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We're Here To Help

Our economic development team is dedicated to helping businesses grow and prosper.

The overall mission of the Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership is to increase business, investment and employment throughout Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. The partnership assists all types of businesses and enables companies, ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups and growing small- and mid-size companies to Fortune 500 corporations, to access the resources they need.

The partnership is funded by the GO! initiative that was launched in 2004 and is well on its way to its goal of raising $20 million and building an investor base of 400 companies.

As of May 31, the partnership had successfully landed a total of 123 economic development projects, representing an estimated 9,465 jobs and more than $2.02 billion in capital investment.

Through the partnership, these organizations respond together to provide existing businesses throughout Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties with a full range of services. The economic development team works closely with the State of Nebraska, local utilities, counties and municipalities throughout the metropolitan area as well as Realtors, lawyers, accountants and others to assist local businesses.

The Greater Omaha area’s seamless economic development partnership of public agencies, business and not-for-profit organizations promoting economic development has generated great progress. The partnership is regarded nationally as a model of regional collaboration and private/public sector cooperation.

Services include:
• incentive and business assistance programs,
• site and building information,
• assistance in employee recruitment,
• liaison to government agencies and private sector service providers,
• community and neighborhood 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, and
- cost of living data and comparisons.

The partnership works closely with the Chamber to utilize the resources of its other divisions including public policy, member services and education and workforce development.

Target Advisory Groups have been established to help promote existing and new businesses in key business areas:
• existing business (business retention and expansion),
• headquarters companies (visiting headquarters of companies with branch operations in Greater Omaha),
• entrepreneurship,
• insurance,
• direct inquiries (business attraction),
• military affairs,
• retail development,
• bioinformatics (healthcare software),
• international business development, and
• information technology.

To learn more about existing business programs and how they can assist your company, visit www.accessomaha.com or contact:

Phil Phillips, Ph.D./CEcD
Director of Business Retention and Expansion
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce
1301 Harney Street, Omaha NE 68102
402-978-7932 or 402-578-2852 cell
pphillips@accessomaha.com

Winsley Durand
Director of Retail Attraction Economic Development
Director of Minority Economic Development
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce
1301 Harney Street, Omaha NE 68102
402-233-7144
wdurand@accessomaha.com

John Yochum
Director of Business Retention and Expansion
Sarpy County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC)
1301 Harney Street, Omaha NE 68102
402-978-7909 or 402-215-5703 cell
jyochum@accessomaha.com

Paula Hazlewood
Executive Director
Gateway Development Corporation (Washington County)
Omaha office: 1301 Harney Street, Omaha NE 68102
402-233-7140 or 402-960-9743 cell
Blair office: 1646 Washington Street, Blair NE 68008
402-533-4455 or 402-960-9743 cell
phazlewood@accessomaha.com

Guiding Minority Economic Development Efforts

The Chamber’s Minority Economic Development Council 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 council produces the Minority Economic Development Council Business Directory, a listing of more than 500 minority-owned businesses; as well as indicators for the minority community including demographics, business ownership and employment; and the Multi-Ethnic Guide for the Greater Omaha area highlighting cultural sites, annual events and community resources.

In June, the council was a co-sponsor of the 2007 Black Business Expo. “Job creation and innovation are driven by small business,” says Winsley Durand, director of minority economic development at the Chamber. “The Black Business Expo and similar events are crucial to the development of entrepreneurs and small businesses.”