Participants create community projects, increase civic involvement
OMAHA, Neb, June 7, 2018 — Leadership Omaha, one of the longest-running community leadership programs in the nation, graduated its latest class of standouts during a 4:30 p.m., June 7 ceremony at The Venue at The Highlander.
Like the more than 1700 Leadership Omaha Alumni before them, members of Class 40 spent 10 months learning about challenges and opportunities in the community.
Class members also participated in small-group projects designed to have a positive, direct impact on the community. Projects included “40 for 40,” a mindfulness campaign that encouraged community members to unplug from all electronic technology for 40 minutes per day for 40 days, as well as Connect Omaha, a June 2 event to encourage public-transportation use.
For the group, graduation caps a year-long educational journey, one that immersed participants in community issues and opportunities for civic involvement.
“Leadership Omaha motivates the class members to take an active role in the community,” says Liz Kerrigan, the Chamber’s leadership strategist.
A program of the Greater Omaha Chamber, class members are chosen based on their demonstrated community involvement and vision for Omaha.
Class 40 Graduates Include:
| Emily | Anderson | Home Instead, Inc. |
| Drew | Antonio | Enterprise Bank |
| Victor | Beanum | Cox Communications |
| Ryne | Bessmer | Karstens Investment Counsel |
| Catherine | Cano | Jackson Lewis PC |
| Kasey | Cappellano | Kutak Rock LLP |
| Allen | Chaffee | Cornhusker Bank |
| Amy | Cherko | Olsson Associates |
| Vicki | Christ | |
| Kurt | Cisar | Holland Basham Architects |
| Charles | Coley | The Cloudburst Group |
| Matthew | DeBoer | HDR |
| Vanessa | Denney | University of Nebraska Foundation |
| Alex | Epstein | OMNE Partners |
| Joe | Finnegan | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. |
| Brendan | Flanagan | C3 Brands |
| Suzie | Heffernan | BioTAB Healthcare |
| Luke | Holst | McGrath North Mullin & Kratz, PC LLO |
| Ed | Kaspar | Physicians Mutual |
| Keegan | Korf | Omaha Public Schools |
| Andrew | Lang | Morrissey Engineering |
| Jeremy | Langer | Kiewit Building Group |
| Amy | Lawrenson | Baird Holm LLP |
| Daniel | Lawse | Verdis Group |
| Andy | Liakos | Proxibid |
| Jay | Lund | GreenSlate Development |
| Lauren | Maskin | Children’s Hospital & Medical Center |
| Erin | McArthur | Women’s Fund of Omaha |
| Parker | McKenna | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Nathan | Morgan | The Big Garden |
| Alisa | Parmer | Purdue University |
| Anthony | Pasternak | BKD, LLP |
| Alex | Petrovich | Lockton Companies |
| Joe | Pogge | McNeil Company |
| Mark | Pohl | Omaha Public Power District |
| Diane | Poots | Greater Omaha Chamber |
| Alysia | Radicia | RDG Planning & Design |
| Ben | Ries | LEO A DALY |
| Tara | Slevin | Methodist Jennie Edmundson |
| Bruce | Stec | CQuence Health Group |
| Suzi | Sterba | U.S. Bank |
| Dakotah | Taylor | First National Bank |
| Melissa | Taylor | Mutual of Omaha |
| Christopher | Tooker | Merrill Lynch |
| Sue | Violi | Omaha World-Herald |
| Cornelia | Vremes | Nebraska Medicine |
| Jill | Wallen | University of Nebraska Medical Center |
| Carrie | Weiler | Union Bank & Trust |
| Alex | Wolf | Koley Jessen, P.C., L.L.O. |
About Greater Omaha
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, 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
Celebrating 125 years, the mission of the Greater Omaha Chamber is to champion a thriving business community and prosperous region through visionary leadership and collaboration.