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Fostering an Advantageous Business Climate

The first session of the 101st Legislature culminated with more advancement of the state’s business-friendly climate.

The Greater Omaha Chamber’s Public Policy team is in the Capitol day after day, maintaining the relationships and relaying the messages that lead to increased business investment and employment in the Greater Omaha area.

In April, Gov. Dave Heineman signed LB 164 into law, building on the 2006 initiative creating the state’s multi-tiered economic development program. This effort has helped create thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in investment. The legislation also extends the timeframe of the Nebraska Advantage Act until 2015 and will further develop defense-related businesses that support installations such as Offutt Air Force Base. Also approved was LB 555 that expands the credit available to businesses conducting research and development at universities and colleges in Nebraska.

The legislature also directed some tourism dollars to help promote the U.S. Senior Open Championship golf tournament that Omaha will host in 2013.

Transportation policy is at the forefront of the Chamber’s legislative efforts, and 2009 saw the kick-off of an effort to address the growing needs of our state and local surface transportation programs. The goal is to foster state and local partnerships, utilize creative and modern financing to get the best and most timely value from transportation revenues, and fast-track our most pressing road projects.

As the lead witness at a marathon hearing in the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, David G. Brown, Chamber president and CEO, stressed the importance of transportation and the opportunity that is before us.

OMAHA: the City of Choice

In May, Interpublic Group (IPG), one of the world’s largest advertising and marketing services companies, announced the migration of its information technology infrastructure operations and its enterprise data center to the Scott Technology Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO).

IPG isn’t a name that comes up in everyday conversation, but the brands that their advertising agencies and marketing services companies represent certainly do. Major global brands include Draftfcb, FutureBrand, GolinHarris International, Initiative, Jack Morton Worldwide, Lowe Worldwide, Magna, McCann Erickson, Momentum, MRM Worldwide, Octagon, Universal McCann and Weber Shandwick. Leading domestic brands include Campbell-Ewald, Campbell Mithun, Carmichael Lynch, Deutsch, Hill Holliday, Mullen, The Martin Agency and R/GA. These agencies represent household brands that include Toro, H&R Block, Burger King, Coca-Cola, IKEA, Subaru, Johnson & Johnson, Kohl’s and many more.

As part of the move, IPG is planning to invest more than $1 million in IT infrastructure and create in excess of 30 jobs in Omaha. The migration of services to the new facility will take place over the next 12 months.

Joe Farrelly, chief information officer at IPG said, “Omaha stood out as the best location to advance our IT service offerings for a variety of reasons–our company has a well established base in this community, we know the talent pool is incredible and the university has put together an outstanding IT program that guarantees a great talent pipeline.”

In addition, the migration will allow IPG to move to the forefront of “green IT” by reducing the company’s carbon footprint as it relates to technology. Smaller, more efficient rack-mounted and blade servers will significantly lower the company’s power consumption and the virtualization of some servers will further reduce IPG’s physical server footprint. Consolidation will also reduce international travel for domestic IT employees. IPG expects to employ student interns from the Peter Kiewit Institute, which will allow walking commutes for some staff.

These internships offer real-world opportunities to learn technical and business skills and will help supply high-quality technical staff.

The RIGHT MAN for the Job

The University of Nebraska Peter Kiewit Institute of Information Science, Technology and Engineering (PKI) recently welcomed a new executive director, Dr. Michael L. McGinnis. McGinnis came to PKI from the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center at Old Dominion University. He is a graduate of West Point, and served in the military for 29 years, retiring with the rank of Brigadier General.

“In the decade ahead, we will pursue and exploit new opportunities for economic growth, business development, research revenues and job creation,” said McGinnis. “With the continued support of University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken and the Chairman of the PKI Board of Policy Advisors Walter Scott, PKI will grow cutting-edge research capabilities that will significantly enhance the reputations and visibility of the Institute, Omaha, the University and the great state of Nebraska. We will do this by creating win-win relationships between affiliated organizations such as the Scott Technology Center, and the industry, government and academic organizations throughout the Greater Omaha region.

“PKI’s reputation for research, once established and combined with its outstanding academic reputation and high-quality students, will serve as a magnet for attracting top research faculty and graduate students interested in meaningful research and problem-solving opportunities. Sustainment of this course over the long-term will lead to mutually beneficial partnerships that will generate research and grant funding, and commercialization and licensing of intellectual property.”

Milliken said having a director with exceptional scientific and research credentials is a key part of the University’s efforts to expand the Institute’s research programs and enhance its national reputation.

McGinnis is leading the development and implementation of the plan for PKI’s next decade. Those plans include increasing the Institute’s emphasis on research; identifying and strengthening areas of technical and educational focus; increasing the number of graduates, especially in information science and technology; expanding the financial base to attract star faculty; developing deeper strategic partnerships with organizations and corporations; and strengthening collaboration across disciplines and among colleges and campuses.

LONDON Calling

Sterling Computers, a partner with the Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI) with offices in the Scott Technology Center, secured a contract to assist law enforcement in the United Kingdom to prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games, establishing a unified system between police, government officials, military and first responders.

Working with Sun Microsystems, Oracle and BlueSpace, a software developer specializing in trusted client framework and trusted e-mail, Sterling is in the process of integrating state-of-the-art computer architecture with existing London and United Kingdom networks to provide improved readiness, response and resiliency.

Sterling Computers serves space, defense and Homeland Security organizations in integration and support of net-centric technologies in weapons, space systems and command and control management.

Sterling, with its corporate headquarters in Norfolk, Neb., came to Omaha in 2002 and employs two dozen people here, says Sterling Vice President Jeff Moore. As a partner with Sterling, PKI is providing interns and consulting assistance with a focus on information security. “The quality of the labor force here and the economic value of that force have really enabled our company to grow,” said Moore.

With an Olympic-sized budget, near $14 billion, and expectations of record amounts of money in sponsorship and collateral spending, London is banking on Sterling Computers and its contingent to assure that the only headlines emerging from the 2012 Games involve sports.