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Omaha—Insulated But Not Isolated

A diverse mix of industries and commerce in Greater Omaha allows the community to benefit from multiple business sectors to thrive and prosper. Omaha continues to weather the economic downturn better than the nation as a whole.

The Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership, named GO!, has been successful in helping to keep the economic development engine purring in the Greater Omaha community. In 2004, the Greater Omaha Chamber established the GO! campaign as the funding arm of the Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership. Through June 2009, GO! has led the way in 219 development projects that resulted in nearly 15,000 jobs and more than $2.9 billion in new capital investment. The partnership is now comprised of Cass, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties as a one-stop economic development information clearinghouse to give all types of businesses access to the resources they need. The second five-year campaign began in 2009 and has a goal of raising $20 million.

The economic development team works closely with the State of Nebraska, local utilities, counties and municipalities throughout the metropolitan area.

Services include:

• incentive and business assistance programs

• site and building information

• assistance in employee recruitment and training

• liaison to government agencies and private sector service providers

• international business resources

• information, including:
– economic profiles and economic trends
– demographic profiles and data
– labor force data
– major employer listings
– quality of life information including educational, recreation and cultural opportunities
– cost of living data and comparisons

In addition, Target Advisory Groups help promote existing and new businesses in key areas, including:

• existing business (business retention and expansion)

• headquartered companies (visits to headquarters of companies with branch operations in Greater Omaha)

• entrepreneurship

• insurance

• defense

• retail development

• bioscience

• international business development

• information technology

In October 2008, Midwest Manufacturing, a division of Menards, chose Valley for its new production and distribution facilities. The expanded operations represent a $14.5 million investment with a total of 150 jobs.

Also in October 2008, PayFlex Systems, USA, Inc. opened its new national headquarters in the Old Mill area of Omaha. This represented a total investment of $10 million. In addition to the new headquarters, in April 2009, Gov. Dave Heineman presented PayFlex with a training grant for $337,500 for 100 new hires.

Yahoo!’s $100 million announcement in October 2008 was a crown jewel for both Greater Omaha and the state of Nebraska with a new 150,000-square-foot data center in La Vista and a shared services center in the First National Business Park in Omaha.

Through second quarter of 2009, GO! opened 65 new project files. The initiative successfully landed 21 new projects with the potential for more than 965 new jobs and nearly $273 million in projected capital investment.

Novozymes, a world leader in bio- innovation, broke ground in March 2009 for their newest plant in Blair. In July 2008, the company announced an $80 million to $100 million initial outlay in the new plant but later doubled its investment based on projected demand.

In April 2009, Pacific Interpreters, a firm providing language translation for medical providers, announced a new customer care center in downtown Omaha. And, Cargill announced plans to occupy a new 30,000-square-foot, one-story office building in the Hayden Place development in Blair.

Interpublic Group (IPG), one of the world’s largest advertising and marketing services holding companies, selected Omaha’s Scott Technology Center in May 2009 for its Global Operations Center (GOC). The GOC will migrate the backroom IT functions for all IPG operations worldwide from New York, London, Hong Kong and Chicago.

This is only a small sample of the many jobs and billions of dollars of investment that can be attributed to the efforts of GO! The GO! campaign is funded through contributions made by more than 300 Greater Omaha companies and the public sector.

Steven S. Martin, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska and chairman of the GO! campaign, said, “The Greater Omaha Chamber has developed a strong team to support the GO! program. Supporting the GO! campaign is a great investment in the future of Omaha and Nebraska.” Connecting the Dots for Economic Growth

The Chamber’s Minority Economic Development Council (MEDC) helps guide efforts in minority entrepreneurship and business development, neighborhood business development, retail development, outreach to organizations with an emphasis on economic development and employment, and the facilitation of minority education and workforce development solutions.

The activities of the Council can really be summed up with the word connections. Connecting people for opportunities, training, resources and more. According to Winsley Durand, director of retail and minority economic development at the Chamber, “The Chamber’s minority economic development team provides entrepreneurs with the information and assistance to help them get started and thrive in Greater Omaha.”

One great example of the Council’s minority business development efforts is Big Mama’s Kitchen & Catering. Owner, Patricia Barron, opened Big Mama’s Kitchen in December 2007. In the short time the restaurant has been open, it has been featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” they added catering service and a banquet facility, and in early 2009, launched a successful line of specialty cheesecakes through local grocer, Patrick’s Market. They’ve even developed their own signature sweet potato ice cream. MEDC and a taskforce of volunteers helped Barron make the connections that have resulted in great partnerships and wider recognition.

In the areas of outreach and education, MEDC was the catalyst that brought together many community, technical assistance and micro-lending groups to assist restaurants and other related food-service firms in South Omaha. Strategic partner U.S. Foodservice is underwriting the cost of trainers and is assisting with creation of the curriculum.

Through a “meet the buyers” series, “lunch and learns” and “contractor mixers,” MEDC is helping connect the dots for ongoing minority economic growth.

Delivering the “Wow!”

From a birthday party fit for a little princess to an inaugural ball celebrating the new U.S. president, whatever the occasion, Terri Sanders is confident her team can deliver the “Wow!” Sanders is the owner of TD Sanders & More, a full-service Omaha event planning company.

A seamstress for 18 years, Sanders transitioned to event planning in 2003, initially operating TD Sanders & More out of her home. The company has since expanded into a commercial location. Its client base has expanded as well, thanks to a commitment to excellence and successful, high-profile events like The Believers Ball, a black tie gala celebrating the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Held on Jan. 20 just outside of Washington, D.C., the upscale event drew 300 people from across the country. As venue coordinator/decorator, Sanders said she wanted to touch the lives of those in attendance, prove she could organize a big event long distance and gain valuable exposure.

“When people walk away saying, ‘Wow, this is nice, I’ve never seen anything like that before,’ for me, that’s rewarding because I know I’ve done a complete job,” said Sanders. “I know I have exceeded the expectations of my clients.”

Jumpstarting Innovation in Omaha

Greater Omaha is positioning itself for an innovation eruption. The Greater Omaha Chamber is partnering with the Innovation Accelerator Foundation to bring a new focus to high growth innovation and develop new high growth businesses in Omaha. A national organization, the Innovation Accelerator Foundation, selected Omaha as a pilot for its efforts to leverage national resources and personnel to grow the next generation of great American companies. “Omaha was chosen because of the accessibility of our corporate community and its willingness to listen, be responsive and be tactically proactive,” said Tom Chapman, director of entrepreneurship and innovation for the Chamber.

For his part, Chapman is helping to facilitate and coordinate the Omaha efforts within the larger national program. “We are focusing on working with our largest corporations to identify existing corporate and industrial pain points. Then, we are working with national partners to uncover start-up companies that are innovating towards solutions to those problems,” said Chapman.

New Challenges Bring New Opportunities

While the nation wrestles with a rough economic climate, Jim Young is working to ensure that Greater Omaha continues to be a vibrant place to do business, work and live. Young is the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Union Pacific Corporation and the 2009 chairman of the Greater Omaha Chamber board of directors. “It is my personal goal to lead the Chamber board in analyzing community challenges and opportunities,” said Young.

Young is emboldened by the task ahead, outlining a multi-pronged focus that emphasizes entrepreneurship, transportation improvements, community revitalization and workforce development. “The Workforce Funding Collaborative is an exciting, new effort,” said Young.

Another priority for the Chamber board chairman is the promotion of entrepreneurship in Greater Omaha. “Through the new Innovation Accelerator, we hope to put Omaha on the map as the center for entrepreneurship and innovation internationally,” he said.

To further support Omaha’s continued economic growth, the Chamber has taken the lead in a statewide effort to address critical street and highway construction needs. “Although the economy is on the forefront of the minds of elected officials, they remain interested in addressing our infrastructure needs,” stated Young. “This will be a priority, and it will produce a program that shows noticeable and timely progress through the sound investment of our highway revenues.”

Young also sees an economic upside in the Chamber’s latest community revitalization plan, the South Omaha Development Project. “We are engaging the South Omaha community as we develop a strategy that will significantly increase business investments in that part of the city. We are committed to an inclusive process,” said Young.