B2B Omaha - February/March 2021

FEBRUARY · MARCH 2021 | U.S. $3.25

HEROES IN BUSINESS

DEALS STILL HAPPENING

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET STRONG IN OMAHA

EMPLOYERPROVIDED BENEFITS WHAT TO EXPECT THIS YEAR

BACK TO THE OFFICE? CONTINUING TO WORK FROM HOME IN 2021

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OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 01

TABLE OF CONTENTS MAIN FEATURE

32 DEALS STILL HAPPENING

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET STRONG IN OMAHA FEATURES

24

EMPLOYER-SPONSORED BENEFITS WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2021

28

PANDEMIC INFECTS SMALL BUSINESSES PPP LOANS HAVE HELPED

36

BACK TO THE OFFICE?

WORKING FROM HOME CONTINUES

DEPARTMENTS

05 AFTER HOURS

08 IN THE OFFICE

14 omAHA!

06 BIZ + GIVING

12 LEADERS

16 ON THE RISE

JEFF GEHRING

BRENDA CHRISTENSEN

COLUMNS

DVORAK LAW GROUP

SOCIAL MEDIA ROUNDTABLE

RETAIL AWARE

MELISSA GLENN

SPECIAL SECTIONS FEBRUARY · MARCH 2021 |

03 FROM THE EDITOR

SERVICES FOR PROFESSIONALS

18 HEROES IN BUSINESS SPONSORED CONTENT

HEROES IN BUSINESS

DEALS STILL HAPPENING

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET STRONG IN OMAHA

40 OMAHA CVB

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

40 OMAHA CHAMBER HERE’S TO 2021!

ABOUT THE COVER

U.S. $3.25

EMPLOYERPROVIDED BENEFITS WHAT TO EXPECT THIS YEAR

BACK TO THE OFFICE? CONTINUING TO WORK FROM HOME IN 2021

The new year is fraught with uncertainty, but business is moving forward. Will working from home continue long-term?

02 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

VOLUME 21 · ISSUE 1

Sales Should Be Fun, Not Frustrating!

“Thank you Sandler! My 2020 sales increased 136% year-over-year because “Sandler Works!”

Sandler calls itself sales training, but I call it sales generating.”

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A LWA Y S L O C A L, A LWA Y S B E A U T I F U L. Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble, The Bookworm and other locations!

Included with an Omaha Magazine Subscription—OmahaMagazine.com/Subscribe

EXECUTIVE publisher Todd Lemke

CREATIVE creative director Matt Wieczorek

vice president Greg Bruns

senior graphic designer Derek Joy

associate publisher Bill Sitzmann

graphic designer II Mady Besch

EDITORIAL managing editor Daisy Hutzell-Rodman

photographers Katie Anderson Keith Binder Scott Drickey Ariel Fried Sarah Lemke Jeremy Allen Wieczorek

senior editor Tara Spencer associate editor Linda Persigehl contributors Chris Bowling David Brown Brody Hilgenkamp Jeff Lacey Sara Locke Lisa Lukecart Niz Proskocil Kara Schweiss Scott Stewart Wendy Townley Deborah Ward INFORMATION advertising information 402.884.2000 subscribe online omahamagazine.com/ pages/subscribe B2B Magazine is published six times annually by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 68046-1208.

Telephone: 402.884.2000; fax 402.884.2001. Subscription rates: $12.95 for 4 issues (one year), $19.95 for 8 issues (two years). Multiple subscriptions at different rates are available.

No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of B2B Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted, however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations.

SALES executive vice president sales & marketing Gil Cohen director of sales Ed Cochran senior branding specialist Mary Hiatt branding specialists Paul Bashus Dawn Dennis George Idelman assistant to the publisher Sandy Matson senior sales coordinator Alicia Hollins OPERATIONS operations officer & Local Stubs ticketing representative Joshua Peterson ad traffic manager David Trouba accounting associate Kyle Fisher distribution manager Damian Ingersoll

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 03

FROM THE EDITOR

SERVICES FOR PROFESSIONALS T

here are companies that serve the public, and there are companies that also serve other businesses. This issue is filled with stories from the latter.

The Biz + Giving article is one I especially enjoyed this round. I talked to Brenda Christensen, whose family has owned ThermoKing for many years. They provide tractortrailers for places such as Amazon, but they retain one special rig for a worthy cause—the Junior League of Omaha. It’s a business expense of $8,000-$12,000 per year, but one they absorb gladly.

Business expenses add up, and one cost many owners are interested in reducing is waste.

That is where Omaha startup Retail Aware can help. Entrepreneur Keith Fix has created a way to track when a company’s products are being wasted, or not being used efficiently. How this works is the subject of our omAHA! article.

The end of a year is often a time when employers look at their employee benefits, especially those relating to health insurance. As 2020 was a year of upheaval, business owners have a lot to think about with benefits in 2021 and beyond.

B2B brings readers some insight on this often stressful task in one of the features.

There was a lot of news about the downfall of commercial real estate through 2020, but not a lot of news about the flip side—that Omaha, overall, is weathering the commercial real estate downturn well. Omaha has three new hotels either open or in the works, and as of October, the city boasted nearly 1.3 million square feet of office space under construction. Readers can learn more about that in our main article.

There’s a lot of great articles in this issue. I hope you enjoy them all.

B2B

Daisy Hutzell-Rodman is the managing editor of Omaha Publications.

She can be reached at daisy@omahapublications.com

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“IT’S A CATALYST THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER AND IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO DRINK TOGETHER TOO.” -JEFF GHERING

From left: Kenny Engelmeyer & Jeff Gehring

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 05

05

AFTER HOURS | STORY BY CHRIS BOWLING | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

BACKYARD BARBECUES TO COOKING COMPETITIONS

BUILDER PARTNERS WITH FINANCIAL PLANNER

T

he wood smoldered. The smoke plumed.

Under the metal hatch, heat combined with seasonings and time to break down the thick pork into tender, tear-off-the-bone ribs.

“I mean, what’s better than barbecue?” Jeff Gehring said.

By day, the two manning the grill are accomplished professionals. Gehring owns Mercury Contractors, a custom home builder and renovator. Kenny Engelmeyer is a senior vice president of the financial planning company Primerica.

But on weekends, their meeting ground is over a smoker. They’re not just any backyard barbecuers, though. They compete across the country against the nation’s top pitmasters.

The journey started when Gehring was invited to the mecca of barbecue competitions, Memphis in May, in 1998. The level of artistry and expertise he saw in the hundreds of crews competing for hundreds of thousands of dollars blew him away.

Engelmeyer grew up farming thousands of acres near West Point, Nebraska. As a teenager, Engelmeyer was a 4-H president and crowned the national youth organization’s best meat inspector two years in a row. His family moved to Omaha in the early ’90s when their livelihood took a plunge, but the farm is still a part of him.

“I can tell by the color of the steak, the marbling, and the hardness of the bone, how old this critter was,” Engelmeyer said. “I can look at a fillet and tell you if that came from a fully fed animal or not.”

That comes in handy because appearance and quality is everything in barbecuing competition. And the crown jewel is ribs.

For competitions, Gehring and Engelmeyer buy Duroc, a type of pig that produces pork with more marbling and better flavor, directly from a farmer in Kansas. From there, they have a variety of rubs, marinades, wood chips, and techniques, as well as special tools to coax the meat, probe its temperature and slice it.

After cooking for hours, the ribs are sliced and arranged in a takeout box. One person carries it to the judges’ table flanked by team members to make sure nothing happens on the last leg of this hog’s holy journey.

These competitions take place all over the country.

Gehring and Engelmeyer’s team often compete in the Kansas City Barbeque Society’s network of events.

In 2013 they even added their own event to the circuit, a competition put on by Millard Business Association called Ribstock, which received a certified proclamation from Gov. Dave Heinmann.

While the July 2020 event was canceled due to COVID-19, in the past they’ve drawn up to 6,500 people to the Super Saver parking lot near 144th Street and Millard Avenue.

The proceeds of the event go to the Millard Business Assiociation’s Project Wee Care, which provides food, clothing, and other necessities to local families. They also donate money to Food Bank for the Heartland, which supplies food pantries across the region.

Gearing said over the last seven years they’ve raised about $100,000.

Because while barbecuing is satisfying, that’s not why Gehring and Engelmeyer do it. Barbecuing is about community. It’s a way to feed a lot of people.

It’s reserved for special occasions. The techniques are passed from generation to generation. The culture around it becomes as integral to the people as a landscape or language.

“It’s very serious business,” said Gehring, who teams up with his son, Steve, to create award-winning barbecue. “You have to think about every detail. If your temperature goes off and deviates by more than five degrees, you could burn your meat...You gotta pay attention to how you rub everything, how you trimmed it, if you de-membraned it right.”

“It’s like armed guards going in there,” Engelmeyer said.

That’s no different here—whether that’s charity, competition, or hanging out with friends.

Gehring started volunteering and competing, earning some top 10 finishes.

“Or a wide receiver getting a pulling guard in front of them,” Gehring added.

“It’s a catalyst that brings people together,” Ghering said. “And it gives us a chance to drink together too.”

After several rounds of judging, a winner is crowned.

Visit ribstockbbq.com for more information.

B2B

06 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

06

VOLUME 21 · ISSUE 1

BIZ+GIVING | STORY BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

A BARGAIN FOR ALL

THERMO KING EXECUTIVES DONATE VALUABLE RESOURCE

T

he Junior League is a women’s group that strives “to develop exceptionally qualified civic leaders who collaborate with community partners to identify a community’s most urgent needs and address them with meaningful and relevant programs and initiatives that not only improve lives, but also change the way people think.”

“The Junior League of Omaha is so grateful for Mike and Brenda’s continued support over the years,” said current president Katie Triplett. “Our Bargain Bash fundraiser wouldn’t be what it is today without their years of generosity and involvement. Brenda has also served as adviser to many of our members over the years, including serving a two-year term as board adviser.”

The 2021 Bargain Bash is expected to be in the spring. There was no Bargain Bash in 2020 due to the pandemic, but the 2019 bash raised $14,000 from the sale of merchandise, which helps the organization support community programs.

Executive Director of Kicks for a Cure Brenda Christensen, whose family has owned the logistics and transportation company Thermo King Christensen since 1946, joined Junior League of Omaha. She enjoyed the experience so much she became a sustainer when she finished as an active member in 2000.

Christensen and her husband, Thermo King vice president Mike Morris, have donated a 53-foot tractor-trailer and storage for the Bargain Bash items, which are dropped off approximately once a month.

“I think for this instance, I joined in 1986 also,” Morris said. “We want to be supportive of the different endeavors that are presented to us…

This was an opportunity that we developed as an organization that we know does good things for the community. It allows them to have a place to store their stuff and us to do some good.”

“DEPENDING ON THE YEAR (RENTAL) IS ANYWHERE FROM $700-$1000 PER MONTH, SO WE TAKE THIS OUT OF OUR FLEET.” -MIKE MORRIS “It was a really great way to jump in and learn about the community and figure out how to be a good volunteer in the community,” Christensen said. “Rather than getting really specific with an organization, it gives broader perspective, and learning how to be a good committee member, how to be on a governing board, how to run a meeting, Robert’s Rules. There are so many terrific people who were similar in our passions, and I have friends from my first meeting who are lifelong friends.”

Since she had a connection with trucking, she found a way to get involved when the Junior League created a new fundraiser four years ago.

The Junior League’s Bargain Bash is an annual rummage sale at Ralston Arena.

“Depending on the year (rental) is anywhere from $700-$1000 per month, so we take this out of our fleet,” Morris said. “Our employees enjoy seeing these ladies coming in with their items to donate.”

The trucking industry has never been used as heavily as it has been through the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Christensens, and their company, remained committed to the Junior League.

“Typically from [August] until February our rental fleet is out,” Morris said. “With the pandemic, there’s been demand to all our trailers due to the changes in society. We’re committed, we’re not going to take away that trailer.”

Another benefit of having the trailer and storage is that loading is assisted by the ability to send the truck down the street from Thermo King Christensen at 73rd and F streets to Ralston Arena off 72nd and P streets, where Junior League volunteers unload the trucks in preparation of the Bargain Bash.

While Christensen is passionate about this organization, Morris is also supportive.

“The Christiansens have been instrumental to the success of Bargain Bash,” said event co-chair Molly Junge. “Rarely is a couple both involved like Mike and Brenda are. Mike is actively involved with our donation drop offs once a month. He always makes it a point in his day to come greet our volunteers and see the progress we are making with donations.

Brenda has consistently kept the success of Bargain Bash at the top of mind. She was instrumental in connecting us with The Hope Center, where she is a board member. Because of this connection, we are able to partner with The Hope Center for our 2021 Bargain Bash.”

Visit jlomaha.org/bargain-bash for more information.

B2B

THERE WAS NO BARGAIN BASH IN 2020 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, BUT THE 2019 BASH RAISED $14,000 FROM THE SALE OF MERCHANDISE, WHICH HELPS THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORT COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Brenda Christensen & Mike Morris

“WE WEREN’T CONCERNED ABOUT INDIVIDUAL OFFICES AS MUCH AS WE WERE THE USABILITY OF THE SPACE, AND MAKING IT A REALLY INVITING PLACE TO WORK.” -DAVID DVORAK

Caption

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 09

09

IN THE OFFICE | STORY BY JEFF LACEY PHOTOS BY BILL SITZMANN

A HUMAN SPACE

DVORAK LAW GROUP’S OFFICE DESIGN VALUES PEOPLE

T

he current location of Dvorak Law Group’s offices at 95th and Dodge streets wasn’t necessarily a love-at-firstsight situation. The firm had previously considered occupying the Broadmoor-owned building, but ultimately hadn’t been interested.

“I would jog by, and it just didn’t feel right at first,” executive vice president David Mayer said.

That is, until TACK Architects redid the lobby.

“We had looked at this building before, and they had redone the office space and we had passed [on the idea], but then one day Dave was jogging by and looked in, and he called me right away,” president David Dvorak explained. “I remember Dave said, ‘This looks different. It’s modern and clean and inviting. You’ve got to check it out.’ So we did.”

Those walking in the front doors of Dvorak are greeted by light, space, and local art. Rebecca Harding, the TACK principal architect in charge of the project, explained that one of the primary goals was to create clean, bright, functional space, and also make it comfortable, saying: “It can be intimidating to walk into a law office, but we’ve worked to make this space very welcoming, and it’s not an intimidating place to be.”

One of the driving values behind the revisioning was that the office was first and foremost a human place to be.

“We wanted to avoid huge individual offices, and inefficient use of space,” Dvorak explained. “We weren’t concerned about individual offices as much as we were the usability of the space, and making it a really inviting place to work.”

The individual offices are spartan, all sharing white walls, lots of light, and furniture with clean lines.

Mayer explained that they are meant to be places for people to think, write, and work. Dvorak and Mayer have offices that are hardly distinguishable or larger than others on their floors. The senior partners wanted to value their customers and clients by devoting the best square footage to them.

Those spaces include a mixed-use lounge/ community room and working cafe. According to Harden, the lounge occupies “the best real estate on the main floor.” A long, warm space that features dark wood tones, minimalist furniture, and accent lighting in the firm’s signature color of dark reddishpurple, the lounge is meant to foster a sense of comfort and openness.

CONT. PAGE 11

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 11

A PIECE BY PATTERSON ENTITLED ‘TREES’ HANGS ALONG ONE WALL OF A CONFERENCE ROOM, AND VISUALLY LEADS TO A VIEW OF A STAND OF TREES OUTSIDE. FROM PAGE 09 Mayer also explained how the flexibility of the lounge has improved the atmosphere of the firm, saying, “We can have a formal conference here at 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and then turn the clock off and continue the conference…over an appetizer or cocktail. You can learn more talking during that two hours than you might have during the two-hour meeting.”

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Another space meant to value clients and employees is the cafe, which offers food from Evolve Juicery and Kitchen, a local company specializing in paleo cuisine. Dvorak said the cafe “Is all about our employees. Let’s make food available, drinks available, let’s have an experience with each other.”

Besides these creative, inclusive uses of space, there are details throughout the office that make it unique. Pieces by local artists such as Christopher Prinz and David Patterson adorn the walls and are integrated strategically throughout the floor plan.

A piece by Patterson entitled ‘Trees’ hangs along one wall of a conference room, and visually leads to a view of a stand of trees outside, framed by the conference room’s long bank of windows. All the meeting rooms are unique blends of furniture and materials. In one of these rooms, a great round table hewn from Patagonia granite from Brazil serves as the focal point.

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The project is currently entering its third phase, which involves the second floor. Dvorak and TACK are continuing to look for ways to foster a sense of inclusivity and to value the people who work there.

Visit dvoraklawgroup.com for more information.

B2B

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12 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

12

VOLUME 21 · ISSUE 1

LEADERS | STORY AND PHOTOS PROVIDED

HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF?

MANAGERS WEIGH IN

L

ove it or hate it, social media is currently one of the most accessible and effective ways to communicate with potential clients and customers. We connected with three local experts, who shared insights into creating meaningful interactions online. Meet Tom Luke, Owner of Luke Direct Marketing; Kurt Goetzinger, Owner of Omaha Advertising; and Jessica Luna, Owner and Creative Director of J.Luna LLC. B2B: How is social media used by your company?

TL: With consumer internet usage on the rise, standing out in the sea of competition is crucial.

As a Social Media expert and Digital Marketing company I use social media to brand, show expertise, and generate leads for both Luke Direct Marketing and each client’s company.

KG: Social media is a game-changer for every small business. We use it regularly to keep in front of our current clients and to draw interest from potential new ones. I post at least a couple times a week to Facebook, Google My Business, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. JL: We use social media as an extension to our client’s overall brand and voice. We strategize a creative content calendar to ensure we are staying active, relevant and telling their story.

B2B: Is it effective?

TL: Messaging that is relevant and unique to our user’s needs and experiences is no longer optional, it’s expected. Even in this most challenging year, we have seen many businesses achieve significant online success.

KG: Because we are a B2B company, our returns are not typically immediate – but I have absolutely found the investment of time and creative energy in posting to social worth it. I believe every business who deals directly with their customers (retailers, restaurants, service industry, etc.) MUST take advantage of social media.

JL: Yes. Although some content may have lower interaction, every post is an opportunity to relay your message and receive feedback from clients and customers, to see what resonates with the audience and build from there.

B2B: Is there a downside?

TL: In 2020 we experienced tighter community and ad standards on platforms. Knowing how to stay compliant when doing ads has become crucial.

I’m developing a Facebook Compliance Class to share with small business owners in 2021.

KG: If you aren’t willing to spend a few dollars to boost a post or target an ad, you may be wasting your time. It doesn’t cost much, but worth it.

JL: It can be wasteful to spend time and money on a platform that isn’t relevant, or doesn’t provide traction for your brand. It’s time consuming on our end in ways clients may not see, but we are becoming the voice of their brand, which takes time and effort to remain active with daily fresh content and interaction.

B2B: Is it being managed in-house or outsourced?

Is this the best way?

TL: Every business is different in what they have time to do. Focusing on what matters most for your business, and outsourcing to experts what you cannot do well, can have meaningful impact on the bottom line.

KG: Because we’re a creative agency, we manage our own social media. We also handle some clients’ online presence because they’re busy running their business. Additionally, it’s beneficial to have a fresh perspective handling your promotions.

JL: We run social media for clients, in addition to creating their brand or serving as brand manager.

If we take on an established brand, social media is part of an overall marketing plan that we execute.

It depends on what support a brand has in-house and if they are able to strategize a successful content calendar with quality content.

B2B

Tom Luke

Kurt Goetzinger

Jessica Luna

“RETAIL AWARE GREW 60% BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD QUARTER OF 2020.”

-KEITH FIX

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 15

15

omAHA! | STORY BY BRODY HILGENKAMP | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

MOMENT OF TRUTH

OMAHA STARTUP FILLS DATA GAP AT THE SHELF

A

large liquor brand has an elaborate display in a store, but someone forgot to put product on the bottom levels.

A frozen food vendor sits in the grocery store, which moved a freezer with that vendor’s product in it and forgot to plug the freezer back in.

The brands are losing sales, but how do they know in time to recoup the revenue?

Omaha startup Retail Aware encountered those two scenarios in its short life, and its service, called BIaaS—business intelligence as a sensor—saved the day and portended good things to come.

Retail Aware’s BIaaS uses a combination of analog sensors, data analysis software, and artificial intelligence to measure consumer engagement at the shelves in retail spaces such as malls, grocery stores, and convenience stores. That engagement is what Retail Aware founder Keith Fix calls “the moment of truth.”

SALES FOR 2021 ARE LINED UP IN BRAZIL, EUROPE, AND EVEN A ZOO THAT WANTS TO USE THE SENSOR SYSTEM TO MEASURE FEEDING PATTERNS OF ANIMALS. Fix has always been an entrepreneur at heart, and the idea for Retail Aware’s system sprouted from the challenges he encountered at his previous company, which made digital signage. A lot of ingenuity and creativity went into the signage, but there was no way to measure how many people actually interacted with it.

He sold the company in 2017 and used his awareness of the engagement data gap to create a solution in BIaaS. The sensors measure factors such as heat, light, motion, and distance to gauge time at a shelf, which brands are picked up and from which shelves, etc., while the data software and artificial intelligence create real-time insights for the brands.

“We like to say that it’s not the last mile, it’s the last foot of data that we’re collecting,” Fix said.

That relates back to the liquor display and the freezer. In both instances, Retail Aware’s system alerted its staff of the unusual activity, who then notified the vendors, and sales and product were salvaged.

Empty shelves at the beginning of the pandemic created a surge in interest in Retail Aware as brands needed to know demand for their products and what that demand would be in the rapidly changing future. They couldn’t do that effectively if they had to wait for a quarterly sales report or make projections based on pre-pandemic data. “All of a sudden real-time data became the most critical piece of the puzzle for a lot of these companies,” Fix said.

Retail Aware grew 60% between the second and third quarter of 2020, Fix said, and the company raised its first $1 million in venture capital this summer, an impressive feat since Fix only started working on the business full-time in 2018. Erica Wassinger, senior director of entrepreneurship and innovation at The Startup Collaborative, said Nebraska companies average closer to five years to raise that amount of capital.

Wassinger and her team worked with Fix when he founded the digital signage business, so they had a strong relationship in addition to what Wassinger said was an objectively good idea in Retail Aware and BIaaS. She said the effort Fix puts into cultivating relationships provided an early boost and Fix fits the mold of a pragmatic Nebraska entrepreneur. “You build things to last, you build things that are worth your personal reputation, you take that responsibility very seriously,” she said.

The company has already gone international and has millions of dollars of sales each year; each sale depends on the data needs of the client, but each sale is five or six figures, Fix said. Sales for 2021 are lined up in Brazil, Europe, and even a zoo that wants to use the sensor system to measure feeding patterns of animals.

In less than two years the company has grown from two employees to 12. Wassinger points to growth like this as reason to have faith in entrepreneurs as the source of Nebraska’s future job growth. “They’re less committed to what the corporate grid is for what hiring needs to be and what skills are supposed to be in place for this job,” she said. “Because if you think about the nature of a startup, there’s never been that job description because there’s never been that company before.”

Visit retailaware.com for more information.

B2B

16 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

16

VOLUME 21 · ISSUE 1

ON THE RISE | STORY BY WENDY TOWNLEY | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

SUCCESSFULLY BUILDING LONG-LASTING RELATIONSHIPS

MELISSA GLENN’S KEY TO BUSINESS

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here exists an unmistakable thread that weaves its way through Melissa Glenn’s life. The SBA relationship manager at Core Bank and co-host of “The Core Experience” podcast has made personal and professional choices that are tied with the same theme: respectful, genuine, long-lasting relationships.

Glenn isn’t one to step ankle-deep into any given opportunity. Instead, this Nebraska native has invested her whole self with each and every “yes.”

“For all of the bad things [in our world], there are more people who want to make it better and ways to make it happen,” said Glenn, who falls into this category.

Her relationship roots run deep, beginning with her close-knit family and memorable childhood.

Glenn grew up outside North Platte, in rural Lincoln County. While a freshman at North Platte High School, Glenn quickly discovered her passion for people. Her goal was to meet and get to know as many of her classmates as possible before graduating.

“I was friends with a lot of different groups,” Glenn recalled. “It’s much how I am now.”

Another pivotal experience for Glenn was her participation in VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) while in high school. The competitions proved to spark her interest in teamwork and partnerships, as a student and in the future.

After graduating from high school in 2001, Glenn packed her belongings and headed east to Lincoln.

“I always knew I wanted to be a Husker,” she said with a smile.

She lived on campus at the University of NebraskaLincoln and described the first few weeks as a “real eye-opener.” Within a few short days she transitioned from living in a much smaller, more rural community to living in a dorm with other college students from around the state and the country.

What little longing she held for home dissipated as she met new people and began attending classes. It was a business education that Glenn was after—not just the dollars and cents of a business career but also the puzzle pieces that required assembly; and the relationships that made it all possible.

“I love how everything comes together with a business,” she explained. “You have to have a product, service knowledge, experience, and knowhow to put a team together. You have to work with others. It takes a bunch of different specialties and putting it all together into one organization.”

This understanding of teamwork and appreciation of community struck home for Glenn, quite literally, on June 25, 1989, when a summertime tornado damaged her house. No one was seriously injured or killed, but Glenn, who was 6 years old at the time, recalled the life lessons that followed—and remain even today.

“You can have plans, but life may not turn out the way you thought it would,” she said. “It taught me the importance of friends, family, your community.

People checked on us, neighbors came over to see what we might need. Something like this highlights the importance of people around you. We were lucky to be alive.”

Glenn holds close the value of community. It’s reflective in her professional achievements since college, evident by a simple scan of her past titles: relationship manager, team manager, and innovative strategy and retention manager. Her board and community involvement strike the same tone, serving organizations such as Project4Kids, YMCA, Friends of Nebraska Children, Women’s Fund of Greater Omaha, and SkillsUSA, to name a few.

“Friends and family are vitally important to Melissa,” explained Michelle Foley, vice president of transplant software operations for CareDX and a former classmate of Glenn’s in the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Executive MBA program.

“Everything she does revolves around her family and friends. I’m not sure if Melissa has ever met a person she doesn’t like. She is inclusive and otherscentered. The fact that Melissa treats every person as a family member speaks volumes about her.”

Visit corebank.com/podcast to hear the podcast that has connection to community and business.

B2B

“I’M NOT SURE IF MELISSA HAS EVER MET A PERSON SHE DOESN’T LIKE. SHE IS INCLUSIVE AND OTHERS-CENTERED. THE FACT THAT MELISSA TREATS EVERY PERSON AS A FAMILY MEMBER SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT HER.” -MICHELLE FOLEY

18 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

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HEROES

IN BUSINESS STORIES & PHOTOS PROVIDED No doubt about it­—2020 was a unique year for businesses. While some jobs, such as those in hospitality and entertainment, were hit hard from the COVID-19 pandemic, all industries were affected.

Innovation and creativity abounded during this unique time. Some industries implemented a work-from-home policy immediately, others implemented delivery systems, pivoted to making PPE, and found ways to keep conducting business.

The following pages of paid content are about some of the Heroes of Business—those companies that proudly made adjustments and found strength in their teams.

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FEBRUARY · MARCH | 19

SPONSORED CONTENT

MISSION STATEMENT

ADJUSTMENTS

Buoyant Family Services is a community based, professional healthcare agency that specializes in mental and behavioral services. Buoyant Family Services has provided services in the Omaha area since 2016.

• COVID-19 Protocol The Bouyant

Family Services Men’s Transitional Living Program follows CDC Guidelines for shared or congregate housing to prevent the spread of COVID-19

• Educate: MTLP provides each

resident and staff member with information on spread prevention and actions to take if they believe they may have been exposed

• Contact restriction: Non-

essential visitors or workers are restricted. All residents are asked to socially distance in common areas as much as possible

• Staff and residents are asked

to wear masks while outside the home to reduce transmission from outside sources

• Encouraging employees to

wear cloth face coverings in the workplace, if appropriate

• Implementing policies and

practices for social distancing in the workplace

ABOUT US

POINTS OF PRIDE

MOVING FORWARD

Dr. Betty Kola is the Clinical Director, CEO and Founder of Buoyant Family Services. Dr. Kola is a Nebraska Licensed Individual Mental Health Practitioner, holds a Doctorate degree in International Psychology (Trauma Specialty) from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, a Master’s degree in Mental Health Clinical Counseling from Bellevue University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from Madurai Kamaraj University (India). Kirk McCormick is Dr. Kola’s partner in Transitional Living.

Buoyant Family Services has many points of pride. The men’s transitional living service helped 250 men in the first year of operation.

They started with one house and grew the organization by concluding the year with 4 houses. Buoyant is grateful to have partnered with other greater Omaha organizations such as RISE (Re-entry program), New Life Thrift Store, Sacred Heart Ministries, Chariots 4 Hope. They try to create a family-like atmosphere.

Buoyant is pressing forward with many projects in 2021, including: securing additional transitional houses, strengthening their community outreach by partnering with other organizations geared towards empowering formerly incarcerated men; focusing more on helping reduce the cycle of drug dependency/addiction; and helping to end the stigma surrounding mental illness.

SERVICES • Mental health Treatment • Substance Abuse Treatment • Child and Family Services • Transitional Housing

CONTACT 1941 S. 42ND ST. SUITE 106.

OMAHA, NE. 68105 PHONE: 4029337577 FAX: 4029337786 BFSCOUNSELING.COM

20 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

SPONSORED CONTENT

MISSION STATEMENT

ADJUSTMENTS

Whether producing a trade show for buyers and sellers or promoting a special event for people to participate, spectate or celebrate, Mid-America Expositions is dedicated to the highest quality of shows bringing business and people together for over 50 years!

• Launching a new outdoor

festival featuring Omaha BBQ with bourbon and beer tasting.

• Incorporating a mobile

registration that allowed a touchless exchange of information with each exhibitor, marking a path in aisles to allow social distancing, and spread out seating at seminars for Omaha Health Expo.

• Postponing, then cancelling, Taste of Omaha Festival.

• Furloughing part-time,

seasonal and other workers due to postponed and cancelled events

• Installing plexiglass at

ticket selling areas, providing temperature checks of all staff, providing areas for hand sanitizing/washing, and new processes for Nebraska Balloon & Wine Festival.

• Changing check-in, start

times, turn arounds, and finishing procedures for the Omaha Corporate Cycling Event along with changing the venue.

ABOUT US

POINTS OF PRIDE

MOVING FORWARD

Mid-America Expositions, Inc., launched in 1964 by Bob Mancuso Sr. has produced and managed numerous events that have become longstanding traditions, drawing business and families from all over the Midwest. Today, the company is led

by Bob Sr.’s three sons Bob Jr., Joe & Mike Mancuso.

The event sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, community partners and those attending 2020 events are to thank for their support, making these annual Omaha events so special, and are the heroes. Mid-America Expositions, working with the Douglas County Health, CDC Departments, parks, and public venues, were able to continue several annual traditions. The events provided opportunities to meet with restrictions in a safe environment. Interest in supporting local, a chance to explore and enjoy what Omaha has to offer, is encouraging for 2021 events.

Mid-America Expositions can’t wait to see people in 2021. Already on the schedule is: 55th Anniversary Omaha Home & Garden Expo and Lawn, Flower & Patio Show, Feb. 18-21 at CHI Health Center; 55th Annual Triumph of Ag Expo, March 3-4 at CHI Health Center; 14th Annual Omaha Health Expo, April 17-18 at Baxter Arena; 23rd Annual Taste of Omaha Festival, June 4-6 at Elmwood Park; and the 15th Annual Nebraska Balloon & Wine Festival, Aug. 20-21 at Ta Ha Zouka Park.

• Producing a virtual experience for Fall Home & Garden Expo.

SERVICES • Events Management

CONTACT 7015 SPRING ST. OMAHA, NE 68106 402.346.8003 SHOWOFFICEONLINE.COM

FEBRUARY · MARCH | 21

SPONSORED CONTENT

MISSION STATEMENT

ADJUSTMENTS

Montessori Educational centers are owned and operated by a local Omaha family. They offer an exceptional and authentic Montessori preschool experience for children aged 6 weeks-6 years. They instill a lifelong love of learning and have the most phenomenal teaching teams. Children absolutely flourish in the care of their Montessori teachers and professionals.

• Temperatures of staff and

They have 10 sites in Omaha and the surrounding area to best serve all families.

students taken twice daily (on arrival and at midday).

• Inserted specialized HVAC filters on all units.

• Parents drop off at entrance to eliminate extra possible contamination in the school.

• No sharing of teachers or

resources across classrooms.

• Individualized spaces and materials for students.

• Enhanced sterilization and cleaning protocols.

• COVID procedures and

protocols sent out monthly to inform all parents of any and all enhancements made.

• Children do not ever mix with

other children from any other classrooms or staff to prevent cross contamination.

• Lower staff-to-children ratios and overall class sizes to preset spread.

SERVICES • Child Care/Preschool

ABOUT US

POINTS OF PRIDE

MOVING FORWARD

MEC group of schools are owned by a local Omaha family! Julie Roy is AMS trained Montessorian, she co-owns the schools with her husband Dr Beau Roy, a child psychologist. They have four children together and are super passionate about early childhood and education!

Montessori schools in Omaha are on Level 5-7 of the AMS Accreditation journey. The family-owned-andoperated school has AMS certified teachers, Nature Explore! certified playgrounds, and RIE/Montessoribased infant programs. They also offer soccer, yoga, and Spanish classes.

MEC is adding its 10th Omaha location in Midtown in March 2021.

Montessori has secured an incredible mansion in the Gold Coast and will be housing a phenomenal AMS Montessori preschool for ages 6 weeks to 6 years. They are currently in renovations and are so excited to finally serve people in all Omaha Metro areas.

CONTACT 10 LOCATIONS TO BEST SERVE YOU! OMAHAMONTESSORI.COM 402.393.1311 INFO@OMAHAMONTESSORI.COM

22 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

SPONSORED CONTENT

MISSION STATEMENT

ADJUSTMENTS

Dignity In Life: Treating everyone as the most important person. Relationships are built on mutual trust and respect. Vetter recognizes the value and worth of each person they are privileged to encounter, work with, and serve.

• Educate residents, families

and team members with information about COVID-19 for current information and ensure staff and residents are updated when this guidance changes

• Manage the CMS (Centers

for Medicare & Medicaid Services) required visitor restrictions required, and find fun and creative ways to still connect with outside visitors, electronics, and through the mail

• Transformed the way we

provide life enrichment opportunities for engagement in recreation, leisure, social pursuits

• Embraced technology

to ensure residents are able to interact with their families virtually

• Increased interventions to

protect the psychosocial wellbeing of our team and residents during this incredibly heartbreaking time.

ABOUT US

POINTS OF PRIDE

Jack and Eldora Vetter began what is now known as Vetter Senior Living (VSL) in 1975 with the belief that elderly people deserve dignity in life. Forty-five years later, VSL has grown to include more than 30 award-winning senior-care facilities that are home to 2,500 seniors who are cared for by 3,800 compassionate team members.

Based in Elkhorn, Nebraska, VSL is recognized as a national leader in providing outstanding Quality of Life and Quality of Care for seniors.

Vetter facilities in the Omaha area include Brookestone Meadows, Brookestone Village and Papillion Manor. The Brookestone and Papillion Manor names became synonymous with industry-leading rehabilitation services, allowing people to successfully transition from the hospital back to their home. In addition, their long-term care services are rated by CMS as five-star.

MOVING FORWARD Vetter Senior Living is passionate about becoming a world class organization that is transforming the view of senior living. Our Mission of “Dignity in Life” is the cornerstone for everything we do and is grounded in this simple practice: Treat Everyone as The Most Important Person in Your Life. It is also the foundation for making where we work a place we love to be.

SERVICES • Long-Term Skilled Nursing Care • Assisted Living & Independent Living

• Short-term Rehabilitation • Home Health Care

CONTACT VETTER SENIOR LIVING 20220 HARNEY ST. ELKHORN, NE 68022 402.895.3932 VETTERSENIORLIVING.COM

SPONSORED CONTENT

TRADITIONAL STRATEGIC PLANS FAIL: EOS® CAN IMPROVE RESULTS

By Andy Grant

You don’t have to be a business leader to know a thing or two about planning. We all make plans, whether mapping out a vacation, reconnecting with a friend over coffee, or setting up a doctor’s appointment. In the business world, planning plays an important role in moving an organization forward. While there’s always room for spontaneity, charging forward without some sort of blueprint is often unwise, unproductive, and even destructive.

Unlike the plans we as individuals make on a regular basis, an organizational plan must adopt a longer, incremental, more strategic view. A comprehensive strategic plan can allow an organization to soar. However, many of these plans fail to reach their full potential. Here we will explore why traditional strategic plans fail so often, and how the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)® Model can help.

WHAT IS A STRATEGIC PLAN? Simply put, a strategic plan is a guiding framework that establishes priorities, goals, roles, procedures, and outcomes that will help lead an organization in the desired direction. This direction is based on the company’s vision and values. Also included in a strategic plan are methods and checkpoints for assessing the plan’s and organization’s success, and whether changes need to be made.

WHERE STANDARD STRATEGIC PLANS GO WRONG Every good strategic plan must be propped up by a strong foundation, or else it will collapse. This foundation is the intention behind the plan, the “why.” Your company can set priorities and goals all day long, but if there is no clear, motivated, unified reason behind these efforts, they will be for nothing. In other words, the process of strategic planning should begin by reflecting on questions regarding your company’s mission, vision, and position in the marketplace.

Crafting an effective strategic plan isn’t just about asking the right questions, though, but also coming to an organizationwide consensus on the answers. When strategic plans fail, it’s often due to a lack of alignment, engagement, and/or clarity on these matters. One leader might disagree with another

on the newly forming vision. Or, leaders may struggle to clearly communicate their ideas and priorities with their team and create buy-in. Ultimately, an organizational culture transformation may be required to resolve these conflicts of interest, engagement, and communication.

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL OPERATING SYSTEM® APPROACH The transformation mentioned above may be achieved via the implementation of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)®. The EOS model breaks down Six Key Components™ for achieving business and strategic planning success and leadership development: Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, and Traction®. When combined, these Components serve to establish more clarity, accountability, and engagement in your organization. This boost not only cultivates a high performance culture, but unifies your company’s vision to inform a stronger strategic plan.

HOW EOS IMPLEMENTERS™ MAKE A DIFFERENCE EOS Implementers™ help organizations improve their strategic planning by applying the EOS Model™ to the company’s specific needs and challenges. This particular brand of business leadership coaching helps businesses stay on the same page via 90-Minute Meetings™ to get leaders on the same page, Focus Days™ and Vision Building™ Days that introduce key terms and tools and explain their importance, and much more. All of these efforts help leaders learn and re-establish effective leadership skills that can be used to build a stronger foundation for strategic planning moving forward. When your entire organization is in agreement on its vision and priorities, you can do more than just achieve your goals.

At Leadership Resources, our purpose is making the impossible possible through people. We aim to do so by helping individuals develop patterns of success that will decrease stress levels and maximize productivity. Contact us to learn more about what we do and how it can help your business succeed and grow.

Andy Grant is an EOS Implementer for Leadership Resources, a leadership development and strategic planning organization with offices in Omaha and Lincoln. If you are interested in more information, you can reach Andy at 402-423-5152 or at Andy.Grant@LRsuccess.com.

“THE LEGISLATORS IN OUR STATE ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY. IF THE UNICAMERAL IS GOING TO ADDRESS ANYTHING, I WOULD SAY IT WOULD BE THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES. ” -MIKE NELSON

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 25

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FEATURE | STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS | PHOTO PROVIDED

EMPLOYER-SPONSORED BENEFITS

WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2021

T

here are numerous incentives for employers to offer a comprehensive benefits package to their workforce. It’s an effective tool for them to attract and retain the best possible employees, said Rob Broomfield, CEO for UnitedHealthcare of Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Central Illinois.

Choice and partial subsidy appeal to potential hires when “it has gotten very difficult in the majority of the states across the country to buy individual coverage, especially at an affordable cost,” said Grant Matthies, chief sales officer with Silverstone Group, a HUB International Company.

He also pointed out that the security afforded by employer-sponsored benefits ultimately enhances employee productivity.

Megan Holland, vice president of distribution and marketing at Mutual of Omaha, cited employee engagement and a sense of loyalty as part of the upside for employers who provide a robust benefits package. Mike Nelson, executive vice president of sales and account management at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, said business leaders may also offer benefits simply because they feel their employees are “almost like family.”

“They want to do it because they recognize it’s a good thing for people in general,” he explained.

Whatever the motivation, comprehensive benefits provided through employers are a hallmark of the American workplace.

“When you think about employer-sponsored health care coverage, I would say it’s the basis of coverage in the U.S. Other countries have socialized benefits that are government-sponsored programs. In the United States, 170 million people are covered by employer-sponsored plans, roughly half the population,” Broomfield said. “I think people are missing out on opportunities if they only look at their employer-sponsored plan as insurance coverage. Almost every plan out there—ours does as well—offers wellness benefits.”

Matthies said it’s likely many employers will not be eager to overhaul benefits packages this year. Even in times of smooth sailing, the process of introducing new programs can be complex, especially for large companies. Communication could be especially challenging, at least in the first months of the year, if alternatives to traditional group presentations and face-to-face counseling must be found to accommodate a remote workforce or social distancing practices. And economic uncertainty means employers may be wary to invest in elective changes to their employee benefits packages.

“One message we’ve heard from employers is, ‘We don’t want to make any changes unless we absolutely have to,’” Matthies explained. “They’d rather keep people employed than add additional benefits that that company is going to have to pay for. So, the overall message I’ve been hearing from employers is ‘status quo.’”

Holland agreed that companies like Mutual of Omaha aren’t expecting a big demand for major benefits changes. “That’s a big undertaking,

especially with everything going on with this pandemic and whatnot. It’s just not something that we’re seeing employers wanting to take on in addition to how do they operate in this new normal.”

Enrollment in employer-provided plans has remained fairly stable, Nelson said, even through the year of upheaval that was 2020.

“The overall trend in the last five to eight years is that employer-sponsored health insurance has been steady to a slight decline,” he explained. “Some people point that to the Affordable Care Act market.

But overall enrollment has been pretty steady and ACA across the country added several million to the rolls, so I would say it’s been steady.”

He added, “Of course I don’t have a crystal ball and I can’t see what the economy will do in the next six to 12 months.”

Matthies agreed that the course of the market this year is difficult to predict.

“That is a hard thing to answer right now. There is obviously a lot going on from a political standpoint,” he said.

However, Matthies said, now is a good time for employers to start thinking ahead.

CONT. PAGE 26

26 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

VOLUME 21 · ISSUE 1

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“Where I think employers need to be careful as you move into ’21 is looking beyond only price and looking at more value,” he said. “Value attributes to many more things than just the bottom dollar; it’s looking toward those providers that have high service, pay claims expeditiously, have good contracts—finding value as opposed to looking just at cost.”

Holland speculated that the experience of 2020 may influence change in how people value benefits going forward, especially supplemental benefits such as voluntary life insurance and short-term and long-term disability insurance.

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“We’ve seen, as the result of the pandemic, a pretty significant uptick in the utilization of our EAP, or employee assistance program…And what are some of those benefits employees are asking for?

Especially as we look at mental health and wellbeing type of benefits,” she said. “[Employees] may start looking at those value-adds a little differently… this can be a driving force when looking at benefits packages.”

Employers should be prepared to respond to legislation that may impact coverage this year, Nelson said, although it’s too soon to predict specifics.

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 27

“The legislators in our state are always interested in accessibility and affordability. If the Unicameral is going to address anything, I would say it would be things along those lines,” he said. “Nationally, it’s a bit more uncertain with the change in administration…Generally speaking, people probably would imagine it would shift back to being an environment more favorable to [ACA] than it has in the last four years. But it’s hard to say.”

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“Something employers may want to keep an eye on in 2021 is that there is some talk around possibly lowering the Medicare age to age 60. So, one thing that employers would need to be able to react to is educating their employees on the advantages or disadvantages—or at least comparing their plans—to possibly going on Medicare,” Matthies said. “We do a lot of education now with employers with people working past 65 on that, but that pool is going to expand exponentially if the age drops to 60. And there are some benefits on both sides, for the employer and employee, to make sure that those employees who are continuing to work are educated around that and know what their options are.”

Employers considering new benefit offerings this year may now have new factors to consider, Broomfield said, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic changed how people accessed care in 2020; for instance, telehealth has emerged as a more acceptable channel for primary care.

“They have to make sure that they are doing what they can to provide the appropriate care in the appropriate setting at the appropriate time,” he said. “There are a lot of different ways to do that.”

Visit uhc.com, nebraskablue.com, or mutualofomaha. com for more information.

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IT CAME OUT IN A FAST-BASED, DYNAMIC SETTING, AND A LOT OF INFORMATION KEPT CHANGING.

Michael Greteman

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FEATURE | STORY BY LISA LUKECART | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

FINANCIAL PANDEMIC INFECTS SMALL BUSINESSES

PPP LOANS HAVE HELPED, BUT FINANCIAL OUTLOOK REMAINS UNCERTAIN

W

e are nearing a dangerous period of this pandemic and fear that many more lives will be lost without action from all Nebraskans,” warned a letter drafted by three doctors from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine. “We believe in the people of this state.”

Over 1,700 Nebraska Medicine and UNMC health care providers signed the letter in November, pleading with the community to make greater sacrifices as COVID-19 cases climbed in the state.

The letter mentioned people should stay home, but did ask that “Nebraskans support local businesses in any way you can through these challenging times.”

The ambiguity of the rising pandemic storm has created an uneasiness among business owners.

The bottom line during these current times is uncertainty. Many keep a cautious eye on the COVID-19 numbers while keeping another on the decreasing dollar amounts on their books.

Closed doors and less traffic of consumers seems imminent if spikes continue in the state. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act was a $2.2 trillion stimulus bill signed into law in late March that came to an end in December.

The government has bounced back and forth on further relief packages.

Michael Greteman, a financial analyst at Lutz M&A, said in November he hoped another round of loans like the Paycheck Protection Program would happen sooner rather than later since some businesses are in limbo wondering what will happen next.

The second COVID-19 relief bill was signed Dec. 27. Lutz assisted with almost 500 applications from PPP1, but only about 40 have been forgiven.

“Certain industries haven’t seen any impact yet, but it may be coming,” Greteman said. “I mean, everybody is just trying to get through it and that’s all you can do right now.”

PPP1, created under the CARES Act, kept businesses afloat despite its chaotic start, depleting its $350 billion limit in two weeks and requiring Congress to approve another $310 billion. The forgivable loan helped supplement payroll and provided some overhead relief for such necessities as rent and utilities. Bankers, accountants, and financial analysts scrambled to make sense of the law and interpret it for loan seekers. The challenge was the sheer scale of the endeavor and a messy rollout left more questions than answers. “[PPP1] came out in a fast-based, dynamic setting, and a lot of information kept changing. But if PPP wasn’t available, we would have had more businesses shut their doors by now,” said Adam Mroczek, vice president of commercial lending at Dundee Bank.

The first application deadline closed Aug. 8, with $135 billion left in the coffers. More than 5.2 million PPP1 loans were approved, worth $525 billion in emergency relief for small businesses.

Nebraska reported 44,000 PPP1 loans, totaling over $3.4 billion, according to the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Refunding of the loans has been slow going despite a simplified form that was rolled out in October by the SBA. Businesses need to reach out to advisers, bankers, and accountants sooner rather than later within that last covered period before the loan matures. Otherwise, borrowers might be stuck with payments.

Dundee Bank utilized a transparent itemized approach when customers withdrew funds for the loan. Mroczek believes this, along with a smaller community-based experience, made it easier for loans to be forgiven faster. Of the 476 small businesses that applied for PPP1 loans through the bank, 400 have applied for forgiveness and 325 have already been forgiven. About half of the loans were for $50,000 or less.

Christopher Lambert, a senior tax accountant at Frankel Zacharia LLC, said the intention of SBA was to forgive as many loans as possible. Companies must meet the requirements with 60% of the funds designated for payroll costs during the eight-week or 24-week period of disbursement. Those short on any of these might still be eligible for a partial forgiveness. Even after the application deadline for PPP loans ended owners could still apply for the SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan which accounted for about 14,000 loans, or $850 million, in Nebraska. The EIDL provides temporary relief for those who might need a boost.

It’s a 30-year fixed loan at 3.75% interest for small businesses and 2.75% interest for nonprofits.

CONT. PAGE 30

30 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

VOLUME 21 · ISSUE 1

ON NOV. 18, THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT AND INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE DOUBLED DOWN ON THE IDEA THAT EXPENDITURES USED WITH A FORGIVEN PPP LOAN ARE NOT DEDUCTIBLE.

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“I highly encourage any small business, especially a startup, to get a good circle of advisers around them to monitor the situation that is unfolding with these different programs so they are aware of what they need to be doing,” Lambert added.

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The SBA asked those borrowers with loans over two million to complete a questionnaire documenting why the loan was needed. With tight timelines and unanswered questions, some are asking for delays in their forgiveness applications. Some of this was to prevent widespread fraud in how the funds would be used.

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“We weren’t too worried about fraud. We tried to help anybody and everybody that applied, but if any red flags came up, we did our due diligence,” Mroczek said.

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Taxation is another headache. On Nov. 18, the U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service doubled down on the idea that expenditures used with a forgiven PPP loan are not deductible.

PPP borrowers must add back these expenses to their 2020 taxable income if they “reasonably believe” the loan will be forgiven in the future.

Companies can only deduct those expenses if the loan is not forgiven. Therefore, the Treasury has encouraged businesses to file right away to forego any misunderstandings. Some members of the House and Senate are fighting to allow deductions, but as of now, businesses need to prepare for a bumpy tax season.

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 31

“Expenses that normally you get a tax deduction for, those deductions would not be allowed so taxable income would be higher. It’s important to plan appropriately for that,” Greteman said.

As with PPP1, the costs eligible for loan forgiveness in PPP2 include payroll, rent, covered mortgage interest, and utilities. PPP2 also makes the following potentially forgivable: Covered worker protection and facility modification expenditures, including personal protective equipment, to comply with COVID-19 federal health and safety guidelines; expenditures to suppliers that are essential at the time of purchase to the recipient’s current operations; and covered operating costs such as software and cloud computing services and accounting needs.

With luck, PPP2 will alleviate some of the stress that many small businesses are experiencing.

“I don’t think anyone can say what is going to happen in 2021, let alone a month,” Lambert said. “We live in a great community and people are supporting small businesses by ordering out and doing pickup. But the fact of the matter is, businesses have expenses and the number one expense is payroll. If no additional movement happens (in Congress), there are some who will be forced to close.”

Visit home.treasury.gov for more information.

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“THERE IS STILL THRIVING RETAIL OUT THERE. IT WILL SURVIVE. IT WILL CHANGE. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEBODY OUT THERE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE, SO IT WILL STILL BE FINE.” -BENNETT GINSBERG

Caption

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FEATURE | STORY BY SCOTT STEWART | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

DEALS STILL HAPPENING

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET STRONG IN OMAHA

O

maha is a resilient community. Despite the upheaval of the coronavirus pandemic, the city has retained a relatively stable market over the past year, and it’s on track to have a successful 2021.

“I always like to say that we’re very fortunate to be in Omaha, in this metropolitan community, because we have just good, solid, companies,” said Bennett Ginsberg, managing director of CBRE’s Omaha office. “We have solid economics, we have good leadership, and we seem to be able to withstand a lot of the unknown.”

The community withstood the unknowns of the financial crisis of 2008 and the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s, and it has fared better than most during COVID-19—although it followed the national trend of declines in many sectors of the economy.

“We’re actually doing pretty well,” Ginsberg said.

Many major projects remain underway, and several have the potential to be transformative—such as the public-private partnership reimagining the riverfront area.

“People are really investing in nice projects, and it’s just fun to watch,” said Trenton Magid, executive vice president of NAI NP Dodge, who co-hosts Grow Omaha on KFAB. “The game has been stepped up.”

Jason Fisher, president of The Lund Company, said Omaha has had some “silver linings” during the pandemic, and investment in the community has continued.

“We’re betting on Omaha,” said Fisher, whose company plans to open a Marriott-branded hotel this March. “We’re betting on the Midwest. We’re betting on the U.S. to recover from this thing.”

Once the pandemic is over, Ginsberg said those companies that took hits won’t just look to rebuild.

“They’re reinventing themselves,” Ginsberg said.

“They’re trying to figure out who they really are post-pandemic.”

In some economic sectors, change could be a matter of survival. Retailers, in particular, are experiencing a lot of change as a consequence of the pandemic.

E-commerce grew by more than 30% following the start of the pandemic, reaching a level not expected until 2022, according to the research service Insider Intelligence.

Ginsberg said that a shift to a post-pandemic new normal will take some time, with winners and losers, but that it’s too early to write an obituary for brick-and-mortar stores.

“There is still thriving retail out there,” Ginsberg said. “It will survive. It will change. There is always somebody out there doing something different and unique, so it will still be fine.”

Retailers who can offer an exceptional experience should eventually win back customers.

“The trends of people desiring experiential shopping, or experiential anything, are not going away,” Fisher said.

NAI NP Dodge’s analysis of the Omaha market, based on CoStar data, says that consumers are shifting from wants to needs, with an emphasis on health care and education. Most new construction is pre-leased, including 85% of the 350,000-squarefeet under construction in mid-2020. At that time, vacancies were about 6% for existing retail spaces, including more than 15% vacancy in area malls.

Nebraska didn’t implement as strict of lockdowns as elsewhere, which spared some businesses the worst of the economic outcomes. But restaurants and bars have faced restrictions—so much so that Gov. Pete Ricketts has promoted “Takeout Tuesday” to rally consumers to continue spending to support that sector of the economy.

“People were supportive of takeout here in the region,” Fisher said.

Many landlords have helped with lease amendments, but some restaurants have still had to close their doors permanently.

Magid said that from a real estate perspective, many restaurateurs and new-to-market eateries are looking for space. It’s expensive to build a commercial kitchen, so failed restaurants can be hot commodities—even amid a pandemic.

“Decent locations get snapped up pretty quickly,” Magid said.

Besides restaurants and physical stores, the hospitality industry has been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, as tourism dried up and most major events were canceled.

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34 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

FROM PAGE 33 “Hospitality has been severely damaged across the country as business travel and most leisure travel came to a halt,” Fisher said.

Air travel was still down about 65% by Thanksgiving, and hotel occupancy was below 50% nationally.

Fisher said he expects some hotels that were doing OK before the pandemic won’t survive, but Omaha occupancy rates had climbed 100% over their low—a hopeful sign that the market is starting to recover.

Three new boutique hotels—The Cottonwood, The Peregrine, and The Farnam—also are counting on the fact that Omaha will continue to have a robust market in the future.

When normalcy is restored, those prime locations will draw guests traveling for business, to catch a College World Series game, or attend Berkshire Hathaway’s annual investors meeting. After all, it’s still true that the “three most important factors in real estate are location, location, location.”

Precisely which locations are most desirable, though, changes over time. Commercial offices, for example, used to congregate downtown, but they’ve shifted away over the past decade.

Going into the pandemic, the downtown office market was already in “a little bit of a precarious condition,” Fisher said. Commute times and other factors have pushed most new projects to suburban communities or to western points along the Dodge Street corridor.

Additionally, the pandemic promoted significant growth in remote work, and some Omaha employers don’t plan to have employees return to their offices until the summer.

Office vacancy climbed from about 6% at the end of 2019 to nearly 9% at the start of the fourth quarter of 2020, according to a report by Colliers International that predicts Omaha’s office slump will be temporary. As of last October, there were nearly 1.3 million square feet of office space under construction, and nearly 80% of that was leased, build-to-suit space.

“While it’s unknown as to how quickly people will return to the office, Colliers | Omaha is confident that they will,” the report states.

VOLUME 21 · ISSUE 1

The Omaha CBRE office has been requiring employees to go through a health checkpoint and limiting capacity to 50%, Ginsberg said. It was among the company’s first branches to reopen.

Going forward, another pandemic will be a factor that companies consider when building an office— just as they already do for fires, floods, and tornados.

“You have to be able to be flexible,” Ginsberg said.

“I just don’t think that chapter has been written.”

Nevertheless, Fisher expects that working virtually won’t be normal forever.

“There are too many negative repercussions, in my mind, long term, with deciding to place a heavy emphasis on virtual officing,” he said. “We’re just social beings. We innovate, we collaborate, and we accomplish more when we are seeing each other face-to-face.”

“THAT INDUSTRIAL MARKET IS JUST REVVED UP. THIS IS JUST SUCH A ROBUST, HOT MARKET. I DON’T SEE THAT SLOWING DOWN.” -JASON FISHER Where work-from-home will be a factor is in the competition for highly talented workers, who may demand more flexibility. Fisher said companies that choose to reduce their footprint or cut the hours employees spend at the office will want to maximize the time they are at work—making each square foot more important, and likely more expensive.

“Leaders are going to place a bigger emphasis on their physical environment,” Fisher said. “Even if they subscribe to the philosophy that they can shrink their footprint, I think they’re going to spend more money within that footprint.”

While some companies have extended leases and are waiting to see what happens, other firms are already working on building new space, Magid said. He said that makes the outlook for offices in Omaha “pretty positive” overall.

Growth in the single-family residential space is positive, too, especially as more people look to add home offices and other additions to their living environment. New subdivisions can be expected as Omaha continues to grow, along with more multifamily residential complexes.

Pandemic-related job loss has fueled worry over evictions, which could still become a dire crisis in Omaha. As the city’s grown, though, the market for multifamily residential projects has remained strong and, as of late 2020, was weathering the pandemic.

Last fall, about 2,400 apartment units were under construction, according to research from CoStar, well over twice the historical average. Vacancy remained stable, hovering around 6% in October, although asking rent—which had been increasing— leveled off after the pandemic.

“The rent growth did not stay,” said Fisher, whose firm manages more than 13,000 apartment units in the Midwest. “The trends did not continue, but we didn’t see a rent reduction. We didn’t see a regression.”

Omaha continues to have a demand for more multifamily units, although NAI NP Dodge is forecasting vacancies will approach 7.5% in 2021 before leveling off over the next few years.

Demand also remains extremely high for industrial sites in Omaha, which has capitalized on the growth of e-commerce during the pandemic.

“The industrial segment of our market was hot pre-COVID and only accelerating post-COVID,” Fisher said. “The timing was great for us, for our communities, because we had recognized the pent-up demand and the new demand that was coming.”

Amazon announced a 700,000-square-foot robotic fulfillment center slated for Papillion near Highway 50 and Highway 370, bringing an estimated 600 workers and more than $200 million in economic impact, according to an analysis by Greater Omaha Chamber.

Fisher sees similar industrial projects coming to the Omaha metro area, as well as continued growth in the data center sector.

“That industrial market is just revved up,” Fisher said. “This is just such a robust, hot market. I don’t see that slowing down.”

The only problem might be running out of sites.

Magid said the industrial market has been tight, and “rental rates are as high as they’ve ever been” for new construction.

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 35

Omaha also lacks any megasites—contiguous tracts of land, often shovel-ready with connected infrastructure, that are optimal for large industrial operations—which could mean missing out on potential opportunities, Fisher said.

Large projects such as Amazon’s bring a network of smaller projects to support its operations, and Ginsberg said he expects those wins to bleed over to the rest of the industrial market. It’s not a coincidence that Omaha Box Co. moved its operations to western Sarpy County.

Vacancies have remained low—1.8% for manufacturing, 3.1% for warehousing, as of late 2020—and more than 420,000 square feet of industrial property was under construction, according to Colliers International.

“The explosion of e-commerce, somewhat due to the ongoing global pandemic, has kept industrial product in high demand,” Colliers stated in an Omaha market report.

Another trend that’s expected to continue unabated is the rise of mixed-use development.

Among the new mixed-use projects underway are The Crossroads at 72nd and Dodge streets, Heartwood Preserve at 144th and Pacific streets, La Vista City Centre in La Vista, and River’s Edge in Council Bluffs. While it takes years for such developments to reach maturity, as Aksarben Village and Midtown Crossing have done, they continue to be popular options.

“I think the model is absolutely great,” said Ginsberg, whose company is involved with Heartwood Preserve. “The developers of Applied Underwriters are really making a statement out there with the financial support that they’ve put into that development.”

Fisher said mixed-used projects appeal to workers and residents because they bring energy to a place, making it somewhere people want to be. He said he expects offices to flock to mixed-use developments after the pandemic, because they will help draw employees back to work Omaha has always appreciated its villages within the city—such as the Old Market, Dundee, Benson, and Blackstone. Mixed-use developments offer the same advantages, mixing places to live, work, and play together into one larger space.

“People do like to be able to stay within their community,” Ginsberg said.

For the time being, some of the hallmarks of such developments remain somewhat stymied by the pandemic. Amphitheaters, communal space, and events will eventually return, though.

Real estate professionals are hoping for less uncertainty in 2021, but they expect growth to continue in the economy, Ginsberg said.

“I’m pretty optimistic that we’ll get through this,” Ginsberg said. “It’ll be a different change, but we’ll get back at it.”

That change, hopefully, includes lessons learned from the pandemic.

Ginberg said one key takeaway is that technology is still a key differentiator for businesses, and providing reliable connectivity is a strategic advantage. That connectivity, in turn, depends on infrastructure and, as anyone with a smartphone knows, infrastructure varies by location.

“Technology is just going to continue to go through the roof,” Ginsberg said.

Density will remain popular with developers, Magid said, and vertical construction will continue, especially on the eastern side of the city. Look for Metro Transit’s new ORBT rapid transit bus to further solidify the importance of the Dodge Street corridor.

“PEOPLE ARE REALLY INVESTING IN NICE PROJECTS, AND IT’S JUST FUN TO WATCH.” -TRENTON MAGID Joe Biden’s presidency could be another factor to watch, Magid said, especially if the government looked at eliminating or changing Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, which governs swapping investment properties, allowing a deferment on capital gains.

“If the government eliminates that, then there’s going to be less sellers,” Magid said.

Biden has also expressed an interest in expanding Section 8 housing vouchers, which could create a change in the multifamily housing sector if enacted.

A change in tax-increment financing approved by Nebraska voters last November could also spur development, including in areas in North and South Omaha where incentives and public-private partnerships often drive investment.

Such policies, though, aren’t likely to make a transformative impact on Omaha. Fisher said the city is among the most segregated in the country, and it will take a broader transportation and community development strategy that go beyond real estate to address that reality.

More incentives for developers would help, Fisher said.

“Omaha definitely needs some more development tools and incentives in our war chest,” Fisher said.

“We are lagging behind many other markets— not just aspirational ones, but our peer and competitive cities.

Even so, money is available for promising projects.

Lending rates should remain low for the foreseeable future, and Magid said the Omaha market has more investors than investments.

“What we don’t have enough of is good investment properties,” Magid said. “Sometimes, we’ve got to get creative or find properties that aren’t actively being marketed.”

That makes things difficult for those looking to buy commercial real estate.

“There’s more money chasing deals than there are deals,” Magid said. “It’s a good time to sell properties if you have somewhere to repurpose your money.”

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“I WANT MY TEAM TO FEEL SAFE AND BE COMFORTABLE.” -MARY ANN O’BRIEN

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY · MARCH | 37

37

FEATURE | STORY BY NIZ PROSKOCIL | PHOTO PROVIDED

BACK TO THE OFFICE?

WORKING FROM HOME CONTINUES INTO SPRING AND SUMMER

I

t’s not uncommon for businesses to allow employees to work from home during unsafe weather, a personal emergency, or to care for a sick child. Some employers offer remote work opportunities as a perk that demonstrates flexibility and enhances company culture. Nearly a year into the coronavirus pandemic, however, working from a home office instead of a traditional one has become a new way of life for some.

As return-to-office dates get pushed to spring and summer 2021, employees at several Omahaarea companies, from small businesses to large organizations, are still doing their jobs primarily from home. Once offices fully reopen, flexible working plans—including a hybrid approach that combines home and office working—could become more prevalent in the post-COVID future.

At OBI Creative, a full-service advertising agency based in Omaha, the majority of employees have been working from home since mid-March.

Company officials don’t expect this arrangement to change until at least late spring.

“I want my team to feel safe and be comfortable,” said Mary Ann O’Brien, OBI Creative founder and CEO. Even before the pandemic, the ad agency, which employs 40 associates spread across four U.S. cities, was accustomed to communicating and collaborating with colleagues and clients in multiple locations. The shift to telecommuting has been a smooth process for the most part, and the OBI staff has continued to be effective and productive while working from home.

“We were able to pivot pretty quick,” O’Brien said.

“We really didn’t skip a beat.”

Remote work, however, is no replacement for the collaboration offered by in-person interaction.

There’s an energy and knowledge exchange that happens face to face in the office, said O’Brien, adding that she misses her colleagues.

“We see each other every day on Zoom, but it’s not the same,” she said. “We’re just trying really hard to make sure that our team feels connected to one another.”

A few OBI associates opted to keep going into the office, while others stop in every now and then.

Directional arrows on the floor, hand sanitizer stations, and other measures help promote a safe workplace. Plus, the company’s 10,000-square-foot headquarters makes social distancing easy.

Of course, not all jobs can be done from home, such as retail, construction, health care, transportation, and other industries. Companies like ECS Technology Solutions that offer services to customers find that a fully remote working arrangement isn’t always feasible. The familyowned small business, based in Elkhorn, provides IT services to residential and commercial clients.

The number of ECS associates working remotely has decreased since the start of the pandemic, when roughly 75% of the company’s 26 employees worked from home. By November, the number had dropped to about 50%, according to ECS President James Thompson.

Employees have adjusted well to the pandemicrelated changes and are equipped with tools to support a productive work-from-home environment, such as laptops with docking stations.

Additionally, Thompson noted, ECS was fortunate in that they already have the infrastructure in place to make for a smooth transition to remote working.

Going forward, ECS employees will have the option to work from home, when able. But, Thompson added, “We would still want them to come in every once in a while to ensure that they get the team interaction to help spark innovation and improve culture.”

WoodmenLife has pushed its return-to-office date to June 2021 in an effort to keep employees safe. The company, whose downtown Omaha headquarters is home to about 550 workers, adheres to local and national health directives and has a medical director on staff.

Founded in 1890, the organization has always had some employees who worked remotely, but the pandemic prompted most associates to work from home. Only a fraction of the WoodmenLife workforce (about 35 associates) continued to work onsite, said Chief Operating Officer Denise McCauley.

While one advantage of working from home is losing the commute, McCauley said, a downside is losing in-person interactions. “It isn’t a fit for everybody,” she said of remote work.

CONT. PAGE 38

38 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

VOLUME 21 · ISSUE 1

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“WE WOULD STILL WANT THEM TO COME IN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE TO ENSURE THAT THEY GET THE TEAM INTERACTION TO HELP SPARK INNOVATION AND IMPROVE CULTURE.” -JAMES THOMPSON FROM PAGE 37 WoodmenLife has had to make adjustments to certain processes, and some associates have taken on new roles during the pandemic. The company routinely keeps employees in the loop via email with information about safety procedures, coronavirusrelated issues, and other updates.

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A September 2020 Gallup poll indicates that nearly two-thirds of U.S. workers who have been working remotely during the pandemic want to continue doing so. In all, 35% of those who have worked remotely would simply prefer to do so, while 30% would like to do so because they’re concerned about COVID-19. Another 35% say they would like to return to the office.

OBI’s O’Brien is open to trying to find a solution that works for both employees and clients—perhaps a blend of remote and traditional onsite work.

Whatever the post-pandemic workplace ends up looking like, O’Brien said the company is equipped to adapt and thrive in times of change.

“My goal has always been to emerge stronger from this,” she said.

Visit obicreative.com, ecstech.com, and woodmenlife. org, for more information.

B2B

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40 | B2B MAGAZINE · 2021

VOLUME 21 · ISSUE 1

OMAHA CVB BY DEBORAH WARD

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE ince the pandemic hit almost a year ago, the community has gained a real understanding of what happens when tourism in our city disappears. During a typical year, Omaha tourism generates $2 billion for our community and employs almost 18,000 of our friends, families, and neighbors.

S

In 2020, COVID-19 took a packed calendar of events and virtually cleared it of sporting events, concerts, conventions, and business meetings that would have brought hundreds of thousands of visitors and millions of dollars to our city. Omaha lost more than $254 million in meeting and event business alone, and many working in the airline industry, at hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and attractions were laid off or furloughed.

The negative economic impact of COVID-19 has lingered over the Omaha businesses that serve all of those events. Hotel revenue in 2020 dropped by more than $120 million, a 55% loss over 2019.

Omaha welcomed 2.2 million fewer overnight visitors in 2020, and that

is not just a loss for hotels. It means fewer customers in our restaurants.

Smaller numbers of shoppers in our retail stores. And far fewer guests at local attractions.

Looking ahead to this year, we are cautiously optimistic. With the approval of vaccines, and pent-up demand among travelers increasing, we are hopeful that we may see a break toward the middle of the year. In the meantime, it is more important than ever that we remain connected and supportive.

For those who wonder what you and your company can do for those hit hard by the pandemic, we have some recommendations. We suggest supporting local businesses and patronizing them whenever possible. And when the time is right, invite out-of-town family, friends, and customers to Omaha. Because bottom line, when tourism succeeds our community succeeds—2020 taught us that lesson the hard way.

GREATER OMAHA CHAMBER BY DAVID BROWN

HERE’S TO 2021!

I

never thought that I would so look forward to seeing a year in my rearview mirror. But with this year of “firsts,” I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. The Greater Omaha Chamber runs on a calendar year, so this is the official time for us to assess our performance for the past 12 months. And I will tell you that this has been both our most difficult year in memory and our most impressive.

A worldwide pandemic resulting in a worldwide recession? Sure, why not.

We will figure out how to help our community and our members work through it and out of it. Nationwide social justice protests and high intensity demands for civil rights reform?

Absolutely we can engage in those efforts in a major way. Accomplishing goals set for economic development, public policy, placemaking, membership, small business, and talent? Yep. Check the box. Pivoting all of our events from in person to virtual? Drop the mike! Did that, too!

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Deborah Ward is the acting executive director

David Brown is president and

at Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau.

CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber.

In the midst of all of this turmoil dozens of community projects have moved forward all across the region.

Developments have continued and new projects continue to be announced. It has been truly amazing to watch these dreams come to fruition at this time when we needed them the most.

Clearly, the year was full of challenges.

And unfortunately, either as a result of illness, loss of a loved one, extreme weather or loss of a job, we know that there are many among us who have not done well this year. The community has come together to support those who need it and while there were more challenges than any of us wanted, there were enough wins to realize just how special this place really is. Let’s make 2021 a year we want to remember.

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