Buffet Lunch is $18 for members and $20 for visiting Rotarians and guests. (Lunch increase is inevitable. $18 for members and $20 for guests effective August 7, 2024)
Topic: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Omaha’s Key Industries
Brent is a professor of Strategic Management at the University of Nebraska Omaha. He also serves as a site Director in the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program and as the Associate Director of UNO’s Center for Innovation , Entrepreneurship, and Franchising. His research focuses on the impact of emerging technologies on decision makers and organizations and on how entrepreneurs deal with uncertainty. Prior to entering academia, Brent spent several years in industry working as an actuary at Lincoln Financial Group, a financial analyst at Zions Bancorporation, and a program analyst at Orbital ATK.
Brent's research interests include Brent's primary research involves the impact of technology on decision-makers and organizations. He also researches entrepreneurial uncertainty and strategic judgment. His work has been published in the Academy of Management Review, Organization Science, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, the Journal of Business Ethics, Technovation, and others.
Thanks to the efforts of Rotarians and dedicated volunteers, nearly 3,000 flags now stand at Memorial Park as part of our 9/11 Tribute. Each flag honors one of the 2,977 lives lost on September 11, 2001, displaying the name, age, location, and personal details of a victim. A special section is reserved for flags representing those with a Nebraska connection. We extend our deepest gratitude to Dan Esch for coordinating this meaningful project, and a heartfelt thanks to all the Rotarians, Boy Scouts, family members, and friends who generously volunteered their time.
August 29, 2024, Omaha NE. Recently, we welcomed transferring Rotarian Liesel Kittlitz from Rotary Club of Spokane Rotary 21.
Liesel joined Global Financial Markets Institute (GFMI), a boutique capital markets training firm, in November 2013 to spearhead the company’s marketing efforts, grow the client base, broaden the instructor talent pool, implement new technology, and support the company’s expansion. Prior to joining GFMI, Liesel served as Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Operations with Omega Performance, an international performance improvement company providing credit and sales skills training for the financial services industry. During nearly two decades at Omega, Liesel also held leadership positions in learning technology, design and development, facilitator management, consulting services, and client implementations.
A veteran of the education, training, and performance improvement industry for over 25 years, Liesel’s experience also includes contracts and grants management with municipal government and public school systems. She delights in uncovering opportunities for improvement and helping clients meet and exceed their learning objectives.
Liesel graduated cum laude from James Madison University with a B.S. in Communication. She continued her education with post-baccalaureate studies in Psychology (particularly social, learning, and organizational psychology) and graduate work in Business and Finance from the McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte. She earned her MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Gonzaga University, where she also taught as an adjunct instructor.
Outside of the office, Liesel volunteers with numerous church and community organizations. She enjoys golf, wine, and traveling.
August 29, 2024, Omaha NE. Recently, we welcomed back Rotarian Amie Konwinski. Amie is the founder and CEO of Smart Gen Society, an Omaha-based, national reaching nonprofit, inspiring students and families to think critically about their digital usage, while maintaining their privacy and safety, and protecting their social, emotional, and mental well-being.
Prior to founding Smart Gen, Amie served 14 years in the U.S. Navy, serving as Information System’s Technician Chief Petty Officer and a civilian government contractor. Stationed in both the Pacific and Atlantic arenas, Amie designed and installed hardware and software systems on three continents and in multiple Top-Secret U.S. and allied government facilities.
An Omaha Native, Amie graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a Bachelor of Art in Communications, a minor in Information Systems Technology. She holds multiple certificates in organizational and military leadership, network hardware, software, security, and communications.
Amie lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband Roger, their daughters and fur babies. In her free time, Amie enjoys reading, live music, and adventurous traveling.
Hello Rotarians and friends of the Rotary Club of Omaha! This past meeting we had so many cool things happening! We recognized David “Big Al” Goldstein for 52 years of membership in our club. WOW! Congratulations! Tom Gutierre helped make the celebration happen. We also recognized 2 new members and their sponsors! Welcome to Amie Konwinski, Founder/CEO of SmartGEN Society, and thank you to her sponsor Aileen Warren! Welcome to Liesel Kittlitz, who is rejoining Rotary after her recent move from Virginia to Omaha, sponsored by Franco Gentile.
Our featured speaker was Senator Pete Ricketts, who shared some thoughts on how collaborative efforts and bipartisan bills show Nebraskans are setting the example (which he hopes Washington can follow!). We can all be proud of that. Thank you Senator for visiting our club!
Stay tuned for additional popular speakers and unique events (be sure to check the calendar at OmahaRotary.org). Thank you to Dan Esch and all the volunteers for putting together our annual 9/11 Memorial Flag Display!
Our upcoming Business Networking Social is Sep 5, 4-6pm, hosted by Tobi Mathauser at Goodwill. This event is a fun way to learn more about Goodwill’s work in the community, to network with fellow Rotarians, and an opportunity to donate to our club’s foundation if you’d like to help fund some of our club’s community efforts. Please register for this event, click here.
Our Guest Day was successful, with at least 1 new membership application submitted as a result. If your guest was unable to attend, no problem – be sure to invite them again. We’re glad to be back every week at the Field Club of Omaha. And we’re extra thankful they are working with us while they are upgrading their audio-visual equipment in the ballroom… We are all looking forward to some smooth-sailing with our digital experience at FCO!
I’ll see you at the Field Club this Wednesday for lunch. Bring a guest!
September is Basic Education and Literacy Month for Rotary. As I am visiting clubs in our district, it is fantastic to see the number of clubs that are recognizing students for academic achievement, giving out dictionaries to grade schoolers and awarding scholarships to high school seniors to help support our next generation of leaders.
In addition, I would like to thank PDG Kathryn Schubert and her committee for all of the work that they have put in to bring the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) back on October 11-13 at Camp Sonshine in Roca, Nebraska. We truly are "People of Action".
I would also like to thank our District Conference Committee, led by James Mackiewicz for all of the work that they are doing to plan a terrific "Fusion 5650 District Conference".
We will be hosting the conference on October 18th and 19th at the Downtown Omaha Marriott. Please make plans to attend. The discounted conference rate and the room rate will end on September 20th.
We are working on a great agenda that will include Don Eckles, Co-founder of Scooters as our keynote speaker at the District Luncheon on Friday. PDG Barbara Bartles will present on her group's NID trip to India on Saturday. We will have some interactive roundtable discussions on Membership Recruitment and Public Image best practices and more. We will post the entire agenda soon. I hope to see you all there.
Where three or more Rotarians gather, it's called a Rotary Social, and you earn attendance credits. Rotarians may come from different clubs. Connect with Rotarians and enjoy the power of Rotary fellowship. Below are our recent Rotary Social.
Rotarians Viv Ewing, John Ewing, and Michelle Trawick meet up
Michelle Trawick with Hal Daub. Michelle and Hall will tell us at the meeting the missing third Rotarian
Rotarians in action at the recent Commercial Real Estate Summit. L to R: John Sullivan, Kevin Baitey, Adam Hoebelheinrich, and Larry Sullivan
The Rotaract Club of Belize City is renovating a rural school and a Rotary club-sponsored park as part of its youth-focused agenda. In April, club members met at the Hattieville Government Preschool to paint restrooms and complete other beautification work. A later phase will include new toilets. “We’ve been able to replace chalkboards in 10 classrooms with whiteboards and to donate a printer and other school and hygiene materials,” says Kristoff Nicholson, immediate past president. The club partnered with a telecom provider and raffled off smartphones to help pay for the project. It also received a District 4250 grant of $1,000. In March, club members replaced basketball and goal nets and painted benches and a playset at Love Park in Balama, another element of the project, Nicholson says.
Colombia
In January, the Rotary Club of Cúcuta-Ciudad de Arboles purchased about $600 of school supplies and delivered 100 sets of notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, sharpeners, and more to students in the city. It’s about 350 miles northeast of Bogotá. Club members also visited with students in the neighborhood of Las Delicias, says Dora Patricia Lobo, a past president of the club. “The hustle and bustle and joy of these students when they receive their school package warms our souls and encourages us to continue,” Lobo says. More than 1,400 students have benefited since the project began.
June 26, 2024. Outgoing President Larry Guenther recognized our members who achieved perfect attendance. Perfect Rotary attendance(aka Perfect Rotarians) is attained through consistent participation in weekly meetings, service projects, committee work, weekly club service, Rotary socials, visiting other clubs, Rotary online makeups, Zoom attendance, attendance at club board meetings, and attendance at club foundation board meetings. Below is the list of our perfect attendance Rotarians.
July is the perfect time to start your journey towards becoming a Perfect Rotarian!
Rotarians are making a difference at Stephen Center. CLICK HERE to sign up.
Stephen Center partners with the community, families, and individuals to overcome homelessness, addiction, and poverty. Stephen Center has served the homeless and low-income in Omaha since 1984 through its three programs: Emergency Shelter, HERO Program, and Transitional Living Program. The Omaha Downtown Rotary partners with Stephens Center in serving hot meals to its residents.
Pictured here are the July 2024 volunteers L to R:Steve McCollister, Colleen Brennan, Christopher Nwafor, Fletcher Reel, and Julie Sanford
The Rotary Club of Omaha is now recruiting more members! It's your opportunity to join the Rotary Club of Omaha, click here to complete the membership application form. For questions, please contact Membership Chair Franco Gentile at FGentile@sbgtv.com.
Chase Bank
UNO College of Business
Centris
Ollie The Trolley
Carlson West Povondra Architects
DA Davidson
Elkhorn Athletics Association
Omaha Massage Therapy
Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha
Kevin Baitey
Brad Burklund
Paul Cohen Hal Daub
Gene DeBoer Dianne Desler
John Ewing
Viv Ewing
Brett Frevert
Dawn Gonzales
Okley Gibbs
Fr. Lloyd Gnirk
Tom Gouttierre
Larry Guenther Bill Harvey
Gretchen Harvey
Barbara Hayman
Yolanda Hoffman
Larry Johansen
Bob Keefer
Susan Koesters
Heather Legge
Sandy Lemke
Adam Leong
John Marburger
Steve McCollister
Heidi McGinness
Camille Metoyer-Moten
Lloyd Meyer
John Mock
Jim Murphy
Roxy Orr
Fletcher Reel
Jim Scott-Miller
Deb Skinner
Jim Stewart
Jim Suttle
LeRoy Swedlund
Lisa Tonjes Moritz
Michelle Trawick
Jennifer Trebill
Kathryn Weitz
August 29, 2024, Omaha NE. Recently, we welcomed transferring Rotarian Liesel Kittlitz from Rotary Club of Spokane Rotary 21. 
August 29, 2024, Omaha NE. Recently, we welcomed back Rotarian Amie Konwinski. Amie is the founder and CEO of Smart Gen Society, an Omaha-based, national reaching nonprofit, inspiring students and families to think critically about their digital usage, while maintaining their privacy and safety, and protecting their social, emotional, and mental well-being.
Belize
Colombia
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