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Leading with Curiosity, Passion and Integrity: Valmont Industries President & CEO Stephen G. Kaniewski Weathers the Storm
Leadership is defined in times of crisis, and a leader earns their mark when they “gird and inspire people through difficult times,” historian Nancy Koehn wrote. Valmont Industries President and CEO Stephen G. Kaniewski learned this firsthand through trial-by-fire. The tireless researcher, people person and tech leader at the helm of the Nebraska-born irrigation-systems manufacturer…
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Volano Gives New Developers a Shot
Omaha-based Volano Software not only builds custom business software, they help build the IT workforce. “We’ve hired a number of folks that have not coded professionally before and helped them become technology professionals,” said Rod Smith, co-founder and partner of Volano, which specializes in developing customized workflow design software, databases, portals and more. Over the…
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Feeling isolated? Omaha Gives! 2020 has launched. Here’s why you should give
Michael Young knows the importance of giving, how it can change a life. Young grew up in a family that struggled financially. After his father died prematurely, his mother had trouble coping with the loss, and the family dealt with worsening housing and food insecurity. Even in the midst of the economic hardships his family…
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Omaha South High School Grads Launch Tech Careers, Land Paid Summer Internships at Union Pacific
This summer, two recent Omaha South High School graduates, Suraj Poudel and Evelyn Espinoza Macias, will enter highly competitive paid internships at Union Pacific after participating in the AIM Institute’s pilot workforce development program that teaches high school students how to code. Ashok Fichadia, Assistant Vice President of IT Development for Union Pacific, said the…
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Omaha Bryan senior Britney Salcedo, heading for UNL in the fall, works hard for herself and others
We could all use more good news. This inspiring story was originally published by the AIM Institute. Britney Salcedo’s older brother and sister didn’t get the opportunity to go to college. Neither of them could afford it. Seeing her family miss out on higher education due to financial circumstances motivated the Omaha Bryan High School…
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“At Home in a Crisis Trying to Work”: Cheered on by the Startup Collaborative, Founders Face Grim Future with Hope
Erica Wassinger, Senior Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation for the Greater Omaha Chamber, exerts considerable energy and influence helping entrepreneurs weather the storms of starting up. Her work as cofounder of The Startup Collaborative often brings her as close to founders as public health guidelines currently allow. For the past month, she’s been speaking with…
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Hybrid85 passes profits onto farmers
At the very top of the Nebraska State Capitol building stands a 32-foot tall bronze statue of the Sower, a figure representing agriculture’s vital role in the development of modern civilization. Maybe it wasn’t the best fit for the state license plate, but the Sower is an undeniable symbol of Nebraska. According to the Nebraska…
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Send in the Clowns: An Experiment Outsourcing to Fiverr
Outsourcing used to be a dirty word. To some extent, it still is. That’s probably due to public confusion with offshoring, the migration of company operations to other countries to capitalize on cheaper labor. Offshoring connotes economic devastation: factories closed, jobs lost, communities destroyed. On the other hand, outsourcing—contracting work to a third party—is having…
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HerHeadquarters enriches women-owned businesses through powerful brand partnerships
Carina Glover owned and operated a successful event planning business. She built her company from the ground up, working for free in the early stages of development, because she wanted to build a reputable name for her company. And she did. In her second year of business, she landed event planning contracts with the Grammy…
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Working to Reduce Cultural Bias in AI, Advocate for Women in STEM: Camille Eddy
Growing up, Camille Eddy wanted to be an astronaut. She went to space camp, loved Star Trek, and was even mentored by former NASA mission specialist Barbara Morgan. Part of being an astronaut, Eddy discovered, involved developing STEM skills. So, she began programming at age 12, started her own web design business at age 17, and…