Mike McCarthy - McCarthy Capital, Omaha

Mike McCarthy

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Mike McCarthy is the founder of McCarthy Capital, a private equity firm headquartered in Omaha since its founding in 1986. After graduating from St. John’s University (Minnesota) in 1973, McCarthy returned to his hometown in western Iowa to start a small construction firm, eventually expanding into developing real estate and investing in operating businesses. After moving to Omaha with his wife, Nancy, and four children, he and his co-founder, Rich Jarvis, opened an investment bank focused on funding small businesses.

McCarthy also began a long career of community involvement, serving on boards like the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, the Omaha Community Foundation, United Way of the Midlands, the Omaha Zoological Society, Creighton University and other nonprofit organizations. He serves as a board member of Lasting Hope Recovery Center and chair of the Heritage Services board of directors. He continues as an active chairman of Bridges Trust while serving on the boards of Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc., Union Pacific Corporation, Election Systems & Software and McCarthy Group, LLC.

Mike and Nancy were honored as 2012 United Way Citizens of the Year, and he was inducted into the Omaha Business Hall of Fame in 2006.

John Sampson - Sampson Construction, Lincoln

John Sampson

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John Sampson was born in Hastings, Nebraska, and moved to Lincoln with his parents and five siblings at an early age. A Lincoln High School graduate, he earned his bachelor's degree in construction management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1972. After graduation, he married his high school sweetheart, April Crossgrove and began working in the family business with his parents and brothers. At that time, Sampson Construction built custom homes and a few small commercial projects, and business was conducted on the dining room table of the Sampson home.

In 1995, Sampson became president of the business and the company began to grow rapidly under his leadership, a result of the risk he took on larger, more complicated projects. He incorporated innovative technologies and practices to grow and provide leading-edge services to clients while preserving the Nebraska value that “business is done with a handshake and a promise” instilled in him by his parents. In his time as president, Sampson Construction’s portfolio of work has been comprised of large commercial projects including hospitals, schools, retail stores, worship spaces, manufacturing facilities, sporting venues and commercial office buildings. The company has five offices in Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado, projects in 16 states and proudly employs more than 350 full-time employees.

Sampson received the 2013 Burnham Yates Citizenship Award from the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. He generously supports higher education and healthcare organizations, among many others. In 2010, he donated labor and materials to the City of Lincoln to modernize Sherman Field to ensure kids across the city could have top-tier facilities in which to play baseball and softball. He also donated more than 28 acres of land to Bryan Health to build the April Sampson Cancer Center, a world-class cancer treatment center.

As Sampson Construction celebrates 70 years of business, he remains a visionary leader and mentor to his family’s business and an avid champion and supporter of his employees. A big proponent of family first, the company has employed numerous families and their relatives under his leadership. He and his late wife have one daughter, Cori Vokoun, and her husband, Dan Vokoun. Sampson and his wife Toni Thorson live in Lincoln.

Gloria Thesenvitz - Nova-Tech, Inc., Grand Island

Gloria Thesenvitz

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Gloria Thesenvitz is founder and chairman of the board of Nova-Tech, Inc., a nationally recognized company providing custom aseptic fill manufacturing services and private label IV fluids to the animal health industry throughout the United States and Canada.

Grounded in her rural Nebraska roots and following her graduation from Wood River High School, Thesenvitz achieved her dream of being a wife, mother and farmer. Throughout the next 18 years, she farmed and spent those early formative years with her four children. When that relationship and career choice dissolved, she utilized her knowledge of growing and marketing cattle to examine alternative agriculture crops.

Utilizing tenacity and entrepreneurship, she founded Nova-Tech in 1988. The first product line, animal serums, are nutritional elements for the growth of cells invitro. Applying a pragmatic philosophy, she surrounded herself with knowledgeable people. Maintaining Nova-Tech CGMP Compliance in the manufacture of injectable fluid therapy products provided Nova-Tech the pathway to be where it is today. Under her leadership, the company focused on staying current with technological advancements and marketplace trends which set the stage for Nova-Tech to be an integrated asset to their customer.

In 2011, the site transfer of manufacturing into a new plant located in the Platte Valley Industrial Tract in Grand Island laid the foundation for three additions and brought significant growth through increased production and technical capabilities. Nova-Tech has a national reputation as a trusted source with a willingness to respond to changing industry needs.

Thesenvitz's honors include an invitation to present at the Pharmaceutical Technical Exchange Association Semi-Annual meeting in Kansas City, the Governor’s Bio Science Award and the Grand Island Independent Woman of the Year. A strong advocate for education, quality jobs, women entrepreneurs and rural Nebraska, she reinvested her talents, time and resources and served on multiple community and state boards. She serves as a governor’s appointee to the EPSCoR/IDeA Committee whose mission is to build the state's research capacity and competitiveness, invest in workforce development and foster public-private partnerships in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Bill & Elaine Biggs - LI-COR BioSciences, Lincoln

Bill & Elaine Biggs

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In the late 1960s, a recent University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) electrical engineering graduate was hired to design instrumentation for a UNL agricultural research project. The instruments Bill Biggs and his university colleagues developed would eventually revolutionize the technology used for plant science research worldwide.

Biggs earned his master’s degree in 1969 and spent two years at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico. His work on imaging systems for satellites fueled a desire to start a scientific instrument company incorporating optics with electronics.

In 1971, Bill and Elaine Biggs and his colleagues from the original university project formally launched the company that would become LI-COR Biosciences. They started with two products, 400 square feet of borrowed workspace and the help of a part-time employee.

While launching a new company was not easy, he believes the best thing that happened to him was a total “burnout” he experienced in 1976 after years of working seven days a week. The burnout led to a nine-year bout with depression. During that time, he became a born-again Christian and focusing seriously on his faith led to his recovery.

Until 1981, Elaine worked full time doing everything from keeping the books to helping assemble and ship products. Today, she remains on the board serving as corporate secretary.

LI-COR is a leading provider of technology for measuring global climate change and an innovator in the areas of genetic and cancer research. The majority of the company’s 300 employees work on LI-COR’s 24-acre campus in Lincoln, Nebraska. There are also offices in Germany and the United Kingdom with representatives worldwide.

The success of the company reflects Bill’s philosophy of applying solid engineering and science with innovative thinking to create groundbreaking technology. LI-COR products are in use on every continent and on the International Space Station.

Bill’s deep Christian foundation led him to pray with some LI-COR team members for company direction. Through prayer, LI-COR went into new fields such as DNA sequencing and protein analysis leading to the development of near-infrared fluorescent dyes that have medical applications. One product has shown in clinical trials to kill cancer cells when illuminated with near-infrared light.

Bill and Elaine were married in 1960. They have two children, Greg (June) Biggs, and Lori (Pat) Humphrey, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Howard L. Hawks - Tenaska, Omaha

Howard L. Hawks

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Howard L. Hawks founded and serves as chairman of the board for Omaha-based Tenaska, one of the leading independent energy companies in the United States. Established in 1987, Tenaska has a reputation for high ethical standards and expertise in natural gas and electric power marketing, energy management, development and acquisition of energy assets, operation of generating facilities and much more. Forbes magazine consistently ranks Tenaska among the 50 largest private U.S. companies.

Tenaska’s corporate culture remains rooted in its founding principles: a strong work ethic with the highest standards of excellence; a commitment to pursue value for customers and partners; and relationships built on trust, mutual respect and fair and ethical dealing.

Born in Carleton in 1935, Hawks never lost sight of his Nebraska roots. The very name Tenaska comes from a combination of the words Nebraska, tenacity, (perfect) ten and a few others. Tenaska’s corporate headquarters remains in Omaha, even as its footprint of regional offices, plant locations and development activities grew across North America and even around the globe.

Hawks has 50 years of executive management experience in the energy and automotive industries. Prior to forming Tenaska, he served as an executive for 21 years at InterNorth, Inc., and as president of three of the Omaha company’s subsidiary groups. He began his career at General Motors.

A firm believer in giving back to one’s community, Hawks has a long and treasured history with the University of Nebraska. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1957 and his MBA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1971. He served 18 years on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents (2002-20) and was the board’s chairman in 2005 and 2014. His other notable gifts to the university include contributions to an endowed chair in business ethics and leadership in Nebraska’s College of Business, housed in Howard L. Hawks Hall; an endowed chair in cancer prevention and population science at the University of Nebraska Medical Center; Hawks Field at Haymarket Park; and the Hawks Championship Center.

He also served 12 years on the Creighton University Board of Directors.

Hawks is the founder of The Hawks Foundation, a key vehicle for charitable giving that his wife, Rhonda, leads as president. The Hawks Foundation provides hundreds of need-based scholarships to students. He also co-founded Lasting Hope Recovery Center, a psychiatric facility that treats mental illness.

He has led numerous civic activities in Omaha and served as a member of several influential boards, including Ak-Sar-Ben Future Trust, Heritage Services, Joslyn Art Museum and the Omaha Zoo Foundation.

Tom Henning - Cash-Wa, Kearney

Tom Henning

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Tom Henning was born and raised in Kearney, Nebraska. He graduated from Kearney High School, attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) (previously known as Kearney State College), and then earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL). Except for time away to attend UNL and his military service, he has lived his entire life in the Kearney area.

Employed by Cash-Wa Distributing Co. since graduation, Henning served as president and CEO of the company since 1987. Cash-Wa, a foodservice and convenience store distributor with 880 employees, covers all or part of 11 states with distribution centers in Aberdeen, South Dakota; Fargo, North Dakota; and Kearney.

His activities encompass his church and organizations in the Kearney community; various advisory groups, boards, and committees within the University of Nebraska system; state-wide organizations in Nebraska; and national trade organizations for the industry that Cash-Wa is part of. His community leadership includes the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce, Buffalo County Economic Development Council, American Wholesale Marketers Association, International Foodservice Distribution Association and UniPro Foodservice Cooperative.

Henning also served on the local hospital board, Mosaic (formerly Bethphage Mission), Kearney Area Community Foundation, First National Bank in Kearney and the University of Nebraska Foundation Board.

He serves on the State of Nebraska Revenue Forecasting Board, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board, Omaha Branch of the Federal Reserve Board of Kansas City, Merryman Performing Arts Board, and is board chairman of the One Nebraska Coalition. He also serves on the President’s Advisory Board at the University of Nebraska, the Dean’s Advisory Board at UNK’s School of Business and Technology, and is a member of the board of counselors at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Henning and his wife, Mary, have two children, Chadwick Henning and Michelle Harter, who live in Kearney along with their six grandchildren. Chad and Michelle are both employed at Cash-Wa. His oldest grandson Logan Harter attends UNL.

He spends his time away from work on the family’s cattle ranch in Custer County where he has raised cattle and quarter horses since the early 1980s. He enjoys golf, hunting, playing the piano, being a family man and being a Grandpa!

Talton “Tal” Anderson - Baxter Auto Group, Omaha

Talton “Tal” Anderson

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Talton “Tal” Anderson grew up on a farm outside Stanton, Iowa. His father died suddenly when Tal was 11 years old. By the time he was 13 years old, Tal was supporting himself and his mother by working for the local butcher.

At 18 years old, Tal took a bus to Omaha to attend the University of Omaha on a partial athletic scholarship. He got a part-time job pumping gas at a Benson Texaco station owned by Johnny Baxter Chrysler Plymouth. Two years later, he began selling cars and was promoted to New Car Sales Manager, effectively putting his education on hold.

That same year, Chrysler Corporation awarded Anderson a new Plymouth Valiant and 200 silver dollars for winning a sales contest. He requested to buy into the dealership and Mr. Baxter agreed.

Over the next 24 years, Anderson expanded his ownership in the dealership, eventually buying out Mr. Baxter in 1984 after finishing his business degree at the University of Omaha. He expanded the business from one to nine dealerships.

Anderson became ill in 2008 and passed away in 2009, leaving a legacy of ambitious business practices and community involvement.

Today, under the direction of Tal’s daughter, Angie Quinn, and son, Mickey Anderson, Baxter Auto Group operates 20 dealerships and two body shops – employing more than 1,900 people in Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado.

He co-founded Omaha’s chapter of the Children’s Scholarship Fund to help inner-city students attend private schools, as well as establishing scholarships at Creighton Prep and Marian high schools and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He served on various boards including the Boys Town National Research Hospital, the Archbishop’s Committee for Development and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

He and his wife, Mary Joy, have three children: Lisa, Mickey and Angie.

Jerry Huse – Norfolk Daily News, Norfolk

Jerry Huse

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Jerry Huse was the fourth generation of the Huse family to serve as owner and publisher of the Norfolk Daily News. He joined the newspaper full-time in 1950 after serving in the U.S. Navy and graduating from the University of Minnesota, where he majored in business and journalism. He became publisher of the Norfolk Daily News in 1956 when he was 29 years old, the youngest publisher in the state at the time.

Huse believed a locally-owned newspaper should be considered a trusteeship on behalf of the community and the area it serves. To that end, Huse and the Daily News have been a catalyst in the success of many community service and economic development projects.

He was a founder and served for more than 50 years as president of the Greater Norfolk Corporation, which is the industrial land corporation of the Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce. He played a significant role in bringing new industry to Norfolk and was a major donor in numerous community fund drives, including the Elkhorn Valley Museum & Research Center and the Norfolk Arts Center. Huse also was general chairman of the new Norfolk Family YMCA building project in 1979 and headed efforts to raise more than $4 million for the YMCA tennis center. He was president of the Norfolk Country Club in 1964, playing a significant role in enlarging the course and building a new clubhouse.

Huse was honored for his civic leadership and community service on numerous occasions. He was selected for the 2000 Ak-Sar-Ben Court of Honor, the highest award given by the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation.

His work as a publisher was recognized statewide when he was named the Nebraska Press Association’s Master Editor-Publisher in 1997. He served nine years on the board of the Nebraska Press Association, including as president in 1991. He also served as a board member and officer of the Nebraska Press Association Foundation. In 2004, Huse was inducted into the Nebraska Newspaper Hall of Fame. He was honored in 2006 by the University of Nebraska – Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications for outstanding service to the newspaper industry.

Huse passed away in June 2018 at the age of 91. At the time of his death, he was president of the Daily News after serving as its publisher from 1956 until 2013.

He and his wife, Karla, have two children, Bill and his wife, Ann, and Beth Olsen and her husband, Brad, as well as nine grandchildren.

Barry L. Kennedy – Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Lincoln

Barry L. Kennedy

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Barry L. Kennedy, CAE, IOM, served as president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry from January 1987 to June 2018.

In 1992, he was designated a CAE (Certified Association Executive) by the American Society of Association Executives. The CAE is the professional standard among associations that can be earned by a combination of experience, course study and the passing of a comprehensive test on all aspects of association management.

Kennedy served as the Nebraska Chamber’s chief executive officer, preparing the budget, representing the chamber at various meetings and speaking at numerous state and local events. He also served as one of the chamber’s registered lobbyists. During his time at the chamber, the operating budget more than tripled and membership grew to an all-time high.

He was awarded the Nebraska Diplomats Association’s highest award, Ambassador Plenipotentiary, in 2009.

Prior to his work with the state chamber, Kennedy worked as a political consultant managing several successful statewide campaigns. He spent 10 years as a livestock buyer for major meat packers and had his own farming operation.

Kennedy’s Junior Chamber of Commerce career included serving as charter president of the Syracuse Nebraska Jaycees; state president of the Nebraska Jaycees; national president of the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce; and international president of JCI. Major accomplishments during this time included the M. Keith Upson Memorial Award as one of the top 10 district directors in the nation and leading the U.S. Jaycees to their highest membership ever, a record that still stands today. The Nebraska Jaycee Family of the Year Award is named for the Kennedys.

A Vietnam veteran, he served through the Tet Offensive of 1968 and received several commendations as a squad leader. He is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion and was an all-state post commander for VFW.

Married to Diane, the Kennedys have two children and five grandchildren.

Philip S. Mullin – Garner Industries, Lincoln

Philip S. Mullin

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Philip S. Mullin was born and raised in Valentine. After high school, Mullin moved to Lincoln and attended Nebraska Wesleyan University. While at Wesleyan he worked part-time, running a punch press at a small tool and die company, Garner Industries.

After graduating with a degree in business, he entered the management training program at Sears & Roebuck. After two years, he realized working in a corporation was not what he had envisioned for his career. Mullin wanted to work for a business where he could engage with customers on a personal level, similar to his father’s International Harvester dealership. It was with this inspiration in mind that he resigned from Sears and went to work at Garner.

His return to Garner in 1968 was the beginning of a 50-year career. Early on, Mullin became instrumental in turning the small company into a regional supplier of tooling, dies and machined parts for manufacturers throughout the Midwest. Soon he was leading the sales, marketing and personnel departments within the company. At the same time, he held an interest in the technology of computerized manufacturing. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, Garner invested in technology and built a reputation for precision workmanship. In 1984, the U.S. Small Business Administration recognized Garner as the Nebraska Small Business of the Year.

In 1992, Mullin bought Garner and would lead the company through more than 25 years of historic growth. Investing in new services, including injection molding, the company expanded to supporting manufacturers nationwide. The company rapidly grew its BinMaster brand of level sensors for measuring bulk materials, exporting to more than 50 countries and serving customers in the agricultural, plastics and cement markets. In 2001, the company moved into a new manufacturing facility. That same year, Mullin was recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business Administration. In 2017, Garner again expanded their facilities and its 140 employees were recognized as the Nebraska Manufacturer of the Year by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mullins has been active in supporting his community throughout his career. He has served on many boards including recent leadership positions with United Way and Food Bank of Lincoln. He has also served on the board of directors of the Nebraska Chamber and the National Association of Manufacturers.

He is married to Linda Robinson Rutz. They have five grown children and 14 grandchildren.

Louis Rotella Jr. – Rotella’s Italian Bakery, Inc., Omaha

Louis Rotella Jr.

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Louis Rotella Jr. serves as the CEO and president of Rotella’s Italian Bakery, Inc., a family business and tradition that started more than 100 years ago.

Lou Jr. was born on July 4, 1949, in Omaha, Nebraska, to parents Louis Sr. and Helen Rotella. He grew up in the predominantly Italian community of Saint Ann’s / Columbus Park area of 24th and Pierce Street.

Lou Jr. learned the importance of work at an early age and spent most of his free time learning the family business. His responsibilities grew as he grew and by the age of 16, Lou Jr. knew all facets of the family business.

While attending Omaha University (now the University of Nebraska at Omaha), Lou Jr. worked full-time and was a fortunate member of the National Champion Wrestling team. He graduated in 1972 with a degree in Business Administration, with a major in Business Management.

Having learned the art of baking and business principles from his father, Louis Sr., whom he worked ‘side by side’ with for many decades, Lou Jr. was instrumental in expanding Rotella’s into the nationwide marketplace.

Today, Lou Jr. is recognized as an industry leader, who has received numerous honors including the Omaha Golden Spike and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, as well as an induction into the university’s Lucas Society for Business Administration.

Under the leadership of Lou Jr., Rotella’s Italian Bakery has also earned numerous industry awards and distinctions and was most recently inducted into the Sarpy County Business Hall of Fame.

Lou Jr is married to Kathi. Together they have three children, Lou III, Joseph and John. While their son Joseph is a physician in Arizona, both Lou III and John have joined the family business. Lou Jr. and Kathi also have six grandchildren, of which, the eldest two are beginning to learn the family trade.

John L. Hughes - Hughes Brothers, Inc., Seward

John L. Hughes

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John Hughes, president of Hughes Brothers, Inc., Seward, is part of the third generation of the Hughes family to work at Hughes Brothers, a manufacturing company started in Seward, Nebraska, in 1921. Along with his brother Ted, executive vice-president and plant superintendent, and his cousin Tim, vice president of sales, the three Hughes’ together own 100 percent of the Hughes Brothers stock, split evenly between them. John has been president of the company since 1995.

The four original Hughes Brothers inherited a house-building company from their father, John M. Hughes, after his passing from the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. Their burgeoning wood inventory came in handy when a storm passed through the Seward area in 1921, knocking down power lines. Being good friends with the owner of the local power company, Ben H. Hughes, the driving force behind the company, and his brothers were able to build the necessary wood components to get the power lines operable again.

Over the next decade, the company transformed from building houses to building parts for the electric utility industry. The company continued to grow, with a brief but interesting hiatus during World War II making components for the war effort, adding capabilities and product offerings along the way. The company employs more than 270 people and makes over 50,000 finished products for the worldwide utility industry consisting of over 900,000 different pieces and parts comprised of wood, steel and fiberglass. Since the third generation has taken over management of the company, the business has almost doubled its manufacturing footprint to nearly 600,000 square feet under roof on the 42-acre campus on the northwestern edge of Seward.

Hughes earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of NebraskaLincoln in 1992. He has served on numerous local boards, including Seward Memorial Health Care Systems, Seward Library Foundation, Seward Community Scholarship Committee, Seward County Chamber & Development Partnership, Concordia University’s Finance Committee, and has held nearly every office imaginable at his home church Holy Savior Lutheran in Lincoln.

He and his wife, Jana, have three children: Lena, Anna and Hank. They reside on an acreage in the hills of Garland.

J. Paul McIntosh – Entrepreneur, Norfolk

J. Paul McIntosh

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J. Paul McIntosh was raised on a farm near Pilger, Nebraska. He served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army with the Special 396th Military Police Battalion. After his discharge, he used the G.I. Bill to return to the University of Nebraska, where he graduated cum laude in 1950 with dual degrees in natural science and vocational agriculture education. He became a teacher-trainer for the University of Nebraska Vocational Agriculture program and planned to continue with his master’s degree.

McIntosh’s desire to improve farmer livelihood interrupted his studies. He started McIntosh Fertilizer, co-owned several swine and sheep operations and had a commercial painting company. He served as the vocational agriculture instructor in Eagle and Newman Grove Public Schools and as the junior high social studies and science teacher in Norfolk before settling into the role of Norfolk Public Schools senior high science and guidance director for many years.

His involvement in the fertilizer industry continued to grow and expanded to include all types of farm fertilizers and chemicals, as well as farm management and a daily radio agricultural advice program. He developed College View, Inc., a 75-acre housing development in Norfolk; Meadow Ridge, a 138-acre, 900-unit LMI Housing Development, and The Meadows Retirement Center, Inc.

McIntosh’s community activities earned many honors and awards including the Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce Betterment, Nebraska Entrepreneur of the Year, City of Norfolk Edward I. Vrzal Outstanding Citizen, and the State of Nebraska declared December 1, 2009, as “J. Paul McIntosh Day”. He and his wife, Eleanor, established the McIntosh Challenge Endowment scholarships at Northeast Community College, which is currently over $1,500,000. He served as an advocate for improvements in agriculture, housing, mental health and education, and had a passion for encouraging those who needed encouraging.

Joe Ricketts – TD Ameritrade, Omaha

Joe Ricketts

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Joe Ricketts spent more than 35 years helping to build and run the world's largest online brokerage. Today, he has returned to his roots, focusing on a variety of entrepreneurial and philanthropic ventures.

A pioneer in the use of technology to revolutionize the financial services sector, as well as an international leader in developing new services for the self-directed investor, Rickets founded the company now known as TD Ameritrade, the largest online brokerage and a recognized national leader in securities trading and clearing.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in economics from Creighton University in 1968, Ricketts began his professional career first as an investment advisor with Ricketts & Co., then a registered representative with Dean Witter, and later a branch manager at Dun & Bradstreet. In 1975, he co-founded First Omaha Securities, a retail securities brokerage firm in Omaha, Nebraska. Under Ricketts' leadership, First Omaha Securities was among the first companies to recognize the potential of the discount securities market. The company grew quickly and, through the use of innovative technology and marketing, evolved into TD Ameritrade, which today manages hundreds of billions of dollars in client assets and leads its competitors with hundreds of thousands of trades per day.

Ricketts served as chief executive officer of Ameritrade Holding Corp. from 1982 to 2001 and chairman from 1982 to 2008. Since 2008, he has devoted himself to a variety of early stage ventures, including The American Film Company, High Plains Bison, The Lodge at Jackson Fork, Opportunity Education Foundation and Ending Spending.

A native of Nebraska, Ricketts now lives in Little Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He and his wife of more than 40 years have four children and 13 grandchildren.

Thomas C. Smith – D.A. Davidson & Co., Lincoln

Thomas C. Smith

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Tom Smith started his career in the financial services industry in 1968 with First Mid America. In 1983, First Mid America merged with Paine Webber, and he became a senior vice president.

In 1985, Smith and Tom Hayes started Smith Hayes Financial Services. Starting with three employees, they grew to over 100 staff with offices in Lincoln, Omaha and Columbus. They became involved in public finance, started their own mutual fund and acquired the retail business of Kirk Patrick Pettis.

In 2016, Smith Hayes merged with D.A. Davidson & Co. They manage over $40 billion in investments, including $10 billion from the Nebraska offices. Smith was appointed vice chairman of the Davidson Wealth Management Division and serves on the board of directors.

Smith has served as a trustee and past chair of Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, trustee for the University of Nebraska Foundation, past chairman and trustee of Nebraska Independent College Foundation, board member and past chairman of the Jackson Hole One Fly Foundation, and director of the Foundation for Educational Services. He is the chair of the Lincoln Community Foundation and the South of Downtown Community Development Organization and immediate past chair of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.

A graduate of Hastings High School, Smith attended the University of NebraskaLincoln and earned a bachelor’s degree in business. He is married to Lisa M. Smith and has four grown daughters and 13 grandchildren.

Phillip C. Nelson – Hamilton Telecommunications

Phillip C. Nelson

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Phillip C. Nelson joined his father, Earl Nelson, at Hamilton in 1967. As president, he guided its growth from a small, local telephone company into a leading telecommunications and information technology company with several diverse business lines. Today Nelson continues to be active in the company as chairman of the board.

Nelson significantly led Hamilton to be among many firsts in the telecommunications industry. He served as a leader in the early development of cable television services in rural communities. In the 1980s, he helped lead the way for cellular telephone development in rural Nebraska as the first president of the newly formed Nebraska Cellular, the predecessor rural network to the Verizon cellular network. Hamilton also served as one of the first companies in the state to open customer service call centers in rural Nebraska in the late 1980s. The call center business, coupled with Nelson’s telecommunications expertise, led to the formation of Hamilton Relay in 1991.

Hamilton Relay provides telecommunications relay services for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in all 50 states. In the 1990s, Hamilton began providing broadband services and in 2010, joined with several other telecommunications companies to form a network of diverse statewide fiber rings for high-speed data transport and broadband deployment. During Nelson’s tenure, Hamilton’s employment grew from less than 50 in 1967 to more than 1,000 employees operating in Nebraska and nationwide.

Nelson served as an active community leader recruiting new businesses and jobs to the Aurora, Nebraska, area. He participated as an officer and director of national telecom industry organizations, including the U.S. Telephone Association. He also served on the board of directors for Aurora Memorial Hospital, Pinnacle Bank Corp., the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, Aurora Development Corporation, Edgerton Explorit Center and Central Community College Foundation.

Nelson graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He and his wife, Lora, have two children: John and Jim, both involved with Hamilton Telecommunications.

Tonn M. Ostergard – Crete Carrier Corporation

Tonn M. Ostergard

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Tonn M. Ostergard serves as president and chief executive officer of Crete Carrier Corporation, a privately owned Lincoln, Nebraska-based transportation and logistics company. Crete Carrier, along with the temperature controlled division Shaffer Trucking and flat-bed subsidiary Hunt Transportation employ more than 6,000 associates with 19 terminal locations across the United States operating 5,600 power units and 13,000 trailers. Prior to joining Crete Carrier, he spent five years in public accounting working the KPMG firm.

He served as chairman for the Nebraska Trucking Association from 1995 to 1996 and participates as a member and director of the American Trucking Association and Truckload Carriers Association.

In addition to his industry related positions, Ostergard serves on the board of directors of Union Bank and Trust Company, Ameritas Mutual Holding Company and NEBCO, Inc. His civic responsibilities include chair of the University of Nebraska Foundation, board member of the Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corporation, former chairman and board member of St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center, former chair of the board of directors of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, a former director and president of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Alumni Association, alumnus of Leadership Lincoln and former board member of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce. Ostergard received the College of Business Alumni Leadership Award in 1991 and the University of Nebraska Young Alumnus Award in 1994. He also served as a member and officer of the Young President’s Organization.

Ostergard earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1981, and graduated from Harvard Business School Management Program in 1991.

He and his wife, Holly, have two children: Halley and Winston.

William “Willy” Theisen – Business Ventures, LLC

William “Willy” Theisen

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William “Willy” Theisen always strived to provide quality product ingredients, a fun atmosphere and great hospitable energy to create an overall positive experience in all of his restaurants. He began by opening a popular beer garden called Wild Willy’s which led to the founding of Godfather’s Pizza, soon becoming the fastest growing pizza chain in America. Within a year, Theisen began franchising in Columbus, Nebraska, then expanding across the state, the Midwest and nationwide. At its peak, Godfather's had nearly 900 locations in 40-plus states.

After selling Godfather's Pizza in 1983, he bought and sold GB Foods, a Mexican food chain restaurant in southern California. Theisen served as chairman and CEO of the company while developing the core business as well a revolutionary dual-concept strategy with other branded restaurants and frozen food businesses. Then, he became Famous Dave's first pure franchisee. After he sold that franchise in 2008, he developed Pitch, Theisen's most refined dining model as of yet. Theisen’s latest business venture is a new restaurant concept called Paragon, which opened in August of 2016 in Dundee, Nebraska.

Business Ventures, LLC owned and operated restaurants for more than 40 years and has been directly responsible for the hiring of more than 24,000 full-time and part-time individuals. Theisen continues to open and operate restaurants with the same business integrity philosophy.

Frank Zybach – Zybach Self-Propelled Sprinkling Apparatus

Frank Zybach

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Frank Zybach, born in 1894 in Oregon to Swiss immigrant parents, moved to Columbus, Nebraska, where his father was a blacksmith. In his teens, Zybach invented and patented a driverless tractor which plowed concentric circles in ever-decreasing size from the outside to the middle. He also worked on an automatic transmissions for tractors and trucks but failed to perfect the idea.

In the 1940s, Zybach worked a tenant farmer in Colorado where he attended an irrigation demonstration. Within a year of seeing the demonstration, he built the first center pivot irrigation system. The system pivoted around the wellhead that supplied the water and used the power of the water to move itself. Frank applied for a patent on his Zybach Self-Propelled Sprinkling Apparatus in July 1949 and received the patent in 1952.

Zybach partnered with A.E. Trowbridge of Columbus, Nebraska, who provided the capital necessary to begin manufacturing the new center pivot irrigation system and in the first two years of production, 10 systems were sold. In September 1954, Zybach and Trowbridge agreed to license their center pivot irrigation patent to Omaha businessman Robert Daugherty. They received a five percent royalty on every machine Valley Manufacturing produced until the patent expired in 1969.

In 1973, Zybach received the first Pioneer Irrigation Award ever presented by the Nebraska Water Conference Committee and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Zybach and wife, Elizabeth, had two daughters: Angeline and Frances. Zybach died in 1980 in Columbus.

Maurice “Moe” Beardmore – Chevrolet

Maurice “Moe” Beardmore

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Born in Glasco, Kansas, Maurice “Moe” Beardmore graduated from the University of Kansas and served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. A third generation car dealer, Beardmore began his automotive career in 1948 as general manager of his family’s dealership, Meade Beardmore Motor Company, in Mankato, Kansas.

In 1954, Beardmore started his first Chevrolet dealership in Oxford, Nebraska. In 1958, he moved to Beatrice, Nebraska, where he owned and operated Beardmore Chevrolet until 1967. After moving to the Omaha, Nebraska, area he purchased the former Fishko Chevrolet in Papillion, Nebraska, and renamed it Beardmore Suburban Chevrolet. The company moved to its current location in 1971 and has since operated as Beardmore Chevrolet in Bellevue, Nebraska.

Beardmore worked in the automobile business in Nebraska for nearly 40 years. He served as president of the Nebraska New Car and Truck Dealers Association, trustee for Bellevue University and as a member of the SAC Museum Board of Directors among other community organizations. His numerous awards included Time magazine Quality Dealer Award, Boss of the Year while in Beatrice and Outstanding Service Award from the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce.

Tom Henning – Assurity Life Insurance Company

Tom Henning

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Tom Henning serves as chairman, president and chief executive officer for Assurity Life Insurance Company. A graduate of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University, he holds chartered life underwriter, chartered financial consultant and chartered financial analyst designations. Henning, a former banker, served as president and CEO of the Overland National Bank in Grand Island, Nebraska, in the 1980s, and president and COO of the National Bank of Commerce in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Active in a variety of industry groups, Henning’s service includes the board of directors of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), chair of the ACLI Political Action Committee board and ACLI Forum 500. He also received the ACLI Distinguished Service Award and served as president of the Nebraska Insurance Federation.

Outside of industry, Henning actively participates in many civic organizations including the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, University of Nebraska Foundation, Lincoln Chamber Economic Development Corporation, Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development and the steering committee of Lincoln’s Vision 2015 group. He continues to serve on the Foundation’s investment committee and its donor advisory board as well as the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Innovation Campus Governing Board.

Henning received the 2015 Lincoln Chamber’s Burnham Yates Citizenship Award. He also served as a board member for Nelnet, Lincoln Industries and Great Western Bancorp, Inc.

He and his wife, Candy, also operate Henning Farms which is devoted to developing wildlife habitat. They have two daughters: Maddie and Cassie.

Owen Palm – 21st Century Equipment

Owen Palm

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21st Century Equipment began in 1996 by purchasing the Alliance, Nebraska, John Deere dealership. The founding members of the LLC were Owen Palm and his wife, Karen, his brother Eric Palm and Bridgeport, Nebraska, agri-businessmen Pete and Nick Lapaseotes. Today they still work as partners and through various mergers and acquisitions, added additional members to their ownership group. They now own 17 John Deere agricultural dealerships in western Nebraska, northeast Colorado and Wyoming, creating one of the largest John Deere dealerships in the United States. Palm served as president and chief executive officer since the company’s inception.

He grew up in a small town in southern Minnesota before attending the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, majoring in geological engineering. While in school, he met Karen Niedan, from Hershey, Nebraska, who eventually became his wife.

In 1979, after completing a four-year stint in the U.S. Army, Palm began an eight-year career with oilfield services giant, Schlumberger, Ltd. In 1987, Owen resigned from his senior management position in Houston, Texas, and he and his family moved to Gering, Nebraska, in search of an agriculture job. He began a new career with The Western Sugar Company in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

In 2000, as Western Sugar transitioned from stock ownership to a grower-owned cooperative, Palm left the sugar business to become fully engaged in 21st Century Equipment, a two store operation at the time. The company grew to employ 425 people and operate in five states as an industry leader in precision farming. The company actively participates in the export of late-model John Deere equipment to Ukraine and other parts of eastern Europe.

For several years, Palm involved himself in organizations across the state including Ak-Sar-Ben, Platte Institute for Economic Research, Nebraska Natural Resources Commission and Nebraska Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. He serves as vice-chairman of the board of directors of Hershey State Bank. In addition to serving on numerous local committees, he is a trustee on both the Chadron State College Foundation and the South Dakota School of Mines Foundation Boards.

JoAnn M. Martin – Ameritas Life Corporation

JoAnn Martin

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JoAnn M. Martin joined Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation in 1984 as a manager in the audit department and rose to chair, president and chief executive officer of the company in 2008. A year later, Martin became president and chief executive officer of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company. Her leadership included Ameritas becoming one of the strongest companies in the insurance industry, including achieving a record asset and capital position. Martin championed a series of strategic accomplishments, including the merger of the insurance companies that were solely owned subsidiaries into two entities: Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York.

Martin grew up on a farm near Plainview, Nebraska, and graduated from Plainview High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and master’s degree in business administration from Colorado State University. She also serves as a certified public accountant.

Martin actively served on numerous boards of directors including Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corporation, National Research Corporation, University of Nebraska Foundation and Lincoln Vision 2015.

Earl May – Earl May Nursery and Garden Center and KMA radio

Earl May

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Born in 1888 near Hayes Center, Nebraska, Earl May used his entrepreneurial spirit to earn money for college and after graduation became a high school principal. In 1911, he entered law school at the University of Michigan and earned money in the summers as a door-to-door salesman for the D.M. Ferry Seed Company. He eventually transferred back to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and married Gertrude Welch, whose father worked in the seed and nursery business. May joined the family business in Shenandoah, Iowa and with the financial backing of E.S. Welch, he founded Earl May Nursery and Garden Center in 1919.

He took advantage of the new technology radio offered at the time, greatly impacting the growth and success of the company. First operating out of a radio station in Omaha, Nebraska, he received a license to operate his own station in Shenandoah (KMA) in 1925. Using telephone lines to connect to the WOAW transmitter 60 miles away in Omaha, the May studio acted as the longest remote radio connection of the day.

May passed away in 1946, but his foresight proved to be instrumental in the company's entry into television beginning with the origination of KMTV in Omaha in 1949. His family manages the Earl May Nursery and Garden Center and KMA radio.

Richard F. Reinke – Reinke Manufacturing

Richard F. Reinke

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Nearly half a century ago, a small-town businessman and inventor Richard F. Reinke introduced his first center-pivot irrigation system. A self-taught engineer and draftsman, he began inventing at a young age in his father’s machine shop. He formed Reinke Manufacturing Company, Inc., on his family farm near Deshler, Nebraska, in 1954. He introduced the world’s first reversible, electric gear driven center pivot system that ran on rubber tires.

This same system also featured a bow-string truss design, a major innovation that allowed the water pipe to ride much higher off the ground. Reinke serves as one of the oldest and largest irrigation system manufacturers in the world. Many of his innovations became standard in the industry.

Reinke continued to work and innovate until his death in 2003 at the age of 80.

Michael B. Yanney

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Michael B. Yanney – Burlington Capital Group

Michael “Mike” B. Yanney served as chairman emeritus of the board of The Burlington Capital Group LLC, formerly America First Companies, which manages public investment funds. From 1977 to 1984, Yanney engaged in the ownership and management of commercial banks. He served as a director and member of the executive committee of FirsTier Financial, Inc. from 1985 until he resigned in 1991. He conducted business in the former Soviet Union and 14 other countries since 1976. Yanney also served on the East West Institute joint U.S./Russia delegation in 2007.

Yanney served as a member of the board of directors for America First Tax Exempt Fund, Tetrad and Core Bank Holding Co. He also participated as a member of the board of Level 3 Communications, Inc., Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, Freddie Mac Advisory Board, Durham Resources, Inc., Freedom Communications, Inc., Forest Oil Corporation, MFS Communications, Inc., PKS Information Services, Inc., Omaha Steaks, MFA and Streck Inc.

Deryl F. Hamann – Baird Holm LLC

Deryl F. Hamann

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Deryl F. Hamann serves as a member of the corporate and tax sections of Baird Holm LLC. He regularly represents clients regarding estate planning, taxation, banking law and corporate law matters.

Hamann received his juris doctor, cum laude, from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law. He serves as a member and a former president of the Nebraska State Bar Foundation and the Nebraska Association of Bank Attorneys. Hamann also participates as a member of the American Bar Association, and a member and past president of the Omaha Estate Planning Council. He also acted as an investor and owner in numerous banks in the region.

A fellow of the American Bar Foundation, Hamann previously served as chairman of the Bethpage Foundation, Inc., and Bellevue University. Hamann serves as a director of Bellevue University and the Bellevue University Foundation.

In 2011, he was designated by Best Lawyers in America as the Corporate Lawyer of the Year in Omaha, Nebraska.

Max and Eric Brown – KRVN Radio

Max Brown

Eric Brown

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Max Brown, a pioneer in broadcast journalism, founded a network of radio stations serving Nebraska agriculture. He served as part of a group of leaders from Nebraska farm organizations who started the Nebraska Rural Radio Association, which put KRVN on the air February 1, 1951. The association’s Rural Radio Network subsequently grew to six stations.

More than 4,200 Nebraska farm and ranch families own the association. Brown served as executive secretary of the association and general manager of its radio stations until he retired in 1979.

Eric Brown began his broadcasting career in 1962 as a part-time rock-and-roll disk jockey at KRVN while attending Lexington High School. He earned degrees from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the University of Missouri before teaching at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota.

In 1979, Eric moved to Lexington, Nebraska and rejoined KRVN AM/FM as a general manager when Max retired. In 1984, the Nebraska Rural Radio Association purchased KNEB AM/FM in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and in 1996 added KTIC AM/ KWPN FM in West Point, Nebraska, to form the Nebraska Rural Radio Network.

Eric retired in 2012 as general manager of the Nebraska Rural Radio Association, but remains active with their foundation.

John Doherty – NUCOR Steel

John Doherty

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John Doherty, one of the founders of NUCOR Steel, was instrumental in designing and building the NUCOR steel mill northeast of Norfolk, Nebraska. As a general manager from 1973 to 1995, he set annual production records and helped write the company’s history as a modern American success story.

At the mill, Doherty often worked seven days a week. Past co-workers said he would be either in his office working with the door always open, or out on the mill floor in the heat and the smoke with his crew of nearly 400 employees.

An engineer and draftsman by training, he gave up his position as a general manager in 1995 and worked for two years as the NUCOR vice president of engineering and consulting. He retired from the company in 1997 and operated a steel mill engineering consulting company for several years.

Donald Everett Sr. – Runza National

Donald Everett Sr.

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Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, near Pioneers Park, the first Runza drive inn opened in 1949 serving the original Runza sandwiches. The famous hot sandwich was created by Sally Everett and her brother, Alex Brening. Donald Everett Sr. began working at Runza in 1964. By the time Donald Everett Sr. completed his work with the business, the Runza became a household name and a Nebraska tradition.

Everett oversaw the expansion of the business from a sandwich shack into a booming chain almost synonymous with the Nebraska experience. In 1966, as the second Runza location opened in Lincoln, Everett purchased the trade name and with his mother’s blessing incorporated Runza Restaurants.

In 1994, Everett was named state Restaurateur of the Year. Runza celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2009 and expanded to more than 80 locations in Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa and Kansas.

Marc LeBaron – Lincoln Industries

Marc LeBaron

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Marc LeBaron began working for his father, Nebraska Business Hall of Fame member Dale LeBaron, when the company resided in their house. Deciding to stay with the firm, LeBaron led Lincoln Industries to become the nation’s leading supplier in high-performance metal finishing. With more than 500 employees, the company operates 24 hours a day and has obtained YS 16949 and ISO 14001 certifications. Lincoln Industries serves as the largest, most diverse privately-held metal finishing operation in North America.

Outside of the industry, LeBaron contributes to his community, state and nation. He sits on the U.S. Bank advisory board and the board of directors for Assurity, Inc., Ballantyne of Omaha, TEK Industries, Bryan Medical Center, Nebraska State Chamber, University of Nebraska–Lincoln NUtech Ventures, International Sculpture Center and many other non-profit organizations. He received the College of Business Business Excellence Award and is one of two Nebraskans to receive Junior Achievement’s Gold Award.

Passionate about wellness, LeBaron initiated the company’s wellness program 20 years ago. Today the company’s wellness program serves as a benchmark for companies across the nation.

He and his wife, Kathy, have two children: Katie and Kassy.

Dr. Lee Simmons – Henry Doorly Zoo

Dr. Lee Simmons

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Dr. Lee Simmons joined Omaha’s Zoo in 1966 as staff veterinarian, soon becoming associate director. Named director of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo in 1970, the zoo opened many cutting-edge, world-class exhibits including the Lied Jungle, Desert Dome, Kingdoms of the Night, Hubbard Gorilla Valley and the Berniece Grewock Butterfly and Insect Pavilion.

Named among the top five zoos in North America, Henry Doorly Zoo grew to more than 250 full-time and 300 part-time employees and a budget of $22 million. The zoo serves as a leader in conservation, research and preservation of endangered species. Field work in Madagascar by the staff led to the discovery of 20 new lemur species. Notable accomplishments by Henry Doorly Zoo include an artificially inseminated guar calf, an in-vitro fertilized guar calf, an artificially inseminated tiger cub and an in-vitro tiger cub.

As chairman of the Omaha Zoo Foundation, Simmons continues to provide support for the zoo’s strategic master plan and its extensive research and conservation programs. He raised $160 million for buildings, research and conservation. Simmons built a reputation for finishing projects on time and within budget and grew attendance and memberships to be among the best in the nation.

Simmons and his wife, Marie, have three children: Lee, Heather and Heidi.

S.N. “Bud” Wolbach – First National Bank of Grand Island

S.N. “Bud” Wolbach

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S.N. “Bud” Wolbach’s grandfather began the First National Bank of Grand Island, and Wolbach served as president and chairman of the board of The First National Bank of Grand Island from 1956 to 1982. During this time, the bank grew from $20 million to almost $150 million.

As an aeronautical engineer, Wolbach worked throughout World War II for the Beechcraft Company in Wichita, Kansas, on designing future aircrafts. During this time, he served as director of the Omaha Federal Reserve Bank, director of the Equitable Building and Loan Association, president of NETS Inc. (Nebraska Electronic Transfer System) and the board of directors of Search Inc. He also owned, managed and expanded cattle operations in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Wyoming. This venture grew from 5,000 acres to 27,000 acres. Wolbach served on numerous civic boards and received many awards for his contribution to Nebraska.

As a well-known community and civic booster, he served on the Hall County Museum Board for the Stuhr Museum. When Leo Stuhr unexpectedly passed away, Wolbach stepped into his role as president and served for 37 years. He secured 200 acres of land for the present location of Stuhr Museum. Under Wolbach’s leadership, the Stuhr grew to be rated among the top ten outdoor historical museums in the U.S.

Wolbach and his wife, Gloria, had two children: Gloria and William.

Paul Younes – Younes Hospitality

Paul Younes

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Paul Younes came to the United States from Israel on a soccer scholarship at York College. After transferring to the University of Nebraska at Kearney, he earned a degree in business administration and helped support himself as a dishwasher at a local hotel restaurant. He became manager of the hotel and began his career in the hospitality business.

In 1977, he leased the Captain’s Table Restaurant in the Kearney Ramada Inn (now the Holiday Inn). Over the years, he bought out the owners and became the sole owner of Younes Hospitality, which owns nine hotels throughout Nebraska. In addition, he determined Kearney needed a new convention center and privately financed the Younes Convention Center which opened in 2010.

Younes dedicated much of his time and energy to Kearney, Nebraska, serving on the Kearney Area Chamber Board, Buffalo County Heart Association, UNK Foundation, Optimist Club and Kearney Catholic High School Foundation. In 2009, he was named the Friend of Kearney for his charitable and volunteer efforts, as well as his commitment to the lodging and tourism industry.

Younes and his wife, Linda, have two children: J. Paul and Maggie.

John Gottschalk – Omaha World Herald Co.

John Gottschalk

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A native of Rushville, Nebraska, John Gottschalk was born into a newspaper family. Both his grandfather and father owned newspapers, and he learned from them and others the lessons of stewardship to his community. At the age of 23, he purchased the Sidney Telegraph. He also served as mayor of Sidney, making him the youngest mayor in Nebraska. He sold his company and joined the Omaha World-Herald in 1975 as an assistant to the president.

When Gottschalk retired as a publisher and chief executive officer in 2008, the enterprise included of 26 companies comprising 40 print titles, plus direct marketing, advertising and high tech companies. The company’s operations reside in eight states with more than 2,500 employees. He served as a key figure in the $2 billion resurgence of downtown Omaha and the Omaha riverfront with his decision to build the company’s Freedom Center and purchased another downtown building as the Omaha World-Herald headquarters.

Gottschalk served as national vice president of the Boy Scouts of America, chairman of the USO Foundation and a member of the boards Joslyn Art Museum, Henry Doorly Zoo, Creighton University, Kiewit Institute, Omaha Symphony and Nebraska Games and Parks Foundation. He and his wife, Carmen, have two daughters. They also served as volunteer foster parents for dozens of children through the Child Saving Institute and operate a charitable foundation.

Harry “Hal” Ackley Lainson Jr. – Dutton-Lainson Co.

Hal Lainson

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Nebraska native Harry “Hal” Ackley Lainson Jr. helped develop one of the country’s leading manufacturing companies, a firm that played a prominent production role during World War II. Starting out delivering invoices on his bicycle for his father, Lainson spent more than 70 years with Dutton-Lainson Co. The company began in 1886 as a maker of harnesses and horse collars. It gradually expanded into marine, agricultural, industrial and automotive products.

He graduated from Hastings College, and studied business at Northwestern University and architecture at Iowa State University. Lainson began as advertising manager in 1934 and became general manager in 1937.

As general manager, Lainson began attending state and national meetings, including those of Associated Industries of Nebraska, forerunner of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He served as a member of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board most of his life and as president of Associated Industries of Nebraska in 1948. He served as the chairman of Hastings College Board of Trustees for 27 years, and a founder and trustee of the Nebraska Independent College Foundation. He also participated as a member of the first advisory board of the Nebraska Hospital Association and the first board of Economic Development for the State of Nebraska.

Lainson and his wife, Gretchen, had two daughters: Margaret and Mary.

Bob and Cynthia Milligan – MI Industries, University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business

Bob and Cynthia Milligan

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Bob and Cynthia Milligan first met at a church function in Lincoln, Nebraska. After she graduated from the University of Kansas and he graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, they married and attended George Washington University to earn their law degrees. Both began careers in Washington, D.C., Bob at the White House and Cynthia with a large law firm.

In her law career, Cynthia acted as the first woman to become a partner with a large, prominent Washington law firm. She served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law. After being a partner of a Lincoln law firm, she served as director of banking and finance for the state of Nebraska. From 1991 to 1998, she became president and chief executive officer of Cynthia Milligan and Associates, a consulting firm for financial institutions. The longest serving director of Wells Fargo Bank, she also served as a director for Gallup, Ameritas/Calvert Funds, The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Raven Industries and Colonial Williamsburg. She was named the eighth and first woman dean of the College of Business of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, serving from 1998 to 2010.

Bob founded a company in Virginia that he moved to Lincoln in 1980. Utilizing Nebraska meat and grain products, he built MI Industries into an international company. As founder and chairman, he grew the firm into a leading producer of nutritional pet products and the largest producer of fresh frozen pet food in North America, as well as in Asia and Europe. MI Industries maintains four operations in Lincoln, as well as production in California, Kansas, Missouri and Texas. The company also maintains production in Asia and South America.

He served as the international president of CBMC, a Christian marketplace ministry active in 90 nations around the globe, and on the boards of Prison Fellowship Ministries, LI-COR Scientific Products, Cornhusker Council and National Advisory Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In 2007, he became the chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the first and only Nebraskan to serve in the position.

Bob and Cynthia have five children.

Eldon N. Roth – Dakota Dunes, BPI Technology, Inc.

Eldon N. Roth

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Founder and president of BPI, Eldon N. Roth built the company into the dominant player in its niche – lean meat added to ground beef, particularly when making hamburger patties for quick service restaurants. Roth left his native South Dakota as a teen and lived and worked in California until he was 45. Self-taught, he learned about refrigeration and freezing technology in a San Francisco ice cream factory where he began as a janitor.

Two company slogans are prominent at BPI. “We know how to do things because we do things,” and “Communicate and Cooperate.” Both provide BPI an edge in allowing employees the ability to re-think and look outside the box to innovate and stay ahead of the competition. The BPI facilities serve as models of cleanliness and technology.

He and his wife, Regina, together with their children, Jennifer and Nick, continue to lead BPI. Recognized throughout the food industry for their food-safety innovations and commitment to making the highest-quality lean beef, BPI maintains a Midwestern work ethic that stresses safety and quality in everything they do. The company looks to expand into new beef products and Roth experiments at his restaurant, Eldon’s, in Sioux City, Iowa.

Clayton Andrews – Andrews Van Lines

Clayton Andrews

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A.R. Andrews, father of Clayton Andrews, founded Andrews Van Lines in 1920. Then known as Andrews Transfer and Storage, the firm began delivering large packages from the train station to homes and businesses. Born the same year his father started the family business, Andrews enjoyed trucks at an early age.

In 1936, the Interstate Commerce Commission started granting certificates for motor carriers and the firm obtained a certificate to operate in 13 states. The company operated within this area until 1947 when it purchased a certificate adding 22 additional non-radial states, giving it access to the east coast. After serving in World War II, Andrews took over management of the firm. In 1954, the company’s name changed to Andrews Van and Storage, and he began expanding the organization into a larger van line. His dream of building his father’s organization into a nationwide van line became a reality. Andrews Vans Lines is a worldwide moving company operating between all 48 contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii. In addition, the international division maintains representation in 21 foreign countries.

Later in his career, Andrews began active involvement with the Orphan Grain Train, a Christian volunteer network that shares personal and material resources with people in need in America and around the world. Grain Train volunteers donations of clothing, medical supplies, food and other aid to meet real needs. In 1992, Andrew’s pastor approached him with an idea to help people in Latvia in desperate need of spiritual, emotional and humanitarian aid after the breakup of the former Soviet Union. Together, they founded Orphan Grain Train.

Andrews has two children: Jean and Jane.

Leo A. Daly III – Leo A. Daly Company

Leo A. Daly III

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Leo A. Daly III leads a team of more than 1,100 design professionals responsible for a broad array of architecture and engineering projects in the U.S. and abroad. His firm’s expertise in the U.S. ranges from securing facilities for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the Strategic Air Command to contemporary structures including The Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in Los Angeles, the North Terminal at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. As leader of his firm, Daly provided visionary guidance for major building projects across the nation and around the world.

The creation of the National World War II Memorial serves as his most prized personal architectural achievement. When selected as architect, engineer and head of the design team, Daly took charge and guided his team through the numerous reviews and hearings essential to bringing the project to fruition.

Daly and his firm also created environmentally friendly buildings such as the Lied Library of the University of Nevada in Las Vegas and the Carl T. Curtis Midwest Regional Headquarters for the U.S. National Park Service in Omaha, Nebraska. The Carl T. Curtis building received gold-level certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the 2005 U.S. Department of the Interior’s Environmental Achievement Award and the 2005 GSA Environmental Award for Sustainable Design and Green Buildings.

Daly holds professional registration as an architect in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Australia, Guam, United Kingdom and Germany. He received his architectural degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He holds professional memberships in the American Institute of Architects (fellow), Royal Institute of British Architects, Royal Australian Institute of Architects (fellow), National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, Society of American Military Engineers and USO World Board of Governors.

D. William “Bill” Smith – Speedway Motors

D. William “Bill” Smith

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After graduating from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1952 with a teaching degree, D. William “Bill” Smith followed his passion and opened one of the first speed shops in the Midwest. His passion for racing and cars began as a young man driving a used Model T in his Lincoln, Nebraska, neighborhood. He and his wife, Joyce, began in a 400-square-foot shop and supplemented the fledging business by racing on weekends, which eventually turned to building cars and hiring drivers, using the winnings to finance his growing business.

Smith and his family grew the shop into an international mail order company with several divisions meeting the needs of automotive and auto memorabilia enthusiasts worldwide. Speedway Motors is the world’s largest maker, distributor and retailer of auto products for the racing and street rod world.

Smith, while ever striving to cater to the needs of his customers, also continued his hobby as a collector. Over the years, he worked on an extensive collection of toy racers, pedal cars and exotic engines. He and Joyce founded the Smith Collection Museum in 1992. The museum not only preserves, interprets and displays items significant in racing and automotive history, but also presents a continuous chronology of automotive racing engine development.

Speedway’s commercial real estate division developed many projects throughout Lincoln, including renovated historic buildings in downtown Lincoln and the historic Haymarket District. Smith received numerous awards and honors including induction into eight halls of fame in the auto industry, as well as the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Smith and his wife have four children: Carson, Craig, Clay and Jason.

Harold and George Wimmer – Wimmer’s Meat Products

Harold Wimmer

George Wimmer

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Brothers Harold and George Wimmer continued the operation of the firm started by their father in 1934. As young men, the brothers helped their father when he established the business in Snyder, Nebraska, after moving the family from Milwaukee. Eventually, local grocery stores began asking to sell products locally and the firm’s meat formulas, old-world spice recipes and reputation for uncompromised quality were quickly recognized.

Soon the small butcher shop began wholesaling its products and after World War II, the brothers began active management of the company’s operations. In 1957, a fire at the Snyder facility prompted the brothers to relocate the business to its present location in West Point, Nebraska.

Harold led the marketing and sales part of the operation while George continued the wurst-making skills from his father. They modernized their facilities and encouraged their employees to learn all they could to continue the Wimmer’s way.

Wimmer’s Meat Products continues as a family-owned operation with the same personal attention to quality, service and product superiority. Over the years, the firm bought three other quality sausage brands: Bassett, Ambassador and Fairbury Brand Meats. The official hot dog of the Nebraska Conrhuskers, Wimmer’s sponsors Der Viener Schlinger at every home game.

The brothers always believed in giving back and installed a strong commitment to West Point and surrounding communities. Harold’s son, Dave, currently serves as the chairman of the board of Wimmer’s Meat Products.

George had two sons: Bill and George. Harold and his wife, Delores, had four children: Dave, Paul, Ruth and Mary.

Abe Baker – Baker’s Supermarkets

Abe Baker

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Abe Baker emigrated from Russia as a child and held a variety of jobs, including newspaper carrier and produce clerk, before becoming Omaha's favorite grocer. Baker and his wife, Helen, founded the grocery chain, Baker’s, just prior to the Great Depression with a store in Walnut, Iowa. The tiny store with six workers grew to employ more than 3,600 associates. He preached dedication to customer service and total quality management long before the phrases became the buzzwords of the 1990s. He led by example, working the sales floor, sacking groceries and visiting with customers at his many stores.

As the business grew, Baker realized controlling locations would be a key to future growth and began developing shopping centers. The firm acted as a pioneer in employee benefits and profit sharing also creating a scholarship program to help young employees further their education.

Baker had three children: Debbie, Jack and Bob.

C.G. “Kelly” Holthus – Cornerstone Bank

C.G. "Kelly" Holthus

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C.G. "Kelly" Holthus, serves as chairman, president and CEO of Cornerstone Bank, a multi-bank holding company formerly known as First National Bank of York, with a mission to meet the financial needs of central Nebraska. Surviving the pioneer days, the Great Depression and a bank robbery in 1933, the bank grew to 29 locations in 20 communities throughout central Nebraska.

Holthus attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Banking in 1970. He began his banking career in his hometown of Bertrand, Nebraska, before joining the York bank.

Holthus became the American Bankers Association (ABA) president in 1990 and also served as president of the Nebraska Bankers Association. He served as chairman of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1996. He served as treasurer of the York General Health Care Services, and a member of the board of directors of the York Community Foundation and University of Nebraska–Lincoln Technology Park. He previously served as president of the York Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the York City Council, Concordia Foundation, University of Nebraska Foundation and Nebraska Independent College Foundation.

Holthus also helped improve the York Area Senior Center and the York County Fairgrounds. To recognize his commitment to the community, Holthus Field House at York College was dedicated in 2003.

Kelly and his wife, Virginia, have four children.

John P. Nelson – Silverstone Group

John P. Nelson

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After attending Carleton College and serving as a U.S. Naval officer, John P. Nelson joined his father at the Nelson Insurance Agency in 1965. The company has since changed its name and grown from a one-room office with three employees to more than 160 consultants, actuaries, administrators and registered investment representatives who serve clients throughout the United States.

Nelson serves as chairman after serving in the roles of sales manager, executive vice president and president of the company. With nearly 200 employees, SilverStone is an independent consulting, actuarial and insurance brokerage firm and an industry leader in risk management, property and casualty, human resource consulting, employee benefits and private client services. Nelson sees two key elements to the company's growth: a focus on acquiring companies and the recruiting of highly qualified technical associates to create a state-of-the-art company.

He served many Omaha and Council Bluffs organizations and boards, including the Iowa Western Community College Foundation, Doane College, Durham Western Heritage Museum, Great Western Bank and Growth Management Corporation and Boy Scouts of America Mid-America Council. In addition, he became the 2003 King of Ak-Sar-Ben and the 2002 United Way Citizen of the Year and was inducted into the Omaha Business Hall of Fame.

He and his wife, Anne, have three children.

Joe Hampton – Hampton Enterprises

Joe Hampton

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In 1947 at the age of 22, Joe Hampton moved to Lincoln from Chadron, Nebraska, when a lack of funds forced him out of college and into the workforce as an apprentice electrician.

In his spare time, he began building a house for himself. Housing was short in those post-war years so he sold his brand new home just as soon as he finished it. Then he built another one and then another. In 1964, he made the leap from homebuilder to developer by purchasing land that became the city's first office park and residential community, Lincolnshire Square. The firm continued to build and develop commercial properties in Lincoln, including Williamsburg Village, Corporate Centre and Meadowlane Shopping Center.

Hampton continued to grow in size and scope, and built a solid reputation for quality craftsmanship and unique architectural detail. Today the company employs more than 60 people and participates in land development, commercial general contracting, construction management and real estate services, including property management and building maintenance.

An avid pilot, Hampton served on the Airport Authority Board from 1963 to 1977. He served two terms on the Lincoln City Council supporting pro-growth policies and expansion of the city's infrastructure for future development. He continues to be actively involved in state and civic development efforts.

He and his wife, Marge, have two children.

Willard Waldo – Waldo Farms

Willard H. Waldo

Willard Waldo, a graduate of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, began his lifelong involvement with agriculture at a young age. After the Civil War, his family migrated to Nebraska to build a farming operation The company set a goal to have the best Duroc hog herd in the world and to either make the business profitable or quit farming altogether.

While working as a vocational agriculture instructor and county extension agent, Waldo established his own Duroc herd using selected Waldo-raised foundation stock. He strongly believed in using the principles of agricultural science to improve swine breeding stock. He put these principles into practice by being among the first to weigh pigs at birth to determine when they would reach market weight. He also developed a simple, but effective ear-notching system used to identify the pigs.

Over time, Waldo Farms established a tradition of using independent evaluators and industry-wide trials to measure the performance of Waldo Farms' pigs. Waldo’s son, Max, graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and became a full partner of Waldo Farms in 1960.

Over the years, Waldo worked with many Nebraska agricultural organizations, such as Livestock Breeders and Feeders, Farm Bureau, Sheep Breeders and Wheat Commission. He served as a state senator, and on numerous local and state civic and charitable organizations. He is well-known as a lifelong supporter of the Nebraska State Fair.

Waldo has two children.

J. Gates Minnick – DuTeau Chevrolet

J. Gates Minnick

J. Gates Minnick graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1954. Minnick's father-in-law, Al DuTeau, began the family car dealership in 1928 and Minnick began working at DuTeau Chevrolet in 1955, becoming president of the company in 1983. His love for the automobile industry and innate concern for customers helped Minnick and the DuTeau team grow significantly during his tenure.

Minnick served as a board member of the Lincoln Foundation, the University of Nebraska Foundation and Alumni Association, Bryan Memorial Hospital, the Downtown Lincoln Association and other significant industry boards. He also served on boards for civic and charitable organizations, such as Lincoln Electric System and the City Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Minnick served as president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and Nebraska New Car and Truck Dealers Association as well as chairman of the State Chamber in 1997. He also served two terms on the Lincoln City Council.

Minnick received many awards for his service, including the Time magazine Quality Dealer Award, the University of Nebraska Builder Award and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Man of the Year Award. In retirement, he continued to serve on the Lincoln Vision 2015 group.

He and his wife, Daisy, have four children.

Donald Smeal – Smeal Fire Apparatus Company

Donald Smeal

Donald Smeal, part of the fourth generation of a family who settled on a homestead in Snyder, Nebraska, learned about mechanical objects and took particular interest in the steam engine tractor that was used to operate a saw mill. In high school, Smeal focused on math, physics and science while he continued with work on the farm, such as threshing, saw milling and silage cutting. He also served in World War II.

Upon returning to Snyder, Smeal bought farm machinery that allowed him to shell corn and bale hay for profit. In 1955, he purchased a repair shop to start a welding business. He designed and built a feed box with an auger system and a water well hoist, which became the basis of Smeal Manufacturing. In 1965, due to the success of his machines, he received the Nebraska Businessman of the Year Award.

Today Smeal Fire Apparatus Company serves as a major competitor in the fire and rescue industry. The company owns thousands of trucks and aerial ladders throughout North America and includes more than 340 employees.

Five of Smeal’s children work in the company, along with their spouses and children. Smeal never strayed from his roots and built his business with people who share his values and work ethic.

Alan, Fred, and Steve Simon

Alan, Fred, and Steve Simon

Five generations of the Simon family turned Omaha Steaks into a nationally recognized company. Beginning with a father and son who left Riga, Latvia, in 1898 to escape religious persecution, they found themselves in Omaha, Nebraska, working as butchers. In 1917, they founded their own company and dedicated themselves to processing and selling tender, grain-fed beef to restaurants and grocers in the area. Originally known as Table Supply Meat Company, the firm also supplied to the Union Pacific Railroad. The company's reputation quickly spread to the general public and the family began a mail order venture in 1952.

It began with a father and son, who left Riga, Latvia in 1898 to escape religious persecution. They found themselves in Omaha, Nebraska where they worked as butchers. In 1917, they founded their own company and were dedicated to processing and selling tender, grain-fed beef to restaurants and grocers in the area. Originally known as Table Supply Meat Company, the firm also supplied to the Union Pacific Railroad. The company's reputation quickly spread to the general public and the family began a mail order venture in 1952.

Between the late 1950s and early 1960s, three key innovations developed: direct parcel shipping, polystyrene shipping coolers and vacuum packaging, which allowed the firm to ship its products to a much larger audience more efficiently. In 1966, the company became Omaha Steaks International, Inc. and between 1975 and 1978, they began providing inbound and outbound customer phone service.

In 1990, Omaha Steaks became one of the first companies to join the technological wave of electronic marketing. They developed the website – www.omahasteaks.com – in 1995. Today customers can order from anywhere in the world.

The fourth generation of the Simon family: Alan, Fred and their late brother, Steve, instrumentally developed the concept of mail order steak. This concept helped the company grow to become a worldwide supplier of a variety of red meats, smoked meats, poultry, fish and other seafood, pastas, soups, desserts and gift baskets. Bruce and Todd Simon, the fifth generation, now play major roles in managing the company. All five generations contributed to the company's success in serving 1.5 million customers.

James P. Abel – NEBCO

James P. Abel

James P. “Jim” Abel began working for NEBCO, Inc. in 1969 as a laborer in the company's concrete pipe plant. A family-owned business based in Lincoln, Nebraska, NEBCO involves the manufacturing concrete building materials, road construction, mining, railroading, farming and real estate development. Abel attended both the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Arizona State University, earning a degree in business.

He succeeded his father, business hall of fame member George P. Abel Jr., as president of the firm in 1985. Under Jim’s leadership, NEBCO expanded its concrete building material business through organic growth and acquisitions. NEBCO's real estate activities expanded to include commercial, residential and recreational developments. Most notable include the Landmark office buildings near the Nebraska State Capitol, Chalco Valley Business Park in Omaha, Nebraska, and Fallbrook, a 700-acre residential and commercial development in Lincoln, utilizing the features of new urbanism. The Abel family's love of golf led to the construction of Quarry Oaks Golf Club, voted by Golf Digest as the best affordable public golf course in America when it opened in 1997.

His passion for baseball led to the development of Haymarket Park, adjacent to Lincoln's historic Haymarket District. Built through a joint cooperation of NEBCO, the city of Lincoln and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Haymarket Park became home to the Lincoln Saltdogs and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln baseball and softball teams. Abel serves as chairman of the Lincoln Saltdogs franchise which began their inaugural season in 2001.

His activities within the community and state extend to membership on civic, philanthropic and professional boards including the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation, Nebraska Wesleyan University Board of Governors, University of Nebraska Foundation, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital and Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.

The Abel Foundation continues his family's tradition of returning a measure of the company's success back to the communities where they operate. Abel actively participates in the foundation’s operations and serves as president. The Lied Center for Performing Arts, Abel Stadium on the Nebraska Wesleyan University campus, Folsom Children's Zoo, Mahoney State Park, Lincoln Children's Museum, University of Nebraska–Lincoln and United Way received Abel Foundation gifts.

Abel and his wife, Mary, have one son: Jack.

Fred Bosselman – Bosselman and Eaton Truck Stop

Fred Bosselman

In 1948, a farmer and part-time truck driver, Fred, his wife, Maxine, and family members opened Bosselman and Eaton Truck Stop in Grand Island, Nebraska. Having been on the road, he saw the wretched conditions for drivers and began providing good service, good food and quality products for the transportation industry and traveling public.

The company expanded to 40 Pump and Pantry stores, eight Grandma Max's restaurants, five motels, 10 Boss Truck Shops and eight Bosselman Travel Centers. The company includes Bosselman Energy, a multi-state distributor of fuels, propane, ethanol and lube products; Bosselman Tank and Trailer, providing fuel transport trailer and bobtail truck sales, testing and repair; Petroleum Equipment Co., with complete services for the petroleum industry; Bosselman Carriers, a multi-state fuel transportation company; and Bosselman Contractors Services, providing construction and environmental services, condominiums and farming.

Bosselman’s sons, Chuck and Fred Jr., oversee the retail operation and petroleum product and distribution operations. With the third generation of Bosselmans now entering the business, they are poised to enter the new millennium. Despite the growth of the company, Bosselman’s hands-on management style provided the vision for continued success.

Bosselman’s career involved many honors, including University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He served as president of the National Association of Truck Stop Operators and Fonner Park. His generosity to Grand Island ranged from contributions for the Stuhr Museum, College Park, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Crane Meadows Center and Fonner Park Civic Center.

Jack Vetter – Vetter Health Services

Jack Vetter

A Sandhills native and lifelong Nebraskan, Jack Vetter worked on a ranch as a blacksmith, completed a tour of duty with the U.S. Army and served as foreman of a feed and fertilizer plant before becoming administrator of a Valentine, Nebraska, nursing home in 1965. Over the next three years, he succeeded in improving the home's low occupancy rate. He was soon recruited by the Bethesda Foundation to be director of operations. During the next 10 years, he played a key role in the company's growth from seven facilities to 20 and tripled the bed count from 500 to 1,500.

With experience and tenure in long-term care, Vetter and his wife, Eldora, bought their first nursing home in 1975. Vetter Health Services (VHS) evolved as the management company. The company owns and manages 32 skilled nursing centers, three assisted living units, one retirement campus and a rehabilitation care center with locations in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Wyoming. They employ more than 3,000 team members with an annual payroll of $59 million. Collectively, these team members provide 784,000 days of resident care each year.

An active member of the Nebraska Health Care Association, Vetter also completed committee assignments and held regional and national leadership positions with the American Health Care Association. In 2001, he received the Friend of the AHCA Quality Award in appreciation of his dedication to and support of the AHCA Quality Award. He maintains a political presence and visits Lincoln and Washington, D.C., regularly to be a voice for the elderly and long-term care providers in the state and across the nation.

He and his wife own and manage the family farm outside of Bassett, Nebraska. Through the years, they purchased additional land in the area for their cow and calf operation, and to grow crops.

They developed the Vetter Foundation to receive personal contributions along with regular donations from the long-term care operation's profits and outside contributions to promote and assist them in philanthropic giving. In addition to providing ongoing education for people in long-term health care, the foundation supports local organizations including the Alzheimer's Association, Nebraska Special Olympics, Nebraska Operations Airlift and Assistance League of Nebraska. The foundation partners with Convoy of Hope to assist with disaster responses in the U.S. and around the world. The foundation also contributed land, libraries and computer labs to bible colleges in Ethiopia and Kenya, and promotes water well drilling in Africa to provide clean and safe drinking water in rural villages.

The Vetters have three children.

Dr. Wayne Ryan – Streck Laboratories

Dr. Wayne Ryan

A native of Corning, Iowa, Dr. Wayne Ryan served in the U.S. Navy after completing high school. Following World War II, he earned degrees in chemistry and biochemistry from Creighton University and a doctorate degree in biochemistry from University of Missouri. Ryan founded Streck Laboratories in 1971 with two employees. It expanded to include more than 300 employees with 15,000 customers and generates $50 million in annual sales revenue.

Streck, whose products are sold throughout the U.S. and in 42 countries worldwide, recently completed a brand new $12 million, 114,000-square-foot facility in La Vista, Nebraska. Streck maintains 65 percent of the world market of hematology controls through a combination of Streck label, private label and patent licenses. Recently, the company developed preservatives that are added to blood collection tubes to prolong the life of samples, assisting in treatment of people infected with HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Ryan divides his time among teaching, research and running the business. He gained 40 patents and authored or co-authored 80 published scientific works. His Platelet-Chex became the first hematology control on the market.

Ryan also received numerous awards and honors from local and national organizations. He widely supported area philanthropic causes, such as the Christian Urban Education Services, Creighton University and St. Augustine Mission at the Omaha-Winnebago Tribes Reservation.

He and his wife, Eileen, have four children.

Dale C. Tinstman – First Nebraska Securities

Dale C. Tinstman

Born in Chester, Nebraska, Dale C. Tinstman admired his father's efforts in selling stock. He earned degrees at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in business and law, intending to become an investment banker. After service in World War II, he finished law school and began working in the financial industry. He started his own firm in 1960 to finance agricultural-related industries, which he felt was ignored by Wall Street.

The firm, First Nebraska Securities, Inc., acted as the only Nebraska member of the New York Stock Exchange. He proved to be instrumental in providing financing for food, grain, cattle, hogs and packing companies, including Iowa Beef Packers (IBP), an innovative packing company.

Serving as president of IBP, Tinstman played an important role in the early success of the company by establishing their headquarters in Nebraska. Founded in 1960, IBP revolutionized the beef industry by locating highly efficient slaughtering and processing facilities near the source of supply in the heart of the nation's rural cattle producing areas.

Tinstman actively involved himself with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, serving twice as chairman of the University of Nebraska Foundation. He was an original director of the Nebraska Technical Development Corporation and assisted in the establishment of the University's Technology Park. He participates in investments and venture capital projects for many Nebraska companies, including Gene Seek, Nature Technology and development of the Flat Iron Steak.

Dale and his wife, Jean, have three children.

Robert and Gary Kelley – Kelley Bean Company

Robert Kelley

Gary Kelley

Robert L. Kelley Sr. founded the Chester B. Brown Company in 1927. In 1969, his sons, Robert and Gary Kelley, opened the Kelley Bean Company and their father joined them in 1972.

The initial growth of the company was enhanced through mergers and acquisitions. In 1982, the brothers purchased and merged with the Chester B. Brown Company. The pattern of acquisitions continued and Kelley Bean Co. grew to become one of the largest originators and marketers of dry edible beans in the world. The company owns receiving and processing plants in Nebraska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming. Kelley Bean's reputation for quality and service enabled them to expand their markets globally to every continent except Australia. The Kelleys pride themselves on their relationships with growers and dealers at home and abroad.

The company delivers quality at every level of bean production through the Kelley Bean Vertical Integration system of research, production, processing and distribution, culminating with the end consumer. Their mission is to understand and deliver superior value with absolute integrity.

The brothers maintain a strong sense of loyalty and commitment to the North Platte Valley area, headquartering their six-state operation with 28 plants.

Gary and wife, Patty, have two children. Robert and his wife, Rossel, also have two children.

George F. Russell – Millard Lumber and Grain Company

George Russell

A native of Belden, Nebraska, George F. Russell graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and served in the U.S. Navy. He and a partner founded Millard Lumber and Grain Company in 1948, initially catering to a rural farming community of fewer than 400. Millard Lumber provided a center for the farmers to sell grain, buy coal and purchase lumber.

Russell shifted the focus of the business towards building materials and products that supplied both professional contractors and do-it-yourself homeowners. Millard Lumber was an early manufacturer of roof trusses, pre-manufactured wall sections and pre-hung doors, staying at the forefront of advanced building techniques.

Today Russell's son, Rick, and his management team run the family-owned business along with more than 300 associates at their Omaha, Waverly and Des Moines locations. While Millard Lumber experienced tremendous growth, the mission remains unchanged: to provide basic building materials and continually add project lines and services that provide quality and efficiency on the job.

Russell also served on the board of two banks, various business organizations and as a member of the Millard City Council. He served as president or chairman of a number of civic and business organizations, including the National Lumber & Building Materials Association, Bellevue College, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry and several other associations. He was inducted into the Millard Education Foundation's Hall of Fame and an elementary school in the district was named after him.

Bill Kubly – Landscapes Unlimited

Bill Kubly

Bill Kubly founded Landscapes Unlimited (LU) in 1976, following five years of work for a local golf course construction company. With that experience and his landscape architect degree from the University of Wisconsin, Kubly formed his one-man operation. Equipped with a truck, pipe wrench and pipe cutter, he began handling small irrigation projects for local golf courses.

Soon Kubly started to broaden his capabilities. He worked with many different golf course architects helping take their conceptual designs into striking realities. From its modest beginning in 1976, the company employs more than 1,000 professionals during its peak season.

For the past 28 years, Kubly's philosophy and vision remained unchanged. LU builds more than 35 golf courses per year from coast to coast, working with designers and architects on renovation and new development construction projects. LU completes projects ranging from $50,000 to $50 million.

In 2000, Kubly received the National Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young. He also served as president of the Golf Course Builders Association of America from 1996 to 1999.

Kubly and his wife, Myrna, have two daughters.

Robert “Bobby” Gottsch – Gottsch Enterprises

Robert "Bobby" Gottsch

Growing up on his family's farm in Elkhorn, Nebraska, Bobby Gottsch began his entrepreneurial career when he was six years old selling eggs from his uncle’s farm throughout the neighborhood. Following his father's footsteps in the agricultural business, he worked for his father's feed yard after high school graduation and later developed his family's interests into cattle feeding, ranching, farrow to finish pork production and farming.

Gottsch Enterprises includes a packing company, a mail-order steak business, commercial and residential real estate, a trucking firm, Indian Creek Golf Course in Elkhorn, and San Crisobal Farm, a rice farm in Argentina. Businesses also reside in Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas.

Active in the Hastings, Nebraska, community, Gottsch serves as a member of the Nebraska Environmental Quality Council and Hastings College Board of Trustees. Gottsch also served on the Omaha Federal Reserve Bank Board of Directors from 1997 to 2002.

Gottsch and his wife, Cindy, have five children.

Bruce Lauritzen – First National of Nebraska, Lauritzen Corporation

Bruce Lauritzen

Bruce Lauritzen works as chairman of First National Bank of Omaha, its holding company, First National of Nebraska and Lauritzen Corporation. He serves as chairman of more than a dozen other banks and bank holding companies operating in Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota and Texas. The combined organizations include more than $16 billion in assets and 7,500 employees in 31 states.

His family has been involved in Omaha's growth and development since 1854, when Thomas Davis, one of the bank's first shareholders, helped start the bank. During most of the past century, the Davis and Lauritzen families became synonymous with the leadership and growth of First National Bank.

Lauritzen promoted Omaha's downtown redevelopment by bringing to fruition the riverfront area and new skyline highlighted by the 40-story First National headquarters, the state's tallest building.

Lauritzen serves as president of the Omaha Development Council and Foundation, Royal Danish Consulate for the State of Nebraska, member of the Chief Executives Organization, Financial Services Round Table and the STRATCOM consultation committee. He also serves as chairman of Clarkson Regional Health Services, treasurer of the Nebraska Medical Center and a director of Ak-Sar-Ben, Creighton University, Joslyn Art Museum, Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation, Omaha Symphony Association, Strategic Air and Space Museum, and Visa U.S.A. The Omaha Business Hall of Fame inducted him as a member in 2004.

He and his wife, Kimball, have three children.

Elizabeth Jane Robb Douglas – Douglas Manufacturing Corporation

Elizabeth Jane Robb Douglas

Elizabeth Jane Robb Douglas, the inventor of the collapsible voting booth, founded Douglas Manufacturing Corporation in 1910. When she began designing ballot boxes, her first order came from Los Angeles County as they were impressed with the collapsible voting booth.

Douglas possessed a flair for innovation and designed a number of items ahead of their time. The business had several patent applications which were never applied for, such as retractable Pullman car steps, a gasoline pump shut-off valve and a mail cart for mail delivery.

Now owned by the fourth generation, Douglas Manufacturing acts as a major supplier of auxiliary supplies to makers of voting systems. The company began making metal storage containers in 1970 when former IBM employees sought a company to make boxes for their data storage business. Located in Crete, Nebraska, the business survived three fires and a flood.