OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 7, 2019 – An economically strong 2018 has positioned 2019 to perhaps be the Greater Omaha Chamber’s most future-focused year yet; the year the organization unleashes its $32 million Prosper Omaha 2.0 economic development campaign and fast-tracks the community’s collaborative vision for Greater Omaha 2040.
“Our push toward 2040, and a Greater Omaha that leads in innovation and access to prosperity, starts now,” said David G. Brown, Greater Omaha Chamber president and CEO.
The Chamber will be rallying the community at its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, January 23, at CHI Health Center Omaha. The program and networking reception will blend inspiration and activation to celebrate the community-changing power of “we.”
“This is an incredibly exciting time for the Chamber and our Greater Omaha region. The Annual Meeting is a chance for all of us to look ahead to an even stronger future and look back on the shared achievements this year that helped pave the way,” Brown said.
Aligned with the Annual Meeting is the release of the Chamber’s Annual Report. It will detail the organization’s region-building accomplishments, including the attraction of a rush of high-profile companies, The Startup Collaborative’s new capacity to invest in and accelerate early stage startups, and the expansion of the multi-partner REACH initiative, which supports the success of small & emerging businesses.
“We all want to make our communities more competitive, and it seems like the more we work on creating our own opportunities, the more direct results there are,” Brown said.
The Annual Meeting also includes a slate of annual recognitions:
- Chairman’s Award of Excellence: Justin Hughes, Renaissance Financial and Greater Omaha Chamber’s Engagement Council; Jill Schoenherr, Southwest YMCA and Greater Omaha Chamber’s Engagement Council
- Headliner of the Year: Terence Crawford, WBO welterweight champion, B&B Sports Academy
- Volunteer of the Year: Tim Kerrigan, Investors Realty, Inc.
Deb Calvert, president, People First Productivity Solutions, and coauthor of Stop Selling & Start Leading®, is this year’s keynote speaker.
The Chamber’s Annual Meeting will be held from 4 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., on Jan. 23. Tickets in open seating are $120 for Chamber members and $145 for non-members, and include parking, appetizers and drinks. Reservations are due Jan. 16, 2019. For more information or to register, visit omahachamber.org/am.
About Greater Omaha
Greater Omaha is a No. 1 ranked up-and-coming-tech hotspot and Time magazine’s 2017 No. 3 Most Up-and-Coming City in America. Recognized for its “We Don’t Coast” attitude, and named America’s No. 2 Best Small City, Greater Omaha is home to more than 30 communities and nearly 1 million people, with a youthful population (more than 40 percent are age 24 or younger), low cost of living and steady economic growth that outpaces the nation. Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha, Peter Kiewit Sons’ Inc. and Union Pacific – all Fortune 500 companies – call Greater Omaha “home.”
About the Greater Omaha Chamber
The mission of the Greater Omaha Chamber is to champion a thriving business community and a prosperous region through visionary leadership and collaboration.
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Jill Bruckner, Communications/PR Manager
Greater Omaha Chamber
402-978-7920
jbruckner@omahachamber.org
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