OMAHA, Neb, June 11, 2020 —Omaha’s “CEOs for CODE” – key leaders committed to opportunity, diversity and equity – today announced a regional initiative designed to address systemic racism.
Part of an ongoing CODE initiative, more than 140 CEOs met June 3 to discuss such topics as housing disparity, educational opportunity, health availability, access to economic prosperity and moving Greater Omaha forward amid racial inequity.
The result: A call to action with specific deliverables, along with an invitation to sign the CEOs for CODE commitment letter.
“To achieve the promise of Omaha 2040, where Omaha is a place where equity and inclusivity are the foundation for prosperity, we must exponentially increase our efforts to battle racism,” said David G. Brown, president and CEO, Greater Omaha Chamber. “This is the time for the business community, in partnership with other leaders to stand together to address racism in all of its forms.”
Brown, together with Chamber Board Chairman Tim Burke, president and CEO, Omaha Public Power District; CODE Chairman Carmen Tapio, president and CEO, North End Teleservices; and Bianca Harley, director, community diversity and inclusion, Greater Omaha Chamber, are leading the endeavor.
The project, which organizers say was “launched by founders and leaders of the Omaha business community with the purpose of identifying collective action for diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces and communities,” already has more than 120 CEO signatures – a list that continues to grow.
“A commitment to change by business leaders must be a top priority,” said Tapio. “A commitment, however, is not enough. Leaders must put decisive action behind the pledge and take the necessary steps to change the inequities within their organizations and use their influence and resources to make change happen within the community. By doing so, we can each do our part in creating a more equitable and inclusive society and world. The key is commitment and action and the Chamber and CODE are here as a resource to help businesses learn and take action.”
Burke agreed, “Transformative change is within our reach. It is intolerable to continue with the current status quo. We are all better than that, and we need every Omaha business leader – and every citizen – to join us in educating ourselves for a more inclusive tomorrow, and to extend that education into action.”
The team is calling for Omaha business leaders to end systemic racism, beginning with signing the CEOs for CODE public commitment.
“Change is possible and we are capable. It encourages me to see the business community and partners recognize our role and power in making change. Together we’re committing to investing in substantive change to address racial inequities and social justice. We have a responsibility to move the region forward – a responsibility that extends to everyone, but especially to our most vulnerable populations. We cannot be the best version of Omaha without addressing racism, oppression and bias. CEOs for CODE is a first step, and we’re committed to doing the work,” Harley said.
CEOs for CODE Commitment:
- We will educate ourselves and disseminate the history of systemic racism in Omaha and the barriers it continues to present today.
- We will create opportunities to listen to those affected and marginalized by these barriers to learn how we can help.
- We will support, lift up, collaborate with and fund nonprofit agencies who work tirelessly in marginalized communities.
- We will use our influence and position to amplify unheard voices and endorse policies that lead to racial justice.
- We will improve the employment, training, advancement, support and success of people of color in our workforces.
- We will continue the conversation by engaging in ongoing CEOs for CODE meetings to collectively address the issues of racism, oppression and bias in our organizations and communities.
Links:
CEOs for CODE:
OmahaChamber.org/CEOs-for-CODE
Organizations Signing CEOs for CODE as of June 11, 2020:
100 Black Men of Omaha, Inc.
AMB Speaks
AOI Construct | Furnish
AOI Corporation
Assistology, LLC
Aureus Group
Baird Holm LLP
Bank of Bennington
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands
Bland & Associates, PC
Blue Cross Blue Shield NE
Boys Town
Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School
Buildertrend
Business Ethics Alliance
C3 Brands
Campbell Insurance Agency, Inc.
Careerlink
Catalyst Public Affairs
CCS / MPI
Cella Quinn Investment Services
Charles Drew Health Center, Inc.
CHI Health
Children’s Hospital & Medical Center
College of Saint Mary
Comfort Inn & Suites Hotel
Cox
CQuence Health Group
CRCC
Creighton University
E Creative
Econic
Element Primary Care
Emspace + Lovgren
Enterprise Bank
Event Vesta
Farm Credit Services
fiserv.
FNBO
Fraser Stryker PC LLO
Fusion Medical Staffing
Future Construction Specialists LLC
Gallup
Gavilon
Great Plains Communications
Greater Omaha Chamber
Habitat for Humanity of Omaha
Hayes & Associates
HDR
Heartland Workforce Solutions
ICAN
Inclusive Communities
Investors Realty, Inc.
Jackson Lewis PC
JE Dunn Construction
Jensen Consulting
Juno
Kiewit
Lamp Rynearson
Latino Center of the Midlands
Lindsay
Lozier
Make-A-Wish Nebraska
Maxwell.app
McGrath North
MCL Construction
Metropolitan Community College
Metropolitan Utilities District
Midwest Maintenance Company
Millard Public Schools
Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company
My Game Day Collections
NatureWorks
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative
Nebraska Medicine
Nebraska Methodist Health System
Nebraska State Fair
Nebraska Wesleyan University
NEI Global Relocation
North End Teleservices LLC
Northern Natural Gas
Omaha Children’s Museum
Omaha Community Foundation
Omaha Downtown Improvement District
Omaha Economic Development Corporation
Omaha Housing Authority
Omaha Performing Arts
Omaha Public Power District
Omaha Public Schools
Omaha Sports Commission
Omaha Storm Chasers & Union Omaha
Omaha World-Herald
OMNE Partners
Opera Omaha
Oxbow Animal Health
Partnership 4 Kids
Physicians Mutual
Pinnacle Bank
Plattsmouth Chamber of Commerce
Plumb Web Strategy
QLI
RISE
Scoular
Security National Bank
Seventy Five North
Signature Performance, Inc.
Spark
Streck, Inc.
Sun Valley Landscaping
Synchronicity, Inc.
Tenaska, Inc.
The Startup Collaborative
Tri-Faith Initiative
UMB Bank
Union Pacific
United Way of the Midlands
Universal Information Services
University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska, Omaha
Urban League of Nebraska
Valmont Industries Inc.
Verdis Group
Walnut Private Equity Partners, LLC
Werner Enterprises
WoodmenLife
YMCA of Greater Omaha
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.