Club Information
Omaha Downtown

Established Leaders, Emerging Leaders, Developing Leaders

We meet In Person
Wednesdays at 12:00 PM
The Field Club of Omaha
3615 Woolworth Avenue
Omaha, NE 68105
United States of America
Latest News
Ron Cox
Midwest Workforce Challenges and Solutions
 
Many Midwest organizations are facing significant workforce shortages. These issues are not new and will require a significant and coordinated effort to resolve. Workforce is discussed from 1950 until today to explain the various causes of the current shortages and then projections for the next two decades are discussed. A new approach to looking at the workforce is highlighted which includes key steps a company or community can take to help address their workforce needs.
 
Dr. Ron Cox is an aerospace engineer with a B.S. and Ph.D. from Iowa State University. His early career included work designing airfoils and fighter aircraft for a large defense contractor. Later he served as a C-level executive at a small manufacturer of cooling towers.

Ron was also an Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering professor at the University of Oklahoma. He conducted computational modeling research on hypersonic vehicles, taught undergraduate and graduate courses, and received the university's outstanding teacher award.

More recently, he served as the director of a business outreach unit, associate dean of corporate engagement, and assistant vice president of extension at Iowa State University. Part of his responsibilities included management of $40 million of grants and contracts supporting economic development activities.

Ron currently runs Midwest Workforce Strategies, a consulting company that helps organizations understand Midwest workforce challenges and design plans to grow their labor force.
Name: Elizabeth Swedlund
Classification: Healthcare
Position/Company: Administrator II, Division of Hematology and Oncology / UNMC
Proposed by: Leroy Swedlund
 
For comments and objections, please send them in writing to director@omaharotary.org by October 4, 2023.
R. Gordon R. McInally is president of Rotary International. He was educated at the Royal High School in Edinburgh and at the University of Dundee, where he earned his graduate degree in dental surgery. He operated his own dental practice in Edinburgh until 2016. Gordon was chair of the East of Scotland branch of the British Paedodontic Society and has held various academic positions. He has also served as a presbytery elder, chair of the Queensferry parish congregational board, and commissioner to the general assembly of the Church of Scotland. Read President McInally's biography.
 
Watch the video below of President McInally's address to the Rotary International Assembly:
 
Larry Guenther, the Nebraska market executive for JPMorgan Chase, has taken on a new role as the President of Omaha Downtown Rotary for the Rotary Year 2023-2024. With 19 years of experience as a Rotarian and a Paul Harris Fellow +2, Larry brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to his position. He has invested significant time and effort into studying the projects and initiatives submitted by our club to Rotary International, allowing him to identify his goals for the year ahead strategically.
 
Larry's presidency will leverage the valuable resources of our members, including their time and treasure, to accomplish the objectives set by our club. By June 30, 2024, we aim to achieve these goals and showcase our progress under Guenther's leadership. To gain insight into his vision and plans, mark your calendars for July 12, 2023, when Larry will deliver his inaugural speech.
 
Larry's professional background aligns well with his role as President of Omaha Downtown Rotary. He is responsible for delivering the global resources of JPMorgan Chase to Nebraska and played a pivotal role in establishing the firm's first commercial banking office in the state in 2017. Over his impressive 30-year career in banking, Guenther has been involved in numerous financings and mergers and acquisitions transactions across a diverse range of industries throughout the Midwest.
 
Larry's journey began in Nebraska after graduating from Wayne State College in 1991, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration, majoring in management and finance. At WSC, he excelled academically, participating in the prestigious John G. Neihardt Scholars Program and graduating magna cum laude. He also became a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Pi.
 
Following graduation, Larry began a commercial banking career in Blair, Nebraska. It was during this time that he experienced his most significant merger to date—marrying his college sweetheart, Traci Van Meter '92, a computer science graduate and fellow Delta Sigma Pi member. Larry continued his education by completing an MBA in finance at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and subsequently pursued opportunities in Iowa and Illinois, ultimately working for Bank One, which later merged with JPMorgan Chase.
 
In 2003, the Guenthers returned to Nebraska to raise their two daughters and be closer to their loved ones. Larry's career progressed in regional commercial banking, managing clients in multiple states across the Midwest. In 2008, he took on the Omaha business banking manager role for Great Western Bank, overseeing three banking teams and successfully navigating the acquisition and integration of the largest failed bank in Nebraska's history.
 
Community service has always been a top priority for Guenther throughout his banking career. He serves on the State Board of Community Health Agencies Drive (CHAD) and the State Board for the Alzheimer's Association, having previously chaired the Omaha and Central Illinois chapters. Guenther is also actively involved in the Nebraska Chapter of Financial Executives International and is a member of ACG-Nebraska. Additionally, he maintains his long-standing membership with Rotary International and remains on the finance committee for St. Charles Borromeo Church.
 
Adding a personal touch, it's worth noting two fun facts about Larry's connection to Wayne State College. Their oldest daughter, Halsie, was named after Dr. Ken Halsey, a professor and advisor for Delta Sigma Pi. Furthermore, all seven members of Guenther's immediate family are proud WSC graduates: Joe, Lynn, Lori, Connie, Dennis, Terri, and Larry himself.
 
With Larry Guenther at the helm, Omaha Downtown Rotary is poised for an exceptional year of growth, community impact, and meaningful service. Stay tuned for updates on the progress and accomplishments of our club under his dedicated leadership.
 

President Larry Guenther's beautiful family
Due to the continual markets downturn, the Downtown Rotary Foundation has made the difficult decision to take a one year moratorium on grant distributions to nonprofits for the 2022-2023 year. We look forward to renewing the grant process for 2023-2024 when the markets start to recover. If you have any questions, please reach out to Foundation President, Sean Olson at solson@sonburst.com.
If you attend another club's meeting in person or virtual, please email Yolanda for attendance credit
Thank you!
Club Executives & Directors
Club President
Club President-elect
Immediate Past Club President
Club Administration Director
Club Secretary
Club Treasurer
Club Foundation Chair - TRF
Club Foundation Chair - Club Foundation
Club Membership Chair
Club Polio Chair
Club Program Chair
Club Public Image
Club Service Projects
Make Up Opportuntites
Monday: Omaha Millard Rotary, 12:00 pm, German American Society, 3717 South 120th St.
Tuesday: Omaha Morning 7:00 am, First Responders Foundation, 10605 Burt Circle, Omaha, NE 68114
Tuesday: Omaha Northwest, 12:00 pm, First Responders Foundation, 10605 Burt Circle, Omaha, NE 68114
Wednesday: Omaha Downtown, 12:00 pm, Field Club of Omaha, 3615 Woolworth Ave.
Thursday: West Douglas County, 7:00 am, Elkhorn Common Ground Community Center, 1701 Veterans Drive
Thursday: Omaha Suburban, Noon, Legends Patio Grill, 6920 Pacific St., Suite 100
Thursday: Council Bluffs, 12:00 pm, The Center, 714 Main Street
Friday: Omaha West, 12:00 pm, Biaggi's, 13655 California St.

 

Rotary Honor Roll
Upcoming Speakers
Ron Cox
Oct 04, 2023
Midwest Workforce Challenges and Solutions
Midwest Workforce Challenges and Solutions
Christi Krehbiel
Oct 11, 2023
How will the current state of public education affect private education and homeschooling?
Heath Mello
Oct 18, 2023
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce
TBD
Oct 25, 2023
Magdalene Omaha
Bob Keefer
Nov 01, 2023
Rotary Peace Fellowships
FBI Agent Eugene Kowell
Nov 08, 2023
Updates from the FBI
Guest Registration
Upcoming Events
Club Calendar
October 2023
S M T W T F S
01
02
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
12
13
14
15
16
17
19
20
21
22
23
24
26
27
28
29
30
31
01
02
03
04
Sponsors