with internships through a “Job Zone” page on its website and through a multi-school network called the Nebraska College Recruiting Consortium. “An employer can get the word out pretty extensively by just posting on that one website,” said Janelle Andreini, Nebraska Wesleyan’s director of the career and counseling center. Most of the internship lists at Lincoln’s universities are diverse, but some companies hire more than most. Smith said UNL has noticed a high number of interns working for local companies such as Sandhills Publishing (about 80 interns per year), Hudl and UTech Ventures. In Omaha, Wernimont said ConAgra Foods and Union Paciﬁc, as well as Mutual of Omaha, are known for heavy intern classes, while smaller companies, such as Olsson Associates, also bring on large numbers of interns for their size.

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Area colleges offer something for everyone BY CHRIS PETERS WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

College-bound students have a lot of schools to consider in the region. Whether big or small, public or private, any of these could be the right ﬁt for you. Here are some of the options available in Nebraska and Iowa. Information on Creighton University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha are on Pages 44 and 45.

BELLEVUE UNIVERSITY 1000 Galvin Road South, Bellevue 402-293-2000 www.bellevue.edu Curriculum: Bellevue University is a private, nonprofit university of business, professional education and the liberal arts, offering 50 bachelor’s degree programs and 20 master’s degree programs in class and online. Bellevue also offers the nation’s only Ph.D. in Human Capital Management. The curriculum focuses on developing core performance skills such as problem-solving, decision making, judging, communicating, leading, managing and working successfully with and through others. Bellevue has renewed its focus on core and emerging industrial clusters and professions that will fuel the 21st century in science, technology, business, public administration, health care and applied research programs. Of note: Bellevue University recently launched Flexxive, a skill-based learning model that allows students to pay a flat rate instead of per-credit once they’ve surpassed 12 credits per semester. All required readings in the program are available online, eliminating required textbooks. Bellevue also recently opened a military veterans services center, which helps veterans transition to civilian life and helps them connect with prospective employers. Bellevue earned a top ten national ranking in the U.S. News 2013 top online education programs and a top five ranking in the inaugural U.S. News ranking of best online programs for veterans.

RYA N S O D E R L I N / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D

Midland University in Fremont, Neb., enrolled its largest freshman class in decades last fall. It offers a four-year graduation guarantee.

as continuing education programs for lifelong learners. Of note: Metro is continually expanding its ﬂexible course formats to meet student demand. The college offers multiple online degree programs, hundreds of online classes and a growing list of hybrid course options that blend online and oncampus learning.

MIDLAND UNIVERSITY 900 N. Clarkson St., Fremont, Neb. 402-941-6501 www.midlandu.edu Curriculum: Midland University is a four-year liberal arts and sciences college offering nearly 50 majors and preprofessional programs. Midland features a 10-to-1 student to faculty ratio and offers a four-year graduation guarantee. Midland aims at establishing a tight-knit, active campus community with curriculum dedicated to hands-on, interactive learning. Of note: Midland enrolled its largest freshman class in decades in fall 2013. In the last four years, Midland has added 11 varsity sports, has worked to enhance clubs and activities and has increased opportunities in the performing arts nearly tenfold. The university also recently added the Center for the Four-Year Graduation Guarantee, which houses a team of advisors dedicated to one-on-one advising and acute planning to ensure students graduate in four years or less.

BUENA VISTA 610 W. Fourth St., Storm Lake, Iowa 1-800-383-9600 www.bvu.edu Curriculum: Buena Vista University emphasizes developing students for lifelong success through innovative and imaginative academic and professional preparation. Students learn alongside faculty who strive to balance excellence in their ﬁeld with a dedication to teaching and advising. Buena Vista encourages a combination of classroom learning with hands-on experience, including internships, research and travel. Of note: In fall 2013, Buena Vista completed a $30 million capital campaign. The money will support the students, faculty and campus. A chunk will be dedicated to the annual fund, which supports student life both inside and outside the classroom.

The College of St. Mary, founded in 1923, was once housed in this building at 15th and Castelar Streets. The college is now located at 7000 Mercy Road.

managers and problem solvers. Of note: Hastings College had more than 340 first-year students on campus in fall 2013 — the largest first-year class in the college’s 131-year history. Hastings College was also ranked 14th among 350 Baccalaureate Colleges across the country by Washington Monthly for graduating Pell Grant-eligible students and emphasizing student involvement with community service and service learning. Significant dorm renovations are in the design phase for summer 2014.

CHADRON STATE 1000 Main St., Chadron, Neb. 1-800-CHADRON (242-3766) www.csc.edu Curriculum: Chadron State is a public institution rooted in teacher education that offers programs and courses in 65 majors and endorsements and eight master’s degree programs. Chadron State’s most popular bachelor’s degree programs are business administration, education, biologyhealth sciences, justice studies and rangeland management. Chadron State strives to offer a top quality education at a reasonable cost and prides itself on its small classes, close interaction and scenic western Nebraska backdrop. Of note: More than $25 million is being spent on construction projects around campus. The three major projects are the Eagle Ridge housing units, the Coffee Agriculture Pavilion portion of the Rangeland Complex and a new events center.

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

CLARKSON COLLEGE 101 S. 42nd St., Omaha 402-552-3100 www.clarksoncollege.edu Curriculum: Clarkson College prepares students for a career in health care services, offering a variety of diplomas and certificates, as well as undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate degrees in the fields of nursing, health care business, health care services, physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, medical imaging, imaging informatics, education and leadership, and professional development. Clarkson College is nationally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is an educational partner with the Nebraska Medical Center. Enrollment at the college has more than tripled since the year 2000. Of note: In the past year, Clarkson College has introduced three new programs to its academic catalog: Doctorate of Nursing Practice, Doctorate in Health Care Education and Leadership, and the Long-term Care Certificate program. In 2013, the college celebrated its 125-year anniversary and received notice from U.S. News & World Report in the categories of Best Online Graduate Nursing Program and Best Online Graduate Nursing Program for Veterans.

COLLEGE OF ST. MARY 7000 Mercy Road, Omaha 402-399-2355 www.csm.edu Curriculum: College of St. Mary is an all-women liberal arts Catholic university. CSM is the only such institution in a ﬁve-state region and one of just 49 all-female universities in the U.S. CSM recently eliminated all fees, offering a ﬂat rate. CSM offers numerous undergraduate and graduate degrees in health care, business, education, liberal arts and sciences. Of note: College of Saint Mary offers a new three-year Bachelor’s in Nursing program with the opportunity to add a fourth year for a master’s degree. First-year students are now eligible for preoccupational therapy and pre-physician assistant tracks, which result in appropriate master’s

THE WORLD-HERALD

A bronze statue of author Mari Sandoz stands outside the Sandoz Center on the Chadron State Campus in Chadron, Neb.

degrees after ﬁve years, instead of the typical seven. CSM recently began offering a Business Analytics and Strategic Communication major.

GRACE UNIVERSITY 1311 S. 9th St., Omaha 800-383-1422 www.graceu.edu Curriculum: Grace University is a regionally accredited, private Christian university with more than 40 undergraduate, graduate and adult degree completion programs including education, business, psychology, music, nursing, pre-law, and Christian ministries. The university’s mission is to develop servant leaders for the home, the church and the world through excellence in biblically integrated education. Of note: Grace University has seen a 55 percent growth in undergraduate new student enrollment this year. Much of the growth can be attributed to the addition of three new undergraduate programs — English, pre-law, and communication studies — and two new athletic programs — men’s baseball and women’s soccer. The College of Graduate Studies has doubled its offerings, adding a Master of Arts in Teaching, a Master of Science in Education and a School Counseling track.

HASTINGS COLLEGE 710 Turner Ave., Hastings, Neb. 402-461-7403 www.hastings.edu Curriculum: Hastings College is a liberal arts school where students take classes across campus in many different disciplines, ensuring a broad academic background meant to stimulate intellectual curiosity and excitement. Curriculum emphasizes lifelong learning and strives to make students mentally ﬂexible, excellent communicators, creative thinkers and stronger

100 Enrollment Services Center, Ames, Iowa 1-800-262-3810 www.iastate.edu Curriculum: Iowa State is an international university with students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ISU offers 100 majors and 800-plus student organizations and aims at creating an environment where students will enjoy chasing their potential and discovering their passions. Of note: Iowa State’s student enrollment is growing in record numbers. Fall 2013 enrollment (33,241 students) is the largest in school history and an increase of more than 7 percent over the previous record set in the fall of 2012. This was the ﬁfth year of record enrollment and the seventh consecutive year of growth at Iowa State.

IOWA WESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE 2700 College Road, Council Bluffs 712-325-3277 www.iwcc.edu Curriculum: Iowa Western has more than 100 academic programs, including a variety of practical, hands-on experiences and programs that last one or two years. Some lead straight into career opportunities, where others lead to the completion of a four-year program. Of note: Iowa Western is building an 85,000-square-foot, two-story facility on campus. The new facility will house the following programs: Adult Basic Education, CNC Machining, Electronics, Environmental, GED, Industrial Maintenance, Math, Robotics, Sustainability and Welding. In addition to lab spaces for those programs, the facility will include more than 20 classrooms, computer labs, faculty ofﬁces, continuing education staff ofﬁces, conference rooms and public areas.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE Eight locations around Omaha 402-457-2400 www.mccneb.edu Curriculum: Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Metropolitan Community College is a comprehensive, public community college that strives to offer affordable and quality education to all residents of Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington Counties. Founded in 1974, the college has the largest enrollment out of six community colleges in Nebraska and is the second-largest postsecondary institution in the state. Metro serves more than 40,000 students annually, offering degrees, certiﬁcates, dual and early entry enrollment, adult education, GED preparation and ESL programs, as well

MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE 1501 Morningside Ave., Sioux City, Iowa 800-831-0806 www.morningside.edu Curriculum: Morningside College offers ﬁve undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Music Education. At the graduate level, Morningside offers a Master of Arts in Teaching with professional educator or special education tracks. Career programs consist of accounting, advertising, applied agricultural and food studies, art, biology, business administration, chemistry, computer science, corporate communications, elementary education, engineering physics, English, graphic arts, history, interdisciplinary studies, marketing, mass communications, mathematics, music, nursing, philosophy, photography, political science, psychology, religious studies, Spanish, special education and theater. Of note: In fall 2014, Morningside is launching a new applied agricultural and food studies major that will prepare students for careers with a wide range of companies involved in food production. A $13 million construction project, planned for completion in fall 2014, will renovate the college’s library/learning center, will add an academic advising center and will add a new classroom building that will house the nursing, education and agricultural studies programs.

NEBRASKA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE 12550 S. 114th St., Papillion 402-935-9408 www.nechristian.edu Curriculum: Nebraska Christian College specializes in creating church leaders. Curriculum includes a well-rounded education in the classroom, classes involving how to read and interpret the Bible and practical ministry philosophy. Internships and mentoring relationships provide hands-on experience for each student’s development as a church leader. Of note: The Institute for Church Leadership launched on the campus of Nebraska Christian College in 2013. Both a community resource for regional church leaders and an honors college of sorts, the institute gives students face time with ministry practitioners from across the nation, helps them develop a professional network and allows them to continue to grow in their skills after graduation.

NEBRASKA METHODIST COLLEGE 720 N. 87th St., Omaha 402-351-7200 www.methodistcollege.edu Curriculum: Established in 1891, Nebraska Methodist College is a fully accredited, private health professions and nursing college. An affiliate of the Methodist Health System, Nebraska Methodist College offers certificate, undergraduate and graduate degrees with programs offered on campus and online. Of note: Nebraska Methodist College continues to grow, having recently announced its first doctoral program, the Doctor of Nursing Practice, which will begin in fall 2014.

NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 5000 St Paul Ave., Lincoln See Colleges: Page 50

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Colleges: Nebraska, Iowa schools offer variety Continued from Page 49

402-465-2218 www.nebrwesleyan.edu Curriculum: Nebraska Wesleyan offers 106 majors, minors and preprofessional programs including an Integrative Studies major that allows students to design their own course of study. Undergraduates learn through experiences in ﬁve key areas: internships, campus leadership, service, research and study abroad. Of note: Beginning fall 2014, new students will begin the Archways general education curriculum. Students will choose one or two interdisciplinary course threads that are aimed at helping students explore issues of global signiﬁcance from a variety of academic department perspectives. Topics may include democracy, human health, identity and more. The athletic department recently added swimming as a varsity sport. NWU will have the state’s only collegiate men’s swimming program.

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA University of Iowa 107 Calvin Hall Iowa City Admissions: 319-335-3847 http://admissions.uiowa.edu Curriculum: The University of Iowa is a large research university that can enroll ﬁrstyear students directly into the Colleges of Business, Engineering and Nursing. Iowa has preprofessional programs in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, physician assistant and law. Other top programs include English, journalism, creative writing, psychology, biology and actuarial science. Iowa’s general education program is aimed at academic exploration and self-discovery and the school offers a four-year-graduation guarantee for most majors. Of note: Iowa’s campus is undergoing a historic physical makeover with construction underway on the school of music, the school of art and art history, Hancher Auditorium (performing arts venue) and a new residence hall.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY 905 W. 25th St., Kearney, Neb. 1-800-KEARNEY (532-7639) http://unk.edu/admissions Curriculum: The University of Nebraska at Kearney offers more than 170 undergraduate programs to its 7,100 students. Colleges include Fine Arts and Humanities, Natural and Social Sciences, Business and Technology and Education. More than 30 graduate programs are offered, preparing students for careers in arts and sciences, government and business, education and industry. Most UNK students participate with faculty in creative activities or research projects in their ﬁelds of study or internship experiences to prepare them for their careers. Of note: UNK’s Learning Commons, located in Ryan Library, offers free tutoring and supplemental instruction, a writing center, study

That’s what Brownell-Talbot students do. Nebraska’s only private, independent school is where students learn to think critically, act responsibly and lead with integrity. We offer a caring, supportive community, world languages, extracurricular activities in athletics, the arts and academics, and learning that prepares our students for success in college, career and life.

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PERU STATE COLLEGE 600 Hoyt St., Peru, Neb. 1-800-742-4412 www.peru.edu Curriculum: Peru State offers 13 undergraduate degrees with 39 options, 22 teaching endorsements, 17 minors, 18 preprofessional programs, eight online programs, and two online graduate degrees in education and organizational management. The college also allows all students to attend for the same tuition rate regardless of state of residency. Of note: In fall 2013, Peru State enrolled its largest freshman class in recent history. Over 12 percent of freshman class members are Board of Trustees Scholars, the most prestigious scholarship offered by the Nebraska State College System for high academic achievement. Additionally, overall enrollment was up 5 percent from 2012. A $9 million renovation of Peru State’s historic Oak Bowl, built in 1901, is nearing completion. The project features a new stadium, press box, concourse area, concession stand, restroom and pedestrian access. New drainage, ﬁeld turf and stadium lights have been installed and the ﬁeld has been widened to provide the potential to play soccer games.

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Iowa State University features the Campanile and Stanton Memorial Carillon, which ﬁrst rang in 1899. Kissing under the campanile at midnight is an Iowa State tradition.

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tables and language tables. New in fall 2014: a Wellness Center focusing on student recreation and health and human performance research and teaching. Also new: renovated Centennial Towers East suites. Construction will begin on the new UNMC-UNK collaborative Health Science Education Complex in the fall.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 402-472-2023 www.admissions.unl.edu Curriculum: The University of NebraskaLincoln is the primary research and doctoral degree-granting institution in Nebraska. As Nebraska’s land-grant university, it serves as the ﬂagship institution of the University of Nebraska system. About 24,500 students study in its nine colleges: Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education and Human Sciences, Engineering, Hixson-Lied Fine and Performing Arts, Journalism and Mass Communications, and Law. UNL has a 30-hour general education program that is part of the academic foundation for all students. Of note: The new University Suites residence hall opened in fall 2013 and features 513 beds for suite-style living at 18th and R Streets. A second suite-style residence hall is to be completed in May. In addition, UNL’s fall 2013 enrollment was its most diverse in school history and saw a 12 percent jump in ﬁrst-time students over the previous year.

WAYNE STATE COLLEGE 1111 Main St., Wayne, Neb. 866-WSC-CATS (972-2287) www.wsc.edu Curriculum: Wayne State College offers undergraduate and graduate programs, preparing students for careers, advanced study and civic involvement. Beginning as a teacher’s college, Wayne State now has four schools: Arts and Humanities, Business and Technology, Education and Counseling and Natural and Social Sciences, offering 90 programs of study. Of note: Recent renovations to the Carhart Science Building provide all Wayne State students with access to laboratories on par with graduate research facilities at major universities. A complete renovation of the college’s library will begin in spring 2014.

CREIGHTON PREP The best way to learn more about Creighton Prep? Spend a school day walking the hallways and attending classes with one of our students. Experience Prep today and see how you can become a man...a Man For Others.

Over 35 sites of dedicated community service 99% of our graduates are attending a college or university 200 full college tuition scholarships awarded in the last five years 11,000 active alumni with members in each of the 50 states and in 17 countries Average class size of 20 students $1.8 million awarded in financial assistance to 45% of our students

Call Admissions at 402.548.3879 to set up a time to shadow.

7400 Western Ave. | Omaha, NE 68114 | 402.548.3879 | creightonprep.org

growth noun.

1. Fall 2013: largest ﬁrst-year class in school history 2. 46% increase in graduates over the past 10 years 3. 1.8 million square feet of new or renovated facilities space since 2006

There’s no better time to be a Maverick. www.unomaha.edu