Strictly Business Omaha - April 2020

STRICTLYBUSINESSOMAHA.COM

OMAHA • APRIL 2020

TM

• Starting a Business • Spring Landscaping • Unplanned Life Changes CLIENT SPOTLIGHTS • UNICO Group • University of Nebraska Online • Add A Shop by Sandhills Global

RIVER CITY SIX

IN THIS ISSUE

Cornhusker Bank Deepens Relationships in Community

RYAN KRAMER The Kindler Hotel

SYDNEY STANDER Concentric Corporation

SETH MORRIS Berry Law

DAN MARBURG North Risk Partners

BRANDON HAHN La Casa Pizzaria

DAVE ARKFELD Lincoln Federal Savings Bank

AGO

Strictly Business Magazine PO BOX 57397, Lincoln, NE 68505

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2020

HERE’S TO THE INNOVATORS, LEADERS & GIVERS. Celebrate the businesses that have defined excellence in Omaha this past year.

Find out who these outstanding companies are and learn about their keys to excellence.

OmahaChamber.org/ExcellenceAwards

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CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

UNICO GROUP

Your Insurance & Financial Solutions Provider For 30+ Years UNICO Group, Inc., was established on October 1, 1988, as the result of a merger between two well-established property/ casualty insurance brokerage firms—Reynolds-SimmonsNelson Insurance and Chambers Dobson. Over the last 30 years, UNICO has grown from a small local agency to now being one of the largest locally owned insurance agencies in Nebraska with over 130 employees.

• 1998 – Opened Columbus, NE office • 2001 – Merged with Anderson-Divan-Cottrell, establishing the Kearney, NE office • 2004 – Established telecommunications program, UNITEL, expanding UNICO’s reach to nationwide • 2009 – Merged with Greco Insurance Agency, establishing the Omaha, NE office • 2014 – Merged with Midlands Financial Benefits, a leading benefits/financial services provider established in 1969 in Lincoln, NE UNICO’s suite of product offerings has expanded over the last two decades in response to client’s expectations. Now services range from commercial insurance, workers’ comp, and employee benefits, to personal insurance, financial planning, human resource solutions and wellness.

In 2016, UNICO was awarded “Top Performing Agency” by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America honoring the great strides and growth experienced over the past recent years.

“

We have achieved this milestone through the hard work and dedication of our employees, resulting in our radiant culture that exists throughout the entire organization.

We have dedicated ourselves to over 30 years of product innovation and client solutions to provide the highest quality of customer satisfaction. Not only do we owe our thanks to our clients, we owe it to our employees.

– Tom Champoux, company president

”

UNICO also dedicates leadership, resources, and time to wellness efforts in the workplace. In 2019, the company was honored as a recipient of the 2019 Governor’s Wellness Awards in the Sower Category, making it one of 42 Nebraska employers recognized by Governor Pete Ricketts and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for offering evidence-based worksite wellness programs to its employees.

When it comes to commercial coverage, employee benefits, workers compensation, personal insurance, life insurance or financial planning, UNICO is

Where Connections Make a Difference.

Business Insurance

Your ideal commercial insurance and employee benefits package is out there. It’s just a matter of identifying it. UNICO Group’s listen, learn, discover approach maximizes our ability to suggest the right coverage. It doesn’t matter the size of the company.

UNICO can provide innovative solutions to help ensure you and your employee’s future will be protected should something happen.

Personal Insurance

Pride in ownership—it’s a beautiful thing. You’ve worked hard to establish your version of the American Dream, and we’re here to help you protect it.

Our Personal Insurance Advisors will work with you to develop a custom-tailored, affordable insurance program to safeguard you and your family as well as your home, auto, and other valuable possessions.

Find out more about UNICO Group online at unicogroup.com or contact the Omaha Metro office, located at 12120 Port Grace Blvd. #102 in La Vista, at (402) 339-3237.

UNICO Group also has offices in Lincoln, Columbus, and Kearney.

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APRIL 2020 Strictly Business

1

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

PAIGE ZUTAVERN - Omaha/Lincoln - President (402) 730-0096 | Paige@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com

Finding Perspective in Times of Distress and Uncertainty What We Can Do to Help Ourselves and Our Neighbors In light of everything, I felt it was appropriate—if not necessary—to take a break from our usual staff message to address what has been happening in our community in response to COVID-19. I look around and see many who are scared and unsure of the future, from friends and family with existing health conditions to all the business owners and employees affected by the quarantine initiative. These are real concerns that I share as well, but my biggest fear has become fear itself. Not only does fear weaken us physically, it can consume our thoughts and lead to toxic negativity and even panic. Panicking is never a solution.

kids, and extended family, and I’ve called friends to catch up. In the midst of a whirlwind of change, I’ve had the chance to slow down and be thankful for the things that really matter.

Adversity also teaches us lot about ourselves in how we choose to react. Do we hang our head and grovel, do we play the blame game and get angry, or do we look around for ways to help the situation? Right now, a big way we can help our community is continuing to support local businesses. Many industries are taking a big hit because of social distancing, especially socially-driven industries such as food and beverage, event/hospitality, beauty, retail, and many more.

Though it may be a bit longer before you There is a quote by C.J. Redwine that comes to mind: “Losing your head in a crisis is a “God has not given us a spirit can browse the racks at your favorite local boutique or sip a cup of joe at the coffee good way to become the crisis.” We saw this materialize when people rushed to the store of fear, but of power and of shop around the corner, you can still see if and stocked up on three year’s worth of toilet love and of a sound mind.” they’re offering online ordering and delivery or curbside pickup. Businesses are coming up paper, leaving the shelves bare for others in – 2 Timothy 1:7 with creative ways to still operate and get their some cases. The majority of fear seems to stem products and services to their customers. Some from the mainstream media. It’s good to stay are even utilizing virtual platforms to connect. Nonprofits need informed, but even I find myself on a slippery slope when I keep our help as well, especially if they had to cancel or postpone refreshing my social media for updates. Instead, Shayne and I one of their main fundraising events of the year. We highlight have been turning to prayer for peace and wisdom during this a few of these businesses and nonprofits in our news section, so time. We’re reminded that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, keep reading! but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7 Aside from avoiding large crowds and frequently washing your hands, I encourage you to take this time to self reflect. Times of crisis can put things into perspective. When work and entertainment get taken away from you, what do you have? How much of your life revolves around those areas? As I ask myself these questions, I’m reminded of what is really important. Running my business, attending social events, traveling, shopping—they are all things I enjoy doing, but they don’t hold a candle to my faith, family, and friendships. While these past couple of weeks have been challenging to navigate, I’ve spent more time with my husband,

At the end of the day, we are in this uncharted territory together.

Strictly Business will remain as dedicated as ever to promoting and connecting local businesses. I’m confident that with the right outlook and necessary precautions, we will get through this. Have faith, not fear.

Let Strictly Business help you lock in your status as THE EXPERT in your industry, utilizing print, the internet, and social media. Find out how by contacting Paige at (402) 466-3330.

CONTENTS NEWS

4 Business 22 Personnel

28 Nonprofit 35 Health

COLUMN

37 Outlook Nebraska

SPOTLIGHTS

1 UNICO Group 36 University of Nebraska Online 38 Add a Shop by Sandhills Global

FEATURE STORIES

39 44 46 2

Starting a Business Spring Landscaping Unplanned Life Changes Strictly Business APRIL 2020

Hannah

Annie

Katherine

PRODUCTION TEAM: Editor/Operations Hannah Hundley - Editor@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com Editor/Writer Annie Carbutt - Office@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com Art Director Katherine Crawford - Design@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com SALES TEAM: President/Sales Paige Zutavern - Paige@StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com Publisher/Founder/Accounting Shayne Zutavern - SZutavern@yahoo.com STRICTLY BUSINESS is not responsible for unsolicited material. All rights to submission, including letters, will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and are subject to our unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially or creatively, unless otherwise negotiated with the author. Nothing may be printed in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. The publication of any advertisement in STRICTLY BUSINESS is not an endorsement of the advertiser or of the products or services advertised.

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ABOUT THE COVER STRICTLYBUSINESSOMAHA.COM

OMAHA • APRIL 2020

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Cornhusker Bank Deepens Relationships in Community • Starting a Business • Spring Landscaping • Unplanned Life Changes Client SpotlightS • UNICO Group • University of Nebraska Online • Add A Shop by Sandhills Global

RIVER CITY SIX

In ThIs Issue

Cornhusker Bank’s business model keeps the customer at the center of everything they do, whether that Cornhusker Bank Deepens Relationships in Community customer is a checking account customer, a business, or one of its own associates. As Cornhusker Bank prepares to celebrate its grand opening at 11102 Blondo St., STE 102 in Omaha, it is demonstrating that model and the values it includes by deepening relationships with the community and customers, living life together.

Spring will mark the opening of its new office with Prchal Petersen Group at 111th and Blondo.

Allen Chaffee, Omaha market president, reported he was also happy to announce a newly formed partnership with Stephen Center and Cornhusker Bank. The partnership benefits Stephen Center through the receipt of shoes collected in the Omaha Community through the bank’s established event, Cornhusker Bank Chairman, John F. “One Day Without Shoes.”

Dittman; Stephen Center Executive Director, Cornhusker Bank has hosted a “One Day Without Shoes” event annually for the last 10 years in Michael Wehling; Cornhusker Bank Omaha Market President, Allen Chaffee, Bank Lincoln. This event invites local area businesses and organizations throughout the community to collect shoes with them for the benefit of an organization such as the Stephen Center. In total, the event President/CEO, Barry Lockard, and Bank VP/Relationship Manager, Tyler Albers has garnered over 130,000 pair of shoes and monetary donations of over $70,000, which has with the first barrel of shoes donated for benefitted the People’s City Mission in Lincoln. Regarding the importance of making sure everyone the partnership to benefit Stephen Center. has adequate footwear, Stephen Center Shelter Director Beth Robbins noted, “The look on the faces of our clients when we provide them with new shoes is priceless, providing them with joy they may not have felt in a very long time.”

With the opening of the new branch in Omaha, Cornhusker Bank selected Stephen Center to benefit from all donations made in the Omaha market. Cornhusker Bank President and CEO Barry Lockard noted, “Cornhusker Bank believes it has a responsibility to the community, not only through the services and products it provides financially but socially as well. Cornhusker Bank’s local ownership and management allows it to know the market and its needs thoroughly and form lasting relationships with organizations and customers. The new Cornhusker Bank location on Blondo is an indication of the bank’s commitment to serving the Omaha market as both a knowledgeable advisor and good neighbor.”

RYAN KRAMER The Kindler Hotel

SYDNEY STANDER Concentric Corporation

SETH MORRIS Berry Law

DAN MARBURG North Risk Partners

BRANDON HAHN La Casa Pizzaria

DAVE ARKFELD Lincoln Federal Savings Bank

AGO

Strictly Business Magazine PO BOX 57397, Lincoln, NE 68505

For more information on Cornhusker Bank or the “One Day Without Shoes” event, please visit www.CornhuskerBank.com.

Left photo: Cornhusker Bank Representatives with Michael Wehling, Executive Director, Stephen Center (2nd from left), outside the new Omaha full service location at 11102 Blondo.

Right photo: A Stephen Center shoe recipient.

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www.StrictlyBusinessOmaha.com APRIL 2020 Strictly Business

3

BUSINESS NEWS Millard Business Association Hosts Successful Annual Awards Celebration

Langer Electric Expands Services, New Focus on Security for Home and Business

The Millard Business Association (MBA) hosted its Annual Awards Celebration on February 27 to award 2019 Business Awards to five businesses/individuals, scholarships to six Millard area high school students, and to induct three honorees into the MBA Hall of Fame and award a Landmark winner. CARE Award Winners were present with awards from the Millard Business Community Foundation as well. Participants enjoyed a night of awards and socialization followed by a Casino Night celebration.

The members who make up the Millard Business Association are eager to learn about each other and their businesses. MBA creates the perfect environment for professionals to share and connect with each other in a way that adds value, creates opportunities, and is fun for all. If you’re a business owner who wants to connect with like-minded professionals and get involved with the community at large, the MBA organizes various events and programs throughout the year. Learn more online at millardbusinessassociation.org or follow the Facebook page (@MillardBusinessAssociation). Contact (402) 707-2827 / info@millardbusinessassociation.org with questions about becoming a member.

Langer Electric, led by Owner Chris Langer, is excited to announce that it now offers a variety of services installing security devices, both residential and commercial.

The new security branch installs cameras, doorbells, card access systems, monitors, and other products focused on security. The company is constantly trying to stay ahead of the curve and make things more convenient for its customers. This is another example of how the business is growing and looking forward to more big things in the future.

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Strictly Business APRIL 2020

Langer Electric provides excellent and affordable electrical services to clients in Omaha and the surrounding area. Langer Electric strives to have repeated good experiences with its clients. Chris hopes to bring more of a family-feel to the job. The new focus on security services is helping Langer Electric grow and thrive as a preferred business in the industry.

To learn more about Langer Electric, go online to langerelectricco.wix. com/electrical or check out photos from recent projects on the Facebook page (@LangerElectricCo). Contact Chris Langer at (402) 215-1914 / langerelectricco@hotmail.com.

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BUSINESS NEWS KPE Architecture Expands Reach by Opening New Location in Denver, CO

Cox Announces Plans to Support Residential Customers During COVID-19 Pandemic

KPE – Architecture – Engineering – Forensics recently expanded their reach into the Denver, CO, market and opened a new office in order to serve the Colorado area. The office will allow KPE to provide their services to a broader demographic of clients for architectural, engineering, and forensic needs.

With the expansion of the new Denver location, KPE will be able to design and engineer new facilities and renovate existing facilities throughout a greater area of the Mountain West and Midwest. The team will serve these regions by investigating large commercial and residential property loss claims, including construction defects, and providing expert witnesses and services for litigation of those claims.

Omaha-based KPE – Architecture – Engineering – Forensics is a full-service, multi-disciplined architectural and engineering firm that has been serving a diverse clientele for 20 years. The professionals at KPE are experts in designing, managing, and implementing building modernization, and over 60% of KPE’s eligible technical staff members are licensed in their respective fields. KPE’s staff also specializes in forensic engineering, which sets KPE apart from other firms. By investigating construction defects and the design errors of others, KPE is able to maximize the quality of their designs. KPE primarily serves Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, and, most recently, Colorado. To learn more, visit kpe-inc.com or call (888) 484-4939.

Cox announced on March 13 additional plans to support residential customers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Cox is upgrading internet speeds for select residential packages and implementing a variety of other changes to provide support and relief for their customers and communities in greatest need.

Berry Law Named Most Outstanding Criminal Law Expert by Acquisition International Acquisition International recently named Berry Law the “Most Outstanding Criminal Law Expert” in the 2020 Global Excellence Awards. Acquisition International seeks nominations from firms that provide exceptional service that goes above and beyond for their clients. This award is based on merit, not the size of the firm itself. Therefore, firms that have been recognized as criminal law experts can range from a single person practice up to a multi-national corporation. This award proves that Berry Law stands out from the crowd.

The award process consists of a nomination, an evaluation, intense research and judging, and selecting a winner for the award. The team that determines who qualifies as a criminal law expert consists of a panel of five impartial individuals that research according to high standards, led by an academic leader with international training experience who is well versed in research, fact-checking, and mediation.

Acquisition International is a UK-based publisher that has been in circulation for 10 years. More than 108,000 business professionals from over 170 countries subscribe to the monthly magazine. Acquisition International exists to inform, entertain, influence, and shape the global corporate conversation through high-quality editorial, rigorous research, and an experienced worldwide network of dedicated advisors, experts, and contributors. Learn more at www.acq-intl.com.

Berry Law was founded in 1965 by John Stevens Berry, Sr. With over 250 years of legal experience, Berry Law is well equipped to handle the most serious legal needs, providing client-focused and result-driven legal representation. Serving clients throughout Omaha and Lincoln, Berry Law practices in the areas of criminal defense, personal injury, and veterans law. To learn more about Berry Law, visit berrylawfirm. com. For questions, call (402) 466-8444. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

“As learning and work for many shift to the home, we want customers to have access to the internet speeds and resources that help them to remain productive,” said Pat Esser, president and chief executive officer of Cox Communications. “During these uncertain times, we don’t want our residential customers to worry about their internet connection. Our network is built to handle peak use day and night to meet the full needs of families’ demands for entertainment, school assignments, and late-night deadlines.”

Until May 15, Cox is extending the following: • Residential customers in the company’s Starter, StraightUp Internet, and Connect2Compete packages will be automatically upgraded to speeds of 50 Mbps.

• For those tiers, Cox is extending its Cox Complete Care remote desktop support at no charge to residential customers with remote helpdesk and assistance for loading new applications they may need to use during this time, like online classroom support applications and web conferencing services.

• In addition to the above, an upgrade to Cox’s Essential customers from 30 Mbps to 50 Mbps, originally planned for later in the year, will be deployed now.

Connect2Compete is Cox’s low-cost internet product for families with school-aged children who are enrolled in low-income assistance programs. To ensure digital equity for students without internet at home, these changes intend to help families with online learning at home. For a limited time, first month of free service has also been introduced for new Connect2Compete customers.

Cox is offering to fast-track the qualification process for Connect2Compete. Schools are being asked to contact connectnow@ cox.com with a list of eligible low-income students that currently do not have an internet connection. Cox will assist in getting students qualified quickly so they can continue learning from home. Cox has also partnered with PCs for People where families can purchase discounted refurbished computers. More information can be found at cox.pcsrefurbished.com.

These changes are in addition to the following commitment the company announced today as part of its pledge to support the FCC’s Keep America Connected initiatives. Previously announced commitments include the company’s agreement to: • Not terminate service to any residential or small business customer because of an inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

• Waive any late fees that residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic.

• Open Cox Wifi hotspots to help keep the public connected in this time of need.

Cox is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through broadband applications and services. They are the largest private telecom company in America, proudly serving six million homes and businesses across 18 states. Learn more online at cox.com.

APRIL 2020 Strictly Business 5

BUSINESS NEWS No Coast Business Advisors Opens New Recording Studio, Now Available for Use

Acadian Grille Offers Delivery and Curbside Pickup in Response to Coronavirus

No Coast Business Advisors recently opened their shiny new recording studio, available for use by their clients. The new studio is equipped with the latest advancements in recording technology, including a 4K Ultra HD video camera that offers stunning and clear resolution and an audio recording system that produces professional quality results. Through use of the studio, No Coast consulting and social media clients now have the ability to record and broadcast professional quality videos and podcasts for use in advertising, YouTube, social media, and other mediums. No Coast also has a partnership with a professional video editor for additional services when required. No Coast’s goal is to continue expanding and improving their studio and their services in order to provide their clients with access to the most current technologies and experiences so they can keep a competitive edge in the business sphere and on social media platforms.

In response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, Acadian Grille has begun offering delivery services. Owner Dan O’Brien has worn many hats throughout his career—a machine operator, office manager, restaurant owner, and now delivery driver. To keep his restaurant operating during the recommended quarantine period, Dan quickly acquired and insured a vehicle for delivery. In addition to offering curbside pickup at Acadian Grille’s Miracle Hills location, Dan and his current staff are taking orders over the phone and online for drop off. The “Acadian Wagon” will be sanitized frequently.

Though Dan finds himself in uncharted territory, he is confident the community will continue to support his business. The Acadian Grille team is dedicated to the health and safety of their customers at all times. By offering delivery, people can enjoy delicious menu items such as the jambalaya, legendary tacos, gouda Mac ‘n cheese, po boys, crab cakes, and traditional gumbo from the comfort of their own home. These items are also available through Grubhub.

Acadian Grille is an authentic Cajun restaurant and scratch kitchen presenting a blend of French and soul food. From gourmet burgers to Louisiana smoked salmon dill salad, Acadian Grille has something for everyone to enjoy. Call (402) 933-0980 or go to acadiangrille. com to view the full menu and place your order.

No Coast Business Advisors operates nationally, assisting both sellers and buyers to reach their goals. Their brokers are trained and equipped to help with valuations, the listing and promotion of a business to its target audience, the selection and presentation of businesses that fit a buyer’s criteria, the closing process, and more. For further information, visit nocoastbusinessadvisors.com. For questions, call (402) 217-3252 or email Managing Partner Jethro Hopkins at jethro@ncbabroker.com.

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Strictly Business APRIL 2020

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BUSINESS NEWS Red Berry Innovations Joins Sarpy Chamber and Celebrates Growth Red Berry Innovations, Inc. celebrated their new membership status with the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce on December 12 with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. The company also held an open house to showcase the growth their team has had in the past year, including the addition of three new employees in January. They are currently at 16 fulltime employees and growing each month. Attendees enjoyed appetizers and drinks while speaking with Red Berry Innovations representatives and touring their office space.

Red Berry Innovations is a cyber security and artificial intelligence research and development company based in Springfield, NE. They offer a variety of cyber security services that allow clients to test how vulnerable their data is to possible hackers. They are also trailblazers in the design, development, and implementation of artificial intelligence.

To learn more about Red Berry Innovations, Inc. and the services that you or your business could take advantage of, go online to rbinv.io. You can also call their office at (402) 740-7184 with any additional questions.

Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative Opens New Office and Training Facility The Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative (NECC) has officially opened its new office and state-of-the-art training facility as the latest addition to the North Omaha Highlander neighborhood. From its new headquarters, NECC will focus on elevating the business of high quality child care in the Omaha area and across Nebraska.

The new construction located at 3200 N 30th St. is separated into two distinct spaces, both dedicated to high quality early learning and education. The first floor is home to the Omaha Early Learning Center at Kennedy and four Omaha Public Schools preschool classrooms. The second floor houses the office of the NECC. NECC is proud to provide an array of business services to child care providers, including a new business resource center designed specifically for child care providers to access low and no-cost business resources alongside professional development opportunities in a state-of-theart 5,000-square-foot training center. The training center will offer opportunities for community-based child care providers in Omaha, Omaha Public Schools, and other partner agencies across the state and nation.

President and CEO, Shannon Cotsoradis, looks forward to the opportunities the new building brings to the Collaborative’s work.

“Guided by a vision to transform the business of child care, we are thrilled to welcome the community inside our new space and further our mission of elevating the business of child care. There is no higher return on investment than in a child’s earliest years,” said Cotsoradis.

The Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative relies on shared services principles to elevate the business of early care and education and to increase access to high-quality options for all Nebraska families. NECC is a nonprofit organization that provides business resources, training, and technical assistance to child care providers. NECC also provides access to critical educational and economic supports to serve families and our community. Learn more online at nebraskaearly.org or contact Director of Business Development and Strategy Tommy Greco at (531) 999-3900 / tgreco@nebraskaearly.org. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

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OCI Celebrates Newly Constructed Headquarters with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony OCI, an Omaha-based insurance brokerage, recently celebrated the completion of their new $13-million headquarters off of 204th and West Maple Road with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted in conjunction with the Greater Omaha Chamber on February 21. The event gave clients and community partners a chance to tour the impressive three-story office building, which was custom-built for OCI as they expand their team. The brokerage currently occupies half of the 65,000-square-foot structure with the rest being leased out to another tenant. President Charles Olson II welcomed the crowd and shared a look into the company’s history. He was joined by CEO Chuck Olson, Deb Olson, and Executive Vice President Nate Olson to cut the ribbon.

Founded in Omaha in 2002, OCI is a family-owned general insurance agency that employs nearly 60 people. They guide brokers through the complex and ever-changing world of insurance and employee benefits. This includes providing support to agents for life insurance and Medicare supplements, offering a variety of individual health insurance products for clients, and rolling out HRConnection, the latest solution in payroll and human resources management. The insurance agents at OCI work tirelessly to stay up to date on all insurance policies and employment benefit legislature to ensure they can answer all questions and concerns.

OCI’s company philosophy is “Insurance Made Simple.” To make an appointment with one of their experienced agents, visit their website at ociservices.com or call (402) 330-8700. Don’t hesitate to ask for a tour of the new building!

APRIL 2020 Strictly Business 7

BUSINESS NEWS Business Ethics Alliance Hosts Successful Luncheon on Speaking Up and Listening

Clearwater Counseling Moves to New Location to Accommodate Growth

Business Ethics Alliance recently hosted a successful executive luncheon featuring speaker Katie Lawler, global chief ethics officer of US Bank, who presented in front of about 200 business professionals on how US Bank is creating a culture of psychological safety. She spoke on how important it is for employees to feel comfortable speaking up and for leaders to listen up and then to follow up escalating concerns appropriately. This three-pillar approach is the underpinning of US Bank’s culture of ethics and integrity.

Clearwater Counseling has recently moved its main Grand Island location to a new office at 312 N Elm St., STE 112. Growth in the company has not only led to the recent expansion into the Omaha market, but to a need for more space in their main office in Grand Island where the practice was founded. The new and larger space will allow for further advancement and the opportunity to serve additional clients.

Lawler advised leaders to host office hours so employees have time to stop by and talk. She also encouraged “bad news” round-robinstyle meetings for employees to talk about what is not working and to show their opinions matter. US Bank is working to make all leaders and managers to be “ethical officers,” using their values to support doing the right thing. Being an ethical company is not a one-person job. It takes the whole company, and US Bank is at the forefront of business ethics.

“Clearwater Counseling continues to experience growth and we are excited to share this news with the communities we serve,” said Nikki Frenzen, COO, MS, PLMHP. “It is our mission to provide services and support for as many individuals as possible. This new space will allow us to succeed in this endeavor.”

The Greater Omaha Alliance for Business Ethics at Creighton University—the Business Ethics Alliance—is the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to city-level business ethics education. To register for any of the 2020 events, go online to www.businessethicsalliance. org. Further questions can be directed to Alise Hernandez at (402) 280-3367 / ahernandez@businessethicsalliance.org.

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Strictly Business APRIL 2020

Clearwater Counseling works with individuals with a variety of mental health diagnoses including depression, relationship issues, grief/loss/trauma, addiction and recovery, co-dependency, anxiety and phobias, parenting problems, sexual abuse and incest, physical abuse and violence, as well as various others. To learn more about staff or resources, visit clearwatercounselingpc.org. To schedule an in-person or virtual appointment with Clearwater Counseling or for more information about mental health services, please call (308) 210-8487 or email info@clearwatercounselingne.org.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Need An Electrician?

Lincoln Federal Savings Bank to Host 15th Annual Make-A-Wish Golf Benefit

National Association of Women in Construction Announces Fall Conference The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) has chosen the dates and location for the Midwest Region Fall Conference. The Midwest Region, known as the Heart of NAWIC, includes 17 chapters and spans nine states including Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Missouri, and Kansas.

The Fall Conference will be held October 16–17 at the newlyrenovated Kahler Grand Hotel in Rochester, MN. The conference focus this year represents the responsibilities members have to themselves, their employers, their families, their chapter, their communities, and the construction industry.

NAWIC Chapter #116 is based in Omaha and encompasses Omaha, Lincoln, Council Bluffs, and the surrounding areas. First chartered in 1966, the chapter has approximately 60 members working in businesses whose primary focus is the construction industry.

Receiving its national charter in 1955, NAWIC has 3,949 current active members in 118 chapters across the United States. The core purpose of the organization is to strengthen and amplify the success of women in the construction industry.

For additional conference details including professional development and education session information, speakers, networking activities, and social events, updates will be posted on the NAWIC conference page at www.nawicmidwestregion.org. Feel free to reach out to media contact Nanci Borg at (402) 671-9435 to schedule a telephone interview with NAWIC Midwest Region Conference Chair Jodi Wiemerslage.

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APD Locksmith recently moved into a new location at 3512 S a m s o n Way, S T E 2 0 4 i n Bellevue. To celebrate, a ribboncutting ceremony was hosted in conjunction with the Sarpy and Greater Bellevue Area Chambers on December 19.

Owner Tony Porter has lived in the Omaha area since 2003.

After 20 years of military service, he decided to continue helping people by becoming an accredited locksmith. It truly is a family business—it even gets its name from Tony’s children: Alejandra, Paul, and Donatello. The three of them, along with Tony’s wife Raquel, run the store together. The family’s Husky, Valentine, can even be seen hanging out there sometimes!

As a bilingual business in English and Spanish, APD Locksmith is equipped to provide reliable mobile services to your home, business, or vehicle. They can repair and replace most ignitions and door locks, cut and program transponder and Vat keys, duplicate foreign and domestic keys, cut you a new key by code, provide lockout service, replace lost keys, and supply and program most remotes.

They even have a free emergency service if a child gets locked in the car. Residents in the Bellevue and Sarpy area are encouraged to save APD’s number in their phone so they can call the store right away in this event.

Since the business launched in 2015, APD Locksmith has earned a reputation for providing their clients with quick and professional 24hour services. Their goal is to make sure your day isn’t interrupted by a forgotten or broken key. If you ever find yourself in need of a locksmith, call APD Locksmith’s new shop at (402) 999-9273. The emergency/after-hour line is (402) 707-5393. To see a full range of their services, visit APDlocksmith-omaha.com. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

ASSOCIAT I

APD Locksmith Relocates to New Office, Hosts Opening and Ribbon-Cutting Celebration

Strictly Business has been hosting a monthly Friends4Lunch networking event in Lincoln for many years, and now the tradition is coming to Omaha!

Every other month, the Strictly Business team extends an open invitation to anyone in the Omaha business community to join them for lunch at one of their favorite local eateries. This is a chance to treat yourself to a change of scenery and amazing cuisine while connecting with other professionals outside of the office. The first event was scheduled for April at Acadian Grille Dundee, but due to the coronavirus, it has been postponed. Stay tuned for a new date to be announced. Event updates can be found on the Facebook page (@StrictlyBusinessMagazineOmaha) or by emailing editor@strictlybusinessomaha.com. If you are with a restaurant in Omaha and are interested in hosting Friends4Lunch at your establishment, please call (402) 466-3330.

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Lincoln Federal Savings Bank was formed in 1906 and is organized as a mutual holding company. This means that the bank is essentially owned by the depositors of the bank meaning there are no outside shareholders. This structure allows Lincoln Federal to offer highly competitive rates to customers on both loans and deposits as profits are not distributed to shareholders. Lincoln Federal’s Omaha office is located at 673 N 132nd St. Learn more at lincolnfed.com or visit the Facebook page (@lincolnfederal). Questions about the golf benefit can be directed to Alyssa Rhoades at ARhoades@lincolnfed.com / (402) 474-4200 Ext. 211.

Strictly Business to Launch Friends4Lunch Networking Event in Omaha

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Lincoln Federal Savings Bank is proud to support Make-A-Wish Nebraska. Every 34 minutes, Make-A-Wish grants the wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition in the United States and its territories. In the midst of uncertainty and demanding treatments, Make-A-Wish brings joy into a child’s life.

Commercial • Residential Call today! (402) 215-1914

ION CT

Each year, Lincoln Federal Savings Bank puts on a golf benefit for the Make-A-Wish® Nebraska foundation. This year’s tournament will be held on Saturday, June 6, at NuMark Golf Course in Lincoln. This 18-hole, fourperson scramble has a shotgun start time of 9 a.m., and registration is limited to 36 teams. Lunch and cart rental are included in the registration fee. Sign up and sponsorships can be found on Eventbrite.

®

BUSINESS NEWS Better Business Bureau Warns People to Avoid Business Scams

Trumble Park Elementary Celebrates Opening of In-School Pinnacle Bank Branch

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) recently warned people to avoid business scams after Shark Tank investor Barbara Corcoran told PEOPLE magazine she was scammed out of nearly $400,000. The Better Business Bureau reports that she is not alone.

Business email compromise scams have cost business owners and other organizations more than $3 billion since 2016.

Students at Tr umble Par k Elementary now have a chance to open a Pinnacle Bank savings account and make deposits at school for the first time in several years. About 10 students lined up at the beginning of the school day to make their first deposits on January 14. To celebrate this new partnership between Trumble Park Elementary and Pinnacle Bank, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was conducted by the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce and the Papillion-La Vista Schools Foundation on January 28. The bank will be open at the school every other Tuesday through the end of the year.

Principal Ami Nichols decided to bring the program to the school after seeing the success similar bank programs have had at other PLCS schools.

She wants to help the future generation understand the importance of saving and understanding fiscal responsibility. The program ties into the social studies curriculum unit about economics. This is a great way for students to have hands on experience about what they are learning in class. Students will get a $5 voucher for their savings account if they open an account at the in-school branch.

Pinnacle Bank’s savings-only, in-school bank branches enhance a saving culture and promote economical themes in all the students’ education.

With over 151 locations in seven states, Pinnacle Bank makes sure to stay actively involved in every community they enter. To learn more, go to pinnbank.com.

Business email compromise (BEC) fraud is an email phishing scam that typically targets people who pay bills in businesses, government, and nonprofit organizations. It affects both big and small businesses, and it has resulted in more losses than any other type of fraud in the U.S., according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Last fall, BBB did an in-depth investigative study on the prevalence of BEC scams and the scope of the problem, who is behind it, and what can be done to stop it. BBB urges businesses and other organizations to take technical precautions, such as multifactor authentication for email logins and other changes in email settings, along with verifying changes in information about customers, employees, and vendors.

The report also urges culture and training changes in organizations, namely, confirming requests by phone before acting and training all securities in internet security.

Read more about the scam on the Better Business Bureau’s website, BBB. org/scamstudies, and learn what to do if your business has lost money.

1-866-395-0186 · www.engineeredcontrols.com · Omaha · Lincoln 10

Strictly Business APRIL 2020

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BUSINESS NEWS Turnpost Creative Group Celebrates 26 Years and Office Renovations After 26 years in business and seven office relocations, Turnpost Creative Group has found an office that suits them perfectly. Since moving in to their current space at 412 N 85th St. two years ago, the agency decided to invest in renovations including new outdoor signage to let clients, friends, and neighbors know where they are. To celebrate the completion of the building’s new look, Turnpost hosted a ribboncutting ceremony in conjunction with the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce on March 12.

Turnpost is an Omaha-based agency that works with clients to develop innovative marketing and branding for their businesses. They provide graphic design, strategic execution of branding, advertising services, and marketing and communication expertise. Turnpost works with companies large and small on full-scale branding initiatives, small passion projects, long-term digital campaigns, and more. They love listening to and collaborating with clients to create brands that move people.

To learn more about Turnpost Creative Group and how they can elevate your brand, go to turnpost.com. If you would like to contact their office, call (402) 345-5959 or email hey@turnpost.com.

Feel as strong as you look

EMSCULPT

Startups Relocate to Omaha as Populus Coworking Grows Brain drain may be a concern for Nebraskans, but Populus Coworking has seen an influx of exciting companies from outside of the state.

Launched officially in August of 2019, Populus is a 9,500-squarefoot shared office space at 26th and Farnam Streets. The coworking space provides a home for small businesses, startups, and remote workers. It currently has about 70 members.

In February, VidaNyx moved its headquarters to Populus from Seattle. Invest Nebraska and Nelnet, Inc. led a record series A of $5 million to move operations to Omaha and bring on CEO Sara Boyd, previously CEO of the Omaha Community Foundation. VidaNyx is making several full time hires here in Omaha to fill out its local team.

Populus Coworking is also excited to welcome Techtonic out of Boulder, CO. The company recently opened an Omaha location after closing a $6 million Series B led by Camden Partners.

John Bunting co-founded a startup studio in Las Vegas and recently relocated to Omaha. He recognized a need for this model in the Midwest and launched Beeso Studio with an HQ at Populus Coworking. Beeso Studio partners with startups to ensure their long term success by providing low-cost services for software development, project management, marketing, business development, operations, and advisement.

Additionally, Populus has welcomed remote workers from exciting companies like Redhat, which was purchased last year by IBM for $33 billion. The public company Altaba (AABA), formerly part of Yahoo, has executives at the space. Companies from Iowa and South Dakota are currently negotiating opportunities to land at Populus.

Nearly 20 new full-time jobs have been created in Omaha by Populus Coworking members and over $16 million in venture capital attracted since opening in August of 2019 Incredible businesses are building in the Midwest. Populus Coworking creates spaces to attract and support these organizations in Omaha.

For more information about Populus Coworking, or for an opportunity to speak with its members, please contact Populus Founder Micah Yost at hello@populus.co / (402) 625-7866 or visit populus.co. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

Call for a free consulation!

1501 Jackson Street Omaha, Nebraska 68102 402.999.2329 APRIL 2020 Strictly Business

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BUSINESS NEWS Fastest Labs of East Omaha Opens Fastest Labs of East Omaha hosted a grand opening February 11. A ribbonc u t t i n g c e r e m o ny wa s conducted in conjunction with the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.

Franchise Owner Shelley Goergen welcomed friends, family, and other community partners who showed up in support. Attendees were given tours of the new drug and alcohol testing facility while learning about the range of services offered. The new lab is located at 3528 Dodge St., STE 10 on the lower level of the building.

Fastest Labs offers immediate and comprehensive drug testing services for individuals and companies, in a non-medical facility.

Their state-of-the-art technology provides extremely fast, highly accurate tests, making them one of the top-quality testing services in the country. They offer a complete range of drug, alcohol, and court admissible DNA testing for legal proceedings at affordable prices. Fastest Labs is committed to making sure your business remains complaint with Department of Transportation regulations.

They have the facilities to create Drug and Alcohol policies for your company and implement an ongoing random drug-testing program.

To learn more about Fastest Labs of East Omaha, go to fastestlabs. com/east-omaha. You can also call the office at (402) 951-9351 with any questions. Appointments and walk-ins are welcome.

CenterPoint Financial Group Celebrates 20 Years and Expansion CenterPoint Financial Group is currently celebrating 20 years in addition to team growth and office expansion. Nate LeGrand, CFP®, president and CEO, is a secondgeneration financial planner who started in the business in 1995 before co-founding CenterPoint in 2000. Within the last couple of years, CenterPoint has grown from one CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional to four, including the addition of Doug Riggert, CFP®, RICP® who partnered with Nate in 2016. As a result, and to better serve their clientele, CenterPoint moved into a larger workspace in Omaha at 9850 Nicholas St., STE 350 with an additional office location in Nebraska City.

CenterPoint Financial Group is a financial planning practice servicing clients in the greater Omaha and Nebraska City area. All practicing financial advisors are CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals with a wide variety of specialties, including retirement planning, social security analysis, estate planning, tax mitigation, insurance analysis, and more. For more information, go online to yourcenterpoint.com. Further questions can be directed to Brady Kirkpatrick at (402) 597-9229 / brady.kirkpatrick@raymondjames.com.

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/ SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. CenterPoint Financial Group is not a registered broker dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

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We provide hair and makeup for everyone from bridesmaids to flower girls. Our Bridal Coordinator will personalize your experience to fit your needs.

Call us today to schedule your wedding party!

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BUSINESS NEWS Center Sphere Celebrates 10 Years Center Sphere recently celebrated ten years of success and excellence as a leader among professional networking platforms.

Since its inception in March 2010, Center Sphere has continued to provide innovation and nationwide growth for its members in nine states across the country.

Founded on the idea of putting relationships first, Center Sphere is committed to redefining the networking experience, making it known as a budget-friendly option aimed to focus on personal and professional growth and community impact. In Omaha alone, Center Sphere represents over 30 nonprofit members and has contributed over $100,000 to local causes.

Center Sphere’s impact doesn’t stop in Omaha. Members are able to have trusted networks in any area they choose, regardless of geography, and will soon have the option for network connections in all 50 states. Center Sphere is ecstatic to celebrate this key milestone and will forever be proud to call Omaha home.

Center Sphere in Omaha provides the most modern and effective referral process, strengthened by their digital dashboard that produces undeniable and measurable results. Their methods lead to stronger relationships for you and your business. To learn more, visit www.centersphere.com or contact Area Director Lona Anderson at (402) 650-5380 / Lonaanderson@CenterSphere.com.

Sarpy Chamber Strikes Fundraising Success for Nonprofits with Bowling Fundraiser The Sarpy Chamber Modern Professionals group recently hosted their first Bowling for Bucks event on Friday, January 31. Thirteen teams of area business professionals bowled to raise funds for the Sarpy Chamber’s 2019 NonPictured (L-R): Michelle Seiter, Ashley Profit of the Year winners: O’Neal, Karen Gibler, Annisa Visty, Moving Veterans Forward Diane Knicky, Tonee Gay, Ron Hernandez, Jessica Franker, Sarah Russell. and Midlands Community Foundation. Moving Veterans Forward helps homeless veterans in Nebraska and Iowa find housing as well as essentials like furniture, clothing, and other household items.

Midlands Community Foundation assists with community development by improving and enhancing the quality of life for the residents of Sarpy and Cass counties. Monetary support from team registrations, sponsor support, and a Split-the-Pot raffle brought the event’s fundraising total to $1,136.50. The total was split evenly between the two nonprofits.

Modern Professional group members as well as Sarpy Chamber president, Karen Gibler, and vice president of events and special programs, Annisa Visty, were on hand to present a check on Monday, February 24, at Midland Community Foundation’s office in Papillion.

Representatives from the two nonprofits were thankful for the donation, but Visty remarked she was just as thankful for the opportunity to support the chamber’s nonprofit winners throughout the year. The strong turnout for this event’s first year has Modern Professional members excited to bring Bowling for Bucks back for 2021.

The Sarpy Chamber Modern Professionals group is designed to support and strengthen you at pivotal moments in your professional life. Whether you’re starting a new career, settling into a new place, or beginning your journey, SC Modern Professionals meets you in your present to ignite your future. To learn more about joining, email chamber@sarpychamber.org. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

BLUEBARN Theatre to Host “Marjorie Prime” Performances Through May 3 BLUEBARN Theatre will be hosting performances of Marjorie Prime by Pulitzer Prize Finalist Jordan Harrison April 9 to May 3. Performances will be Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

As the storyline goes, in the near future “Primes” are available from the good people at Senior Serenity, the latest devices for helping people with their fading memories and loss of companionship. Marjorie’s daughter and son-in-law have purchased Walter Prime (a holographic projection of her husband as he looked in his 30s) to keep her company. As the Prime is fed memories and conversation, the shape of their lives are revealed, more and more years are covered and recovered, and the nature of memories, the legacy of the past, and the promise of the future are all called into question.

Marjorie Prime is directed by Susie Baer Collins and features Ruth Rath, Ben Beck, Ablan Roblin, and Julie Huff. The production is brought to life with scenic design by Brendan Greene-Walsh, sound design by Bill Kirby, costume design by Denise Ervin, properties by Amy Reiner, and stage management by Chris Hernandez.

General admission tickets to this BLUEBARN Theatre production are $35 and $30 for seniors, military, and educators. Tickets are available online at bluebarn.org.

Scantron Technology Solutions and BMTM Join Forces to Improve Certification Process The National Board of Medication Therapy Management (NBMTM) recently announced their collaboration with Scantron Technology Solutions to advance their board certification exam process. Working with a renowned company like Scantron will streamline the process, improve exam security, and increase access to exam-taking facilities. Scantron’s 1,350 test centers worldwide staffed with proctors who have successfully completed Scantron’s ANSI-accredited certificate program will help move NBMTM toward accreditation with the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

NBMTM strives to improve the quality of pharmaceutical care by providing reliable certification in Medication Therapy Management (MTM). Those seeking to gain or renew certification will be able to use Scantron’s services while taking BCMTMS exams. To learn more about the board certification in medication therapy management (BCMTMS), visit NBMTM website, www.nbmtm.org.

Scantron Technology Solutions is a global, diversified company that empowers growth through intelligent, mission-critical assessment, technology, and data capture solutions for business, education, certification, and government clients around the world. Each year, the company develops and delivers millions of digital education assessments and certification tests, provides managed technology support for several hundred thousand IT endpoints and devices, manages nearly a billion copied pages, prints and delivers hundreds of millions of high-precision, scannable answer sheets, and supports leading educational institutions, certifying bodies, small to large businesses, and government agencies across the globe. Scantron’s local presence in Omaha is supported by their nationwide team. To learn how Scantron can support your tech initatives, visit www.scantron.com/ omaha or call (402) 697-3308.

APRIL 2020 Strictly Business 13

BUSINESS NEWS Greater Omaha Chamber Continues Tradition of Connection During Time of Crisis

Basic Motorcycle Training Courses Now Available Through Nebraska Safety Council

With comm unities rallying resources to combat COVID-19, the Greater Omaha Chamber continues its tradition of creating connections—both in times of crises and celebration.

“Leaders all over the world are facing issues never seen before.

Unprecedented conditions require remarkable responses from all of us, and I can see everyone is making decisions that put the welfare of people and community first. That is inspiring,” said David G. Brown, president and CEO, Greater Omaha Chamber.

Greater Omaha Chamber team members are working remotely during the crisis and are meeting with stakeholders daily in online hangouts designed to create cohesion and foster ideation. Using such tools as Microsoft Teams, Slack, and conference calls, connections for chamber staff and stakeholders are just a click away.

April’s events, a hallmark of chamber activity, have been pivoted to online delivery during the global coronavirus outbreak. With webinars replacing meet-ups and robust resource lists rounding out engagement strategies.

For business information and tools related to COVID-19, visit the Greater Omaha Chamber’s COVID-19 Crisis Response Resources for Businesses and Employees: www.omahachamber.org/crisis-responseresources-covid-19.

The Nebraska Safety Council has announced their 2020 basic m o t o r c yc l e t ra i n i n g courses that will run from April 3 and continue throughout the spring, summer, and fall for anyone interested in learning to ride. The course is designed for true beginners, which means students don’t need to have any experience with a motorcycle to participate.

This program is a hybrid of online learning and skills practice on the outdoor motorcycle range. Safety and health are a top priority for the council: classes are limited to six students and the instructor.

Motorcycles will be assigned to students and properly cleaned and sanitized. The range is a large, outdoor area where riders will be easily able to maintain personal distances of at least six feet as recommended. The Nebraska Safety Council would like to assure the public they would not offer this course unless they were highly confident they can provide a safe and healthy environment for students and instructors.

The Nebraska Safety Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Lincoln with a mission to empower people to live safe and healthy lives. For information, visit www.nesafetycouncil.org. Contact Lisa Henning at (402) 483-2511 Ext. 109 / lhenning@nesafetycouncil. org with any questions.

It’s More Than Just A Job, It’s The Chance To Build A Career As one of the fastest growing companies in Nebraska, we rely on our skilled, well-crafted team to create lasting community impact.

As one of the area’s leading growing companies in Department Of Transportation (DOT) and infrastructure projects, we work on everything from highway surface treatments and parking garage repairs to Industrial painting and masonry restoration.

Are you ready to learn, do outstanding work and be part of something special?

If so, we’re hiring!

Omaha 402.558.7989 | mcgillrestoration.com | Lincoln 402.438.4110 14

Strictly Business APRIL 2020

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BUSINESS NEWS SERVPRO of Omaha Southwest Purchases Omaha West & Saunders County Division SERVPRO of Omaha Southwest is excited to announce the purchase of SERVPRO Omaha West & Saunders County. They have officially changed their name to SERVPRO of Omaha Southwest/ Omaha West & Saunders County to show their expansion and new regions in their care. They celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 12 with the Greater Omaha Chamber. They also hosted an open house featuring live demonstrations to allow the community to see what the SERVPRO brand is all about.

SERVPRO of Omaha Southwest/Omaha West & Saunders County specializes in restoration and cleanup due to fire, smoke, or water damage in residential and commercial properties. They also provide mildew removal and duct cleaning services. Backed by a system of 1,600 qualified franchises, they are able to take on projects of all sizes and difficulties. Their staff is trained at hire and continuously after. The branch is locally owned and has the goal to restore your business to “like it never happened.” If you would like to learn more about SERVPRO, visit servproomahasouthwestne.com. To schedule a service for your home or business today, call (402) 408-0134.

Immanuel Opens First 55+ Community in Council Bluffs, Graceview Courtyard Immanuel, the Midwest’s leader in retirement and senior living comm unities, is pleased to announce its first community in Council Bluffs, Graceview Courtyard, an affordable 55+ active living environment. A grand opening celebration was held on February 27 with tours of the new facility.

“It’s been the culmination of hard work and collaborative efforts that leads us to the opening of this incredible 55+ living environment,” said Eric Gurley, Immanuel president and CEO. “We’re proud of our team and excited for Iowa residents to find their new home at Graceview Courtyard.”

Graceview Courtyard joins Immanuel’s existing Classic Courtyard offerings and will provide an affordable 55+ active living environment for those who qualify through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program.

Wrapped in Immanuel’s local leadership and expertise, the community features light and bright 28 one-bedroom and 28 two-bedroom apartments, all appliances and utilities included. A wellness area, cozy community room and studio for crafts and hobbies complete the campus. Close to grocery stores, shopping, libraries and Iowa Western Community College’s senior programming, this community offers independent residents a perfect location in the heart of Council Bluffs.

Immanuel owns and operates 14 retirement living communities in Omaha and Lincoln. In 2018, the organization acquired its first community in Iowa, The Shores at Pleasant Hill, just outside of Des Moines. Graceview Courtyard is the organization’s second community in Iowa. Immanuel Pathways PACE® (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) centers, operates two locations in Iowa and one in Omaha.

For more information about Graceview Courtyard, visit Immanuel.com or contact the community directly at (712) 201-5339. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

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Apartment Association Holds Stars of Excellence Night, Honors Quality in Industry On February 21, the Apartment Association of Nebraska held the Stars of Excellence awards night at A View on State, with over 300 attendees. This annual event was created to recognize those in the multifamily industry who are going above and beyond just providing rental homes and apartments to those in our community. The Apartment Association of Nebraska’s primary role is to provide industry education and promote a higher level of service in this industry. This night’s focus is on celebrating the multifamily industry and those who make a positive impact. The winners from the 2019 Stars of Excellence include: • Volunteer of the Year – Ruth Nwaturuocha, Lund Company • Assistant Manager of the Year – Cecilia Korth, Lund Company • Best Curb Appeal – Park Place Apartments, The Goodman Group • Best Lease-Up – The Apartments @ Lux 96, Lund Company • Best Marketing Campaign – Pay it Forward, Lund Company • Community Manager – Kim McIntosh, Seldin Company • Community Team – Dillon Properties • Corporate Support Staff – Customer Care Support, Lund Company • Interior Designer – Gabriel Gianes, Lund Company • Leasing Professional – Tracey Siglee, Pedcor • Luxury Property – 1415 @ The Yard, Lund Company • Maintenance Supervisor – Michael Arroyo, Lund Company • Maintenance Technician – John Applegate, Lund Company • Owner of the Year – Michael Dillon, Dillon Properties • Property Management Company – Orange Management • Property of the Year – Deerfield Clubhouse, Lund Company • Regional Supervisor – Amanda Burchfield, Lund Company • Renovated Property – Southwest Gables, Lund Company • Rookie of the Year Multifamily – Cassandra Summers, Lund Company • Rookie of the Year Supplier – Travis Ward, Artisent Floors • Supplier Representative – Angela Gibbs, RentPath • Supplier Company – RentPath The Apartment Association of Nebraska was founded in 2002 to provide its members with a one-stop resource for all industry information and education, in addition to advocating for members on all Nebraska Multi-family legislative issues. For more information, visit www.aaneb.org or call (402) 333-5331.

APRIL 2020 Strictly Business 15

WHERE PEOPLE MEET OPPORTUNITY. LEARN THE SKILLS THAT COULD LAND YOUR NEXT CLIENT, PARTNER OR REFERRAL

Professional and leadership development for your career, your business and your people.

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Strictly Business APRIL 2020

RYAN

Ryan Kramer

THE KINDLER HOTEL Meet Ryan Kramer, the chief engineer for The Kindler Hotel.

Tell us a little about your business. - The Kindler Hotel, which officially opened in October of 2019, is Lincoln’s first and only independently owned and operated boutique hotel. It has become a unique place that brings people together, whether it’s overnight guests or friends meeting up for drinks and appetizers in the Boitano’s Lounge. The Kindler’s neo-classical architecture and sophisticated accommodations create a boutique hotel experience Lincoln hasn’t seen before. In my position, I get to have my hands in all aspects of the hotel.

It’s a behind-the-scenes role, but everything I do ensures the guest has a comfortable and seamless experience. Every day brings something new, so I am constantly learning new things.

How did you get started in the business? - This career landed in my lap when I was looking for a change in what I was currently doing, and this was a great opportunity to get back into the hospitality industry which I enjoy thoroughly. I am a pretty handy guy, and it is a thrill going to work to make sure the hotel is always working and looking its best.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? Being able to work for such a wonderful company and a beautiful hotel as The Kindler Hotel.

Tell us a little about your family. - I have a lovely wife. Her name is Jodi and we have been married for eight years. I have a beautiful daughter named Josie who is 10 and in the fourth grade. She loves to play basketball. Watching her grow up is one of the greatest pleasures of my life. I also have two fur babies, a pug named Gizmo and a Boston terrier named Fritz. We are currently building a tiny house!

What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? When my daughter was born. I have always wanted a child.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - Relax watching a movie or playing video games.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? - I have a motorcycle and, during nice weather, I like to take it out for a ride.

Who inspires you? - My daughter. Watching her learn and grow as a human is so inspiring.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - “It is what it is.”

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be? - Thinker.

If you had a theme song, what would it be? - “Bless The Broken Road”

by Rascal Flatts.

If you could have a super power, what would it be? - X-ray vision.

Which talent would you most like to have? - To be more musically inclined. It would be cool to play the guitar.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? - Electrical engineering.

What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. It is very informative.

What is your favorite TV show? - Walking Dead.

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? - William Shatner.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? - (402) 261-7800; maintenance@thekindlerhotel.com; thekindlerhotel.com. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

SYDNEY

Sydney Stander

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CONCENTRIC CORPORATION Meet Sydney Stander, business development manager at Concentric Corporation.

Tell us a little about your business. Concentric Corporation is an IT placement agency where we create mutually beneficial relationships within the Omaha metro and Lincoln tech community. We use our crazy accurate gut instincts to read people and make connections, as well as bridge the gap between silly and poise to leave lasting, positive impressions. We find techies who fit with our hiring managers and add flare to the team while also helping companies improve their hiring processes so they don’t miss out on the best candidates our market has to offer.

How did you get started in the business? - While growing up, I often wondered, “What will I be when I grow up?!” After receiving my business degree and starting my first “big girl job”, as I called it, I quickly realized that my passion fell with building relationships.

By 2015, I started the next step in my career, staffing in the light industrial, trades, and engineering sector. After about three years, I knew I needed more of a challenge. So, I began my journey with Concentric Corporation where I have discovered my love for helping people better understand, appreciate, and market who they are and what they have to offer.

What has been your most important achievement professionally?

- Not only growing as a business professional but as a person.

Personal growth has been crucial to helping others progress in their careers. You must first know yourself before you can truly know others.

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Tell us a little about your family. - My boyfriend Ben and I live on an acreage in the country outside of Sterling, NE with our two Great Danes, Knox and Opie, and English Springer Spaniel, Harley. We are often working on house projects in our spare time and hitting up the local bar and grill for dinner and a couple beers with friends and family after a long week at work. Small town living is very simple and that’s the way we like it.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? - In a non–professional setting, I’m definitely the storyteller. I love to talk and make people laugh.

I also have a passion for planning. If it’s a friend’s bachelorette party, a baby shower, or a birthday party, it’s hard for me to just sit back without sharing my input and adding my own personal touches. I enjoy making people feel loved and appreciated by going above and beyond in making their day even more special.

Plus, I’m obsessed with Pinterest.

Who inspires you? - I don’t think I can just name one specific person, but I’m truly inspired by all the people throughout my life who have cheered me on and believed in me to chase my dreams and be the best version of myself.

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be? - Determined.

What is your favorite TV show? - Law & Order: SVU is what comes to mind, but anything murder mystery or true crime is what you can usually find me watching.

Community isn’t just where we live, it’s how we live.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? - (402) 991-8400 Ext. 115; sydney@concentriccorp.com; www.concentriccorp.com. Make sure to also follow Concentric on all of our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn) to stay up to date on our exciting growth and what we’ve got going on! I may be biased, but I think we’re pretty awesome. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

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Meet Seth Morris, an attorney at Berry Law. Tell us a little about your business. - I level the playing field for my clients in the biggest fight of their lives. My clients are fighting criminal charges versus the government, personal injury claims versus insurance companies, Title IX investigations versus colleges and universities, or professional license investigations conducted by their respective professions licensing board.

In each of these situations, our opponent has more money and resources available to them. Their goal is to steamroll my clients. My job is to ensure that doesn’t happen.

How did you get started in the business? - I’ve been fortunate to gain experience in a wide variety of practice areas. My skillset and passion is in litigating. I thrive in the courtroom. Berry Law’s practice areas of criminal defense, personal injury, licensure defense, and Title IX investigations perfectly combine my skillset and passion.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - Becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. Each case brings something new and challenging to the table. Avoiding the uncomfortable parts of this job only prevents an attorney from growing professionally and personally.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? Probably one of my earliest trials. I had been an attorney for barely a year. This was one of the first trials in Nebraska where cameras were allowed in the courtroom. The State called over 10 police officers to testify against my client. Following an acquittal at trial, I was interviewed by the Huffington Post. A close second would be a federal case spearheaded by the FBI and TSA. Less than 1% of federal cases go to trial and end with the defendant being acquitted. A lot of great trial attorneys go their entire careers without a federal acquittal.

Tell us a little about your family. - My wife Brittne Morris is a nurse practitioner with Bryan Neurology in Lincoln. Prior to that, she was working as a hospitalist and running the ER at the Falls City Hospital. She’s a rockstar. Recently, we welcomed our first child into the world. Mae Morris was born on January 26, 2020. I’m extremely excited to be a dad and watch her grow over the coming years. We also have two labs—a yellow lab named Remington and a black lab named Winchester. They enjoy belly rubs, swimming, and eating.

What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? When I embraced the fact that, ultimately, I am the author of my own destiny and all of life’s successes and failures depend on me.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - Depends on the season. I enjoy spending time in the outdoors hunting and fishing, chasing whatever is in season. If I had to pick one thing it would be duck hunting.

There’s nothing better than watching the sunrise over a duck blind while enjoying coffee from a Stanley thermos.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? - I am a national champion chicken showman. Poultry showmanship requires a mixture of public speaking and training/handling your animal.

Who inspires you? - My parents, Jeff and Kelli Morris, along with my pastor Brad Birtell, Peyton Manning, Elon Musk, Teddy Rosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, and George Washington.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - “Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.”

– Ron Swanson If you had a theme song, what would it be? - “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? (402) 260-5741; sethm@jsberrylaw.com; jsberrylaw.com. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

DAN

Dan Marburg

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Tell us a little about your business. - For me, managing risk is about helping clients gain control through understanding.

Business owners are often frustrated with insurance, because you can’t control something you don’t understand. As a part of North Risk Partners, I’m able to work with our clients to identify, understand, and manage the risks their business faces every day. By making businesses better managers of risks, we give back control and make them more attractive in the insurance marketplace. Traditionally, agents have focused on selling products to businesses. Our process allows us to approach the relationship differently, focusing on selling businesses to potential insurance carriers in the marketplace. Rather than trying to focus on simply minimizing the annual spend on insurance as a commodity, our process helps companies take a longer-range view of risk and improve their bottom line.

How did you get started in the business? - Prior to getting into the risk management business, I spent seven years selling equipment and supplies into meat processing plants and slaughterhouses. I also spent several years selling welding supplies and equipment, industrial gases, and cryogens for a variety of industrial applications. While I was finishing my MBA, a friend who was the president of the large local agency suggested I look closely at commercial property and casualty.

I’ve never looked back, and I am truly grateful for his suggestion and the opportunity he gave me.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - We all get the same 24 hours in a day. Making the most of this time is the ongoing challenge. Really understanding that time is the commodity, rather than prospects being the commodity, has changed the way I plan and prioritize.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - My father Jerry passed recently. After escaping Nazi Germany and coming into this country as a refugee, he became a citizen, an Army veteran, and spent his entire career in personnel management for the Veterans Administration. He was a great lover of the English language and American history. (He was especially fascinated with the Lewis and Clark expedition.) Most of the things he taught me and the example of the way he lived his life can be summed up by the poem “If–” by Rudyard Kipling. Look it up. Read it. Share with your kids.

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be? - Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

If you had a theme song, what would it be? - “I Won’t Back Down”

by Tom Petty. As the song says, “You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won’t back down!”

If you could have a super power, what would it be? - Helping people realize and reach their potential. Flight would be pretty cool too!

What local nonprofit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - There is a Judaic phrase—Tikkun Olam—which roughly translates as “repair the world.” Since returning to Nebraska after college 30 years ago, I’ve had many opportunities to volunteer in this spirit. I’ve been involved with the National Eagle Scout Association, boards such as Swim Omaha, the Anti-Defamation League and Temple Israel, as well as working with organizations such as Leadership Omaha, Habitat for Humanity, the Tri-Faith Initiative, and others.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? - (402) 905-9054; dan.marburg@northriskpartners.com; northriskpartners.com. I am on LinkedIn as well. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

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BRANDON

Brandon Hahn

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Meet Brandon Hahn, owner of La Casa Pizzaria.

Tell us a little about your business. - La Casa Pizzaria is a family-owned and operated restaurant specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza and Italian entrees. We have been proud to serve the Omaha area since 1953.

How did you get started in the business? - I started as a janitor at the restaurant on the weekends in 2001 when I was 14.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? - Well, we might be right in the middle of that right now. Current conditions aside, I would have to say that trying to get a food truck up and running in an area with no rules, regulations, or information was quite the challenge. Then, adapting to the market as the industry quickly changed and expanded.

What has been your most important achievement professionally?

- When the decision was made to allow me to enter the ownership group of the business.

Tell us a little about your family. - My fiancée Leesa and I live with our two dogs, Izzy and Zooey, and our two cats, Tiny and Booger. We are getting married later this summer.

What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? Meeting Leesa really changed things for me. My priorities have shifted significantly (for the better!) since she came into my life.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - What is a day off? Just kidding...I like to hang out with the dogs, do some metalwork in the workshop, play some instruments, whatever piques my interest.

I have a lot of hobbies that all get severely neglected so there is a lot to choose from.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? - I can play four different instruments and can remember any useless piece of information I stumble upon.

Who inspires you? - Leesa inspires me to make our lives better. My dad inspires me to continue the La Casa legacy and to do as good of a job as he did. My Aunt Nicole continues to inspire me to be a better leader. I’m inspired by people who are good at what they do, no matter what that is.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - “In a world that has decided that it’s going to lose its mind, be more kind my friends, try to be more kind.” – Frank Turner If you could have a super power, what would it be? - The ability to get out of the car without making old man sounds after age 30.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? - I’m going to sound like a little kid, but I’d love to be an open-wheel racing driver.

What local nonprofit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - I love the Nebraska Humane Society. I was a dog walker there for awhile when time was more abundant. My pets are my babies and they’re all adopted!

What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - Where the Red Fern Grows.

What is your favorite movie? - Forrest Gump.

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? - Tom Hanks.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? (402) 556-6464; brandon@lacasapizzaria.net; lacasapizzaria.net. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

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DAVE

Dave Arkfeld

LINCOLN FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK Meet Dave Arkfeld, a mortgage lender at Lincoln Federal Savings Bank.

Tell us a little about your business. - I originate secondary market loans to purchase or refinance a primary residence, second home, or investment property. I sell money! I have been in mortgage lending full time since 1999.

How did you get started in the business? - First banking job was at FirsTier Savings Bank inside Bakers Stores. Then, I moved to Omaha State Bank in Retail Lending. I was always mostly in retail positions in banks.

I grew intrigued by the mortgage lending process and the opportunity to help people gain home ownership. There is something new every day to learn.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? Mortgage Loan Crisis of 2007. Lots of finger pointing.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? Getting my individual NMLS license and surviving in this crazy business.

Tell us a little about your family. - My wife Michelle currently manages a dental office. She and I went to the same high school but didn’t date until after college. We ended up having four kids in five years. They are all grown up now and doing exciting things. Matt is in retail banking with Wells Fargo Bank. Emily is a corporate trainer with Sun Tan City in Kansas City and just got engaged. Jack works for Habitat for Humanity as an Energy Modernization Specialist. Joe graduates this spring from UNL in marketing and is part of the Center for Sales Excellence.

What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life?

- Had a heart attack at age 44. Happened while I was playing in a softball tournament. No heart damage, very lucky. Before that every little thing used to make me lose my temper. Now I work though problems knowing most issues usually work themselves out.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - Building/repairing something around the house.

Who inspires you? - My dad. He worked as a community banker. He was/is a very civic minded volunteer. He taught me to give my time to help others by example.

What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - “A loan closing is like an airplane landing; any one you can walk away from is a good one.” Another favorite of mine is, “Somewhere in the village, we are all idiots.”

If you had a theme song, what would it be? - “Don’t Look Back”

by Boston.

Which talent would you most like to have? - To be able to play hockey.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? - Being a commercial pilot. When I lived in the Twin Cities, I would park and just watch the airplanes land and take off.

What local nonprofit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? - Little League baseball and softball because it gives kids a chance to just play the game. I’m also involved in Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men’s organization committed to community service.

What is your favorite movie? - Top Gun. (Can’t wait for the sequel!)

What is your favorite TV show? - Pardon the Interruption on ESPN. If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? - Abraham Lincoln, a humble leader.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? (402) 493-5599 (office); (402) 880-8687 (cell); darkfeld@lincolnfed. com; darkfeld.lincolnfed.com. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

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www.facebook.com/BigBirgePlumbingCo APRIL 2020 Strictly Business

21

PERSONNEL NEWS Boys Town National Research Hospital’s Dr. Mohan Mysore Honored for Critical Care Work

Strictly Business Editor and Operations Director Hannah Hundley Celebrates 2 Years

Boys Town National Research Hospital salutes Dr. Mohan Mysore, medical director and pediatric critical care physician, on receiving the 2020 Barry A. Shapiro Memorial Award for Excellence in Critical Care Management from the Society of Critical Care Medicine. The award, which was presented in February at the Society’s 49th Critical Care Congress in Orlando, honored Dr. Mysore for his significant contributions to the practice of pediatric critical care. This includes his work in creating the Pediatric Advanced Care Unit at Boys Town National Research Hospital.

The unit serves children who have undergone neurosurgical procedures and require intensive monitoring, as well as those suffering from respiratory distress, viral infections, and other conditions requiring critical care services. The six-bed Pediatric Advanced Care Unit has cared for more than 150 critically ill children since opening in June 2019.

Boys Town National Research Hospital is an internationally recognized leader in clinical and research programs focusing on childhood deafness, developmental language disorder, and related communication disorders.

Learn more online at www.boystownhospital.org.

On February 11, Strictly Business Editor and Director of Operations Hannah Hundley celebrated her two-year work anniversary with the magazine. Hannah’s role has taken on many forms since she first joined the team as executive assistant in 2018. Coming from a background in hospitality, tourism, and community planning, Hannah was excited to work for an organization dedicated to promoting local businesses. She eventually became full-time editor when the position opened up. During this time, she also took on a minor sales role, allowing her to meet with potential clients and attend more networking events in Lincoln and Omaha.

Recently, Hannah transitioned into more of an operational role, handling events and various projects, while still overseeing major editorial aspects of the magazine. She appreciates the opportunities for professional growth that come with working for a small, family-owned business, and she admires founders/owners Shayne and Paige Zutavern for the impact they’ve made in the local community through the publication.

Strictly Business is a trusted monthly news sources and effective advertising tool, publishing original content in print and online. To learn more, visit strictlybusinessomaha.com. To contact Hannah, call the office at (402) 466-3330 or email editor@strictlybusinessomaha.com.

Amy Mandarich and David Hannam Celebrate Anniversaries with Concentric Corporation Concentric Corporation celebrated two work anniversaries in March for Amy Mandarich and David Hannam. Amy has been at Concentric for two years as a business development manager while David Hannam, vice president, is celebrating his fourteenth year at Concentric.

Both add unique value to Concentric’s community because of their dedication to their careers, experience in the industry, and their enthusiasm to always do their best.

Amy has experience working as a manager in human resources, staffing, and business Amy Mandarich development. She excels in connecting with professionals on a deeper level, allowing her to truly find that perfect fit. Outside of work, Amy enjoys exploring different vacation spots and spending time with her loved ones.

David has experience working as a college recruiter and in fundraising, sales, and business development. His experience and knowledge of the industry and market place make him a huge asset to Concentric. David enjoys spending time with his family whether at home or traveling the world. He also enjoys a good David Hannam game of golf with his friends.

Concentric is bringing back the fundamentals of recruiting, which starts with the relationship. They are upgrading the approach in executive search and recruiting by being deliberate and purposeful, always taking the extra step with their audience’s best interests in mind. They uncover true motives in hiring and career advancement by having transparent and honest conversations. This allows an execution of what Concentric likes to call connecting excellence. Once they determine the tangible skillset, culture fit, and urgency of both sides, they become the bridge between future hires and career paths.

To learn more about Concentric Corporation, go to concentriccorp.com or follow them on social media (@ConcentricCorp).

22 Strictly Business APRIL 2020

BNI Heartland Announces Tracy Anderson as Omaha Area Member of the Year BNI® Heartland is pleased to announce Tracy Anderson as their Omaha Area Member of the Year. Tracy was recognized at the Omaha Area BNI Regional Awards and Recognition Event in February. This annual event, which highlights member and chapter achievements, included about 100 small business owners and sales professionals dedicated to growing their businesses and increasing the economic footprint in the Omaha area.

Tracy Anderson owns and operates Caps Etc., which offers custom embroidery, T-shirt and hat printing, and screen printing services. Tracy has been an active BNI member since 2013. He currently serves as president of the Let’s Do Lunch Chapter in Omaha. In 2019, he led his chapter with 98% attendance and completed over 120 one-to-ones, which resulted in more than 150 referrals.

Ray Huse, BNI Heartland’s Omaha area director, said, “Tracy truly leads by example. He continually looks for ways to help members in his chapter grow their business, and as professionals. He exemplifies our Givers Gain® philosophy.”

This award is presented each year to one member for their commitment to BNI, dedication to their fellow members and BNI’s core values, and productivity within the chapter, and, ultimately, the region!

BNI® is the world’s leading referral organization. Members generate word-of-mouth business for each other through structured, resultsdriven groups around the world. In 2019 alone, their members generated over $16 billion (USD) in revenue for member businesses.

To learn more, visit bniheartland.com or contact (402) 880-6311 / info@bniheartland.com. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

PERSONNEL NEWS Tobi Mathouser Named Goodwill Omaha President and Chief Operating Officer

McGill Restoration Brings on Jon Connealy to Sales Team

Goodwill Omaha recently promoted Tobi Mathouser to president and chief operating officer. Mathouser has worked for Goodwill Omaha since 2006, and most recently has held the position of director of mission advancement. For the past year and a half, she has attended Goodwill Industries International’s Executive Development Program, an award-winning program designed to mold experienced leaders within Goodwill organizations.

Mathouser has entered her new position with a vision for growth. She sees ways Goodwill Omaha can expand their employment services and grow their programs so they can keep increasing the number of people they serve. She intends to enhance every area of Goodwill Omaha’s operations moving forward in an effort to continually improve.

Goodwill Industries, Inc., a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) agency governed by a local board of trustees, has been a leader in helping people fulfill their dreams through work since 1933. Their mission is to train and employ people with disabilities and others who may be at a competitive disadvantage in the job market. They do this by selling value-priced merchandise at 17 convenient locations in the Omaha area. Learn more at goodwillomaha.org.

McGill Restoration is proud to add a valuable member to their sales team with the hiring of Jon Connealy. Jon brings with him 20 years of experience in the construction industry, with 10 of those years spent representing concrete materials and accessories. In his previous role, Jon partnered with contractors, design professionals, and manufacturers to provide solutions to challenges faced in various phases of design, construction, maintenance, and repair by way of material sales and technical support. Jon’s primary areas of expertise are commercial concrete repair, waterproofing, and building envelope systems.

Also, Jon continues to serve as the Region 5 director and secretariat for the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) and will continue to serve the American Concrete Institute (ACI) of Nebraska as an instructor and examiner for the Adhesive Anchor Installer Certification.

Jon was honored by ICRI in 2020, being awarded as a member of this year’s Forty under Forty class.

McGill Restoration is very committed to investing in the development and training of their employees. They work hard to keep their employees busy year-round and try hard not to be a seasonal construction company. If you are interested in starting a career in the construction industry at a company that offers competitive benefit and compensation package, please apply on the McGill Restoration website at www.mcgillrestoration.com or contact the Lincoln office at (402) 438-4110.

CEDARS President Jim Blue Named Distinguished NEBRASKAlander CEDARS President Jim Blue was honored alongside his wife Susanne Blue, executive director of Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach, at the 2020 Statehood Day Banquet on February 29 in the State Capitol rotunda. The human ser vices pioneers were selected by the NEBRASKAland Foundation board of directors for their incredible impact on the community.

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“I know of no one more deserving of this award,” said CEDARS board member and past NEBRASKAlander awardee, Judi gaiashkibos. “Jim’s passion for improving the health and well-being of children and youth is contagious. His exceptional leadership has provided a solid foundation to serve children and their families well into the future.”

Since 1991, Jim has ser ved as president of the CEDARS organization, an organization founded in Lincoln by caring community members who saw the tremendous needs that children and their families face every day. Under his leadership, the nationally-accredited CEDARS organization was the first-ever recipient of the Better Business Bureau’s Integrity Award for a nonprofit organization.

CEDARS has been supporting children, youth, and their families for over 70 years and remains committed to helping kids in crisis and building strong families. This year, CEDARS will deliver services to over 2,000 children and their families.

For more information or to find out how you can help, call (402) 434-5437, or visit www.cedarskids.org. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

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APRIL 2020 Strictly Business

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2019-08-28 2:43 PM

PERSONNEL NEWS Ambius Welcomes Patty Keith as Sales and Design Consultant

West Gate Bank Board Elects Brandi Ballan to Assistant VP, Business Banking Officer

Ambius recently welcomed Patty Keith as a new sales and design consultant. Patty’s new job duties include meeting with current and potential clients and presenting interior plant design ideas, ambient scenting, and holiday displays. She loves the concept of creating an inviting, warm, and happy space for her clients. Patty also loves that the importance of her work is evident throughout Omaha, as Ambius’s products and services can be found in law offices, accounting firms, insurance companies, corporate centers, office building lobbies, hotels, shopping malls, banks, hospitals, retail sites, and more.

The West Gate Bank® Board of Directors recently elected Brandi Ballan as assistant vice president and business banking officer.

Ballan joined West Gate Bank in July 2018 as part of the Great Southern Bank acquisition in Omaha.

Patty’s hobbies include working out at the gym on a regular basis, paddle boarding, kayaking, and biking. Patty loves an outdoor adventure! She and her husband of 11 years enjoy traveling and tent camping and spending time with family. Patty is a proud mother of two children, a daughter and a son, and she has five grandchildren.

Ambius services include live and artificial plant displays for businesses, complete office plant services, ambient scenting, commercial holiday decorations, and green wall design, installation, and maintenance. Learn more online at www.ambius.com or call (402) 987-8015 to congratulate Patty on her new position!

Ballan brings 15 years of banking experience to her role of business banking solutions officer. The business banking solutions team customizes products to enhance business banking portfolios and creates additional benefits for businesses, as well as develops and maintains account relationships. Ballan is also responsible for identifying and developing business relationships in the Omaha market. Ballan is on the guild board for Completely KIDS, is an ambassador for the West O Chamber, and participates in bank-sponsored community activities.

Brandi Ballan is located at West Gate Bank at 180th and Pacific and can be reached at (402) 758-8717 or bballan@westgate.bank.

West Gate Bank® is a family-owned community bank with 10 locations in Lincoln and Omaha. West Gate Bank is large enough to serve all your personal or commercial banking needs yet small enough to provide the outstanding personal service that only a community bank can deliver. Visit westgate.bank to learn more.

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PERSONNEL NEWS First Responders Foundation Welcomes New Director, Jason Workman

YP Summit Hosted by Greater Omaha Chamber Announces 2020 Change Makers

The First Responders Foundation recently welcomed Jason Workman as the new director of the First Responders Support Team Program (FRST). FRST supports the emotional and mental wellbeing of first responders and their families.

This is accomplished through group workshops and programs, workplace training, spouse sessions, and one-on-one sessions. Jason has a passion for first responders and started the FRST Program as a volunteer. He is a licensed independent mental health practitioner, licensed alcohol and drug counselor, and clinically certified trauma professional. He has a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Grace University. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, working with the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Jason’s experience includes working with first responders for the last 13 years as a law enforcement chaplain, and he is the regional clinical director for the state Critical Incident Stress Management Team. Jason has also served as a firefighter/EMT. The First Responders Foundations mission is to serve and honor all first responders and their families, build appreciation and respect for their work, and enhance public safety. For more information, please visit www.firstrespondersomaha.org. Jason can be reached at jason@ firstrespondersomaha.org.

The Greater Omaha Chamber recently honored “Change Makers”—emerging l e a d e r s s h a p i n g n ex t - g e n e r a t i o n thought—during their YP Summit, the largest YP Summit in Nebraska and also the largest YP Summit in the nation. More than 1,500 young professionals gathered March 6 at CHI Health Center in Omaha to collaborate, connect, and innovate.

Prenger Solutions Group Expands Team with Andrew Menke and Ashley Winans Prenger Solutions Group (PSG), the leading provider of hands-on, digital fundraising services, hired two new team members to accommodate its rapid growth in providing digital fundraising solutions to Catholic dioceses, schools, and parishes. Andrew Menke is the director of client services and Ashley Winans serves as vice president leading strategy and implementation. Menke brings more than five years of professional experience in fundraising for Christian organizations leading planning studies, Andrew Menke campaigns and stewardship programs helping to raise more than $50 million for his clients. Winans has dedicated her sixteenyear career to working in the nonprofit sector focusing on strategic planning, capital campaigns, major gift and annual fundraising, special events, and marketing.

Since 2018, PSG has worked with more than 100 dioceses and archdioceses from Canada and the United States who participated in PSG’s comprehensive diocesan benchmarking study and reported that tried-and-true Ashley Winans strategies are becoming less effective with each passing year. PSG has advanced their fundraising methods by providing help with databases, annual appeals, online giving, social media and an overall digital fundraising strategy.

Prenger Solutions Group is a team of experts who provide digital fundraising solutions to Catholic dioceses, schools and parishes. Clients choose to partner with PSG in order to design and implement nextgeneration fundraising programs that include online giving, email marketing, donor software, data analytics, social media, website design and landing page optimization. To learn more, visit www. prengersolutions.com. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

This year’s Change Makers include Darryl Brown Jr., founding and senior pastor of Kingdom Builders Christian Center of Omaha; Jasmine L. Harris, MPH, CHES, director of public policy and advocacy, RISE; Candias Jones, professional career coac h, Mutual of Omaha; and Lynn Schneider, creative strategist, Emspace + Lovgren.

Diagnosed with HIV in his 20s, Brown says he spent years coming to terms with the diagnosis, and ultimately forgave the man responsible. Currently, Brown provides sexual health education to youth and has created programming to help the homeless.

Darryl Brown Jr.

Jasmine L. Harris

Harris is director of public policy and advocacy at RISE, a career-building, community-growth initiative for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals.

Her passion and commitment to fight for people impacted by the criminal justice system is an inspiration.

Jones is a childhood sexual trauma and violence sur vivor. She c hanneled her experiences to create a career coaching program at Mutual of Omaha as an outlet for employees to share similar traumatic events in their personal and professional lives. Jones has established a replicable corporate framework to increase employee engagement and retention.

Candias Jones

Schneider is being recognized for her role in developing Emspace + Lovgren’s student outreach program, Forge. Now in its eighth year, Forge is a five-session program that invites 10–12 area communications and Lynn Schneider design students to gain unique insights into the profession and to begin building their own professional networks.

By providing knowledge that students may not otherwise find in the classroom, Schneider helps to show a new generation of professionals there are incredible opportunities right here in Omaha.

YP Summit organizers strive to provide a positive experience that energizes young professionals, celebrates many points of view, expands networks, and challenges attendees—all with the goal of extending everyone’s talents.

The Greater Omaha Chamber is celebrating 15 years of empowering individuals through their mission of championing a thriving business community and a prosperous region through visionary leadership and collaboration. To learn about becoming a member, visit their website at omahachamber.org.

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PERSONNEL NEWS Zachary Baedke Joins Cornhusker Bank Team Cornhusker Bank is pleased to announce that Zachary Baedke has been added to the Cornhusker Bank team and will serve as senior banker/customer service manager at the bank’s new location at 11102 Blondo, STE 102 in Omaha. Allen Chaffee, Omaha Market President for Cornhusker Bank reported that “Zach’s knowledge gained from 10 years of banking experience makes him an excellent fit to handle branch management and complex customer service duties, including retail functions and consumer, home equity, and other personal loans for the bank’s Omaha customers.”

Zach graduated from Concordia University in Seward, NE. He is a volunteer with Project Payback at Millard Public Schools and serves as the bass guitarist at Ignition Church in Bennington, NE. According to Barry Lockard, Cornhusker Bank President/CEO, “Zach knows the community and its needs and will take an individually-tailored approach to each customer’s situation.”

The Cornhusker Bank team at the Blondo location live in Omaha and its surrounding communities. As neighbors and friends, providing the “WOW” experiences is among the most important things Cornhusker Bank can do to foster trusted, long-lasting relationships.

Cornhusker Bank remains locally owned, demonstrating Nebraska values, stability, soundness, and showing a commitment to the Omaha community with the opening of its full service Omaha location in the spring of 2020.

For more information visit www.CornhuskerBank.com.

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CHAD Welcomes Ellen Grady as Director of Communications and Marketing CHAD (Combined Health Agencies Drive) is pleased to announce the hiring of Ellen Grady as its new director of communications and marketing. Grady has a background in marketing, nonprofit development, and journalism. The death of her mother in 2012 inspired Grady to leave a corporate position and become involved with several charities supported by CHAD. “I saw firsthand the difference CHAD was making for hospice patients, as well as those affected by breast cancer and kidney disease,” Grady said. “I couldn’t have been happier when the opportunity arose to join the CHAD team.”

In their spare time, Grady and her husband chase after their daughter, who is thriving after being born with complex medical conditions in 2017. As the mother of a child with special needs, Grady appreciates even more the role of health charities working to improve the lives of Nebraskans.

CHAD is a local, donor-designation driven organization that has been raising funds for Nebraska’s premier health charities since 1972.

Since its inception, CHAD has raised $58,159,054 for charities who are supporting those in need in the community. For more information on the organization’s achievements, visit www.chadnebraska.org/ annual-report.

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PERSONNEL NEWS

Water Shouldn’t Be Hard

UNICO Welcomes Mathiesen, Vetrovsky, and Johnson as Commercial Risk Advisors

Rent a water softener or reverse osmosis system for

Jerod is new to the insurance industry, but has been in advertising sales for nearly 20 years. His passion for helping clients become successful in their business is what drives him. Jerod is a part of UNICO’s Lincoln commercial advisor team and can be reached at (402) 434-7204 or jvetrovsky@unicogroup.com.

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Previously working for a smaller agency in Nebraska, he has built long-lasting relationships while also helping people understand coverages and filling coverage gaps. He has his Registered Workers’ C o m p e n s a t i o n s S p e c i a l i s t ( RWC S ) designation to provide leading industry education to his clients. Vagas joined UNICO’s Commercial Advisor team in Omaha and can be reached at (402)3615913 or vmathiesen@unicogroup.com.

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UNICO Group recently welcomed three new commercial risk advisors: Vagas Mathiesen, Jerod Vetrovsky, and Adam Johnson.

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3/19/20 10:58 AM

Dai, Sheard, and Mann Celebrate Anniversaries with Big Birge Plumbing Scott Dai, Jeremiah Sheard, and James Mann recently celebrated anniversaries for their time working with Big Birge Plumbing.

Jerod Vetrovsky

Adam brings over his extensive experience in the insurance industry, having run an anti-fraud investigations unit prior to spending the last four years as an insurance agency owner. He has a desire to help people protect their assets, which is why he ventured into the insurance field. His diverse background allows him to provide a 360° approach to ensure there is peace of mind, knowing there will be no gaps in his client’s coverage. He has obtained the Adam Johnson following designations: Fraud Claim Law Specialist (FCLS) and Fraud Claim Law Associate (FCLA). Adam joined UNICO’s commercial advisor team in Lincoln and can be reached at (402) 434-7280 or ajohnson@unicogroup.com.

UNICO is a full-service insurance agency with services ranging from commercial insurance, workers’ compensation, and employee benefits, to personal insurance and financial planning. UNICO is dedicated to getting you the best insurance products and services available to protect you, your family, and your business. For more information, call (402) 434-7200 or visit unicogroup.com.

It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know and Who Knows You! At Strictly Business, we strive to recognize local businessmen and women for their significant awards, promotions, achievements, and/or efforts in partnership with other organizations and the Omaha community.

If you know of someone who meets these criteria and wish to include their news in our publication, please call (402) 466-3330 or submit your news via www.strictlybusinessomaha.com. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

Scott has been a part of Big Birge Plumbing since 2018. He has extensive knowledge in the commercial plumbing department and is Big Birge’s commercial estimator. Scott is valued for being dependable, meticulous, and determined in his work. When he’s not educating other plumbers or sending out estimates, he enjoys spending his time on the camp ground with his wife and friends cooking up his famous bacon or hanging out with one or two of his grandchildren who love to use him as a jungle gym.

Jeremiah also joined the Big Birge Plumbing team in 2018. He is a man of great energy and leadership capability who never lets his team down. Jeremiah stays true to his word and is a great team player. When he is not at plumbing school, on the commercial job site, or spending time with his children, you can find him working on vehicles of all types. He also used to be an avid wrestler and still admires the sport.

Scott Dai

Jeremiah Sheard

James is a journeyman plumber with a calming and kind demeanor that can put any customer at ease when going through a plumbing emergency. James readily takes on the challenge of jobs that seem complicated. He started out in college getting a business degree, and then decided to go to trade school instead and become a plumber. When he’s not helping James Mann customers, he likes to spend time with his family out camping and going on lots of adventures together.

The skilled professionals at Big Birge Plumbing have a passion for what they do. Whether you need help with a kitchen or bathroom remodel, water heater repair, gas or water piping, or the really fun stuff like drain cleaning and clogged toilets, Big Birge Plumbing will be there with a wrench and a smile. To learn more, please visit www.bigbirgeplumbing.com or call (402) 575-0102.

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NONPROFIT NEWS Angels Among Us Reschedules Perfectly Paired Wine Event to June 7

Wear Yellow Nebraska Prepares for 17th Annual Wear Yellow Ride, Run, & Walk

Angels Among Us has rescheduled their third annual wine tasting event, Perfectly Paired, to June 7, due to changing health and safety circumstances in the community.

Angels Among Us has partnered with Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar for this event, and the wine tasting will take place at the Fleming’s location at 140 Regency Pkwy.

The event, formerly known as Uncorked, has been revamped and rebranded for 2020. This year there will be wine stations with nearly 50 different wines. As a perfect complement to the wines, chef partner Rafael Ponce has curated a selection of food pairings. A small silent auction will be available for bidding, and wine will be available for purchase at a discount. Only 150 tickets are available, so those wanting to attend are encouraged to purchase tickets soon. Last year the event quickly sold out.

Angels Among Us is a Nebraska nonprofit that provides financial and emotional support to families whose children are battling pediatric cancer. Any family living in or being treated in Nebraska is eligible to apply for financial support. In 2019, Angels Among Us provided financial support to over 120 families, giving over $440,000 helping with mortgages, rent, and other expenses. For more information about events or to get involved, contact Aly Theilen at alyssa@myangelsamongus.org.

Wear Yellow Nebraska will be hosting their 17th annual Wear Yellow Ride, Run, & Walk on Saturday, May 9, at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland. Registration before May 1 is $40 and $45 after. You can register online until midnight on Sunday, May 3. The t-shirt cutoff is April 24 at 5 p.m., so be sure to register early!

Each registration provides two rides to a fellow Nebraskan in the fight against cancer who does not have adequate transportation to and from their treatments.

There will be a variety of routes for participants to take. For those craving roads, there will be 25-, 35-, 45-, and 55-mile options. For those who like less formal roads, there will be a 27-mile beginners gravel option as well as a 56-mile experienced gravel riders route.

Those on two legs can participate in the approximate 5K Run & Walk through beautiful Mahoney State Park.

Additionally, there will be a variety of events taking place after the event. Riders and walkers/runners are encouraged to stick around after the race for breakfast by the Pancake Man, Wear Yellow’s Legendary Raffle, and dozens of door prizes. Each paid registration will also be given free access to the museum following the race. Nonparticipants can also enjoy breakfast for $5.

If you would like to participate in Wear Yellow Nebraska’s Wear Yellow Ride, Run, & Walk, register online at www.supportwyn.org/17.

Grief’s Journey Moves Majority of Operations to Online Format as Safety Precaution Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, Grief’s Journey has made the decision to move all programs online and to reschedule upcoming special events and fundraisers for the health and well-being of the greater community. As an organization committed to emotional well-being and helping people live their best lives following a death, serious illness, injury, or other unimaginable loss of someone important to them, Grief’s Journey wants to prioritize the health and emotional wellbeing of their staff, program participants, and volunteers.

If you are currently a program participant or volunteer, you will be contacted by one of Grief’s Journey’s program manager or coordinators with instructions on how to participate in online support group sessions. Their phone lines and registration systems will be maintained for the duration of the situation. New participants are always welcome!

Grief’s Journey will still conduct this spring’s three-day facilitator training in an online format. Training registrants should have received special instructions and emailed materials. Rapidly approaching special events such as the upcoming Spring Family Day at Nelson Mandela Elementary School and a handful of other fundraising events are being rescheduled.

Grief’s Journey is a safe, welcoming place where children, teens, and adults can go to receive emotional support, access to mental health resources, and hope. For more information and updates, go to griefsjourney.org. You can also contact (402) 502 2773 / info@ griefsjourney.org.

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Omaha Home for Boys to Host Michael Oher as Keynote Speaker for Annual Fundraiser Omaha Home for Boys (OHB) is excited to announce that Michael Oher will be the featured keynote speaker at its 100 Year Anniversary Celebration taking place October 8 at the CHI Health Center Omaha.

Michael Oher is no stranger to adversity.

His inspiring journey from the streets of Memphis to the NFL is portrayed in the Academy Award nominated movie The Blind Side. Oher was a first round NFL Draft pick and a 2013 Super Bowl Champion with the Baltimore Ravens. He is also the author of the New York Times Best Seller, I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to the Blind Side and Beyond.

Oher will bring his message of resilience and hope to OHB’s 100 Year Anniversary Celebration.

OHB invites the community to help them celebrate their milestone 100-year anniversary and support the youth, young adults, and families served by OHB. Omaha Home for Boys empowers at-risk youth with the skills and confidence needed to transition from a state of crisis to that of safety and growth. They serve more than 300 young men and women annually through their core programs. Please visit OHB. org for more information. Tickets to the 100 Year Anniversary Celebration featuring Michael Oher are available on the website as well or by contacting Lori Bechtold at (402) 457-7014 / giving@OHB.org. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

NONPROFIT NEWS ThriVinci to Recognize Local Community Members for Volunteer Service Impact

Nebraska Community Foundation Offers Free Tax-Wise Charitable Giving Resources

During the month of April in honor of National Volunteer Week, ThriVinci will be recognizing local community members for their impact on the community through volunteer service work by posting shoutouts on social media. ThriVinci rubs shoulders with generous, skilled, and compassionate people every day, and they want to show others some of the goodness they see so regularly!

Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) offers an abundance of free resources for tax-wise charitable giving.

NCF’s website (nebcommfound. giftlegacy.com) explores numerous giving methods like the IRA Charitable Rollover, gifts of grain and livestock, real estate, life insurance policies, appreciated stocks or mutual funds, and more. Online gift planning calculators will help illustrate the income and tax benefits of a variety of gift types. Furthermore, NCF provides the most up-to-date information on new laws and legislation affecting charitable giving.

ThriVinci is an organization of skilled professionals who donate their time and expertise to improve nonprofit organizations. Volunteer consultants work directly with ThriVinci’s experienced staff to elevate the impact of fellow nonprofits by implementing organizational effectiveness, which focuses on talent management, leadership development, and organizational design and structure. They support fellow nonprofits’ projects and goals by sourcing them with talented and driven volunteers. ThriVinci matches volunteers to nonprofits based off of skills and common goals.

To find out more information about ThriVinci and how you can work with them to make an impact, email info@thrivinci.org or visit their website at thrivinci.org. Call (402) 281-3462 to learn more about the local community members ThriVinci is recognizing during April or follow them on social media (@ThriVinci).

One example of useful current information on the webpage concerns The SECURE Act, effective January 1, 2020, which made several changes to qualified retirement plans that impact charitable giving: 1. The age at which required minimum distributions must be taken was pushed back from 70.5 to 72 years old, but the age at which qualified charitable distributions can be made is still 70.5.

2. The “Stretch IRA” has been eliminated for most heirs, making IRAs an expensive inheritance.

Nebraska Community Foundation works with generous Nebraskans and their financial advisors every day to meet their charitable giving goals.

For more information, contact NCF’s Office of Gift Planning (402) 3237330 / info@nebcommfound.org.

The First Tee Omaha Announces 2020 Summer Programming Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes’ dba The First Tee of Omaha, a youth development nonprofit focused on generating the opportunity for today’s youth ages 5–18 to learn life skills through golf, is offering summer programming at six locations across Douglas and Sarpy counties.

Programming begins in late May and concludes in July. Each programming site offers a unique schedule to include: length of session and number of times a session meets. An optional day for testing to move up to the next level is scheduled within each session at all locations. The six locations include: Steve Hogan/Miller Park, Spring Lake, Platteview GC, Eagle Hills Golf Course, Pacific Springs Golf Course, and Elkhorn Ridge Golf Course.

The First Tee Curriculum is nationally acclaimed and based on a progressive model that takes participants through five certification levels: PLAYer, PAR, BIRDIE, EAGLE, and ACE. The length of time needed to advance from one level to the next will vary from student to student.

It is not a race but a journey, ensuring that each student receives the necessary tools to have a fun and rewarding life on and off the golf course. Participants are required to attend courses and successfully complete all of the golf and life skill requirements within each level.

Before graduating to the next level of the program, they must also meet minimum age requirements.

Everyone involved in The First Tee network is integral to building character and introducing life skills to kids and teens across the country. This includes the dedicated volunteers, coaches, and physical educators who deliver the programs; chapter staff, board members, and school administrators who help lead the way; and, of course, the numerous individuals and corporations who provide resources to strengthen the work of the organization. To learn more about the program and access registration for the 2020 sessions, visit www.firstteeomaha.org or contact Executive Director Jeff Porter at jporter@thefirstteeomaha.org / (402) 679-3433. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

Santa Monica House to Hold Two Upcoming Spring Fundraisers Santa Monica will hold two fundraisers this spring to support their mission of assisting women in recovery. On April 11, Dusted Charm, a women’s clothing boutique in Council Bluffs specializing in the charming and rustic, will donate 25% of all sales to Santa Monica. Dusted Charm enjoys hosting fundraising days in shop for great causes in the community. Visit Dusted Charm on Facebook (@DustedCharm) to learn more about their beautiful offerings so you can make your plans to purchase on April 11.

In addition, Santa Monica will also host their ninth annual spring fundraiser at Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine St. The date is to be determined based on health and safety. This event will include a brunch, testimony, silent auction, and Piccadilly auction. The fundraiser is designed to empower and inspire, along with highlighting the growth and happenings of the organization. Tables can be reserved for eight people at $200 per table or $30 for an individual seat.

All proceeds from the event will support Santa Monica in offering shelter and assistance to the women in their program.

Santa Monica House has partnered with over 3,000 women on their journey to recovery from addiction and alcoholism. Reuniting families, reintegrating productive women to the community, and providing exceptional service has been the vision of Santa Monica and continues to be for the future. To learn more, visit www.santamonicahouse. org or contact (402) 558-7088 / heather@santamonicahouse.org.

Go online to santamonicahouse.org/2020/02/27/2020-springfundraiser to purchase tickets to the spring fundraiser today.

APRIL 2020 Strictly Business 29

NONPROFIT NEWS Parkinson’s Nebraska Promotes Parkinson’s Awareness Month with Online Resources

Save the Date: Outlook’s Blind Golfer Clinic and Tee It Up Fore Sight Golf Tournament

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and Parkinson’s Nebraska is sharing online resources and urging everyone across the state to join them as they promote greater awareness of how Parkinson’s affects those living with the disease as well as their families. They want the community to know that it is possible to live a quality life with Parkinson’s disease with access to the right services, such as specialized therapy and exercise classes, support groups, and educational opportunities.

Outlook Nebraska will host its annual Stanley Truhlsen, Jr. Memorial Blind Golfer Clinic and Tee It Up Fore Sight golf tournament fundraiser on June 4 at Indian Creek Golf Club.

The Blind Golfer Clinic, which starts at 8:15 a.m. and concludes with lunch at 12:30 p.m., pairs visually impaired individuals with adaptive sports specialists and golf pros to learn driving, chipping, and putting techniques. Participants then use those skills to compete for prizes and complete three holes, followed by lunch. Outlook encourages people with vision loss ages nine and older to participate. The Tee It Up Fore Sight fundraiser is a four-person, 18-hole scramble with lunch provided at 11 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at noon.

The Stanley Truhlsen, Jr. Blind Golfer Clinic and Tee it Up Fore Sight’s proceeds benefit Outlook Nebraska’s Outlook Enrichment programs.

Outlook Enrichment helps blind or visually impaired teens to grow up self-reliant and self-assured, as well as enjoy life’s simple pleasures, such as the social aspects of a round of golf.

Outlook Nebraska makes it possible for people of all ages and walks of life who are blind, legally blind, or experiencing vision loss have the means to accomplish their goals through employment, adaptive technology training, recreational programs, cultural experiences, resources, and camaraderie. To learn more about the organization, register a team for Tee It Up Fore Sight, become a tournament sponsor, or sponsor a visually-impaired golfer for the clinic, visit outlookne.org/ golf or call (402) 614-3331.

Throughout the month of April, many events, classes, and groups have cancelled to help contain the spread of COVID-19 and keep our communities safe. As a result, many people with Parkinson’s will lose access to the support and services they need. During this time, community members can turn to online programming to stay connected, engaged, and educated. Parkinson’s Nebraska has compiled a list of online Parkinson’s programs and webinars from their national and local partners, so they are all easy to find in one place. Please visit www.parkinsonsnebraska.org/webinars-andonline-programs to view the growing list of online programs for people with Parkinson’s and their families.

To become involved with Parkinson’s Nebraska, individuals can donate or take a moment to learn more about Parkinson’s disease. Contact Amber Winter at (402) 715-4707 or amber@parkinsonsnebraska. org to learn more about Parkinson’s disease and how you can get involved in the community today.

Building Local Partnerships

New Cornhusker Bank full service location opening Spring 2020 at 11102 Blondo Street.

David Shiffermiller, Jim Prchal, Emily Petersen, and Allen Chaffee at the 111th and Blondo building construction site.

Partnering with Prchal Petersen Group Allen Chaffee, Omaha Market President 402-779-1420 | CornhuskerBank.com

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NONPROFIT NEWS American Heart Association Breaks Record for Funds Raised at Heart & Stroke Ball

Date Announced for Jennie Edmundson Foundation’s Wheels of Courage Fundraiser

The American Heart Association’s (AHA) Omaha Heart & Stroke Ball, c haired by Mike and Elizabeth Cassling and honorary chairs by Jack and Stephanie Koraleski, raised more than $1 million on February 29 at the CHI Health Center. The black-tie event drew in 950 attendees and shared the story of six-year-old congenital heart defect survivor, Wyatt Vollertson. The funds raised through the Heart Ball will be used to support local efforts to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.

Themed “A Brighter Future,” the evening focused on healthy outlook for all Nebraskans. Community members opened their hearts after meeting multiple heart and stroke survivors through a survivor show, as well as the featured story of the evening of Wyatt Vollertson. An evening to remember, the guests closed down the event on the dance floor with a live band, On the Fritz.

In the past five years, the AHA has funded 23 studies at the following institutions: the University of Nebraska Medical Center–Omaha (18 studies), the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (three studies), and Creighton University (two studies). Funding the studies helps AHA to fulfill their goal of reducing deaths from heart disease and stroke while improving the lives of all Americans.

The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association are devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke. To learn more call 1-(800) AHA-USA1 or visit their website at heart.org.

Wheels of Courage is excited to present their sixth annual outdoor car show on Saturday, June 27, to benefit the Jennie Edmundson Foundation. Plans are in full swing as they gear up for this fun event.

There will be auctions, raffles, and, of course, cars. All ages are encouraged to attend. Registration will be at 11 a.m., judging begins at noon, and awards will be announced at 3 p.m.

Ronald McDonald House Charities to Host Annual Golf Tournament May 18

ENCOR announced in February the decision to change their name to Duet, whic h stands for Develop, Unite, Empower, Together. To officially unveil their new look, Duet hosted a launch party with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in conjunction with the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce on Febr uary 27. Since then, the nonprofit organization has carried out full rebranding efforts, including the launch of a new website (duetne.org).

The name and meaning behind Duet Executive Director Debbie Duet is intended to better Herbel (left) and Duet Deputy capture the heart of their work.

Director Sarah Graham (right) Just as a duet of musicians are joined at the event by Doug collaborates to create beautiful and Joe, Duet/ENCOR supported music greater than the sum of individuals who have been with the its parts, Duet brings together organization since 1971 as children. the diverse people of Eastern Nebraska to create inclusive, thriving communities.

Though their name has changed, Duet will continue to provide the same core services that the community has come to rely on which include residential support, job coaching, day support services, employment opportunities, and providing education and community advocacy to five Nebraska counties.

Duet looks forward to empowering Nebraskan children and adults with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities in this exciting new chapter of their organization. To learn more, go to duetne.org. You can also contact the administrative office at (402) 444-6500.

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Ronald McDonald House Charities will host their annual golf tournament on Monday, May 18, at The Players Club at Deer Creek, 12101 Deer Creek Dr. The anticipated event plays host to roughly 50 foursomes. The tournament is a perfect treat for clients or just a beautiful day under the open skies.

Sponsorship opportunities for the event are still available, providing great exposure for sponsoring businesses, and most importantly, supporting a valuable cause to help countless people receive the help and support they need in difficult circumstances.

The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha (RMHC) is to create and operate programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. The House strives to do so by providing opportunities that strengthen children and families during their most difficult and challenging times. The specific purpose of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is to support access to care, reduce financial burden, provide psychosocial support keeping families together, enhance clinical experiences and outcomes, and help families resume normalcy. RMHC believes that every child deserves to feel hope in an environment designed to heal, regardless of race, sexual orientation, or faith, and as such, delivers programs without the influence of any discriminatory undertones.

To support Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha, sign up to a sponsor or to register online for the golf tournament, please visit www.rmhcomaha.org/golf. Questions about the event can be directed to Emily Mozer at (402) 346-9377 / emozer@ rmhcomaha.org. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

This event will benefit the Methodist Jennie Edmundson (MJE) hospital cancer patients through the Jennie Edmundson Foundation’s Spirit of Courage Charitable Patient Care Fund. All proceeds will go directly to the fund to help hundreds of MJE patients in their time of need. The Charitable Patient Care fund helps relieve the financial burden of medical services, therapy, and prescriptions for hundreds of people fighting cancer.

You can get involved with the Wheels of Courage Fundraiser by registering your car, becoming a sponsor, or by purchasing a 2020 t-shirt. For more information on how to sign up for Wheels of Courage, call (712) 396-6040 or visit jehfoundation.org to learn more about the Jennie Edmundson Foundation.

ENCOR Formally Changes Name to Duet, Undergoes Complete Rebrand

NONPROFIT NEWS Big Brothers Big Sisters to Host Annual Fundraiser, “Bowl for Kids’ Sake”

Rejuvenating Women Introduces Two-Tier Restored Wings Program

Big Brothers Big Sisters Big of the Midlands will host its largest annual fundraising event, “Bowl for Kids’ Sake,” date TBD. Members of the community will come together to support Big Brothers Big Sisters by raising funds online and then celebrating their fundraising success with 90 minutes of cosmic bowing, pizza, beer/pop and tons of prizes. This year’s fundraising theme is outer space, which means this event will be “out of this world!” This is the most fun you’ll ever have in rented shoes. Initially scheduled for late April through early May, the event is currently postponed for later this year—more information to come regarding specific dates and times.

Rejuvenating Women recently announced that they will begin a new two-tier program through their existing Restored Wings program. The organization now is able to offer not only a recovery program, but also a place of refuge for women who need immediate placement. Women will have the ability to stay for up to 90 days as well as participate in Rejuvenating Women’s 18–24-month program if they so choose.

This new addition to the program will allow residents to participate in the long-term program if they choose to while also allowing them to attend needed life skill classes, case management, counseling and equine therapy, AA/NA, as well as other services offered by Rejuvenating Women. The 90-day stay will allow the organization to reach more women being trafficked and offer them a safe place to rest while giving these women all that they need.

Rejuvenating Women is a short and long-term recovery home for women who have been both labor and sex trafficked. Their services continue to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to accommodate more individuals needing a safe place to lay their heads at night and begin to heal, with a loving and trauma-informed staff to care for each resident.

Rejuvenating Women is a nonprofit organization providing hope and restoration to victims and survivors of human trafficking. To learn more about Rejuvenating Women, go online to rejuvenatingwomen.com or contact 1-(800) 402-0601 / info@rejuvenatingwomen.org to learn about volunteering opportunities.

For 60 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has strived for all youth in the program to reach their full potential. A Big Brother, Big Sister, or Big Couple provides youth with a sense of safety and security, emotional support, and social skill promotion. Bigs and Littles are matched based on common interests so they can have the benefit of doing activities together that they both enjoy. With a Big by their side, more Littles are discovering who they are and what they can achieve in life. Big Brothers Big Sisters is working to clear the path for our youth’s biggest possible futures.

For more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands or updates on details for this event, go online to bbbsomaha.org. If you have questions about the event change, contact Lauren Mohatt at (402) 905-3331 or lmohatt@bbbsomaha.org.

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NONPROFIT NEWS Heartland Hope Mission Offers Week’s Supply of Food to Families During Outbreak

Hy-Vee Partners with JDRF to Support Type 1 Diabetes Research

Heartland Hope Mission is offering a week’s supply of food to families that are unable to work and/or have children at home due to school closures because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Pre-packed pantry boxes will be distributed to families through a drive-thru process to allow for quicker distribution and adhere to the social distancing guidelines. All other services are closed until further notice.

Heartland Hope Mission operates one of the largest food pantries in the state, but they are “More than a Pantry” as they help families work toward self-sufficiency. They primarily serve working poor families and those who may be facing a crisis situation with a week’s supply of food, clothing, diapers, job resources, and community referrals. Like and follow Heartland Hope Mission’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages (@ HeartlandHopeMission) to stay up to date on all the great work they are doing. For hours and locations, please visit HeartlandHopeMission.org.

JDRF is partnering with Hy-Vee from April 1 to 14 to create a world without type 1 diabetes (T1D) by gathering donations.

During the campaign, Hy-Vee stores across the Midwest will provide the opportunity for customers to round-up their total at checkout.

Donations will benefit T1D research, and the campaign will raise awareness of this chronic autoimmune disease.

MICAH House Requests Donations During Vulnerable Time to Serve Homeless MICAH House is working hard to protect one of the most vulnerable populations in our community—the homeless— during this time of uncertainty, and they are calling for donations to allow them to do so. With financial support, they can continue to provide shelter to children, families, and women at no cost, along with access to resources, regardless of the state of the country.

All funds support the daily programs and services. MICAH House will continue to maintain 24-hour operations throughout this time.

Last year, MICAH House provided shelter and services to 209 families and 346 women. They maintain a safe and stable environment for those experiencing the crisis of homelessness while providing nutritious meals, counseling resources, access to an on-site health clinic, and a trauma-informed play program. To learn more or make a donation, please visit www.themicahhouse.org/donate.

Programming Information Available for Camp Summergold’s Arts & Science Camp Programming information is now available for Camp Summergold’s Arts & Science Camp, which will be held May 31–June 6 at the Eastern Nebraska 4H Center in Gretna. This year’s theme is teamwork, and girls ages 10–17 will be using teamwork to investigate fine art mural making, a variety of crafts including sewing and weaving, and science. The 4H Center has rock walls and a variety of ropes to climb as well. Combine these outdoor adventures with Summergold’s indoor arts and science programming for a wonderful week of camp.

Camp Summergold is a girls-only residential summer camp experience where girls explore science and arts while also enjoying campfires, swimming, and hiking of a traditional summer camp. Tuition for the camp is $695. To register, go to www.campsummergold.com. For additional information, please contact Judy Hart at info@campsummergold.com / (402) 474-2206. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

From funding innovative researc h to advocating for government action, JDRF fights battles on many fronts to better the lives of people living with T1D. JDRF also gives millions access to free informational guides about T1D and resources for those living with it.

Hy-Vee’s corporate giving focuses on the well-being of children in regard to their physical, emotional, educational, and cultural needs. They annually host free heart health testing and frequently put on community events as well.

As the leading global funder of T1D research, JDRF gratefully acknowledges Hy-Vee for their continued dedication to its mission.

Learn more at JDRF.org.

Child Saving Institute Joins Mutual of Omaha to Support Read Across America Day Child Saving Institute (CSI) is one of five local organizations that recently partnered with Mutual of Omaha to support Read Across America Day. On March 2, nearly 70 Mutual of Omaha employees volunteered their time to read to children across the metro area. This is the fourth consecutive year that Child Saving Institute has partnered with Mutual of Omaha for Read Across America Day to encourage children to enjoy reading more.

CSI’s Early Childhood Education Centers, located on 45th and Dodge and on the College of Saint Mary’s campus, provide nurturing care and learning to more than 300 children annually. Both centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and participate in the Nebraska Step Up to Quality program. Each center also participates in activities, such as Read Across America Day, to enhance the learning and development of the children enrolled.

Mutual of Omaha is a highly-rated, Fortune 500 organization offering a variety of insurance and financial products for individuals, businesses and groups throughout the United States. In 2019, 1,200 employees contributed more than 10,000 volunteer hours to more than 200 organizations. As a mutual company, Mutual of Omaha is owned by its policyholders and committed to providing outstanding service to its customers. For more information about Mutual of Omaha, visit www. mutualofomaha.com.

Child Saving Institute is dedicated to the prevention, intervention, and healing of child abuse, neglect, and abandonment. For 128 years, CSI has been “Responding to the cry of a child” and meeting the changing needs of metro area children. CSI served more than 2,800 children and families in 2019. Visit www.childsaving.org for more information or call (402) 553-6000 with questions.

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NONPROFIT NEWS Best Care EAP Offers Community Critical Incident Response Services and Virtual Care

Omaha Young Life Presents 25th Annual Golf Tournament on June 8

Best Care EAP (Employee Assistance Program) is offering critical incident response and stress d eb r i e f i n g s e r v i c e s t o organizations, wor k/ member groups, and educational institutions. During difficult or traumatic times, it’s important to bring in a trained clinician to discuss the effects of such events on an emotional and psychological level. Best Care EAP has 10 clinicians to service the Greater Omaha, Fremont, and Council Bluffs areas, with dozens of contracted providers across Nebraska and into Iowa, to provide these services onsite to organizations.

On June 8 at Oak Hills Country Club, Omaha Young Life will host their 25th annual golf tournament.

Registration and driving range will open at 11:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. This is always a successful event, providing great exposure and publicity for sponsors. With more than 120 players in attendance last year, Omaha Young Life anticipates another packed, successful event.

Video and telephonic counseling sessions are also being offered. You can talk to a Best Care physician via computer, tablet, or mobile device so you get a similar personal connection as you would for in-person counseling.

Best Care EAP is dedicated to helping employees and staff members focus on their jobs when problems in their personal lives get overwhelming. From on-site training to individual counseling, Best Care EAP provides a wide variety of wellness and online services that will boost productivity and morale. Contact Best Care EAP to learn more about the services offered by phone at (402) 354-8000 / (800) 801-4182, email at eap@bestcareeap.org, or by visiting their website www.bestcareeap.org.

Open Door Mission Celebrates Success of New Life Recovery Program Open Door Mission is celebrating the impact of their New Life Recovery program by sharing recovery success stories on their website. The program, which offers tools and skills needed to become self-reliant and free from compulsive behaviors and addictions, has touched the lives of many people who turned to Open Door Mission in their time of crisis. Christina is one of these people.

Christina is a graduate of the New Life Recovery program who continues to find relief from a debilitating drug addiction after having participated in the program and getting honest with others about the struggles she was having. At age 16, Christina began to rebel by dropping out of school, hanging out with the wrong crowd, and using drugs. She had a daughter at the age of 20. Despite attempts to get sober, Christina kept falling back into her addiction. She rotated staying with family members and friends until they kicked her out. Her mom took her to Open Door Mission where she found hope and freedom through New Life Recovery’s Bible-based, 12-step residential program. Since graduating from the program, Christina has begun working full-time as a Lydia House Family Support Worker for the Mission, helping others recover as she has.

Open Door Mission is a Gospel Rescue Mission founded in 1954 committed to providing men, women, and families with the tools needed to become self-sufficient community members, breaking the cycle of homelessness, poverty, and addition. Families and single women looking to participate in the New Life Recovery program can contact Shelly McCullough at mmccullough@opendoormission.org / (402) 829-1500 Ext. 7143. Single men wishing to participate can contact Pat at (402) 829-1555 / gtmc-director@opendoormission.org. To read success stories from those who have benefited from the Mission’s services, visit www.opendoormission.org.

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Omaha Young Life’s annual golf tournament has a 25-year history of success, so sponsorships, golfing spots, and volunteer opportunities are sure to quickly be taken. One of the best tournaments in the area, the Young Life tournament is on par with their coveted hole-in-one prize. They also have prizes that include golf foursomes at the region’s top courses. Registration for sponsors, golfers, and volunteers is open today.

Young Life is a world-class organization for adolescents. Their staff and volunteers enter the world of kids, focusing on what matters to them—fun, adventure, friendship, and a sense of significance. In doing so, they earn the privilege of talking to them about something that they believe matters most—the truth about God and His love for them! If you’d like to participate in Omaha Young Life’s golf tournament as a sponsor, volunteer, or golfer, visit www.omaha.younglife.org or contact the Omaha office at (402) 391-4994.

Heartland Family Service to Host 16th Annual “Strike a Chord” Gala on June 26 H e a r t l a n d Fa m i l y S e r v i c e welcomes you to join them for their 16th Annual “Strike a Chord” Gala on Friday, June 26, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the MidAmerica Center in Council Bluffs.

The 16th annual Heartland Family Service “Strike a Chord” Gala will be bodacious! The event will take you back to the 80s to help support vulnerable children, individuals, and families in southwest Iowa. This event is like, totally righteous, and it doesn’t matter what you wear (big hair, faded denim, and neon encouraged) – just as long as you are there! Don’t stop believin’ in helping those in need in our community!

All proceeds from the “Strike a Chord” Gala will benefit Heartland Family Service programs in southwest Iowa, including their K-12 Therapeutic School for students with major mental health diagnoses; Homeless Services programs for families experiencing homelessness; professional mental health counseling services for children and their parents; and prevention, education, and treatment for those struggling with substance use and problem gambling.

Founded in 1875, Heartland Family Service currently serves over 52,000 individuals of all ages each year from over 15 locations in east central Nebraska and southwest Iowa. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Development Manager Desta Clark at (402) 552-7475 or email Events@ HeartlandFamilyService.org. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

HEALTH NEWS 9Round Fitness Expands Hours of Operation to Include Sundays

NCBB Assures Donors Giving Blood is Safe and More Important than Ever

Due to increased demand, 9Round Fitness has expanded the hours of operation to now include Sundays. The new hours of operation are as follows: Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a midday break from 1:30 to 3 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and now Sundays from 12 to 3 p.m.

The Nebraska Comm unity Blood Bank (NCBB) is taking extra precautions to keep blood donors and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve assured the public that giving blood remains a very safe process. If you’re feeling healthy and you’re at home looking for a safe way to get out and support the community, they invite community members to consider donating blood. A stable blood supply is a vital part of the community’s emergency preparedness.

The expansion in hours came about naturally as popularity for 9Round’s workouts and services has steadily grown since 9Round came to Papillion in 2018. One thing that differentiates 9Round from other gyms is that they have no class times and all their sessions are individualized. 9Round encourages any who are doubtful about starting a new exercise routine to give them a try.

They facilitate fun kickboxing fitness training through 30-minute full-body circuit workouts. At 9Round, there are always trainers available to take you through the workout. They work with members of all fitness levels and make sure you’re performing exercises safely and correctly.

9Round Fitness is located at 304 Olson Dr., STE 109, in Papillion.

To learn more about 9Round and their fitness philosophy, visit www.9round.com or contact Todd Vettel at (402) 817-7349 / todd.vettel@9round.com.

NCBB blood drives and donor centers are places where healthy people can make life-saving donations for patients in need. As always, in order to be eligible to donate blood, you must be free from any cold or flu-like symptoms for at least three days. NCBB also takes every donor’s temperature prior to donation, and anyone who feels unwell is not eligible to give blood. Additional screening questions, rigorous cleaning precautions, and social distancing policies have also been implemented, such as cleaning donor beds in between donors and spacing donors out from one another.

Get updates about what the Nebraska Community Blood Bank is doing to keep donors safe and ensure a stable community blood supply at NCBB.org or 1-(877) 986-9414.

DGMD Hair Restoration & Lifestyle Medicine introduces BTL Emsculpt D r. D a n i e l G ro s s, fo u n d e r and director of DMGD Hair Restoration & Lifestyles Medicine, recently introduced a groundbreaking new approach to sculpting the body with BTL Emsculpt. Emsculpt is the first and only non-invasive body shaping procedure that simultaneously addresses both muscle and fat, helping patients achieve next level contouring results.

BTL Emsculpt introduces a first of its kind application of a unique magnetic field. HIFEM technology penetrates through the skin to impact fat as well as muscle tissues. Once penetrated, the energy induces supramaximal muscle contractions that are accompanied by a rapid metabolic reaction in fat cells to not only strengthen and build muscle, but also breakdown fat. This is the only technology that destroys fat while simultaneously building muscle, all while leaving the surrounding tissues unaffected. Tested in seven clinical studies utilizing MRI< CT and Ultrasound, BTL Emsculpt delivered consistent results with 19% increase in lean muscle mass, 16% reduction in abdominal fat, average waist reduction of 4.4cm, and 91% satisfaction ratings.

DGMD Hair Restoration & Lifestyle Medicine was founded by Dr. Daniel Gross, a native of Omaha and a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. Dr. Gross completed his surgical internship at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital before moving on to work at the New York Presbyterian hospital system.

After completing a fellowship in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine, he returned to Omaha to start his practice.

Dr. Gross can be reached at (402) 999-2329 or at dgmdmedical. com for more information on BTL Emsculpt. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

MultiCare Medical Expands Location to Better Serve Clients MultiCare Medical recently celebrated their expansion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 30.

The celebration was attended by the Sarpy Chamber of Commerce representatives along with the MultiCare staff, friends, and family.

Since their opening last year, the team of integrated medical professionals has seen rapid growth. To compensate for this growth, they’ve expand their facility at 701 Pinnacle Dr., STE 105 to include the adjacent bay with plans to obtain even more square footage in the near future.

MultiCare Medical is a medically integrated clinic that focuses on allowing clients to live their lives pain-free, naturally. They specialize in treating and diagnosing chronic pain without needing to resort to drugs and surgery. MultiCare focuses on their team mentality for all treatment plans, which allows them to create a one-stop shop for individualized treatment plans. They specialize in treating fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraines, sciatica, back pain, and widespread joint pain.

MultiCare Medical welcomes new patients from Papillion and the surrounding neighborhoods of Omaha, LaVista, Ralston, Bellevue, Plattsmouth, Springfield, and Louisville. For more information, visit multicaremedical.com or call (402) 505-7989.

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CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

BUSINESS SMARTS: EARN YOUR BSBA ONLINE

START INVESTING IN YOUR OWN ROI Because business is broad, the door to its possibilities is open wide. Stacey Schwarz, Online Program Recruitment Specialist for the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), sheds light on what sets the program apart in helping to meet the needs of so many students and professionals.

Experiential learning—Examination of real-world business situations that translate from the online classroom to a business or organization.

After deciding to leave a traditional business administration program, Clinton Zegers spent the next five years working and struggling with addiction. He would eventually make the decision to seek the help he needed to get sober and through the support of friends and family, put himself on a path to recovery that included finishing what he started for his education, only this time online.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney’s (UNK) Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) online degree program is ideal for working adults interested in furthering their skills and knowledge in core business concepts. This program is designed to empower students to attain additional marketable credentials and take the next step for their career.

Stacey Schwarz Online Recruitment Specialist

Entrepreneur-friendly courses—Preparation to start, expand, or lead a business by taking courses that best meet the student’s unique business needs.

Customizable program options—Consultation with UNK program coordinators to plan out elective and minor program coursework of most benefit to the student.

Industry-focused faculty—Instruction from qualified faculty who have extensive professional experience working in business industries.

Flexible online format—Ability to fit coursework or the degree into a busy schedule while continuing to work in the industry.

In addition to the university’s accreditation, the online BSBA program is accredited by AACSB International, the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide.

“Obtaining a business degree online from an accredited university helped me get a seat at the table, such as interviews for positions that required a bachelor’s degree,” said Zegers. “Returning to finish my degree was a big fear of mine. I struggled with the fear of failure and learning how to cope with it. I had never completed an online class before starting with UNK. The transition from not being in school for several years to completing my degree online couldn’t have been more seamless.”

In the fast-paced world of business, an online BSBA through UNK can help individuals invest in their future on their schedule. The BSBA is a fully online degree, which allows flexible timeframes for coursework. Students can login and complete assignments during the time of day that works best for them. Access and flexibility make it possible for adult students to gain a solid foundation in several aspects of business alongside other responsibilities.

“An online program was very beneficial for my lifestyle. Being a non-traditional student working a 40-50 hour a week job while maintaining a social lifestyle, looking back, an online program was probably the only program that would help me further advance my education without having to sacrifice other aspects of my life,” Zegers said.

Online classes are very interactive with communication through email, discussion forums and chat groups. Pursuing the UNK BSBA makes you a part of a community you can benefit from. Students work with an adviser, from application to graduation, who helps tailor the program unique to them.

Core coursework includes: • Accounting • Business law • Business communications • Finance • Operations and supply management • Social responsibilities • Management information systems Graduates of the BSBA online degree program earn a four-year degree in Business Administration from UNK. The BSBA is a 120 credit hour program with core courses offered each semester and minor courses offered concurrently on a rotating basis.

Whether you are a company employee climbing the ladder, a small business owner seeking a competitive edge or a professional changing careers, the BSBA at UNK is helping Nebraskans move forward in their goals. Get started at: online.nebraska.edu/bsba University of Nebraska Online is the University’s collaborative distance education initiative focused on providing greater access for more students to the high-quality courses and program offered online by the four campuses of the university system. In addition to the Business Administration, BS program, the University of Nebraska offers more than 150 online programs. Visit the University of Nebraska Online at online. nebraska.edu to view all programs.

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OUTLOOK NEBRASKA (531) 365-5055

OutlookBusinessSolutions.com

Is Your Website ADA Compliant?

Is your company looking towards the horizon to extend its marketing reach while avoiding potential legal action? Lawsuits against companies is an emerging trend when they fail to provide accessibility for disabled people. Businesses worry about the expense and time in ensuring accessibility, especially for online and digital platforms, but for disabled people, it potentially locks them out of opportunities from employment to entertainment.

• In 2018, more than 470 suits involving digital accessibility were filed between July and September.

• UsableNet estimates that in 2019, a new ADA website lawsuit was filed every working hour, totaling 40 a week and more than 2,000 per year.

These numbers demonstrate the need for websites and apps to be accessible for everyone.

Finding representatives from a target demographic to test online and digital content is strongly recommended. Using real-life people who understand accessibility is key. Accessibility should be worked into the creation of platforms. Expectations with collaborators should be set up-front, which includes graphic designers, content managers, and writers. Some key accessibility concerns to work on include: • Avoid “click here” links and vague link names • Reduce cluttered pages • Use headings • Keep formatting simple • Use tables selectively • Include descriptive alt-text for graphics including photos and icons Outlook Business Solutions provides accessibility testing for organizations and companies. Skilled technicians will test various aspects of your online/digital platforms and provide suggestions you can implement to ensure your content meets with ADA and WCAG guidelines. We can: • Conduct a thorough review of your website to identify any accessibility obstacles including missing alt text for images, incorrectly labeled buttons, and navigational errors.

• Run diagnostics to analyze the accessibility of your website and/or app.

The digital world is moving toward a standard of full accessibility for websites and platforms. Be a leader in your community and your industry by ensuring your company adopts best accessibility practices, and reap the added benefits of an expanded market and reduced legal risk.

Call today for a free initial evaluation of your website.

Is your website as ADA-compliant as your restrooms? #PrintProudDigitalSmart

402.991.9200 /TheOmahaBakery 608 S. 72nd St. • Omaha, NE

LIFE ISN’T ON A SCHEDULE.

WHY SHOULD YOUR WORKOUT BE? No class times!

Try a free workout with one of our trainers today!

402.415.2970 | 304 Olson Dr, Ste 109 | Papillion, NE 68046 @9RoundOfficial | 9Round.com

New, Local, and Nothing Like You’ve Ever Seen Before Come and enjoy our new Locally Sourced Spring Menu!

Our new menu will feature refreshing cocktails and unique beers along with an upscale, yet inviting menu.

Our small plate menu options will feature rotating and locally sourced ingredients.

Come and visit us today!

402.261.7800 | thekindlerhotel.com | @kindlerhotel 216 N 11th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508 stay@thekindlerhotel.com

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CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

Add A Shop

by Sandhills Global Sandhills Global (formerly known as Sandhills Publishing) is a technology company offering a wide range of products and services for the construction, agriculture, commercial trucking, and aviation industries. Sandhills established its home in Lincoln in 1985. The family-owned company got its start in 1978 in Webster City, IA.

Think it’s too difficult or too costly to add an online shop to your website?

Looking for the best eCommerce option on the market?

In addition to connecting buyers and sellers in these industries via global retail and auction platforms, Sandhills provides many related services, including web design, hosting, and e-commerce. Sandhills’ Add A Shop solution is a turnkey e-commerce platform that lets you sell almost anything online—equipment parts, baseball cards, building materials, office furniture, vehicles, whatever you have to sell.

Add A Shop, like other Sandhills services, connects buyers and sellers worldwide. A clear, concise dashboard shows what each customer ordered, when they ordered it, when it shipped, its payment status, and much more, 24/7 on your computer or mobile device. Additional integrated service from Sandhills and its partners can help you at every point in the e-commerce process, including payment processing, offering financing to buyers, making shipping arrangements, and providing insurance for purchased goods.

Add A Shop is different from other e-commerce services in that it builds an online store to mesh with your existing website for free—with no setup fee, contract, monthly fees, maintenance fees, or any other hidden charges. With a Sandhills account and an Add A Shop online store, you also get free access to several other Sandhills marketplaces to put your items in front of many more potential buyers.

What changes have you seen in the industry and your company in the past few years?

What was the biggest turning point in your business?

Smartphones and other mobile devices have eclipsed computers as the primary ways that buyers shop online. That’s why with Add A Shop, when we build your online store it will display beautifully on any device, even a smartphone.

The internet has changed nearly everything about buying and selling. Since 1996, all of Sandhills’ trade publications and services have had an online presence around the world. Recently, a partnership with Currency helped Sandhills to develop Add A Shop, offering free e-commerce integration into any website.

What do you see happening with the business in the next 5 years?

What is the most unique or interesting thing about your business that most people don’t know?

E-commerce will continue to grow and become more integral to building your business. Add A Shop allows you to take advantage of online growth with low costs and continuous development.

Add A Shop gives you direct support from human experts, not bots. Also, Add A Shop utilizes Google Shopping categories to improve your placement on Google searches for products in your online store, optimizing your search result ranking (SEO).

What is one goal for your business that you have yet to accomplish?

Sandhills continually improves Add A Shop and its complementary services using input from real-world customers.

User feedback drives and informs changes, major and minor, that make Add A Shop and its kindred services more efficient and easy to use.

What do you like about doing business in Omaha?

The proximity of universities promises a qualified, professional workforce, and the growing city’s positive reputation and strong work ethic makes Omaha an attractive choice.

What has been your most important achievement as a business?

Add A Shop removes unnecessary barriers traditionally associated with e-commerce, including monthly fees and the cost of store design and integration. It opens up online selling to anyone without requiring an initial investment.

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Strictly Business APRIL 2020

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Starting a Business Have you had the dream of a business startup stirring in your thoughts for a while now? Perhaps you have a business model in mind, but you’ve been holding off until the stars align. There are many people blessed with an entrepreneurial spirit, and they know they have a good product or service to offer, but they don’t feel confident in moving forward because they are unfamiliar with the necessary steps to take to actually start a business. Being knowledgeable of the process is important, especially considering all the various aspects that go into it.

If you’re serious about making your business dream a reality, we’ve gathered helpful information and talked with experts who have their hand in different areas of the business launching process, from the legalities to the commercial lease.

Partnering with a lawyer from the get-go can help protect you from future mishaps and expensive mistakes down the road.

Berry Law Attorney Susan Napolitano can help ensure that you start your business on the right track.

“When somebody comes in with just an idea, I can teach them how to set up their practice or business as opposed to setting it up for them,” she shared. “That works great for small business owners. Then, as they get bigger, we work to avoid any kind of legal issues.”

Susan Napolitano Berry Law

Do Your Research The first step you need to take to springboard your business dream is to conduct market research. Is there a demand for the products or services you’re looking to provide? Is the market oversaturated?

If there does seem to be some market saturation, is there an empty niche you can fill that can position you well in the industry?

These are important questions to consider in your initial planning phase. You want to determine the best way to brand and differentiate yourself from the competition so you become a vendor of choice for people in the market.

Each unique business will have different needs to consider. Being thorough in your research will help you cover your bases so you are ready to move forward. One important area to research is the costs of running your business as well as the best rates/prices to charge for the products and services you want to offer. Finding a happy balance in the prices you charge is important in ensuring you have a decent margin for your own returns but you aren’t charging too much to attract customers.

Make it Legal and Official Once you have done research and you’re confident in your product/service, you will need to make it all official by choosing a legal structure, such as forming an LLC to protect your private assets. Then you will need to go through all the proper channels to fill out paperwork and comply with laws and regulations for getting registered. You will also need to get federal and state tax ID numbers; permits; any necessary licenses; and trademarks, copyrights, or patents, if applicable.

Though some of this may be simple enough to do on your own, the total volume of work may be overwhelming, and it’s always helpful to have the knowledge and expertise of a lawyer to ensure that you’ve covered your bases. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

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Berry Law is well equipped to handle nearly all your business legal needs. Serving clients throughout Omaha and Lincoln, Berry Law can help anyone needing legal assistance at the outset of a new business venture. For business owners looking to take an idea from the germination stage to a working reality, partnering with Berry Law is a smart move that can give them the confidence and security of knowing they’re in good hands.

The legal needs of business owners vary widely by city and state, but in all cases there are a significant number of services that a local business attorney can provide to help business owners. There are DIY options to sidestep lawyers, but given the tremendous financial consequences of correct legal work it can sometimes be a costly mistake to avoid legal help.

Berry Law offers customized business law solutions for small, medium, and large businesses. Whether you are looking to start a new business, grow and safeguard your existing business, create a succession plan, or finally exit a venture, their business attorneys provide a variety of important services.

Make It Accessible So, you’ve got most of the initial paperwork out of the way, but now it’s time to really make things official...launch a website. Everyone is online, and you want your business to be where everyone is.

A website is important because it helps you establish credibility as a business, regardless of how big or small your operation is.

Websites and social media pages allow your customers to reach you at all times.

A business website serves as a space to provide general information about your company such—the who, what, when, where, why, and how—in addition to being a direct platform for e-commerce if you plan to sell your goods online. Launching a website or even an app for your business is all a part of creating and presenting your brand.

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Jon Weiss, founder of ShineForth, shared ways they help businesses find a fresh approach to presenting their business, particularly through website and other platform design.

“Our team has decades of experience working with clients from around the country,” Jon shared. “We love to code, develop our craft, and build solutions that help businesses grow. It’s our passion and what drives us each day. Whether you need a website, mobile app, enterprise platform, or a technology roadmap that works for your business, we want to be the partner that you trust.”

Jon Weiss ShineForth

There are DIY website builders out there, but going that route could limit your design options based on your skill level. Many of us are not professional developers, and there are some of us who aren’t tech savvy in the slightest, which makes creating a website that works for a specific business a little challenging. We recommend partnering with an expert who can do what they do best so you can focus on doing what you do best.

“Innovation moves fast, technology can be complex, and getting it wrong can be an expensive setback to your business,” Jon stated. “What worked yesterday, or something that was built last year, may not be able to keep pace with the growth of your business. Having a firm grasp on the technology platforms that support your business is critical. Knowing where those platforms are going is even more important. For those reasons, it is more important than ever to have the right technology partner that can help you achieve your business growth goals with dependable technology solutions that are rock solid, secure, and scalable at the speed of business.”

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Select Your Location Once you’ve established an online presence, ask yourself if your business needs a storefront or a physical location to carry out operations. If so, finding the right location can make all the difference in attracting customers and also allowing you to function efficiently with optimum access to the resources you need to keep your business running.

To help you find the very best location, it is important to look to experts who know the current commercial real estate market and the best available offerings. Make sure to give you and your agent sufficient time to do your research and see your options long before you need to move into your space. It is recommended to begin actively looking for a location at least six months before you will need to move in, if not sooner, to give you adequate time for a careful search. You may even benefit from considering possible locations a year or more in advance.

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Secure Good Partnerships After finding the right location to set up shop, it is a good idea to secure partnerships with experts who can assist with specific aspects of your business while you focus on your primary area of expertise. One such area in which you may benefit from outsourcing professional help is IT. Dave Koopmans, manager of solutions engineering at Scantron Technology Solutions, shared how tec hnology is critical to the success of your business operations and ways Scantron can develop a technology infrastructure strategy for the starting of a business.

“For today’s businesses, data is everything, but we must take a hard look at what data you are going to produce, where it will reside, who needs it, and how it will Dave Koopmans be used. With answers to those questions, Scantron Technology we can develop an infrastructure strategy Solutions that will determine if you need server(s) on premise or in the cloud, what security procedures and protocols will be needed to secure your data, and how users will access the data. With an infrastructure strategy in place, we can continue the process into business continuity and disaster recovery (BC/DR).”

Dave shared why disaster recovery and cybersecurity is so important for small businesses: “Many small businesses mistakenly think they can grow into these solutions on their own, but far too often fail to prepare for risks. This could mean the business does not recover from simple issues, and even a minor hardware failure can put a company out of business. Our disaster recovery services can help prevent this. Cybersecurity is also important, and it gets a lot of attention these days for good reasons. Cybersecurity should not be an add-on, but rather it should be an integral part of the overall strategy of the business that starts at the top by identifying the data needs and moving from there. Business owners don’t go into business to build network infrastructure so they really need a partner like Scantron Technology Solutions to ask the right questions, develop the right solutions, and manage the environment so that the business owners can focus on what they are good at.”

Dave explained the qualities business owners should look for in IT partners they’re considering working with: “When you’re choosing a managed IT partner, look for someone who primarily employs their technicians, rather than relying on contractors,” he said.

“Employees are usually trained not only in their IT skillsets, but in customer service. Your customer experience will be smoother when you can rely on your partner to take your issues seriously. Also, look for a partner who takes a proactive approach. By heading off issues or addressing them when they are small, you can save #PrintProudDigitalSmart

a lot of time, effort, and money that is better spent running your core business.”

When deciding on who to partner with, think about the future of your company. An IT partner should be someone who can stay with you through the evolution of your business.

“Look for a partner who can grow with you,” Dave confirmed. “As you expand, you may need a partner with technicians and support staff in multiple locations, with a broad array of skills. What works well when you are a single location with only a few employees may not work as well when you have grown to multiple locations with many employees or need to support a remote workplace plan.”

Beyond IT ser vices, other areas to outsource are workforce management and compliance. Heartland Payroll Solutions improves accuracy by automating and streamlining these activities to save you both time and money. We spoke with Joan Kurtenbach to learn more. She identified questions that frequently arise for new business owners in regards to workforce management and compliance.

“What platform should I use to hire? How Joan Kurtenbach do I know if my employees and I are Heartland Payroll filling out the I-9 correctly? Wait, we have Solutions a federal and a state W4 in Nebraska now?! How do I pay overtime to my nonexempt employees correctly? What forms do I need to fill out if I decide to do business in another state? Can I truly be paperless with my payroll services? These questions and similar ones are common in our industry and that compliance is what Heartland Payroll helps with,” Joan shared. “Heartland Payroll Solutions is a secure online platform that integrates your workforce management APRIL 2020 Strictly Business

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activities, including hiring, onboarding, payroll, time-tracking, HR, and integration.”

The benefits of partnering with Heartland Payroll are many.

Heartland Payroll can help your business be: • Scalable—Heartland will help you be unified and flexible in meeting your business requirements, now and as you grow • Integrated—payroll, hiring, time tracking, and HR solutions will be connected to streamline back office operations. Heartland Payroll exchanges data with accounting services, worker’s comp, 401K, point of sale, and more • Compliant—a personal service representative who understands your business serves as an extension of your team and your single point of contact for all your service needs. Additional services can include access to SHRM Certified HR professionals who can provide guidance on HR issues; labor laws; and compliance with federal, state, and industry regulations • Protected—your data will be protected by industry-leading security technology, controls, and compliance to protect you from security breaches The final result of a partnership with Heartland Payroll is improved efficiency and productivity with the added bonus of reducing back office expenses. Outsourcing a non-revenue generating activity can be imperative when you are starting a new business, so business owners would do well to budget accordingly.

If your business requires processing large ticket transactions, par ticular ly in regards to credit card processing fees, CurrencyPay, a partner of Sandhills Global, has an innovative new solution. CurrencyPay helps you unlock your business potential as the first payment platform designed for buying and selling large-ticket items. With CurrencyPay’s payment processing system, you can optimize large-ticket transactions with ease through multiple payment options so your customers always have a way to pay for larger purchases. In addition to traditional payment methods such as credit, debit, and ACH, CurrencyPay allows you to offer your customers flexible financing at the point of sale.

There are no long- term commitments with CurrencyPay—you can process payments on your terms so you can focus on growing your business. Finally, CurrencyPay provides exclusive inventory finance programs for you, allowing you to take advantage of a custom-tailored finance package based on your business goals, including 0% interest for 90 days and more.

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We can help you build a team of well-trained, skilled workers who

When you start a business, you’ll likely reach a point where you’ll have to start assembling a team to help you manage the launch and growth of your organization. There is a lot of pressure to get the right people for the job. As a business owner, you may consider working with a recruiting firm to help you narrow down your search to the best candidates while you’re still balancing a heavy startup workload. Concentric Corporation specializes in finding the right people to staff your business, and they’re passionate about it.

“Concentric Corporation helps companies grow in the most effective way,” said Andy Hawkins, founder/CEO. “Our 16 years of being in business has allowed the businesses we serve to gain the best talent possible with a great culture fit.

This ensures retention in staff. We have helped businesses of any size, from startup to Fortune 500. The reason businesses choose Concentric is because we take the same quality and care in our process in finding the right all-around fit, regardless of business size. And, we are not cost prohibitive.”

Andy Hawkins Concentric Corporation

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Andy believes that being prepared for bumps and challenges ahead is essential for the new business owner. “Be prepared for the unexpected,” he said. “Now, more than ever, everything moves faster. Think on your feet, be flexible, adaptable, and enjoy the hectic. Your people make the company, so make sure you hire the right people who see the company vision and create the culture that wins. Choosing the right people and getting them in the right positions will only help you succeed!”

Once you have your team in place, you will want to establish a good team atmosphere and ensure your employees have access to necessary training and r e s o u r c e s. ActionCOACH p ro v i d e s excellent resources for a variety of needs related to training and strengthening your team, as well as other tools specifically designed for new business owners. Jim Barger started ActionCOACH in Omaha over 10 years ago and has built and coached large businesses in Singapore, Jim Barger New Zealand, and all across the U.S. Jim ActionCOACH has built a team of coaches and partners that will help any business achieve their dreams and strengthen their team. He shared his advice on what questions to consider when starting a new business.

“When you start a business, answer the question “When will it be finished?” This is tough, because you haven’t even started it yet! But the question makes you think about the ultimate aim or purpose of the business. When will it deliver its promise to you, the investor, the creator? ActionCOACH defines a finished business as one that conducts its daily work (sales, production, accounting) without the owner’s time. This is impossible in a startup, but is a worthy goal and the design of the new business can address these issues. A business that works without the owner is a cashflow asset that creates income and wealth. That’s why you start a business.”

Hiring the right employees will help make it possible for businesses owners to do as Jim suggests, and work toward a point where the business can run and function without the business owner’s constant attention. Jim is motivated by helping business owners find the best ways to success and efficiency, which is why he offers so many great resources.

“Every business owner ought to attend our free workshop, ‘5 Ways To Massive Profit,’ which presents the greatest secret in business and focuses the business owners on how to generate more cash flow,” Jim said. “The people who attend leave with a marketing plan they design for their business that they can go to work on the very next day. We meet on the second Friday of each month from 1 to 3 p.m.”

Networking With your business up and running, it will become important to make continued connections in the community to spread awareness of your brand and build relationships that will grow your business. Connecting with other business owners through networking organizations is a great way to build relationships that could benefit you in your business in countless ways. Networking organizations offer the potential for forging connections that can open doors, connect you with helpful people and resources, and grow your client base.

Center Sphere is a great outlet in Omaha that provides excellent opportunities for networking and building relationships. Center Sphere is an established network that any business owner, manager, salesperson, account representative, etc. can join. New members are encouraged to visit a few different chapters to find a group, time, and location that works best for them. These chapters are made up of about 10–35 other professionals from different industries. Becoming involved in a chapter is a great way to get to know influential people and begin establishing yourself in the #PrintProudDigitalSmart

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business community. You never know what opportunities may arise from a networking connection.

Advertise, Advertise, Advertise While networking and making personal connections can’t be replaced, it’s impossible to get out and shake all the hands you want to shake while also running other major functions of your business. This is why it is important to invest in a marketing strategy that works for you. Find where your target audience is and put your name out there, where that be through print, social media, TV, radio, etc. Marketing is an important tool that every business should take advantage of in both the early days of business and beyond. Savvy business owners understand that marketing creates brand awareness and gets the business name out to the public.

People may not even remember when or where they’ve seen your name, but if you utilize effective marketing and advertising, they’ll simply know they’ve heard of you, which puts your business in a good position.

We, of course, believe in the marketing power of Strictly Business.

People often ask how running an ad in our magazine works or how to get an article published. There are so many different parts that make up Strictly Business. We run ads of all sizes as well as various editorial pieces. These pieces are then published in print and online, reaching a large local audience. Our goal is to present our clients as the expert in their field.

We get to know our clients and their needs so we can take a personal approach to spreading awareness of their business and the products/services they offer in a way that resonates.

Our community is filled with great people and resources to help new business owners get their business off the ground. Whatever your business dream may be, if you do your research and partner with the best, you can’t go wrong. Remember to reach out to the experts for assistance in helping your business grow and thrive!

APRIL 2020 Strictly Business 43

Spring

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Strictly Business APRIL 2020

As yards finally turn green and trees begin to bloom, most of us are ready to get our lawns in order. There’s no better time to start on all the lawn care, landscaping, and decorative projects to make your yard look its best. To get the most use and enjoyment out of your lawn, you will need to set some goals and take actions to accomplish them.

Lawn It’s important to establish a healthy lawn as the base of your landscape.

After all, no matter how much money you invest in retaining walls, perennials, trees, etc. your lawn won’t be at its best without a green, lush grounding. Lawns should be kept between 2 3/4 and 3 3/4 inches in order to ensure root quality and reduce weeds. It’s easy to let lawns get out of hand, so your lawn should be mowed every two weeks.

AKRS Equipment has all the lawn equipment that you could need to keep your lawn from becoming a jungle this spring. Nick Wessel, a turf and commercial equipment sales professional at AKRS Equipment, gave us a quick debrief on what his company is all about.

“AKRS Equipment is a full service dealer with parts, service, and sales on John Deere and Stihl equipment,” he said. “We offer a Ready-to-Mow service where we come to you to service your equipment. That way, your machines are ready to go when you are. It’s Nick Wessel always suggested to service your equipment AKRS Equipment before the spring season begins to ensure that your lawn doesn’t get out of hand.”

If you are unfamiliar with how to service your lawn mower or other John Deere or Stihl equipment, you should refer to a professional to make sure you don’t accidentally damage your own equipment.

Nick told us about a common mowing mistake: “Many people sharpen their mower blades to be extremely sharp, but they should actually be maintained to the original bevel edge,” he said. “If they are razor sharp, the sharp edge will roll over and dull quickly. It’s recommended to keep your blades at a .40 millimeter (1/84 inch) cutting edge or less.”

Nick told us about common signs that you should see a professional about your equipment. These include: • Poor cut quality • Leaving a trail of cut or uncut grass • Grass clumping • Poor bagging performance • Uneven cut Beyond lawn equipment maintenance, if there are areas of your grass that have turned yellow and died, then you should consider overseeding. Overseeding should be done after aeration, when the soil is open and ready to germinate seeds. Spring overseeding is best done between April 1 and 30 for Kentucky bluegrass and between April 15 and June 15 for tall fescue. Overseeding will allow fresh grass to grow and re-establish a strong root system. Make sure that your #PrintProudDigitalSmart

sprinkler system is up and running so that you can properly germinate your new grass.

A large project that irrigation specialists and DIY extraordinaires take on every season is preparing irrigation systems after being in a winterized state. Getting your system correctly ready for sping and summer will save water and money. Your grass needs time to wake up from a dormant state, so the water should enter the system gradually. Following these steps can ensure a smooth process: • Prior to pressurizing the system, check your backflow device for damage • Never open the water too quickly to avoid damaging your mainline or valves • Inspect each zone and fixed nozzle for possible wear and tear, obstructions, and other damage • Check to see where each nozzle is spraying, and make sure not to waste money by spraying sidewalks or driveways • Program the controller so that the water flow rate does not exceed the soil’s absorption capability Activating your lawn in the spring can be frustrating, time-consuming, and possibly risky to navigate through all the technicalities of your sprinkler system. It can also lead to expensive breaks and repairs. Not only that, if done incorrectly, it can lead to your system breaking down mid-summer and destroying the health of your grass.

Many people already have trusted professionals that they work with while others are in the market for lawn assistance. No matter your circumstance, make sure you speak with lawn care professionals ahead of time on how you want your lawn to be serviced. Be sure to cover all the bases by speaking up about your preferences and concerns in an upfront manner. You want to make sure that nothing is assumed and you are all on the same page.

Planting While you may think you need exotic plants to make your yard look unique, there are actually a large variety of Nebraska-native plants that are just as beautiful as non-native plants. Using native plants ensures that your garden will thrive even through Nebraska’s crazy weather.

They also require less watering on average and no chemical fertilizers and pesticides because they’re adapted to the environment, unlike their foreign competitors. Natives also make better environments and food sources for pollinators, especially those that migrate! Exotic plants can sever the food web of your ecosystem and even become an invasive pest.

To emphasize how important it is to plant local, research by the entomologist Dough Tallamy found that native oak trees support over 500 species of caterpillars, whereas ginkgos, a common alternative native to Asia, host only five species. If you want beautiful butterflies and moths to visit your lawn, it’s important that you provide plants that they can interact with.

Here’s a list of native-Nebraska plants that could liven up your garden: • Purple Poppy Mallow • Blackeyed Susans • Coneflower • Beardtongue When planning your garden, it’s important to consider if the plant could potentially attract pollinators.

Increasing the number of pollinators that visit your garden is definitely a win-win for you. Not only do you get to say you did your part to help the environment, you also get beautiful plants that are more resilient and healthy. An easy pollinator to attract is birds. The bird population booms in the summer as they come back from migrating, so they can put a lot of stress on their natural food resources. Setting up bird feeders in your yard is an easy way to have a positive impact on your local ecosystem.

While an obvious benefit is being able to bird watch, you also help to create healthier birds that can go on to feed their chicks.

Here are additional steps you can take to attract pollinators to your yard: • Provide local, native food sources for insects • Provide clean water #PrintProudDigitalSmart

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• Leave some nesting sites like soft dirt, hollow branches, and holes in wood • Reduce or eliminate insecticide and herbicide use While some people shy away from ‘messy’ plants that shed fruits and nuts, these are actually the most likely to attract pollinators to your yard!

Those pollinators will be a natural improvement to your environment for months after the spring fades since most flowering plants require pollinators. As an added bonus, they’re a great way to teach your children to appreciate nature and understand ecosystems!

Another aspect of landscape planning you have to keep in mind is the plant’s mature size, intent, and function, which relates to the level of maintenance it will require. Shrubs and trees should be planted cautiously. Most trees will require trimming every growing season to avoid fall growth spurts and desiccation burn, while most perennials will not require deadheading (removal of dead flowers) to re-bloom. Make sure you consider the level of maintenance you’re willing to complete when deciding what to plant.

If you do decide to plant a tree or anything else, Honeyman Rent-All has all the equipment you could possibly need. Since most trees only need to be cleaned up once a year, it may be more economically efficient to simply rent an electric trimmer than buying one. The same can be said for a lot of lawn equipment, since many of us don’t have the money or garage space to buy every garden tool for a once-a-year activity. If that’s the case, consider renting. Honeyman has all the equipment required to start a large yard project. They have riding aerators, augers, leaf blowers, chippers, trimmers, and more to satisfy all your landscaping needs.

The best time to plant trees is during their dormant period, typically early spring or late fall. Trees really are lifelong investments for your property, so it’s important to give them all the resources they require to grow. There are many factors that affect sapling health—how well suited it is to the planting location, proper planting, follow-up care, soil type, etc. Getting your tree to mature to its full size will provide you with environmental and economic benefits throughout its lifetime.

Determining where to plant a tree is not a decision to be taken lightly, and it is definitely recommended to consult a landscaping professional before starting the long process. Tree growth must not interfere with underground or overhead lines. If you accidentally plant a tree too close to your house, you’ll be kicking yourself in the future when falling branches cause property damage or roots interfere with pavement.

According to research conducted by the USDA Forest Service, energy savings, storm-water runoff reduction, cleaner air, and higher property values lead to trees producing three times more of an economic advantage than their cost. Each large front yard tree adds approximately 1% to the house sales price. Additionally, strategically placed trees can also help house owners save up to 56% on annual air-conditioning costs.

The Forest Service Center found that the annual net benefit per tree is $60. So, not only do they look great, they’re great for your pocket too!

With the arrival of spring, take some time to escape outside and make the world a little better by keeping your yard healthy and beautiful.

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Unplanned Life Changes

From loneliness to

living large

Here for you. Not for profit.

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Change is never easy. Even when positive change occurs, it may still force us to say goodbye to a former time and way of life. Unwanted and unplanned changes can bring an even greater sense of loss as they pull us away from our comfortable routines and familiar circumstances. Change is often confusing and disorienting. It can move the ground beneath us.

For seniors and their loved ones who find themselves unwittingly faced with an unexpected situation, life may become uncomfortable for a time. We recognize the severity of these life-altering events and hope to approach them with care. We believe there is great comfort in human experience and knowing we are not alone in life’s journey.

Recent events in the world have brought unexpected challenges to countless communities with the spread of COVID-19, widely referred to as coronavirus. The senior health and living industries in particular have been on the front lines of the crisis as they’ve cared for populations most vulnerable to this threat. We are extremely fortunate in our community to have the help of such knowledgeable and qualified professionals as well as access to the best and latest in health technology, excellent facilities, and medicine.

We spoke with individuals who spend their days looking to the well-being of seniors in our community for words of wisdom and encouragement to navigate the often turbulent waters that come with unplanned life changes. Across the board, these caring professionals expressed a sense of compassion, concern, and hope for seniors who face difficulties. Here are their thoughts of encouragement for handling unplanned life changes.

Take a Proactive Approach to Life Many people may not think to look ahead for coming changes, such as limited mobility or a transition to a senior living community, until the need for change is imminent. This can cause anxiety and panic. On the other hand, anticipating change can help you steady yourself when life does change. Expecting the unexpected may not take away all the pain or difficulty from the situation, but it can ground you. Retirement, relocation, changes in health and physical capacity, and bereavement are common changes every senior should mentally anticipate.

Oasis Senior Advisors in Omaha is a good starting point for many seniors and their families as they build a plan for life transitions. The professionals at Oasis offer free senior housing placement services so you can find the right community to meet your needs. They rely on their cutting-edge OasisIQ™ software, as well as their extensive knowledge of the community, in order to reveal the best option available to each specific client.

Oasis helps families navigate the maze in the search for the best senior living environment for their individual situations so families can be proactive and prepared. Because seniors often have questions about the homes they are considering, Oasis provides information about the social services different communities offer, whether nursing care or special medical services are easily accessible, and other commonlysought answers. At Oasis, families walk through these questions in a simple, step-by-step fashion, narrowing down the choices to those that are the best fit. Oasis can also help arrange tours for the places seniors are most interested in. #PrintProudDigitalSmart

One senior living provider that offers a wide variety of highlyrated accommodations among their various communities is Hillcrest Health Services. Hillcrest Health Services has been providing senior care and senior living since 1967, and is now a leader among providers of aging-related services in eastern Nebraska. Their beautiful and thoughtfully-planned communities include Hillcrest Mable Rose, Hillcrest Country Estates, and Silver Ridge, among others. They also offer rehabilitation and extended-stay services at their Hillcrest Health & Rehab location in Bellevue and therapy services at Hillcrest Physical Therapy, the region’s only free-standing outpatient therapy clinic offering physical, occupational, speech and massage therapy in one location. Their integrated system of services offers a full continuum of care, including assisted living, memory support assisted living, outpatient therapy services, adult day services, skilled home health and personal care, inpatient rehabilitation, respite care, hospice, and compassionate end-of-life support. Their goal is to enhance the lives of seniors as well as their family members who love them.

Doing your research ahead of time and having a plan in place before emergencies arise is an important way to create peace of mind and lessen the stress and burden of difficult times. Taking a proactive approach can also help family members to be prepared for times of emergency so they are able to quickly respond when their help is needed. Even if you are unable to anticipate every difficult circumstance that may come your way, having some kind of plan in place can allow you to focus your energies on immediate needs that demand the most attention, knowing that other things will be okay.

List the Reasons You are Grateful Research has proven time and time again that grateful people are happier, healthier, more able to cope with challenges, and less prone to mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, and suicide.

One study even found that people who practice gratitude experience decreased levels of physical pain.

Robbie Nathan, transition consultant with Bridge to Better Living, shared her thoughts on using gratitude to find the hidden gems in life, even during difficult times.

“We all need to remember there is so much to be grateful for,” she said. “It’s not what we don’t have; it’s what we still have. Age may decrease hearing, vision, or agility, but the memories seniors have, the life events they’ve experienced, affect how others’ lives evolve.

Each person of age should feel valued and certainly know ‘this, too, shall pass.’ Do not Robbie Nathan Bridge to Better Living hesitate to ask questions and do not stop until you have an answer. Be confident there are support groups and experts who will guide you through the complex navigation of aging. You are not the first and you will not be the last to hit a speed bump in life. Bridge to Better Living finds seniors to be inspirational and believes there are others who are in agreement.

Let us help.”

With the current crisis of COVID-19 present in the community, Robbie assured us helpful people are still doing their good work for others.

“Coronavirus does not stop people from caring,” she said. “Bridge to Better Living has the latest technology and will continue to serve seniors and their loved ones. We are able to conduct consultations and tours virtually and are open for business. Placement with Passion® continues through this pandemic and beyond.”

Bridge to Better Living helps seniors navigate the complex world of senior living options by offering a no-cost-to client service to navigate the complexities of senior living options. They help find the most appropriate fit.

“A ‘Plan B’ is best formulated before unexpected changes occur, not when,” Robbie said. “Bridge to Better Living visits with families every day regarding the importance of knowing the choices available. Many people believe all retirement communities are the same. We show them how senior living communities may seem to offer the same amenities and services, but they are all offered in different ways.” #PrintProudDigitalSmart

Bridge to Better Living’s services provide assurance and stability for seniors facing the transition of moving to a new community.

Enjoy the Beauty of the Here and Now One potential obstacle in finding a sense of purpose in a new life is the realization that often these transitions separate us from certain beloved aspects of the past—things/people/places we once loved and enjoyed that are no longer a part of the new present reality. While this may hurt, the truth is that the present also holds beautiful people, places, things, and opportunities that were not available in the past.

Jennifer Knecht, vice president of marketing and sales for Immanuel Communities, understands this challenge as well as the transformation that comes into seniors’ lives when they discover the gift of the present.

“Most of us envision retirement as an easy, peaceful period in our lives,” she said. “In reality, it’s full of transitions like redefining our role in the lives of our now grown children, finding fulfillment without a nine-to-five, seeing friends come and go, or even experiencing the loss of a spouse. The transitions can be Jennifer Knecht difficult, but what we’ve learned in working Immanuel Communities with thousands of seniors in all stages of aging is that you never know what amazing gifts are around the corner. New friends, passions, new outlooks on life are all there if we continue to be open to learning and welcoming them.”

Jennifer has witnessed the positive results residents experience when they embrace the beauty of their new circumstances.

“At Immanuel, we’ve heard amazing stories from residents who found incredible friendship late in life, and even love after loss,” she shared.

“When we experience change, the tendency is to close off and retreat into our environment, but staying active is really important for physical and mental health. Get out there, join groups, be active, and connect

Our family can help your family.

Our family of services can support your loved one with our wide array of care services, including: • Adult day services • Independent living • Assisted living and memory support • Long-term care • Short-term rehab • In-home companion services • Home health and hospice

Neaednswers?

Call (402) 682-4800 or visit hillcresthealth.com

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care isn’t just for individuals with ongoing conditions or diseases. It can be important for post-surgical recovery as well for short-term patients. For short-term care, a nurse would help with keeping surgical wounds clean and ensure they are healing properly and assist you in returning to regular life. They can also help identify if additional therapies may be needed.”

Julie discussed four basic types of recovery therapies, each focusing ElderCare Resource Handbook on a different problem people can experience: The Handbook is an all-inclusive listing of services, programs and other • Physical therapy is the most general, focusing on mobility and resources available for the aging. strength recovery using traditional modalities and exercises. es for The book that car • Therapies • Home Health Care • Legal the people you love It can also help in regaining balance and making important • Living Options • Transportation e Visit this book onlin movements such as traveling from your bed to the restroom om ok.c • Government • Financial • Resources dbo Han Omaha more safe and efficient.

• Medical Services • Food Programs • Elder Moving • Funeral Arranging Purchase Your Copy Today!

• Occupational therapy focuses on improving ability to perform key, daily tasks. For example, patients and care staff may form a plan to improve coordination to perform tasks such as dressing, eating, writing, or reading.

• Balance and fall prevention, like physical therapy, focuses on movement and strength. In addition, this strategy involves making a specific plan to remove common obstacles which can lead to falls and accidents. Whether it is someone’s vision or medication, or whether furniture in a home is laid out in a way that obstructs movement, there are many steps to ensure that navigating around the home does not become hazardous.

• Speech therapy is not only common to help patients of strokes and hearing loss to regain their ability to communicate, it also can help with memory problems and trouble swallowing.

Whatever kinds of therapies or services a home-bound senior may need, 402.669.9490 Home Nursing with Heart can offer the support and loving human touch Omaha@YourOasisAdvisor.com needed to help through difficult life changes.

AnswersForMom.com Kyle Johnson Jenny Trebold Take Advantage of Available Resources Senior Living Advisor Senior Living Advisor One of the great advantages of living at this point in history is the availability of so many socially to find those enriching experiences. The beauty of retirement excellent, comprehensive resources. Kyle living is that those experiences are already happening just steps from Johnson, owner of Care Consultants for the door. The social aspect of senior living is a benefit that’s truly Oasis Senioryour Advisors_KJohnson_Quarter Page.indd 1 1/11/2019 9:49:36 AMAging, talked to us about their ElderCare priceless, especially during difficult times. Immanuel is deeply committed Resource Handbook for families researching to ending the senior loneliness epidemic through services and amenities their options. The online edition of their Omaha that help seniors thrive.” handbook is available for free, and physical editions can be ordered for just a few dollars.

Don’t Try to Do it Alone “Our mission is to provide the elderly and Whatever transitions seniors might face, it is important they don’t isolate their adult children with assistance in achieving and try to cope with everything all alone. The loneliness, lack of support a continued independent living style,” Kyle Kyle Johnson and resources, and absence of outside insight caused by this isolation noted. “We seek to find and refer caregivers Care Consultants would inevitably compound whatever problems are already present. for the Aging and other professionals that provide support If seniors are timid about reaching out for help, they can take comfort services. To help families walk through each in knowing there is an abundance of available resources for whatever aspect, Care Consultants has designed a free, simple, one-page task they may be going through. Even if they don’t initially feel this comfort, sheet to lay out key considerations. These include a handy list of services they can plant the seeds for peace in the future by remembering that from medical care to food and nutrition, companionship, and mobility others have gone before them; life eventually returns to a normal state assistance to help families identify their priorities. As a free service, for most people, even if some adjustments are necessary. Having the Care Consultants hopes to refer families to professionals who can meet companionship of friends and caregivers to offer this reminder can be their individual needs.” a great source of comfort and stability.

With such great resources at your fingertips, it should be simple to get In-home care is a great option for people with started in the initial phases of making a plan to move forward. limited mobility who want some dependable human interaction and support but still wish Visualize a Happy, Healthy Life to remain in their own homes. Julie Laughlin Making big life changes such as moving to a new community or learning with Home Nursing with Heart explained to live with physical limitations will test anyone’s strength of character that, because every individual’s needs are and ability to live a happy life. The good news is that, with practice, any different, it is important to have services that person can create a vision for a happy, healthy life. can flexibly meet those needs. “For example, if someone in your family is experiencing Whatever transitions may come your way, remember there are medical issues and needs more than just helpful, grounding practices that can make these transitions help with common household tasks, skilled nursing is a very important resource,” she more smooth and painless. Most of all, remember to seek Julie Laughlin said. “Our nurses specialize in treating a the assistance of caring professionals who help seniors live Home Nursing with Heart variety of conditions affecting heart health, respiratory issues, and the mind. This kind of happy, healthy lives—even during times of change.

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