The district was also awarded Membership Development Award for achieving the third highest member retention rate in Zone 28 for the 2016-2017 year.
As membership chair for the district, our own President-Elect Jill Slupe accepted the awards.
Doug Zbylut, executive director for Nebraskans for the Arts which is a grassroots organization dedicated to advocating for the arts to federal, state and local policymakers on the topic of arts education and promoting the arts and creative industries in Nebraska. Doug has leadership experience spanning both the private industry and nonprofit arenas. At Nebraskans for the Arts, he is responsible for overall agency operations, program management and development, lobbying, marketing, fundraising, special events, community relations, human resources, finances and board development. Doug previously served as executive director of the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha, deputy director at Omaha Children's Museum. He has also served in the role of government relations at iSecuretrac, where he oversaw lobbying activities and monitored legislation and regulations related electronic monitoring at the federal and state level.
Doug is a native Nebraskan and started his career in higher education working in grants offices at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln and Creighton University. Doug received his B.A. in Political Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Master’s in Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Doug Zbylut, executive director for Nebraskans for the Arts which is a grassroots organization dedicated to advocating for the arts to federal, state and local policymakers on the topic of arts education and promoting the arts and creative industries in Nebraska. Doug has leadership experience spanning both the private industry and nonprofit arenas. At Nebraskans for the Arts, he is responsible for overall agency operations, program management and development, lobbying, marketing, fundraising, special events, community relations, human resources, finances and board development. Doug previously served as executive director of the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha, deputy director at Omaha Children's Museum. He has also served in the role of government relations at iSecuretrac, where he oversaw lobbying activities and monitored legislation and regulations related electronic monitoring at the federal and state level.
Doug is a native Nebraskan and started his career in higher education working in grants offices at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln and Creighton University. Doug received his B.A. in Political Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Master’s in Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
When Sophia Potter spoke at Ignite Lincoln 9, she was introduced as "Burn your powdered wig and your preconceived notions about who classical music is by, for, and about. Cellist and chamber music evangelist Sophia Potter talks about ..... how to enjoy a symphony, opera, or string quartet concert without falling asleep or surreptitiously checking your Facebook feed.
A native of Lincoln, Sophia Potter began her cello studies at the age of 10 when she definitely did not want to play cello. After some gentle prodding from her "classical music only and opera for your birthday" parents, she fell in love and received her B.A. in Cello Performance in 2007 from Oberlin College and her M.M. in Cello Performance from UNL in 2009. In addition to performing with and managing the Rangbrook Ensemble, Sophia is the Director of the Chamber Music Ensemble Program for the Omaha Area Youth Orchestras. She also serves as the chair of the Artist Selection Committee for the Lincoln Friends of Chamber Music series, now in its 52nd season. A staunch advocate for instruments made by living luthiers, Sophia plays on a 2008 William Whedbee cello, which she loves so much she got a tattoo of." Join us at Omaha West Rotary for what promises to be an entertaining and informative talk!
Burke Harr is a Democratic member of the Nebraska State Senate, representing about 36,000 residents in Omaha's District 8 around Dundee, Benson and Creighton Prep. He was first elected to the chamber in 2010. Harr grew up in Omaha attending Creighton Prep, then earned his BA from the University of St. Thomas in 1994 and his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1998. His professional experience includes working as a founding partner at Flatwater Strategies and as an attorney at Kutak Rock and Douglas County Attorney's Office. in the 2017 legislative session, Sen. Harr serves on the Agriculture, Revenue, Tax Modernization and General Affairs committees. Harr has campaigned on strengthening Nebraska's crime laws and fighting high property taxes with tax relief and affordable housing, incenting re-development and fostering job creation, providing quality education for all Nebraska's children, protecting Nebraska's natural resources and reducing dependence on foreign oil.
Jay Noddle has been in commercial real estate since graduating from the University of Denver in 1980. Jay has been a business and civic leader in the Omaha community since 1987, having founded Pacific Realty Group, Inc (once Grubb & Ellis and now Colliers in the region). Beginning in 2003, Jay became President and CEO of Noddle Companies and has lead that organization ever since. Jay provides leadership to diverse groups and build consensus among stakeholder. His experience in structuring public/ private partnerships and managing their implementation has resulted in many successful community projects. Current development projects include HDR's 10-story LEED Gold Version 4 Global Headquarters in Omaha's Aksarben Village, the master planning phase of the 500-acre Boys Town West Farm and DeMarco Farm near 144th and West Dodge, the i-90 / Highway 370 Commerce Center and the 30-acre River's Edge Mixed-Use Project on the eastern side of the Missouri River in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Jay is past president of the Jewish Federation of Omaha and remains active in MECA and many other civic endeavors. He enjoys spending time with his children and friends. He is a devoted "soccer Dad" and avid scuba diver, along with being a sports fan for many of the area's teams, running, traveling and listening to music.
Ryan Whitt's career has carried him across many functional lines of risk management, payment solutions, bank services and investment management. Over this time, he learned valuable lessons and insights into developing and marketing systems and services to the financial services industry. He currently serves as Director of VBOverified, which offers B2B services to non profit organizations, small and large companies and contracts with state and federal agencies to provide pre-employment and volunteer screening, tenant search services for rental property, and professional services including business due diligence for merger and acquisition activity, insurance benefit cost offset and other services.
Being CyberSafe is a 21st century skill that adults and kids, professionals of all stripes, homemakers, college students, retirees and casual web surfers all need. As the world grows increasingly complex, online, and connected between machines / things and people, those who would make our identities and online information unsafe are active and resourceful. Each of us needs to be vigilant and resourceful in maintaining our online safety. Come hear this engaging speaker on a very current and important topic!
Antonio Espejo was born and raised in South Omaha. Officer Espejo served his country as a United States Marine and wanted to continue that service through policing. Officer Espejo has served in the Omaha Police Department for 17 years, 13 as a gang officer. Officer Espejo’s dedication to his community resulted in the creation of the Latino Peace Officers soccer league. Initially started with 6
teams from gang influenced neighborhoods, the league grew to 87-plus teams last year. Antonio also started a baseball league in 2009 and recruited officers to coach individual teams. Police Athletics for Community Engagement or P.A.C.E has now grown from the initial baseball league to providing other athletic activities such as soccer for at-risk youth city-wide in Omaha. The soccer league now includes 50 teams and about 900 kids. "The thing is, it’s not just about sports, it's about sportsmanship, it's about not getting down on yourself, it's about cheering your buddy on,” states Espejo. He adds baseball teaches kids about setting goals and problem solving in a positive way. Officer Espejo has won numerous awards for his work in the community and was the 2010 National Latino Police Officer of the Year. Officer Espejo is still working as a gang officer and leads the Police Athletics for Community Engagement program. A few years ago, Officer Espejo and the PACE baseball league was reported on in this KETV article
John Wiechmann became president and CEO of the Midwest Housing Equity Group (MHEG) in 2012. His passion is to have a more hands-on approach to helping finance affordable housing development, a passion that he has demonstrated throughout his career. Prior to joining the Midwest Housing Equity Group, Wiechmann had a successful law career in the affordable housing industry at Kutak Rock law firm in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2002, he began his career in the firm's tax credit practice, working primarily with low income housing tax credit syndicators such as Midwest Housing Equity Group. In that role, he worked on moving institutional capital into meaningful real estate developments that would provide good, safe, and affordable places to live. After rising through the ranks of the law firm over a period 10 years, he made a decision to join Omaha based Midwest Housing Equity Group as CEO. His unique background of legal and business skills in the affordable housing industry has helped MHEG expand its reach from four states to 10, operating in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Northern Texas. MHEG places approximately $175 million in low income housing tax credit equity each year to help developers build affordable housing. Over the last 23 years, MHEG has built homes for 54,000 people. John Wiechmann and his wife and two daughters live in Omaha.
A 1999 graduate of UNMC College of Pharmacy, Dr. Handke has previously served as senior vice president of providers and products at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska. In this role he oversaw provider networks, pharmacy, medical management and product development functions. Dr. Handke now serves as CEO of Nebraska Health Network, a unique collaborative partnership between Methodist Health System and Nebraska Medicine that has served the Omaha and surrounding areas over the last seven years. Dr. Handke's role at Nebraska Health Network is to create new partnerships with insurers, employers and brokers to find ways to deliver high quality care in a sustainable, cost efficient manner.
Benson High School | Jordan Elizabeth Fashing |
Boys Town High School | Cordell Cade |
Brownell-Talbot School | Sean Gardner |
Bryan High School | Emily Pemble |
Burke High School | Kai Johnson |
Creighton Preparatory School | William Francis Tjaden |
Duchesne Academy | Lucy Kain |
Elkhorn High School | Dominic Giandinoto |
Elkhorn South High School | Jacob Gideon |
Gross Catholic High School | Nathan Wilson |
Marian High School | Lily Anne Foley |
Mercy High School | Rachel Dethlefs |
Millard North High School | Priya Kukreja |
Millard South High School | Jasmine Parmley |
Millard West High School | Brady Klein |
Omaha Central High School | Lucy Cordes |
Omaha North High Magnet School | Darrel Chew |
Omaha Northwest High Magnet School | Ghawayne Calvin |
Omaha South High Magnet School | Erick Lopez Quintana |
Papillion-La Vista High School | Haley Dewitt |
Papillion-La Vista South High School | Samuel Denker |
Ralston High School | Elizabeth Byrnes |
Roncalli High School | Jack Mordeson |
Skutt Catholic High School | Claire Harrison |
Westside High School | Darlondo Hill |
The Community Service Committee thanks members that contributed to the "MITTEN TREE PROJECT" in January. Donations totaling $395 dollars were collected and will be used to provide warm clothing and needed health and hygiene supplies for the children at our Adopt-a-School Partner, the Skinner Magnet Center Elementary School. Your support for this project is appreciated.
Keith Rall, JR Kammandel, Dick Sturgeon, Bill Sutton, Mike Shrier, Brett Wawers, Rich Secor, Gretchen Radler, John V. Morey, Brad Willadsen, Manny Paz, Randy Parks, Jeff Ziemba, Dan Ferris, Russ Iwan, Bill Jetter, Kim Kuhle, Kent Templien, Dwayne Brown
West Rotary donates funds annually for the purchase of children's books for the Skinner Elementary School library. Bookplates recognizing our weekly speakers are placed in these books by our Community Service Committee members before they are placed in the school library. The books purchased this year are listed below.
The Boy Who Loved the Moon by Rino Alaimo's
I, Fly, The Buss About Flies and How Awesome They Are by Bridget Heos
Peanut Butter & Cupcake by Terry Border
Happy Birthday, Cupcake! By Terry Border
Water is Water by Miranda Paul
Bear & Hare Go Fishing by Emily Gravett
Not This Bear by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Rappy the Raptor by Dan Gutman
Good Morning to Me! By Lita Judge
Knightley & Son by Rohan Gavin
Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions by Sheila Grau
Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes
The Eighth Day by Dianne K. Salerni
Theodore Boone the Fugitive by John Grisham
Randi Rhodes Ninja Detective by Octavia Spencer
The League of Beastly Dreadfuls by Holly Grant
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
Rapscott's Girls by Elise Primavera
The Secret Cipher by Whitaker Ringwald
A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans by Laurence Yep & Joanne Ryder
Escape from Baxters' Barn by Rebecca Bond
The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones by Will Mabbitt
Saving Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
Sally Ride Life on a Mission by Sue Macy
From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess by Meg Cabot
The War that Saved my Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Winnie The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker
Knightley & Son K-9 by Rohan Gavin