B2B October/November 2022

OMAHA MAGAZINE

it’s about all of us.

For roughly 35 years, Omaha Magazine has brought our readers stories of the city’s most fascinating people, delectable foods, and the arts & events that make Omaha the cultural epicenter of the Midwest.

EXECUTIVE publisher

Todd Lemke

associate publisher

Bill Sitzmann

EDITORIAL

associate editors

Julius Fredrick

Nick Moore

Linda Persigehl

contributors

Leo Adam Biga

Ryan Borchers

Dwain Hebda

Jeff Lacey Sara Locke

Jonathan Orozco Kara Schweiss

INFORMATION advertising information 402.884.2000

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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.

CREATIVE creative director

Matt Wieczorek

sr. graphic designer Mady Bubb graphic designer 1 Renee Ludwick photographers Katie Anderson Keith Binder Scott Drickey Sarah Lemke

SALES

executive vice president sales & marketing Gil Cohen

branding specialists

Dawn Dennis George Idelman contributing branding specialists

Greg Bruns Tim McCormack assistant to the publisher Sandy Matson senior sales coordinator Alicia Hollins sales coordinator Sandi McCormack appointment setter Heidi Slaughter

OPERATIONS Business Manager

Kyle Fisher ad traffic manager David Trouba digital manager Megan Bartholomew

distribution manager

Damian Ingersoll

FROM THE EDITOR

THE OMAHA LEGACY

O ne of the things that makes Omaha a great place to work and to live is a sense of community. Many of the stories in this issue share the theme of community–in business development, workspaces, and even play.

In her Greater Omaha Chamber column, Veta Jeffery describes her move to Omaha and the diversity of communities and experiences she’s discovered. She also shares her vision for how businesses, developers, and city leaders will continue to build communities through shared experiences.

Our main feature concerns another kind of community: the workforce. Stan Odenthal of Heartland Workforce Solutions describes how they are connecting employers with workers in the post-pandemic labor shortage. And Goodwill’s Tobi Mathouser explains how innovative programs are providing opportuni ties to find employment and for young adults to continue their education.

LinkedIn’s Omaha office uses a “dynamic works environment” as a neighborhood seating model which allows people to build commu nity as they collaborate on projects in a shared space. They are also allowing more flexibility where employees work–not just how they work–through hybrid, remote, and in-office roles.

Appearing on the cover and the After Hours section, Martie Cordaro describes how he found community through the shared experi ence of music. Although he may be a busy man as president of both the Omaha Storm Chasers and the Union Omaha Soccer Club, he still makes time for his band, Strange Pleasures.

I hope this issue inspires you to try a new expe rience and enjoy your community, whatever that may be.

B2B

Nick Moore is an associate editor at Omaha Publications. He can be reached at nick@omahapublications.com

Bryan & Michele Kinghorn

BY BILL SITZMANN

BOUND BY GIVING

KINGHORN GARDENS AND OPERA OMAHA CULTIVATE STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

o pera Omaha and corporate community partner Kinghorn Gardens share likeminded cultures.

It began when Bryan Kinghorn wrote to Opera Omaha general director Roger Weitz offering support.

“We like accompanying people in their success,” Bryan said. He and wife Michele so admire the nonprofit’s commitment to community engagement that they’ve served as advisors and development committee members in addition to hosting a networking event. Their full-service landscape business’ horticultural team installs gala gardens.

“We’re sort of engrained in the fabric of it all,” Bryan said. “The group at Opera Omaha are just great people. They’re very grateful for anything and everything you can do for them and they’re very supportive of us as well. It’s really a good fit.”

Reciprocal giving, he said, “creates goodness.” Growing up in the Nebraska Panhandle town of Morrill, he learned “a little bit from a lot of people makes a big difference.”

“Everybody rallied around trying to make sure the collective community was supported. I saw that as part of life you give what you can when you can.”

Opera Omaha managing director Shannon Walenta commends the Kinghorns’ generosity. “They are a very altruistic couple who understand the importance of giving back. The galas are a big piece of it. They’ve done some exquisite work with our design teams for those events.”

The galas unfold in nontraditional spaces that transport patrons to new worlds. “The Kinghorns

have been a big part of achieving that vision,” Weitz said. “Their collaboration on galas is very tangible. They lend expertise, donate in-kind services, and provide unique installations. It’s fun to have their artistic participation in addition to being wonderful supporters, friends, and colleagues.”

For the A Flowering Tree gala, Kinghorn Gardens devised rustic centerpieces and sourced 2,400 square feet of fresh sod to create a lush green carpet to warm an abandoned storefront in winter.

“It was an unexpected encounter for all those people coming to the gala,” Bryan recalled.

At Kimpton Cottonwool Hotel in Blackstone, Kinghorn Gardens fashioned a botanical conservatory in a poolside tent.

“PEACE TREATIES ARE SIGNED IN GARDENS. PEOPLE GET MARRIED IN GARDENS. THEY’RE GREAT PLACES TO COMMUNE WITH NATURE AND TO ENJOY LIFE, COLOR, BEAUTY. THEY EVOKE MEMORIES. THEY MEMORIALIZE LOVED ONES.”

-BRYAN KINGHORN

It’s about enhancing the quality of life through inspiring environments, said the Kinghorns. “You involve people in a whole experience and they feel it,” Michele explained. “That’s how it is when a garden (or a show) really hits the spot for people.”

“Important things happen in gardens,” Bryan noted. “Peace treaties are signed in gardens. People get married in gardens. They’re great places to commune with nature and to enjoy life, color, beauty. They evoke memories. They memorialize loved ones.” Little wonder, he said, greenscapes move people just as operas do.

Just as Opera Omaha thinks outside the box in reimagining venues, Michele said, “we’re willing to try and make the unusual happen.”

“These are great exercises that help us to be more creative,” Bryan said. “We’re interested in the art of the possible. That’s really how small businesses thrive. You have to constantly be looking for not only what is but for what’s possible and try to say yes to opportunities that come before you.”

The organizations share aesthetic missions, Weitz said. “We’re both trying to deliver for our patrons: beauty, art, and space…to reflect in and get in touch with something bigger than ourselves.”

Partnering with Opera Omaha, he said, “taught me you don’t have to be a giant corporation to help people in the arts.” He and Michele deliver that message to other small business owners.

“I’m grateful to them for making the case for why it’s good business to invest in the nonprofit sector,” Weitz said.

And don’t expect the couple to rest on their laurels (not the garden variety). “They are incredibly humble people,” Walenta shared. “They never want recognition. They do what they do because they believe it’s the right thing. We’re fortunate to have them in our opera family.”

BIZ + GIVING | STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA PHOTO

“WE’RE WILLING TO TRY AND MAKE THE UNUSUAL HAPPEN.”

-MICHELE KINGHORN

THE BEAT OF HIS OWN DRUM

OMAHA STORM CHASERS’ MARTIE CORDARO

Martie Cordaro, president of both the Omaha Storm Chasers and Union Omaha Soccer Club, is tasked with running the day-to-day operations of two professional sports franchises. This includes management of those teams’ community endeavors, corporate relationships, and all manner of business. That’s a lot of responsibility, and it’s important he doesn’t miss a beat.

That’s OK, though, because missing beats is something Cordaro doesn’t do. Especially in his career as a drummer.

Aside from being a high-profile member of the business community in Omaha, Cordaro also has been known to play drums around town, currently playing in the local jam band Strange Pleasures.

Cordaro’s love of music came early, but his affinity for drums developed in a roundabout way.

“Music came a little different for me,” Cordaro explained. “I started listening more closely to music around [age] 10. I remember I wanted to play piano, and the lady across the street from us, Mrs. Barron, taught piano lessons.  I asked my mom over and over again if I could take piano lessons, and she kept saying no. Then one day, we were in the car and we passed a music store. There was a drum in the window, and for some reason, my mom just said yes.”

Cordaro started playing in bands when he was 13, and by high school, his band Stonybridge was

booking some high-profile gigs. They opened for Blind Melon, and later Ween, and even signed with an independent record label.

For Cordaro, a highlight of that period was opening for Kool & the Gang at a music festival. “It was so fun being able to sit backstage and see them play. It was incredible seeing the continuity they played with for such a huge band.”

Among his influences, Cordaro cited Jimmy Chamberlin from Smashing Pumpkins and Troy Luccketta from (the band) Tesla both drummers whose talent has really impacted his passion. How would he describe his own drumming style? “Very heavy and hard–kind of bombastic to a degree,” Cordaro said with a grin.

In 1998, at the age of 25, drums took a backseat to Cordaro’s career in sports management. He didn’t really pick up the sticks again until 2009 when he moved to Omaha.  Cordaro said the band that got him back into music was the Foo Fighters. He was inspired by their drummer, Taylor Hawkins, from a style perspective.

“So, I befriended a guy here in town named Tony Lamar, and [we] did some local stuff and loved it.” Cordaro played in The Damones, a 1980s alternative band, and a band called Summer Camp. In 2019, he joined the local band The Drawing Board, made up of three surgeons with Nebraska Medicine. He currently drums for Strange Pleasures, a popular local band with rock, blues, and funk influences.

“[HE] ADDS ENERGY, HE ADDS PASSION, NOT TO MENTION, HE’S A HELL OF A DRUMMER SINCE MARTIE JOINED THE BAND, WE’VE BEEN A TIGHTER BAND MUSICALLY, AND AS FRIENDS. I LOVE THE GUY TO DEATH.”

-GREG BEEBE

Strange Pleasures frontman Greg Beebe said Cordaro is fantastic to work with. “[He] adds energy, he adds passion, not to mention, he’s a hell of a drummer,” Beebe said. “Since Martie joined the band, we’ve been a tighter band musically, and as friends. I love the guy to death.”

For a man with a hectic schedule, Cordaro makes time for drumming. Aside from a demanding job, he has three sons, ages 26, 18, and 14. “I kind of have to force [drumming] in,” Cordaro said, “but I just love playing music, and I love providing an outlet to listen.”

To find out where Strange Pleasures is playing next, check out their Facebook page: facebook.com/ Strange-Pleasures-110460747897016/ B2B

AFTER HOURS | STORY BY JEFF LACEY | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

“I KIND OF HAVE TO FORCE [DRUMMING] IN, BUT I JUST LOVE PLAYING MUSIC, AND I LOVE PROVIDING AN OUTLET TO LISTEN.”

-MARTIE CORDARO

Martie Cordaro

“I LOVE MY WORK. MY ROLE IS TO UNDERSTAND AND CONNECT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WITH THOSE WHO CAN SUPPORT THEM.”

MONIKA PHILP

Monika Philp

CONNECT, INSPIRE, GROW

MONIKA PHILP USES HER STORY OF BEAUTY AND BULLYING, POVERTY AND POSITIVITY TO EMPOWER OTHERS

A pageant-worthy smile and the poise of royalty may not conjure the image of a picked-on child in a new country, but a former Mrs. Nebraska is here to remind folks that every part of their story matters. From a brave kid helping feed her family, to a mother creating tech opportunities for underserved communities, Monika Philp knows that real beauty is rendered by inspired action.

“My family and I came (to Chicago) from Poland on the diversity lottery program in 1993,” Philp recalled. “It didn’t initially feel like I’d won the lottery. I didn’t speak English, the lunches my mom made me smelled funny to the other kids, and I was bullied relentlessly. We were living in poverty and nearing starvation. We nearly lost our home. I never wanted to feel that hopeless again.”

At 14, Philp landed a job at a coffee shop. She worked 40 hours a week while attending school and helping her mother at home.

“I WAS SO GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK. EVEN IF IT WASN’T ‘BIG,’ IT WAS MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO MY FAMILY. I LOVED SEEING I COULD MAKE LIFE EASIER, AND WANTED TO KEEP FINDING WAYS TO MAKE THAT HAP PEN FOR US AND FOR OTHERS.”

-MONIKA PHILP

“I was so grateful for the work. Even if it wasn’t ‘big,’ it was making a difference to my family,” she recalled. “I loved seeing I could make life easier and wanted to keep finding ways to make that happen for us and for others.”

Philp remained in Chicago with her family for 20 years before finding love and moving with her husband to California, then to Omaha to follow a position he was offered as an executive chef.

“When we first arrived, I wasn’t sure where to begin networking and making friends. I wanted to start engaging with some organizations and joined 1 Million Cups (an entreprenuer support group),” she said. “That gave me an opportunity to learn about what was going on in the community, and to use my event planning skills for a good cause. My philosophy has always been ‘Connect, Inspire, Grow’. Working with 1 Million Cups really helped me engage and do something helpful.”

Philp continued her pursuit of meaningful work, volunteer opportunities, and relationships, eventually landing herself a position at the AIM Institute. Today, Philp’s enthusiasm and drive are on display as the director of leadership and member development at AIM.

“I love my work. My role is to understand and connect the needs of the community with those who can support them. I keep our board members engaged and share events and leadership academies to ensure that everyone knows that there is an opportunity for them [in technology],” she explained. “Tech is so much more than IT. Explaining to a class of young people that they can do anything, from project management to flying drones, really shows them that there is a place for everyone in tech.”

Philp was recognized as one of Ten Outstanding Young Omahans by the Greater Omaha Chamber in 2022 for her contributions to the community.

One of Philp’s biggest fans is her AIM co-worker (and American Ninja Warrior competitor) Maggi Thorne, whom she befriended at a Wednesday night bible study.

“Monika is incredibly brilliant...she’s a connector,” Thorne beamed about her friend. “We’re alike. We aren’t the corner pieces of the puzzle, we’re not the big picture. We’re the pieces that connect.”

Philp returned the compliment: “Maggi is so mission-driven and inspiring, and just such a kind person. She was a Mrs. International, and she really encouraged me to go for the Mrs. Nebraska title. It’s a platform-based pageant, so you’re running on your desire to positively impact your community.”

With Thorne’s coaching (and access to her closet), Philp won the 2020 Mrs. Nebraska title.

“We all have a uniform we wear in life,” Thorne continued. “For police, it’s a badge. For doctors, it’s a lab coat. For Monika, she has that crown, and she uses it to it’s full potential to create opportunities and awareness everywhere she goes.”

Philp spends most of her effervescent energy teaching others to overcome their intimidation, to live curiously, and to pursue any opportunity that can make the community a little more beautiful, inside and out. B2B

B2B

ON THE RISE | STORY BY SARA LOCKE | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

BACK TO THE ‘60S AT THE OFFICE

MODERN WORK SUITES & STUDIOS HAVE A ROMANCE WITH MIDCENTURY MODERN HIGH DESIGN

Before founding Modern Work Suites & Studios, a coworking space at 88th and F streets in Omaha, Curt Brannon asked himself two questions: How could a shared office space attract small businesses in a city with a low population density? And more importantly, how could it be stylish?

“Modern Work is ideally for people who take their work seriously, but not themselves,” Brannon said.

A host of amenities, including a low-impact gym, a game room, a collaborative work area, the 1960s-style Mixx Lounge, conference rooms, and photo and video studios, entice tenants. With 76 of 80 spaces for lease occupied, the campus is nearly at capacity.

Association is a fairly new tenant at Modern Work, and the facility has been well received by the nonprofit’s staff and clients.

Like Tompkins, Stephens was referred by a colleague. “I visited before COVID and I was intrigued by the property. We just love it. What’s wonderful is that volunteers and the families we serve love it. You want these people to love it as much as [we] do.”

-CURT BRANNON

Brannon’s resulting experiment led to the monumental 50,000-square-foot Modern Work Suites & Studios. Located in a former Pamida building in a generic industrial area, the property distinguishes itself with its midcentury aesthetic, colorful interiors, and modern, sleek furnishings.

“It’s fun and edgy, not for thin-skinned people,” Brannon said. “You either like it or you don’t.”

Like other shared spaces such as WeWork or Shift, the property was developed as a creative co-working space where a modern working professional would find all they need to succeed, and then some.

Modern Work is also dynamic and receptive to tenant needs, such as in the case of Matt Tompkins of Two Brothers Agency. Tompkins leased the largest Modern Work suite available. Working with recording equipment, it was crucial Two Brothers’ space had a sound studio.

“We looked everywhere, about 30 spaces, but all of them were sketchy,” Tompkins said. “One of our clients said you need to check out Modern Work. It looked like a great facility, but what is this space? We were looking to build a studio for our podcasting projects. What blew me away is they said they would do a build-out for us.”

Sharon Stephens, the executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association, Nebraska Chapter, was also surprised at how accommodating Modern Work has been for her team. The Alzheimer’s

Brannon had an upper hand in furnishing Modern Work, as he manufacturers cabinets and other furniture in another business venture. This inside track, along with working with an in-house interior designer, gave him creative control in developing the property’s midcentury design concept. Looking to the past and for inspiration from designers like Frank Lloyd Wright and Charles and Ray Eames, Brannon has created a workspace unlike any other in the metro...one that will take professionals back decades in time to an era of style and class.

IN THE OFFICE | STORY BY JONATHAN OROZCO | PHOTOS BY BILL SITZMANN

“IT’S FUN AND EDGY, NOT FOR THIN SKINNED PEOPLE. YOU EITHER LIKE IT OR YOU DON’T.”

B2B

JOLLY GOOD

CHIPPY’S BRINGS OUT NEBRASKA’S INNER BRITS

W hen Sophie Wilson landed in Omaha two years ago, following her husband Jamie, a neurosurgeon at Nebraska Medical Center, it wasn’t the first time the family had lived away from her native Britain. But certain parts of the adjustment process never get any easier, she said.

“The hardest thing for me to get used to is definitely the food,” Wilson said. “Being able to buy sauces and simple things like flour and sugar...they’re slightly different. I know that sounds really silly. Butter as well [...] Our cows are fed on grass instead of corn, so it just tastes different.”

Fortunately, Wilson’s arrival in Omaha roughly coincided with the opening of Chippy’s British Market and Bakery, a place that feeds her on many levels.

Glenn Greet had people like Wilson in mind when he opened the Chippy’s last year. Having resided in the States since 2000, he’d lived in various cities that provided the tastes of home he pined for most recently, the Atlanta area where his Americanborn wife Laura is from. But when Laura landed a plum job with Union Pacific in 2017, the move to Omaha landed Glenn in a British food desert.

“We noticed pretty quickly there was literally no British presence clubs, culture, food, anything in the entire state,” Greet said. “We found some little shops in Kansas, but that’s a four-hour, six-hour round trip. It got pretty old pretty quick.”

Greet believed there was sufficient Brit population in Omaha suffering the same issues he was, and on that belief he opened the market last spring, with Laura in charge of the on-premises bakery. In short order, the couple realized how badly he had miscalculated his market.

Greet continued, “We built a little grocery shop [based] on what 200 Brits we polled wanted and about 20 items in a bakery that people miss most. We opened in April of last year, and in 14 months we’ve done about $1.5 million in business. That’s just one location.

Only 20% of market receipts are from native Brits, interestingly enough, while 80% are from Americans with some connection to or affinity for British food and culture. This demographic data

“SUCH DEMOGRAPHICS ARE EMBOLDENING GREET TO EXPAND, STARTING WITH CHIPPY’S LINCOLN, WHICH OPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND SIX MORE SITES PLANNED IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.”

has emboldened Greet to expand, starting with Chippy’s Lincoln, which opened earlier this year, and six more sites are planned in the next three years. This doesn’t count the British restaurant he’s got in mind for Omaha by 2025.

One thing that won’t be replicated is the bakery that will remain an Omaha-only attraction. This is just fine with Laura, who balances this labor of love with her full time job at Union Pacific.

-SOPHIE WILSON

“I think it’s partly the community, actually, the people I meet there,” she said. “It feels really nice to know that I can just nip up the road and grab any sort of anything for cooking a British recipe, or to have certain tea to drink. It’s been so lovely.”

“I started with one shipment from England every six weeks, pallet-sized. About after the first month, we were two pallets a week. I made my importers very happy. The butterbeers alone, we sold over 12,000 butter beers in a year. Just absolutely insane.”

“When he had this idea it was like, I don’t know how many Brits are here in this area, but I think you’re onto something,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to do a bakery; I love to bake sweets and dessert. So, this enabled us to put those two things together. It’s just fun to see it grow and it’s fun to have this dream starting to become reality. It’s been fun to watch.”

Visit chippysomaha.com for more information..

B2B

omAHA! | STORY BY DWAIN HEBDA | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

“IT FEELS REALLY NICE TO KNOW THAT I CAN JUST NIP UP THE ROAD AND GRAB ANY SORT OF ANYTHING FOR COOKING A BRITISH RECIPE, OR TO HAVE CERTAIN TEA TO DRINK. IT’S BEEN SO LOVELY.”

ROUNDTABLE | STORY BY LINDA PERSIGEHL | PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

WORK FROM HOME

DOES IT TRULY WORK FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

Post-lockdown, the work-from-home trend has been up for debate. Some businesses have mandated their employees to return to the office, citing better communication and collaboration. Others have been more flexible, saying they’ve found employee productivity and happiness have gone up since WFH became an option. We reached out to three local professionals to weigh in: Jean Faber, corpo rate director at Best Care EAP, a division of Methodist Health System; Molly Kuehl, a digital media insight strategist with Chatterkick; and Dan Claxton, president of Claxton Fireplace Center.

B2B: Tell us a bit about your business. Who are your customers?

JF: At Best Care EAP (employee assistance pro grams), we contract with over 300 employers nationwide to provide employer-paid, short-term mental health counseling to employees and their dependent family members. We do so on the premise that when an employee is struggling with a personal issue, stressor, or mental health issue, they are more distracted, more prone to workplace accidents, and more likely to leave the organization. When utilizing Best Care EAP services, clients’ outcomes show less absenteeism, more productivity, lower attrition, lower health insurance claims, and a healthier workforce.

MK: Chatterkick is a Midwest-based digital con nection agency that serves clients from all over the U.S. and beyond. We help mid-sized businesses with marketing, sales, recruitment, and digital customer service. Our primarily remote internal team consists of 20 high-performing and consis tently curious team members. Our headquarters are located in Sioux City, Iowa, where our internal

teams meet and collaborate. We also have partner ships with approximately 20 creators through our Creative Network, which provides clients access to top-notch creatives who seamlessly collaborate and create with our internal team.

DC: We specialize in fireplace remodeling and have “Answers For All of Your Burning Questions.” We reface and replace them, convert them from wood to gas, and we add fireplaces to rooms. We are a one-stop-shop we do all of the construction and finish work, including the initial design. We also provide color camera inspections of wood-burning flues and provide chimney sweeping services and major chimney and internal flue restorations. And we offer outdoor kitchens, outdoor fireplaces/fire pits, and retractable awnings and sun screens.

B2B: What is your company policy regarding employees working from home? Why do you feel it does or doesn’t work for your business?

JF: Since we provide primarily face-to-face ser vices, we are working in the office. We also provide telehealth services. We are very customer-service focused, so our goal is to meet users at their comfort level–which can be in-person, video, telephone, and even text/chat if they prefer. We want to remove any barriers to someone reaching out for assistance, if/when they need it!

As a provider of EAP services, we have experienced a steady increase in the number of employees utilizing our services because they are struggling with both remote work and required onsite work. We have seen significant increases in anxiety and depression and stress. Those that are working remotely have been struggling with isolation (lack of connection), loneliness, and a lack of work/life balance (feeling

like they are never able to “leave” work at work). Those that have been required to return to the workplace are dealing with the challenge of learning how to “people” again–seems those who worked from home for the last two years and are now back in the office struggle with day-to-day relationships with peers and supervisors (primarily lots of “short fuses”), which also leads to more employee relations issues and customer service problems for HR and leadership teams to manage.

MK: The Chatterkick team reaches multiple states and time zones. Because of this, all team members typically work from home. The team members who live close to the Sioux City office have a hybrid working environment option. This works well for our team because it provides comfort and flexibility that allows them to do their best work where they work best. This works well for our clients because our brand partnerships span from coast to coast and we stay connected through regular video meetings, weekly emails, or a good, old-fashioned phone call. Our internal team stays connected and is held accountable through a regular team, role, and coaching connections. We also use software to manage our digital to-do lists and internal team chat.

DC: We have a retail showroom with a sales staff and administrative personnel, as well as warehouse and technicians. We’re currently in the process of building out a building that we purchased and will be moving our retail showroom into that facility along with our warehouse staff who have been operating there for the last year. We have 22 team members and work with several key subs that we’ve worked with years, some as long as 30 years.

We are set up for certain people to work remotely in the event they are sick, have a sick child, or what ever would keep them from coming into the office. We prefer them to be in the office to maintain our sense of team and camaraderie.

B2B: Has your policy affected your ability to recruit and hire new employees?

JF: We have lost a couple of people because they wanted to work fully remote, and we have gained a couple people because they were working remote and couldn’t wait to get back into an office situation where they had the daily contact, collaboration, problem-solving, and friendships/support that onsite work offers.

MK: Yes! By embracing remote workers, we can look outside location limitations when hiring and find top talent, no matter where they call home. By focusing our recruitment efforts on finding the best candidate, no matter their location, we’ve been able to build an incredibly talented team.

DC: Our policy has not hindered us in the least for attracting or retaining employees. We provide a great work environment, pay, and benefits, and are a place where people can grow personally and professionally.

B2B

Dan Claxton

Molly Kuehl

Jean Faber

ECS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

At ECS Technology Solutions, we focus on supporting IT from your home to your business and we take on your technology challenges so you can Spend Time on What Matters.

Whether your internet at home is acting up, or you need advanced consulting for your hybrid cloud infrastructure at work, we have a team of dedicated specialists that can help with all your IT needs.

We understand that time is a limited resource that you can not get back, and we treat every interaction with this in mind. Our home team focuses on resolving your computer/IT issues as quickly as possible, while our business IT team finds ways to improve your IT infrastructure and security so you can work in the most optimal environments.

We have an array of clients spanning from New Jersey to California, between homes and businesses. We are one of the fastest growing outsourced IT businesses in the Omaha metro because we take care of our clients like they are part of our family.

We are guided by honesty, integrity, and accountability in accord with maintaining our clients’ trust and we always strive to go above and beyond for every client, no matter the size.

2720 N 206TH ST.

ELKHORN, NE 68022 402. 350.0372

ECSTECH.COM

LIMELIGHT EXPRESSIONS

KIMMYLEA KONSEL-TAYLOR AND BEAU TAYLOR

LimeLight Expressions is a one-stop event planning company. Their goal is to make the entire process stress free, not only for the client, but also for their family and friends. LimeLight staff handles every detail so everyone can relax and enjoy the event to the fullest. Each event is custom tailored to individual tastes and flare LimeLight’s transparency and careful attention to detail ensures their clients’ unique vision shines through every time.

LimeLight Expressions is family owned and operated since 2007 with over 22 awards in the event planning industry. Their business model is unique, prioritizing building relationships with their clients and establishing trust through consistent communication. From multimillion-dollar international events to local events, their approach to serving the needs of their client builds a relationship that feels more like family. LimeLight staff takes pride in guiding their clients through the entire planning process so they can be confident the event will exceed their own expectations.

“We love helping people! We truly enjoy the process of taking our client’s vision and creating an atmosphere that not only wows our client but impresses all those in attendance. To us, it is about making the entire event an incredible experience that places our client in the LimeLight.”

402.915.3534

LIMELIGHTEXPRESSIONS.COM

INFO@LIMELIGHTEXPRESSIONS.COM

1415-THE MEETING SPACE

1415 – The Meeting Space, located at 14th and Harney streets in downtown Omaha provides an adaptable venue ideal for a variety of events, offering flexible scheduling and state-of-the-art technology.

Clients can use the versatile space for seminars, conferences, workshops, team meetings, board meetings, community events, press conferences, and more. Available larger space is ideal for group meetings, while smaller, private conference rooms can accommodate committee discussions, board meetings, and breakout sessions.

1415 – The Meeting Space, run by the Board of Certification (BOC), serves those seeking a downtown location. Its proximity to Eppley Airport easily accommodates out-of-town attendees, and the space is close to hotels, entertainment venues, and restaurants.

With flexible pricing and catering options, 1415The Meeting Space is perfect for a variety of meeting setups and price points. Special discounted pricing is an option for qualifying non-profit organizations.

More information, photos and a video of the space can be found at meetingspaceomaha.com. Space can be booked online. CONTACT US AT 402.702.1415 OR MEETINGSPACEOMAHA.COM FOR QUESTIONS OR TO BOOK A TOUR.

Founder of Growth Guru Rick Faber

READY TO PARTY

VENUES TOUT AMENITIES, ESPECIALLY TECHNOLOGY, AS EVENTS RETURN

I t wasn’t that long ago event venues in the metro were ghost towns–shut down and silent over the fear of COVID and the resulting local edicts banning large crowds locally. Given the current demand for such spaces, those days feel like a long time ago, indeed.

“My calendar, especially Saturdays, is booked up a year in advance,” said Josh Wuthrich, facilities and events director for The Relevant Center in Elkhorn. “In 2020 we started getting momentum and then everything shut down, and then 2021 started kind of slowly. But 2022, and now looking into 2023, if you need a Saturday you need to call me a year out. And Fridays are getting close to that, too. Even with the holiday season coming up, I think maybe only two spots are open in December if someone wants a Friday or Saturday night.”

This sort of response is exactly what Relevant Community Church had in mind in 2019 when it built the venue that doubles as a worship space on Sundays. Wuthrich said providing a venue in an underserved part of town has stoked demand.

“WE BUILT THE RELEVANT CENTER TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WE DIDN’T WANT IT JUST TO BE FULLY FOR OUR SELVES AND SIT EMPTY THROUGH MOST OF THE WEEK. WE WANTED TO FIND A WAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE’RE HERE FOR THEM AND WE’RE TRYING TO OPEN OUR DOORS TO ALLOW THEM TO USE THE SPACE.”

-JOSH WUTHRICH

“We built the Relevant Center to serve our community,” he explained. “We didn’t want it just to be fully for ourselves and sit empty through most of the week. We wanted to find a way for our community to know that we’re here for them and we’re trying to open our doors to allow them to use the space.”

The center is divided into two main areas, the 8,300-square-foot auditorium, capable of seating 500 guests, banquet-style. A second space, called The Theater, measures 3,300 square feet and can accommodate 150 to 250 depending on the configuration. Wuthrich said other specialized spaces get a lot of use, too.

“We have a fairly decent-sized lobby area that’s probably about 4,400 square feet. A lot of events utilize that for business banquets or conferences that have a late-night cocktail hour,” he said.

“Then, we have about 2 acres of grass behind our building that a lot of events utilize, too.”

The Relevant offers a large prep kitchen and an open catering policy; but what really grabs the crowds’ attention is the building’s technology. From big screen TVs–including in the lobby to a state-of-the-art sound system, it’s so advanced, the venue comes with its own live tech support during events.

“We’ll supply the techs and those people will be here to flip all the switches and make sure if there’s a glitch, we’re there to fix it right away,” Wuthrich said. “We also help the DJ hook up to our sound system, giving the event world-class sound. It’s phenomenal because the speakers are designed scientifically to fit our space.”

Meanwhile, in Ralston, a new facility is starting to find its following. Venues at The Granary, which opened in May, has already attracted some community events and wedding traffic, per Molly Payne, director of events.

“We have had quite a good jumpstart on our bookings for this year and 2023,” she said. “The most bookings we get are weddings and second to that would be corporate meetings and corporate dinners. There are also a few larger corporate parties where they’re doing a full dinner for employees, bringing in a band and things like that.”

The stylish Granary, which offers two meeting spaces accommodating about 300 and 200 guests respectively, is also loaded with a full complement of audio and video equipment. But when it’s time to pull out all the stops, the attention turns outside.

“Our outdoor green space is called the Granary Green,” Payne said. “It’s technically a separate venue and it’s very large. We can do anything from an outdoor wedding ceremony to a concert where if it’s ‘standing room’ we can accommodate 1,000 to 1,500 people. We had a concert for Lemon Fresh Days and we probably had about 600 people out there for a concert and we definitely could have accommodated more.”

As if the dimensions weren’t impressive enough, Granary Green’s technology rivals most indoor venues, providing additional flexibility for groups or special events.

FEATURE | STORY BY DWAIN HEBDA | PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

OMAHA’S Favorite DRY CLEANER EST. 1917

JOSH WUTHRICH

Since 1917, five generations of the Walker family have served the retail, and then the commercial, laundry markets in Omaha and the surrounding areas. We’re Dry Cleaners, but many Omaha business owners have also depended on our Uniform Rental Service since 1974.

EST. 1974 www.maxiwalker.com & www.maxiwalkeruniform.com

“On our outdoor space we have microphones, speakers and we also have a big jumbo Iron LED screen out there,” Payne said. “We can do a slideshow with photos, we can show a movie, we can put whatever people want to put up there. We’re planning to do a few things on the green space throughout football season...during Husker football games, too.”

The indoor venue, which has a large kitchen, has an exclusive catering arrangement with Abraham Catering, and the venue staff is experienced in working with wedding planners and corporate event committees to customize the experience. The larger spaces can be cut down with pipe and drape to create smaller spaces as needed.

According to Wayne Lallman, co-owner and COO of Venues at The Granary, the event center is just the first step in a much bigger development to come.

“We did not set out to simply do a wedding and event space,” he said. “We have a lot of this space that’s been designated commercial real estate of which we still have some left, but a lot of it is already leased. We have plans for building townhomes on this property two-bedroom flats that are live/ work spaces.”

“WE DID NOT SET OUT TO SIMPLY DO A WEDDING AND EVENT SPACE, WE HAVE A LOT OF THIS SPACE THAT’S BEEN DES IGNATED COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE OF WHICH WE STILL HAVE SOME LEFT BUT A LOT OF IT IS ALREADY LEASED WE HAVE PLANS FOR BUILDING TOWNHOMES ON THIS PROPERTY, TWO-BEDROOM FLATS THAT ARE LIVE/WORK SPACES.”

-WAYNE LALLMAN

“WE’VE ALL HEARD AN EMPLOYER SAY, ‘WE CAN’T HIRE YOU BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE,’ AND THEN YOU HAVE THE JOB SEEKER SAYING, ‘WELL, I CAN’T GET THE EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I CAN’T GET HIRED.’ THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO BATTLE.”

-TOBI MATHOUSER

Goodwill’s Tobi Mathouser

FEATURE

STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS

PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

GETTING THE JOB DONE

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS CONNECT EMPLOYERS AND JOB-SEEKERS

ummer 2022 data from the Nebraska Department of Labor shows Nebraska’s unemployment rate to be at a record low of 1.9%, the second lowest in the nation behind Minnesota and significantly lower than the national average of 3.6%. There’s a flip side to this, however: a labor shortage.

S

According to a report published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for disrupting the American labor force even after businesses across the country began resuming normal operations. In 2021, more than 47 million workers quit their jobs or never returned to jobs restored after suspension for reasons ranging from the desire for permanent flexibility to increased compensation in what has become known as “The Great Resignation.”

Many businesses continue to struggle to fill vacant positions, said Stan Odenthal, director of business relations for Heartland Workforce Solutions, Inc. And even in times when many employers are hiring, there are workers out there still seeking better opportunities.

“It just doesn’t seem like there are enough people for all of the jobs available, but there are a number of different factors,” Odenthal said. “Looking at numbers from the NEworks system, the state system, you can see that there were about 13,000 more advertised jobs in May 2022 versus May 2021.”

The public knows Heartland Workforce Solutions, an American Job Center Network partner, for its role in serving unemployed or underemployed

individuals looking for work, Odenthal said. The organization may be less recognized for its role serving employers seeking to fill positions. Heartland Workforce Solutions provides programs and services, some in partnership with other community organizations and nonprofits, to help both sides find a good fit.

“We are the convener of workforce development programs for the Omaha metropolitan area. What that means is that we’re the local workforce area that has been designated to receive federal funds for and to serve Douglas, Sarpy, and Washington counties,” Odenthal said. “We bring together all the workforce development partners and we work as that central pivot point to help lead collaboration and make things as seamless as possible for both job seekers and businesses that access those services.”

For example, in 2021 and 2022, Heartland Workforce Solutions conducted “industry listening sessions” to facilitate focused discussion about current job demands and future projections in various sectors.

“We actively are paying close attention to job openings and in which sectors and industries they’re increasing, and trying to match our training funds to those,” Odenthal said. “We’re working to build bridges to health care, to construction, to education, to different types of jobs that continue to increase in number […] we’re trying to fill those gaps and make our programs better and better. We’re trying to understand where we need to be in five years to meet the demand of businesses in the Omaha area and to understand how things are changing, too.”

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He added, “One of the things I recommend most is for businesses to really take a look at some of the labor market information and how competing businesses are increasing the available benefits out there, as well as wages and some of the additional employee perks that are making them a little more of a preferred employer to some of those job seekers.”

On the third Thursday afternoon of every month, Heartland Workforce Solutions hosts workshops in collaboration with community partners featuring experts who cover topics of interest to local businesses and experts. Business representatives can sign up for the Better Business Workshop series online.

“Topics including things like employment discrimination, labor law rules, and how to become a federal contractor...really good information for employers,” Odenthal said.

On the job-seeker side, Heartland Workforce Solutions provides resources through multiple channels, including its facility at 5752 Ames Avenue, where more than 15 different workforce development partners are represented. People can receive a variety of services from resume assistance to computer access for job searches. Every Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the center spotlights local employers, giving job seekers the opportunity to meet representatives in person and ask questions about open positions and potential career paths. The organization also hosts regular job fairs with businesses who are ready to hire.

“There are a lot of great tools and technology that can be accessed at home, but our center also provides those tools and resources for anyone who may not have a computer or who just needs a bit of additional assistance,” Odenthal said. “We encourage people to come down and see things there, and get some tips on how to navigate all those systems as well.”

Heartland Workforce Solutions also helps those jobseekers looking for more stable or lucrative careers, or for jobs with potential growth opportunities. Short-term training can help individuals “up-scale” in a matter of months or in only a year or two, Odenthal said.

“We get them connected with educational programs throughout the community, we partner with local training providers such as colleges and universities throughout Omaha. And as we’re doing that, we’re paying close attention to ensure that those jobs are going to be there in the future. We don’t want to put someone in a training program and then have that job disappear a few years from now. We want to make sure that whatever program we’re helping people get connected with is going to be around for

a while, that they’re going to have job security and be able to provide for themselves and their families,” he explained. “It’s challenging, but it’s awesome, too. There’s a lot of success from it.”

The City of Omaha also provides workforce development funding through an annual CRED (Career Readiness to Eliminate Disparities) grant.

“This grant helps people connect with short-term certification programs,” Odenthal said. “Recent classes have included OSHA-10 (workplace safety) training and we have a class coming up for hardwood flooring installation. These are the type of classes that are two to three days in length. we get people certified, we get them ‘up-skilled’ quickly, and we get them connected with jobs that pay significantly more than they’re currently making.”

Goodwill Omaha is another organization that focuses on local workforce development. President and Chief Operating Officer Tobi Mathouser said Omahans know Goodwill for its donated goods retail program, but the organization also provides training and job-placement services to people with disabilities and other disadvantages or barriers to employment.

“In 2021, Goodwill Omaha served nearly 2,800 individuals through our Employment Solutions, Work Experience, and YouthBuild programs. We provided 13,610 employment services, leading to 243 program participants finding jobs in the community. We are also proud to provide 637 jobs at Goodwill locations across our community,” Mathouser said. “Simply put, we would not be in existence without everyone who shops in and donates to our stores. If you think about it, everyone who shops in and donates to our stores is donating to Goodwill in support of our mission programming.”

YouthBuild AmeriCorps targets young adults ages 16 to 24.

“The average young adult (in YouthBuild) has dropped out of high school, and they’re really at a loss of how to continue their education. So, they come to us with the expectation that they will be spending half their days in a classroom working on obtaining their GED or high-school diploma, and the other half of the day they will be working on leadership skills, workforce skills and job readiness skills,” Mathouser said. “They are literally out in the community, working on community-based projects, often with other nonprofits. The goal of the individuals is to leave that program with their high-school diploma, with leadership and workforce skills, and to be placed into permanent employment.”

Most of the YouthBuild work is in construction. Businesses who are part of the program find new talent. Even participants interested in different career paths gain new skills that can apply to other careers, Mathouser said. Everyone wins.

“Typically, our YouthBuild AmeriCorps program is funded by Department of Labor grants, but we don’t always receive these grants. This is a perfect example of how those sales and donations at our stores support our mission programs,” she explained. “When we don’t receive Department of Labor funding, Goodwill pays for this program to continue on with the staff, the participants and all of the operational expenses that go on with that program.”

Goodwill’s Employment Solutions program area is designed to help people with disabilities gain the job training, certification and skills they need to find independence and success through work. Its Work Experience program offers special-education students nearing the completion of high school the opportunity to gain exposure to work situations in supportive environments. This program is often a first step in transitioning from an educational setting to the working world, and it can improve their chance of successful job placement.

Goodwill is also affiliated with the federal AbilityOne Program, which provides jobs at federal facilities to people with severe disabilities.

“We employ approximately 125 individuals on these AbilityOne contracts; 75 percent of the hours, at least, must be done by people with disabilities [...] We go through the process of hiring individuals who are eligible to hold these jobs, and we then place them in a supportive work environment,” Mathouser said. “We have individuals who have been with us for 40-plus years in the AbilityOne program. It’s absolutely amazing to provide an opportunity for individuals who may not have otherwise had an opportunity elsewhere. It provides a sense of purpose, a sense of joy and pride for a lot of individuals.”

Both Goodwill and Heartland Workforce Solutions are poised for expansion into south Omaha.

Heartland Workforce Solutions was awarded ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) funding that will support a new office on 24th Street one block north of South High School. The facility, which is undergoing remodeling, is slated to open next March and will provide the same services as the North Omaha location.

“We’ll have better reach and we’ll be more accessible for more people. We’ll ensure there is a sufficient number of bilingual team members there so people coming into the center can be connected to the right resources in the language they speak,” Odenthal said. “That will make it even easier for job seekers to get connected to opportunities right away.”

Goodwill Omaha’s new South Omaha facility will open in January at 3327 L Street in Stockyards Plaza. It will include 15,000 square feet of retail space for a thrift store and donation center; and a 20,000-square-foot job training center that will also house community meeting space, administrative offices, and office space for lease to the community and Goodwill partners.

“It’s been in the thoughts of Goodwill Omaha to get into the South Omaha community for a very long time. I’ve been with the organization 16 years and I can remember from a long time ago it being part of the strategic plan,” Mathouser, a South Omaha native, said. “I am so proud of our team for making this happen. There is such a need not only for a retail store in South Omaha, but also for the mission programing we are going to bring to this community.”

The new facility will employ navigators representing several languages in addition to English who can provide personal assistance to people without technology access, who are new to the community, or who are simply unfamiliar with local resources. A new apprenticeship plan will also be launched at the facility, Mathouser said, for career tracks in health care (certified nursing assistant/CNA), social work/nonprofit case management, and entry-level accounting.

“We’ve all heard an employer say, ‘We can’t hire you because you don’t have the experience,’ and then you have the job seeker saying, ‘Well, I can’t get the experience because I can’t get hired.’ This is exactly what we’re trying to battle,” Mathouser said. “We’re getting the individual that experience, some on-the-job-training and formal curriculum training so they can get their foot in the door and on with their career path.”

“MANY PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO FEEL LIKE THEY’RE LEAVING THE HOUSE JUST TO GO SIT AT ANOTHER DESK. YOU’RE LEAVING THE HOUSE TO COME DO SOMETHING AND FEEL SOMETHING WITH OTHER PEOPLE. WE WANT TO PROVIDE MANY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES FOR MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH MANY DIFFERENT NEEDS.”

-BRETT HAUTOP

LINKING THE FUTURE OF WORK

LINKEDIN’S OMAHA OFFICE REFLECTS COMPANY’S CHANGING STRATEGY

From the outside, LinkedIn’s Omaha office building is an eye-catching swatch of glass, steel, and brick wedged into the horizon. The freestanding wings five stories and 100,000 square feet apiece mirror each other and connect by an enclosed bridge, providing a keyhole of sky between them.

But for as imposing as the structure is from the outside, it’s what’s inside that truly sets the project apart. A radical design draped in the iconography of the region, the space is built to race headlong toward the future of work, whatever shape that may take. It is easily within the top tier of innovative workspaces in the region, and a bell cow for the direction LinkedIn envisions for the modern workplace.

“CREATING SPACES THAT ALLOW RELATIONSHIPS IN THAT COMMUNITY TO FLOURISH WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL PIECES OF THE PROJECT. I THINK LINKEDIN BEING A COMPANY THAT IS REALLY FORWARD-THINKING IN TERMS OF THE WORKPLACE WAS A HUGE PIECE OF WHAT MAKES THIS PROJECT REALLY SPECIAL.”

-KELLY DUBISAR

“For me, this project represents the humility of what it means to be a Nebraskan; to do hard work but with people who have fun and really love to be together,” said Kelly Dubisar, principal and design director with San Fransisco-based design and architecture firm Gensler, who led the design effort on the Omaha project.

“Creating spaces that allow relationships in that community to flourish was one of the foundational pieces of the project. I think LinkedIn being a company that is really forward-thinking in terms of the workplace was a huge piece of what makes this project really special.”

The building comes chock full of its own vernacular offering railcars, respite rooms, and deep focus spaces that speak as much to environmental form as to business function. Arguably the most revolutionary of these concepts is a dynamic work environment future speak for no designated workspaces designed throughout the office space.

“A dynamic work environment uses a neighborhood seating model, where a collective group of people come to the same area but can move around depending on what they need to do that day,” Dubisar said. “This is something we’ve practiced in our own Gensler office in San Francisco for about six years, so it’s definitely not a new model, but it’s a newer model for tech. [Omaha is] one of the first projects that LinkedIn built coming out of the pandemic that really reflects that attitude.”

In fact, the COVID outbreak of 2020 gets an ironic share of the credit for bringing such innovation to the forefront. The company had developed its radical new vision for its workspaces for some time but was growing so rapidly that there was little opportunity to implement it, settling instead for jamming as many desks into existing workspaces as possible.

But when the pandemic sequestered workers to their homes, the company got an unexpected window of opportunity to advance its new workplace ideas. And good thing too, considering once they got a taste of remote work, many employees wanted to continue it at least part of the time. As a September

2021 LinkedIn article noted, nearly three-fourths of workers overall wanted a remote work option and 87 percent of LinkedIn employees wanted at least some time in the office.

In the face of such information, Ryan Roslansky, LinkedIn CEO, considered the decision to adopt a hybrid work model less of a strategy and more about trust.

“We’re building on what we’ve learned […] and taking a simple but powerful approach to how we work: We trust each other to do our best work where it works best for us and our teams,” he wrote on LinkedIn’s site in November. “We’ve learned every individual and every team works differently, so we’re moving away from a one-size-fits-all policy. We’re embracing flexibility with both hybrid and remote roles.

“We’re continuing to invest in amazing workplaces for everyday work and those times when our teams come together.”

Implementing the hybrid work model wasn’t without steep challenges, such as the daily unpredictability of occupancy and a desire to enhance the overall employee experience. As Brett Hautop, former VP of workplace, said in a 2021 LinkedIn article, that’s where the dynamic work environment came in.

“Many people don’t want to feel like they’re leaving the house just to go sit at another desk,” Hautop said. “You’re leaving the house to come do something and feel something with other people. We want to provide many different experiences for many different people with many different needs.”

FEATURE | STORY BY DWAIN HEBDA | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY GENSLER

That LinkedIn’s Omaha office building (which would later open in November 2021) would be the model for the new strategy is especially significant, considering how far behind the curve it was at the outset. Omaha’s (now former) digs were routinely ranked at the bottom of the company’s office portfolio. Dubisar said she took the challenge personally.

“There were a lot of eyes, in terms of the company, on making this project important, elevating it to the status of other projects within their portfolio,” she said. “At the time, Jim Morgensen, LinkedIn’s head of real estate, came out and was a part of our visioning process. We also had several sessions with local employees to really talk about the ethos behind why they worked for LinkedIn; not just about what made the company culture really special, but what about this specific site was really important to them.

“For me, it was an incredibly special project to be able to come back and understand that this [Omaha office] in the middle of the country is way more complex than I think people give it credit for. I think the workplace really reflects that understanding.”

OMAHA CVB BY DEBORAH WARD

TOURISM GROWTH IN THE METRO

A s we look back on 2022, the year has exceeded expectations. Despite the devastating impact of the global pandemic, more than $8 bil lion in development is happening throughout the city, reshaping the tourism landscape. This development is already bringing new activity to the area and inspiring increased out-oftown visitation.

According to research, visitation to the metro area has surpassed prepandemic levels but hovers just under 2021 numbers. From January through June, Omaha welcomed 5.8 million out-of-town visitors–a 7.6% increase over 2019 and a 2% decrease from 2021 during the same time period.

The hotel industry, hit particularly hard by the pandemic, is also seeing growth. Four new hotels opened in the past two years: The Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel in Blackstone; the Hotel Indigo; the Peregrine Hotel; and The Farnam Hotel downtown. They all offer visitors new hotel concepts with their own unique local twist.

Two additional hotels are currently under construction: The Moxy Hotel in the Old Market; and the Holiday Inn Express in Blair. According to STR, a research company specializing in hotel data, two more hotels are in

the final planning stages. Altogether, these four properties will add 310 hotel rooms to the city’s inven tory by 2024. Currently, there are more than 9,700 hotel rooms in Douglas County; 15,000-plus in the metro area.

The question becomes: can Omaha generate the demand needed to sup port these hotels? In the first half of the year, hotel revenues surpassed 2019 levels by $9 million from January through June.

At the end of the Great Recession in 2009, the Brookings Institution found that Omaha weathered that economic storm better than any other city in the country. While COVID brings its own unique economic chal lenges to the table, it appears history may be repeating itself, as Omaha continues to prove it can take a punch and get up swinging.

GREATER OMAHA CHAMBER

CREATING

BY VETA T. JEFFERY

COMMUNITY

P acking up your family, loading trucks, and relocating to a completely new city means leaving behind all that’s familiar. It means the comforts of the community you call home are no longer there to sup port you. I have spent many years helping groups to define and build community living spaces where individuals and families could work together, play together, and most importantly have the opportunity to thrive together. Communities that could attract a diversity of thought, culture, generations, and experience.

It might seem odd to think that a neighborhood requires commu nity building. That it would take developers, corporate and city lead ers working with intentionality to create community. After all, aren’t cities built of neighborhoods that are, inherently “communities”?

Yes and no.

A community is more than proximity. Putting people together, next to each other, does not guarantee camarade rie. Togetherness comes from those spaces where we find we are more alike than we are different. Those spaces where our children can con nect and spend time together just being children. Those spaces where we can bump into one another at the grocery store and spend more time than expected laughing at a shared, unexpected moment.

While people make community, it’s the interactions that bring us together which create experience: where we shop, what we do, and how we come

together. Since being here, I have found that Omaha is definitely not short on experiences.

The Gene Leahy Mall is a wonderful example of a great gathering space for people to come together and form that community experience. I am looking forward to the inten tionality behind the scheduling of events at the mall to bring diverse communities of people together for shared experiences.

In the two months I have been here, I have discovered so many different, active communities in Omaha. So many unique groups of individu als sometimes with overlapping membership work together to build toward a shared purpose. I’ve found it in the Greater Omaha Chamber’s community of members, volun teers, and staff building a vibrant business ecosystem that sustains shared prosperity.

I am excited to have plans for expand ing into untapped communities. I love that Omaha is welcoming and focused on building great communi ties; it is very helpful for those of us who left behind what we knew as home. I love the unexpected, inten tional, and uplifting “Welcome to Omaha” that is always delivered with a sincere smile.

Veta Jeffery is president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber.

Deborah Ward is the executive director of Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau.

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