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Young Professionals - Shaping Our Community

Omaha lawyer Steve Pedersen rocks. Pedersen, when he’s not researching case law or writing legal briefs, actually rocks—with microphone, guitar, a cheering crowd, the whole amplified package. On any given weekend, you might find him and his band, Criteria, playing The Waiting Room in Omaha’s Benson neighborhood or Slowdown, a club in North Downtown.

Pedersen, the lawyer, joined the Omaha office of Kutak Rock LLP in 2002, a year after graduating from Duke University School of Law. He spent that first year touring and he toured again in 2005, taking a 20-month hiatus from his legal career to play venues throughout North America, western Europe and the United Kingdom. In the midst of touring internationally, a simple tour of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo changed everything. “I met my wife at the Zoo,” said Pedersen. “I fell in love and got married. And, I had a great opportunity to re-join the law firm as an intellectual property lawyer.”

Pedersen is a member of the Greater Omaha Young Professionals Council, a mix of young leaders working to draw young professionals to and keep them in Greater Omaha.

“I wanted to be an active participant in the shaping our community,” said Pedersen. “One of the great things about Omaha is that you can get a seat at the table. If you really want to be a part of making the community a better place, there is a place for you.”

The Young Professionals (YP), a program of the Greater Omaha Chamber, works to engage professional peers through networking events, business development programs and an annual summit. An online “board bank,” sponsored by Women’s Fund of Greater Omaha and YP, called Ready 2 Serve Omaha, promotes opportunities for young professionals to sit on boards, commissions and committees throughout the city.

The YP’s also express themselves through various public policy initiatives. It was a key voice in support for the new TD AMERITRADE Park Omaha.

“YP’s see the stadium as another cornerstone for the development of a cultural hotspot in Omaha with the Hot Shops Art Center to the north, Slowdown and Film Streams to the west and the Old Market and Qwest Center Omaha to the south,” said Pedersen.

Backed by projects like the new stadium and a cultural scene that continues to blossom, the lawyer/rocker Pedersen said he and the rest of the council have much to work with as they “sell” Omaha to other young professionals.

“In order for the city to have a future, it has to have an up and coming, engaged and intelligent professional community,” said Pedersen. When you want to go to an art show or a rock concert or see underground theater or the symphony, those options are now available in a way they weren’t 10 or 15 years ago.”

Young Professionals ChoiceWork/life balance. The concept resonates with today’s young professional and permeates the corporate culture at Lutz & Company, a firm that is 75 percent “young professional.”

“They are an integral part of our firm,” said Gary Witt, managing partner at Lutz & Company.

The firm’s emphasis on attracting, retaining and developing young professionals earned it special recognition in 2009. The Greater Omaha Young Professionals named Lutz & Company its second annual Young Professionals Choice Award winner.

“Lutz & Company is an innovative organization,” said Kirsten Case-Penrod, manager of the Greater Omaha Young Professionals. “Their employees have the opportunity to learn about other work functions and cross train as part of their career planning and personal growth and development to ensure they are successful today and in the future.”

Forty-eight percent of the partners at Lutz & Company are young professionals.

“We want to provide a challenging environment, but a fun work environment,” said consulting partner Sandy Lane.

During tax season, the company makes a special effort to make those long hours more manageable. Outside of tax season, flexible scheduling options help ensure that crucial work/life balance. It all adds up to a 94 percent retention rate among Lutz & Company’s young professionals.

“There are so many cliché phrases—open door policy, great work environment—but when you really live it everyday, it comes out in awards like the Young Professionals Choice Award and the great retention rate we have,” said Lane.

Executives Welcomed to Omaha

While many business executives hesitate at the thought of what relocation will mean to them and their families, if the relocation destination happens to be Omaha, breathe easy. Thanks to the Omaha Executive Institute (OEI) program, friends are waiting to introduce you to exciting new ideas and incredible opportunities.

Offered by the Greater Omaha Chamber, OEI is a program exclusively for senior level executives and their spouses who are new to their position or new to the community. Since 1988, OEI has been an effective way to acquaint newcomers with the multitude of resources Omaha has to offer.

Architect Charles Dalluge spent two decades impressing the world, a professional journey that launched from and has now landed back in Omaha. "We lived in Washington, D.C.; Phoenix; Honolulu; Hong Kong; Singapore. We now have a whole new appreciation for Omaha," said Dalluge, executive vice president of Omaha-based LEO A DALY, an international planning, architecture, engineering and interiors firm. "Omaha Executive Institute is a quick way to grow roots in a new community."

Keith Bushardt, executive vice president of marketing and sales at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBS), and his wife, Linda, have now been in Omaha about three and a half years. Bushardt recalled that two months after they had moved to Omaha, BCBS enrolled both he and his wife into the OEI program. Bushardt’s worries about becoming familiar with this new city were transformed in an instant. “We were very excited about it right from the get go.” Bushardt fondly remembered, “What a great way to get introduced to the area.”

Each of the seven sessions covers a topic selected to help participants understand the environment in which they will do business and they explore key issues, challenges and opportunities within the Omaha community.

“It was clear to me after the second session that the program was not just intended to be an introduction, but also to get people active in the community,” added Bushardt. “At the end of the program my wife and I felt like we had a responsibility to this community. Omaha felt like home.”