The July 31 Weekly Market Report

Nicole Buntgen, Contributing Writer

Hyper Energy Bar, a beverage chain from Urbandale, Iowa, is planning to open two locations in west Omaha. The first one, a 900 sq. ft. building on the southwest corner of 180th & West Maple Road, is now under construction. The second will be a double-drive-thru building southeast of 180th & Burke Street west of Village Pointe. Construction on the second store will start in early October with opening planned for January. Hyper Energy currently has seven locations – six in the Des Moines, Iowa, metro area and one in Iowa City.

Smokin Barrel BBQ will open August 1 at 2457 South 132nd Street just east of Fazoli’s north 132nd & West Center. The local barbecue spot relocated from 13508 Discovery Drive and will operate Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. or until sold out.

Chicken N Pickle, a family-friendly entertainment complex, will no longer open its first Nebraska location at Tranquility Commons near 120th & Fort Street. Originally set to open this year, the Kansas City-based company announced a “strategic growth shift” in May to focus on its 13 existing locations across seven states.

Tasty Pizza will build a restaurant at 1421 North Saddle Creek Road near Sgt. Peffer’s Café Italian. Construction is expected to be complete in fall 2026. The local pizzeria currently operates out of a former gas station but plans to upgrade to a space with a more efficient kitchen and a drive-through for carryout orders, according to the City Clerk’s Office.

A neighborhood convenience store is planned for the commercial district at 40th & Ames Avenue. Tariq Ali plans to open NYC Deli & Liquor at 4004 Ames Avenue later this year. In addition to packaged food and alcoholic beverages, the business will sell fresh and prepared foods, including sandwiches and grilled items. Additionally, there will be a juice and smoothie bar.

Qdoba Mexican Eats opened its new Elkhorn-area store late last week in the former Oklahoma Joe’s barbeque space at 1405 South 204th Street. Oklahoma Joe’s closed the restaurant several months ago but continues to operate a store at Aksarben Village. Qdoba now has 11 Omaha-area locations.

Tavern 180, a modern American restaurant and bar that originated in Omaha, will close its Lincoln location on July 29 after six years in business. The closure was announced via Facebook. The original Omaha location just south of 180th & West Dodge Road remains open. The Lincoln closure leaves the Omaha restaurant as the brand’s only remaining location.

Jensen Tire & Auto has started building a store on the southwest corner of 204th & N Street. The site is in front of a planned $40 million, 125,000 sq. ft. Baker’s Marketplace grocery store. Just to the north of the Jensen tire site, FNB0 has opened an ATM on a pad site that will eventually have a branch office. Just north of that is a brand-new Scooter’s Coffee. Jensen Tire has 22 existing locations.

A former Pizza Hut at 1411 Galvin Road in Bellevue has sold for $449,000, according to Trenton Magid and Spencer Morrissey of NAI NP Dodge, who represented the seller. The buyer plans to open a yet-to-be-announced restaurant in the 1,634 sq. ft. building.

Little Roots Market, a self-serve farm stand, will hold a grand opening August 9 and 10 at 77 Old Lincoln Highway in Crescent, Iowa. The market will offer fresh produce, baked goods, sweet treats and products from sister businesses J&A Treasures (wood décor) and Bros’ Candy (freeze-dried sweets).

NeighborGood, a community pantry serving Sarpy County and Ralston, has moved to a new space at 1712 Charleston Drive in Papillion near 66th & Cornhusker Road. The nonprofit provides food, hygiene items, pet supplies and other items to those in need. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for September 16.

The “Restaurant & Retail Updates” section is sponsored by Anderson Convenience Market, featuring Quality AMOCO Fuels and serving Omaha since 1952, and proud to announce the return of Quality Amoco Fuels. Look for changes this Summer at Anderson Convenience Market – 8 Omaha area locations!

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Cumbia Is a Homegrown Story of Tapas, Cocktails & a Bike on the Wall

Cumbia is tucked into a narrow stretch of downtown Omaha just north of the Orpheum Theater on 16th street, at the edge of the bustling theatre district. From the street, Cumbia resembles a boutique coffee shop at first glance. A glass storefront reveals a handful of hanging ferns and warm, amber lighting. The signage is simply stated—a bicycle next to the restaurant’s name. In front of a quaint, cozy patio section is a circular sign that reads “Cumbia Cafe Bar & Bistro.”

Step inside, and you’re transported to a world of intimate layered tones of warm wood, handcrafted textures, beautiful ferns and trailing vines and thoughtful details at every turn. This isn’t just themed restaurant decor; it’s the kind of custom, deeply personal design that’s rich with meaning.

Cumbia is now in its second iteration, reemerging after a previous closure with a deeper, more personal perspective. The Latin-inspired tapas and craft cocktails reflect the vision of co-owners, and husband-and-wife team, Andrea Macias and Juan Sanchez, a Colombian-born couple whose story is woven into every detail.

Before coming to Omaha, Macias moved to California with a dream of working in Silicon Valley. She’s an economist with a background in entrepreneurship and innovation management. She initially set her sights on working in tech but soon found herself working in construction and project management.

While Macias was living in California, Sanchez was already in Omaha, remotely managing their restaurant in Colombia—a concept similar to Cumbia—that they had owned for 12 years. Running it remotely—especially during a pandemic—proved too challenging, so he sold it. With a background in architecture and nearly two decades of running a construction company in Colombia, Sanchez transitioned to general contracting in Omaha. Today, in addition to Cumbia, Sanchez and Macias own and operate a construction business.

Cumbia Is a Homegrown Story of Tapas, Cocktails & a Bike on the Wall

Cumbia is tucked into a narrow stretch of downtown Omaha just north of the Orpheum Theater on 16th street, at the edge of the bustling theatre district. From the street, Cumbia resembles a boutique coffee shop at first glance. A glass storefront reveals a handful of hanging ferns and warm, amber lighting. The signage is simply stated—a bicycle next to the restaurant’s name. In front of a quaint, cozy patio section is a circular sign that reads “Cumbia Cafe Bar & Bistro.”

Step inside, and you’re transported to a world of intimate layered tones of warm wood, handcrafted textures, beautiful ferns and trailing vines and thoughtful details at every turn. This isn’t just themed restaurant decor; it’s the kind of custom, deeply personal design that’s rich with meaning.

Cumbia is now in its second iteration, reemerging after a previous closure with a deeper, more personal perspective. The Latin-inspired tapas and craft cocktails reflect the vision of co-owners, and husband-and-wife team, Andrea Macias and Juan Sanchez, a Colombian-born couple whose story is woven into every detail.

Before coming to Omaha, Macias moved to California with a dream of working in Silicon Valley. She’s an economist with a background in entrepreneurship and innovation management. She initially set her sights on working in tech but soon found herself working in construction and project management.

While Macias was living in California, Sanchez was already in Omaha, remotely managing their restaurant in Colombia—a concept similar to Cumbia—that they had owned for 12 years. Running it remotely—especially during a pandemic—proved too challenging, so he sold it. With a background in architecture and nearly two decades of running a construction company in Colombia, Sanchez transitioned to general contracting in Omaha. Today, in addition to Cumbia, Sanchez and Macias own and operate a construction business.

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Union Pacific & Norfolk Southern to Create America’s First Transcontinental Railroad – Headquarters Remains in Omaha

Union Pacific Corporation and Norfolk Southern Corporation announced an agreement to create America’s first transcontinental railroad.

The two railroads will connect more than 50,000 route miles across 43 states from the East Coast to the West Coast, linking approximately 100 ports.

“This combination will transform the U.S. supply chain, unleash the industrial strength of American manufacturing, and create new sources of economic growth and workforce opportunity that preserves union jobs,” Union Pacific said in a press release.

Under the terms of the agreement, Union Pacific will acquire Norfolk Southern in a stock and cash transaction, implying a value for Norfolk Southern of $320 per share based on Union Pacific’s unaffected closing stock price on July 16, 2025, and representing a 25 percent premium to Norfolk Southern’s 30-trading day volume weighted average price on July 16, 2025. The value per share implies an enterprise value of $85 billion for Norfolk Southern, resulting in the creation of a combined enterprise of over $250 billion.

“Railroads have been an integral part of building America since the Industrial Revolution, and this transaction is the next step in advancing the industry,” said Jim Vena, Union Pacific Chief Executive Officer. “Imagine seamlessly hauling steel from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Colton, California and moving tomato paste from Huron, California to Fremont, Ohio. Lumber from the Pacific Northwest, plastics from the Gulf Coast, copper from Arizona and Utah, and soda ash from Wyoming. Right now, tens of thousands of railroaders are moving almost everything we use. You name it, and at some point, the railroad hauled it.”

The combined company will deliver faster, more comprehensive freight service to U.S. shippers by eliminating interchange delays, opening new routes, expanding intermodal services and reducing distance and transit time on key rail corridors. A more truck-competitive solution, the Union Pacific Transcontinental Railroad will decrease highway congestion, reducing wear-and-tear on taxpayer-funded roads. Today, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern invest approximately $5.6 billion annually in infrastructure, innovation, and network expansion.

“This combination is transformational, enhancing the best freight transportation system in the world – it’s a win for the American economy, it’s a win for our customers, and it’s a win for our people,” Vena said. “It builds on President Abraham Lincoln’s vision of a transcontinental railroad from nearly 165 years ago and advances our Safety, Service and Operational Excellence Strategy. I am confident this historic transaction will enhance competition to benefit customers, communities, and employees while delivering shareholder value.”

Vena will lead the combined company as Chief Executive Officer and has committed his intent to remain at Union Pacific for at least the next five years. At closing, three Norfolk Southern Directors, including Mark George and Richard Anderson, are expected to join the Union Pacific Board of Directors after completing the corporate governance process.

The combined company will be headquartered in Omaha. Norfolk Southern’s Atlanta headquarters will remain a core location for the combined organization over the long-term with a focus on technology, operations and innovation, among other priorities.

“The Greater Omaha Chamber extends its congratulations to Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern on this historic announcement—uniting their networks to create America’s first coast-to-coast railroad,” said Heath Mello, president & CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber. “This landmark achievement honors the very spirit upon which our nation’s railroads were founded: to connect a growing country through infrastructure, innovation, and purpose. Railroads were built in America to bring people, communities, and commerce together—and this new transcontinental network is the embodiment of this dream. This partnership will strengthen domestic supply chains, open new markets, and reinforce our nation’s global competitiveness.”

“We are especially proud that Union Pacific Railroad, one of the most iconic names in American industry, continues to call Omaha, Nebraska home. Their leadership in reshaping the future of freight transportation reinforces our region’s central role in building a more connected and prosperous nation. The Chamber and business community looks forward to supporting this new rail partnership that will deliver for generations to come.”

Omaha Mayor John Ewing said: “Omaha and Union Pacific have a long, proud, shared history. U.P.’s decision to remain headquartered in Omaha and keep its name gives us confidence in a long, proud, shared future. We would welcome any future employees from the combined railroads to settle in Omaha.”

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Isaiah Ang, Contributing Writer

Eppley Airfield celebrated a historic milestone in June. The airport recorded 524,331 passengers last month, a new all-time monthly record. The existing monthly record was 514,758 passengers in June of 2024. Year-to-date passenger traffic is down three percent from last year.

The Omaha City Council approved the purchase of $127,977 in materials and equipment to repair the Bob Kerry Bridge Plaza Fountain, adjacent to the bridge on the Nebraska side. The materials and equipment will be purchased from Crystal Fountain, Inc., which provided the original infrastructure. The Parks and Recreation department will make the necessary repairs to the fountain.

The Crossroads Mall redevelopment project reached a significant milestone with the approval of ordinances to approve contracts with Holland Basham Architects and MCL to design and build Phase 1 parking facilities and retail buildings. The city and the developer, Woodbury Corporation, have an agreement that includes obligations for the city to build and manage parking facilities throughout the development. Phase 1 includes retail, commercial and residential buildings with podium and underground parking structures.

According to David Levy, legal counsel representing the developer, when these contracts are approved, construction of the facilities will begin. The city council will conduct a final review of these ordinances for approval at next week’s meeting.

In its July meeting, the Omaha Streetcar Authority approved change orders totaling $245,099 in its contract with Hawkins Construction regarding modifications to water main and other utility infrastructure related to the Farnam and Harney Street Bridges requested by MUD. Additionally, director Rick Gustafson reported that a large payment of nearly $7.4 million was made to CAF USA in June. Since accepting CAF’s bid to provide the streetcar vehicles, the authority has paid more than $15 million of the $47 million contract.

Earlier this month, Mayor John Ewing held a press conference reporting that the total streetcar bond amount has increased to $421 million, based on 100-percent design estimate. The 60-percent design estimate from last year was $389 million. The city council had previously approved up to $440 million.

Construction is progressing on the Primrose School of Elkhorn at 19401 South HMS Cleveland Boulevard. The stand-alone building is now enclosed. The site is southwest of the 192nd & West Dodge Expressway interchange. The immediate area is also home to MD West One and the recently opened Bankers Trust office. Opening is planned for late this year. Primrose Schools is a national chain of accredited, private, preschool franchises based in Atlanta. In Omaha, Primrose has four existing locations at 192nd & Harrison Street, 174th & West Center Road, 160th & West Maple Road, and in La Vista.

Construction is starting to go vertical on OneWorld Community Health’s $17.5 million, 3-story building near the historic Livestock Exchange Building. The building will be used for training healthcare workers, as a center point for future pandemics and to provide more behavioral health as well as child care services. Most of the funding for the building comes from the State of Nebraska’s $235 million North and South Omaha recovery grant program. The 29,000 sq. ft. building will join three existing buildings on OneWorld’s South Omaha campus. Completion is planned for the end of 2026.

Which U.S. city stands out as the best place to connect and socialize? The answer is Minneapolis, but Omaha came in #20 out of the largest 100 cities. That’s according to the team at Compare the Market, which carried out a study to reveal the most social cities in the country. Omaha has 16 meetup events per 100,000 people. The city has 15 bars and coffee shops per 100,000 people, and local residents make 212.41 online searches for friendship apps, for every 100,000 people.

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H&H Kia has broken ground for a car dealership on 9.77 acres between Walgreens and Core Bank southeast of 180th & Burke Street in Village Pointe West. The Kia dealership will include sales and service with enough space for 600 cars on site. Construction should be completed at the end of 2026. Kia has a current dealership in Papillion northeast of Highways 50 & 370.

The Hampton Inn & Suites Omaha UN Medical Center Area is now open at 4401 Douglas Street. The 6-story hotel has 96 rooms and is located a block north of Nebraska Medicine’s planned $2.2 billion hospital. Managed by MH Hospitality, the hotel offers self-contained parking and an available retail space. Amenities include contemporary accommodations, flexible event spaces, complimentary breakfast and a fitness center.

Berkshire Hathaway sold about one-third of its stake in VeriSign, an internet infrastructure and domain name registry company that Warren Buffett’s conglomerate has invested in since 2012, according to Reuters. The sale of 4.3 million VeriSign shares at $285 each generated gross proceeds of about $1.23 billion, reducing Omaha-based Berkshire’s ownership stake to 9.6 percent from 14.2 percent.

Valmont Industries, Inc. has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.68 per share payable on October 15, 2025, to shareholders of record on September 26, 2025. The dividend indicates an annual rate of $2.72 per share.

Mutual of Omaha has announced the launch of its first fixed index annuity product, Ultra AdvantageSM, which aims to offer policyholders greater flexibility and control over their retirement savings. Ultra Advantage FIA allows policyholders to earn interest based on the performance of selected index crediting strategies while protecting their principal from market downturns.

Guardian Light Family Services has leased Suite #224 in The Center mall at 1941 South 42nd Street, securing 3,164 sq. ft. of office space for their foster care and family support services, according to Mary Purcell of NAI NP Dodge, who represented the landlord.

Werner Enterprises, Inc., reported results for the second quarter, which ended June 30th. Total revenues for the quarter were $753.1 million, a decrease of $7.7 million, or 1 percent, compared to the prior year.

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Metropolitan Community College is hosting its first car show at its Automotive Training Center. The free event, called Cars and Coffee, takes place on Saturday, August 9 and will feature free coffee, live music and tours of the training facility, which opened in 2021.

At a fundraising event on Saturday, The Angels Share Committee, along with Main Street Cellars and Qwest Distributing, raised $270,000 for renovations at Dana Village, a Lutheran Family Services project focused on youth aging out of foster care. Situated on the former Dana College campus in Blair, Dana Village is now a multi-generational community that offers housing as well as other wrap-around services for those young people, like job support and therapy.

After the City View apartment complex was put into receivership in April, local nonprofits like the North Omaha Community Partnership have been helping residents move out and find new homes. The deadline to move out was extended from July 25 to July 31 for residents working with these organizations, which also include Metro Housing Collaborative, ReImagine and the Omaha Housing Authority.

Thanks to the vision of two local moms and their nonprofit Imagine Inclusion, an inclusive playground has opened at Zorinsky Park. Built in partnership with Omaha Parks & Recreation, the playground features a wheelchair-friendly surface and accessible play equipment.

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Omaha Supernovas libero Allison Whitten, who just finished her first professional season, is joining the College of Saint Mary volleyball coaching staff as an assistant coach. “I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to join the coaching staff at CSM! The fall college season is the perfect complement to the professional season in the spring, allowing me to experience the best of both coaching and playing,” Whitten said.

Whitten will be right at home while coaching the Flames this fall. The College of Saint Mary has been a premier partner of the Supernovas since the team’s inaugural season. CSM’s Lied Fitness Center and Fieldhouse currently serves as the franchise’s official practice facility, and head coach Rick Pruett also serves as the Supernovas’ director of operations.

Creighton men’s basketball has made some recent moves on its coaching staff. Former star Mitch Ballock has been promoted to assistant coach from graduate assistant, Greg McDermott announced on Monday. Mike Nesbitt was also named an assistant coach, joining the Bluejay staff after spending the past two seasons at High Point with head Creighton head coach-in-waiting Alan Huss. Julien Berry, Malik Garner and former Bluejay Geoffrey Groselle were named as graduate assistants for this season.

Omaha Hockey announced Simon Latkoczy and Griffin Ludtke as the program’s 26th and 27th Menke Family Captains in program history on Tuesday. It is the first time since 2015-16 that the Mavericks have had co-captains. That season, Brian Cooper and Jake Guentzel shared the honors.

Latkoczy, a senior goaltender, was the 2024-25 NCHC Goaltender of the Year, the first in Maverick history. Ludtke is a senior defenseman who played in all 36 games last season, tallying 13 points. Tyler Rollwagen and Cam Mitchell, both coming off career-high seasons in points, were named as assistant captains for the upcoming season.

Omaha men’s basketball will take on a familiar face to begin its 2025-26 season. The Mavericks will face former Creighton assistant coach Ryan Miller and Murray State in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon on Monday, November 3, at 12:30 p.m. The game will be held at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Creighton volleyball season tickets have officially sold out, with more than 1,900 seats in D.J. Sokol Arena already reserved for Brian Rosen’s first campaign as head coach. Last season Creighton averaged over 2,300 fans per home match, ranking 29th nationally. Single-match tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday, August 1.

Ava Martin and Nora Sis were two of 12 athletes selected to represent Team USA at the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U23 Pan American Cup from July 27-August 1. They made the cut following a training block held July 18-25 at the National Team Training Center. The duo led Creighton volleyball to its first Elite Eight since 2016 and were unanimous All-Big East selections in 2024.

The U.S. swept the Dominican Republic on Sunday in a match where Martin saw action in all three sets as a serving specialist. Nora Sis did not play in the match. On Monday, Sis and Martin combined for 20 kills in a sweep over Suriname. Tuesday, they were at it again, sweeping Costa Rica in a match where Sis and Martin saw limited action. Due to its dominant performance thus far, Team USA earned a bye in Wednesday’s quarterfinal round and advances directly to the semifinal round tonight at 7 p.m.

The Omaha Storm Chasers are hosting the Louisville Bats for a series this week and have the early lead, 2-0. Tonight is $3 Thursday – you can get tickets, Busch Light and select concessions for $3. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

Upcoming Games

• Omaha Storm Chasers vs. Louisville | July 29 – August 3 | 7:05 p.m. Tonight
• Union Omaha at Spokane Velocity | Saturday, August 22 | 9 p.m.
• Union Omaha vs. Westchester SC | Wednesday, August 6 | 7 p.m.

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Hot Shops is hosting a 3-week “Intro To Bronze Casting” course, starting this Saturday, August 2, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This hands-on course, taught by Jack Gatzemeyer, introduces students to the full bronze casting process using the traditional lost wax method. Whether you’re brand new or looking to refine your artistic skills, this class walks you through each step—from wax modeling to the final patina. Minimum Age is 16. Cost is $319 for the course.
Details: https://hotshopsartcenter.org/event/intro-to-bronze-casting-2/

The Blues Society of Omaha presents their 10th annual “In The Market For Blues,” taking place Saturday, August 9, 2025, with more than 12 hours of music at 10 Downtown Omaha venues featuring more than 30 bands. Headlining the Scott Hall at The Holland Center stage is John Németh, vocalist and harmonica master, who is a multiple Blues Music Award winner. Most recently, for the Soul/Blues Male Artist of the year. Co-headlining is Héctor Anchondo, Omaha’s own Blues Hero, who won the 2020 International Blues Challenge as a solo artist and was a finalist in 2018 in the band category. Other notable acts include Chicago blues legend, Johnny Rawls, and the 2025 International Blues Challenge winner in the band division from Lincoln, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal.

In addition to the ticketed events at the downtown, Old Market and Capitol District venues, the Gene Leahy Mall will feature free, family-friendly bands starting at 3 p.m. The award-winning youth bands from BluesEd will showcase their talents, followed by Big Daddy Caleb and the Chargers.

Full schedule of events, venue map, and tickets: OmahaBlues.com

Collaborative Creative Visions Inc presents “Pull Up and Vibe, an Open Mic Festival and a Tribute to Blues & Soul,” on Sunday, August 3 from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Healing Roots African Diaspora Gardens. The 4th annual Pull Up and Vibe Open Mic Festival is hosting a living tribute to North Omaha’s rich history of blues and soul. Starting at 3 p.m., Pull Up and Vibe will host an open mic section that is open to all performing arts genres. At 6 p.m., the festival will feature Omaha-area performing artists Johnny Lowe, Lyriq Lashay, Weszo, Loh Aliese, Dez, Miss Va, Tre to Trav, DJ Devv, and DJ FOUR3. Big Wade & Black Swan Theory will headline at 8 p.m. This free event is open to the public and will be hosted by Jus.B and Keiria Marsha.

tbd. dance collective is hosting a movement workshop on Saturday, August 2 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Holland Center. This class is specially designed by FLOCK, a German/American touring dance company founded in 2017 by co-choreographers Florian Lochner and Alice Klock. It is built to be accessed and enjoyed by movers of all levels. Explore your own personal artistry and enjoy “centering into the body” through this gentle but invigorating dance experience.

Opera Omaha has announced that its annual kick-off to their Opera Outdoors series will be on September 5 at 7:00 p.m. at Turner Park. Spread your picnic blanket, kick off your shoes, and relax as the songs of birds and opera intertwine. This free, family-friendly concert will be held at Midtown Crossing’s Turner Park and includes some of opera’s greatest hits.

Omaha actor Mekhi Payne has been cast in the First National Tour of the Tony Award-winning musical The Outsiders, which comes to the Orpheum Theater September 28 to October 4. Payne is an Omaha South High School graduate who was an award-winning participant in Omaha Performing Arts’ Nebraska Theater Academy program. The program recognized him as a lead performer in 2023 and named him one of the top students in the state as a National Finalist in 2024. He currently trains at The Norwalk Conservatory. As a Swing in The Outsiders, Payne will understudy multiple roles in the show, including Two-Bit and Steve.

Film Streams has been selected as one of the few theaters in the country that will play Spike Lee’s newest film, Highest 2 Lowest. Tickets go on sale this Friday before the film starts on August 15. Only available at Film Streams, this is your chance to see Spike and Denzel team up for the first time in more than 20 years.

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Did you know Omaha came in at #20 on LinkedIn’s inaugural report, “Cities on the Rise 2025: The 25 Fastest-Growing U.S. Metros for Jobs and New Talent?” LinkedIn analyzed its labor market data to identify 25 emerging metro areas where “hiring is accelerating, job postings are surging and talent migration is reshaping local economies.”

Did you know developments directly spurred by Omaha’s future streetcar line are now estimated at $3.9 billion over the next 15 years?

Did you know the Iowa Department of Transportation has spent approximately $1.5 billion on its overhaul of the entire Council Bluffs interstate system? The multi-year project will wrap up at the end of this year.

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Millwork Markets: Summer Market Series happening on August 1st: Join others for the Millwork Markets, Powered by Heirloom Fine Foods – a vibrant summer market series happening June through August at The Dock in Millwork Commons (North Downtown). Discover local homemade goods, fresh produce and other home-grown treasures!

Late Nights at the Zoo: Family Edition happening on August 1st: When the sun goes down, the adventure heats up! Bring the whole family for an after-hours Henry Doorly Zoo experience packed with kid-friendly activities, tasty treats and their favorite habitats under the evening sky. Explore the Zoo with your whole crew select Friday nights this summer! Dance the night away with a DJ or Omaha Street Percussion, stop by a Zooventure station, see an Ambassador Animal presentation and so much more!

First Friday + New American Arts Festival happening August 1st: BFF Omaha’s August First Friday celebrates art, culture and community with the return of the New American Arts Festival – a vibrant evening spotlighting Omaha’s immigrant, migrant and refugee communities through bold visual art, live music and global flavor. You can expect exhibitions, live music, 75+ vendors and more!

Comic Con Nebraska happening August 2nd & 3rd: Comic Con Nebraska is a brand-new show, launching late summer in Omaha. It’s the first show from the newly formed Octopus Events Group. OEG is made up of the founders of some of the best fan conventions in North America, including Emerald City Comic Con, Rose City Comic Con and Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo, alongside the founders of Epic Photo Ops and more. All ages welcome!

Bark & Burn happening on August 3rd: This one-mile walk is designed to get humans moving and tails wagging! Along the route, you’ll encounter energy breaks and playful social stops for your four-legged companion. Whether you’re looking to break a sweat, wag a tail or do both, Bark & Burn is your perfect mix of movement and dog-friendly fun.

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NP Dodge Real Estate has welcomed new residential sales associates including Breana Schneidewind, Jake Vance and Matthew Feldman.

The Nebraska Credit Union League has selected L. James Wright as its next Chief Advocacy Officer effective September 1. The League is the state trade association and primary advocacy organization for Nebraska’s not-for-profit, member-owned credit unions.

CharterWest Bank has welcomed Jennifer Gifford to the underwriting department and Kary Wurth as business development manager. Gifford joined CharterWest after13 ½ years at First National Bank of Omaha, serving in the underwriting department. Wurth supports CharterWest’s 37 mortgage loan officers throughout Nebraska and Iowa. She will host an upcoming podcast for CharterWest and is also the host of Omaha Extra on KMTV 3 News Now.

Koley Jessen has added Troy Meyerson and Adam Charlsen as shareholders in its corporate department. The Omaha law firm also welcomed back former Nebraska Chamber of Commerce president Bryan Slone who rejoined as Counsel. At Koley Jessen, Sloan will advise clients on complex tax matters and strategic public policy considerations.

Elevate Search Partners is celebrating the two-year work anniversaries of three of its team members: Jason Kroll, recruiting partner & career advisor; Anna Mangels, director of human resources & Culture; Justin Oehm, recruiting partner & career advisor; and Sam Montag, recruiting partner & career advisor.

David Brown, former president & CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber, received the Life Member Award from the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. It’s one of the highest honors in chamber leadership. Brown led Omaha’s chamber for nearly 20 years before retiring in 2022.

In Memoriam – Omaha real estate executive and developer Howard Kooper died July 20 after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. Kooper founded Broadmoor Development in 1978 with his business partner and best friend of 48 years, Tom Fellman. Together, they built one of Omaha’s largest development and management companies.

The Greater Omaha Chamber is a catalyst and connector, advocating for businesses small and large. Learn, share and grow with more than 12,000 professionals from 3,000 member businesses across Greater Omaha. Click HERE to see our latest events.

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

Nobody takes “Unlimited Paid Time Off,” which is why prebiotic soda maker Olipop is incentivizing its employees to actually do just that, according to The Hustle. This summer, when workers request the recommended five straight days off, they’ll get entered into a raffle for a $1,000 travel stipend.

The best leaders are wise. One way to become wiser is to enrich your life, according to Walden University. Wise leaders do more listening than talking. They seek ways to constantly grow to understand the breadth and depth of the world around them. They have a quest for knowledge that knows no bounds.

The sustained success of your team rests primarily on the talent you bring in. The best leader in the world can only get so far with an employee who lacks the ambition, skills, or cultural fit to thrive and actively contribute to their team.

Onboarding and ultimately letting go of an ineffective hire are massive drains on time, effort, money, and company resources. You need to be able to get ahead of that potentially disastrous process. That’s why sound hiring skills are so crucial to your success as a manager/leader.

Understand the skills and attributes that you want to hire for — as well as the questions you need to ask to uncover them. You can learn those by touching base with and learning from your more experienced colleagues.

SALES

Because of we find ourselves in the middle of this year’s calendar, it’s time for sales professionals to take some very important mid-year steps:

Goal Check – Hopefully, you made some detailed and quantitative goals before the year began. Hopefully, you put a lot of thought into your goals, challenging yourself to move forward both personally and professionally. But if you’re like most people, you put those goals on the shelf as soon as you complete them. Over the past six months, a lot of sales reps’ goals have been collecting dust.

Now’s the time to relook at those goals. Study each goal carefully. Get out your spread sheets and determine whether your production so far this year is on target. Do you need to ramp up your efforts? If you’re ahead of the game, should you rewrite your goals for the rest of this year so that you can accomplish much more than you initially thought possible?

Pipeline Assessment – This is a great time to study your pipeline. How many prospects do you have at each stage? Are too many prospects stuck at one stage and not progressing through the pipe like they should? If you have closed a lot of deals already this year (congratulations), you might want to ramp up prospecting efforts to make sure you have enough pipeline activity to carry through the rest of the year.

Prospecting – The single most important activity a sales professional does is prospecting. You need to constantly be on the hunt for new opportunities. But it’s easy to get caught up in existing deals or to become prospecting-complacent as the year goes along. Do you need to block more time on your calendar to make calls?

Networking – You may have become rusty at in-person prospecting during the pandemic. Depending on your industry and the type of sales work you do, you’re probably missing out on opportunities if you’re not out and about in public.

Dormant Leads – You may have some prospects who showed promise but you lost track of them. Maybe they were unresponsive and you moved on. Maybe they were really interested but went dark on you (ghosted you). Maybe there are some prospects from two or three years ago who might be more amenable now.

WISDOM

“If you can’t solve a problem for your customer, then there’s no basis for a sale. But if you uncover problems you can solve, then you’re potentially providing the buyer with something useful.” – Neil Rackham, author of SPIN Selling

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Earlier this week, I watched the weather report and listened as the weather Bevis predicted an evening filled with thunder, lightning and torrential rain. He then proceeded to announce that his other weather model predicted a different scenario with an alternative time, place and intensity. He concluded with a guesstimate that blended the first two scenarios with that of the National Weather Service.

In spite of all the weather person’s fussing and fuming, nothing happened at my house that night. I know this, because the dog never barked.

The fees charged by the Wall Street mavens are based upon their alleged ability to predict individual stock prices and market movements. Without this, they lack any snake oil to peddle to the investing public.

My six-decade adventure with the stock market leads me to conclude that Wall Street analysts and TV weather people are distant cousins. We are about to enter the Q2 earnings report season, and according to Yahoo Finance, investors are waiting with bated breath for the release of those numbers. And once those numbers are released, investors will buy and sell like crazy, until the cows come home.

The primary data points analysists use to predict stock prices are the companies’ earnings. Analysts scour all available information on a company’s current finances and then project how much money the company will earn that quarter. The excitement begins when the companies release the actual results.

The conventional wisdom is that a proper price-to-earnings ratio for a company is 15. More than 15, and the price is too high. Less than 15, and the price is too low. Then based on their earnings projections, analyst issue buy-and-sell recommendations. I gathered data on the last three quarters’ earning projections and found that the Wall Street experts’ forecasts were correct on average, 17 percent of the time. Or to put it another way, they were wrong 83 percent of the time.

On the market prediction side, the year started with Wall Street market analysts predicting that the “Trump Tariffs” would result in a dramatic market downturn. A Wall Street Journal survey showed that economists believed there was a 70 percent probability of a recession within a year. Across the board, analysts dropped their S&P 500 earnings estimate by 7 percent.

And the real-world year to date? Up 8.3 percent year to date, and up 27.8 percent since its April low.

The nightly weather forecast is free and worth every penny. How much are you paying for Wall Street’s predictions, and are you getting your money’s worth?

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The Grow Omaha radio show broadcasts live every Saturday morning at 9:00, but now you can watch videos of each episode instead of just listening.

Grow Omaha’s brand-new website features video footage shot inside the radio studio during each week’s show!

Videos include News of the Week, Lightning Round, guest interviews, and “Grow Omaha Uncut,” a behind-the-scenes look at what happens during commercial breaks.

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