2023 Annual Report
Reflecting on the achievements & milestones that fills us with pride as we present the 2023 annual report of the Greater Omaha Chamber.
In a year marked by legislative victories and economic opportunities, our efforts played a pivotal role in shaping policies that foster growth and development. As we enter the upcoming year, our dedication to our members and advancing the regional economy remains unwavering.
ADVOCACY WINS
In 2023, the Greater Omaha Chamber utilized its influential voice by championing the interests of the business community at both the state and local levels. The 2023 Nebraska legislative session showcased the Chamber’s perseverance leading to the successful advancement of key priorities decades in the making. Public policy victories like LB 754 underscored our commitment to competitiveness, reducing the top corporate and individual income tax rates. Other efforts around industrial site development, extensions of economic development tax credits and transportation infrastructure bonding were also successful in 2023. These changes will catalyze investment and job creation and play a vital role in workforce attraction and retention across the region.
LB 754 Passed
3.99%
LB 754 drops top individual & corporate tax rates by 2027
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS
Landed Projects in 2023
$700 Million+
Capital Investment
New Jobs
$28 Million
New annual payroll
In economic development, we continue our focus to generate investment, jobs and wage growth across our region. In addition to landed projects, our efforts to promote the region have identified 140 new prospective projects representing $20 billion in potential investment and the creation of 13,000 jobs. Our Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) program to support local companies was an integral part of our economic development efforts in 2023. Over 275 BRE visits yielded new economic development relationships, business assistance and numerous referrals across the community.
MEMBER ENGAGEMENT
As we adapt to evolving dynamics, our commitment to member engagement remains unwavering. To that end, the Greater Omaha Chamber underwent a significant internal review to ensure long-term and sustained success in the programmatic areas that make our chamber unique. Through disciplined fiscal planning, we reduced $1.5 million in ongoing expenses allowing the Chamber to not only end the fiscal year in balanced position, but also contribute to our reserve fund for the first time in four years. Moving forward, your Greater Omaha Chamber will be in a stronger position to continue valued programming, while also having the flexibility to respond to emerging economic development needs and projects.
Membership Results
90%
Member retention rate
11,000+
Individuals engaged in events and programs
160+
Sponsor organizations
2024 Priorities:
Our focus for 2024 revolves around three primary objectives:
- Regional Economic Growth
- Strengthening our Business Climate
- Member Services
Our strategic approach involves measuring success through three key metrics: Total Wage Growth, Primary Job Growth and Labor Force Growth. Our commitment to real wage growth in the Omaha MSA propels economic development, emphasizing the creation of primary jobs for broader economic growth. Addressing the critical issue of labor force attraction and retention remains at the forefront of overcoming barriers to our region’s growth.
The work associated with these metrics extends across the entire Greater Omaha Chamber. Yet, our economic development work remains our “true north” and serves as the foundation for strategic programming. From new-to-market business attraction in our eight-county partnership to corridor development in North and South Omaha to startup and small business assistance to continued support for the Urban Core and modern streetcar, the Greater Omaha Chamber is committed now more than ever in being the chief advocate and innovator in regional economic development.
Leading public policy advocacy and maintaining a strong business climate remains paramount to our daily work. Aligning with our strategy, we strive to make the Greater Omaha Chamber one of the most influential voices in the federal, state and local public policy space through our candidate academy training, military affairs engagement and support from the Greater Omaha Chamber PAC.
Our strategic focus on Member Services aims to enhance both engagement and ROI to members through a major membership redesign. With the reintroduction of regular updates on regional economic activity and projects plus the creation of new member benefits, the Greater Omaha Chamber has committed publicly to create the best value-proposition of any business association in Nebraska. This new approach of engaging members through events, programming and technical assistance is poised to contribute to the success of businesses looking to expand in the region.
The Greater Omaha Chamber’s 2023 journey has been one of challenges and progress. Our advocacy efforts, economic development successes and member engagement initiatives have collectively propelled our community forward. As we charge aggressively into 2024, our commitment to driving regional growth, enhancing the business climate and delivering exceptional member service remains unwavering.
The Greater Omaha Chamber is poised for continued success, standing as a beacon of resilience, collaboration and prosperity. Thank you for being part of our 130-year story – and helping us write the next chapter of our collective economic success!
2024 Key Metrics
Total Wage Growth
Primary Job Growth
Labor Force Growth
Heath Mello
President & CEO,
Greater Omaha Chamber
Carmen Tapio
CEO, North End Teleservices, LLC
2023-2024, Chair of the
Greater Omaha Chamber
2024 Annual Meeting Presenting Sponsors
About Baxter
Baxter Auto Group is one of the nation’s leading automotive retail groups, serving the communities of Omaha/Lincoln, Nebraska; Kansas City, Kansas; and Colorado Springs, Colorado. The company has grown from one dealership in 1957 to 19 in 2022 and represents nine of the nation’s top automotive brands, including Ford, Lexus, Toyota, Audi, Volkswagen, Honda, Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, and Infiniti.
We attribute much of this growth and expansion to our exceptional employees, whose skills, professionalism, and dedication have been the cornerstone of our continued success. We continually invest in our employee experience, with industry-leading benefits for our team members, a flexible work-life balance, and an experience that prioritizes purpose, growth, well-being, and belonging.
We also believe in being active in and giving back to the communities we serve, donating more than 1.6 million dollars to more than 100 philanthropic organizations in 2021.
About FNBO
FNBO (First National Bank of Omaha), a subsidiary of First National of Nebraska, Inc. (FNNI), is one of the largest privately held banks in the US and has been in business for more than 165 years. FNNI and its affiliates have over $30 billion in assets and 5,000 employees. Primary banking offices are located in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming, providing personal and business banking, mortgage, payment solutions, wealth management and more. As the great big, small bank founded in 1857, FNBO has maintained its commitment to customers and helping build strong communities. Learn more at FNBO.com and connect on Facebook, X and Instagram. Member FDIC.
About McGrath North
McGrath North focuses first and always on Client Success. We have a talented team of over 70 experts who effectively and successfully collaborate with our clients, including small and mid-size businesses to Fortune 500 companies operating in a broad range of industries.
We judge ourselves based on the real-world value we provide to our clients, whether they are operating in the Midwest, across the country, or in business centers across the globe. We are fueled to achieve that success by a relentless concentration on Excellence.
To be our best, McGrath North is always transforming and investing in talent, technology, and leadership, with a genuine commitment for building diversity, equity and inclusion within our firm, our profession and our community. While we are proud of our first 60 years of service, we are always innovating and recreating ourselves for the challenges ahead for our clients.
Welcome to McGrath North.
About North End Teleservices
North End Teleservices, LLC is an omnichannel global provider of outsourced contact center services to government and commercial sectors. The company is committed to its mission of
creating jobs and changing lives. North End Teleservices is a certified woman-owned, minorityowned, HUBZone and Enterprise Zone business that serves as an extension of its clients’ brands and service delivery model, working with small and large B2B, B2C, and government agencies. At its core, North End Teleservices is a human capital service organization underscored by the
best technology in our industry. Since its inception, North End Teleservices has added over $306.2M to Nebraska’s economy. Its corporate culture embodies the qualities of empathy,
integrity, empowerment, expertise, diversity, and inclusivity, with a commitment to community development, reinvestment, and revitalization. North End Teleservices customizes contact center operations to meet every client’s specific needs. North End Teleservices sets a new standard in business process outsourcing.