Rotary Club of Omaha Whirl 03.23.26 (Mar. 23, 2026)

March 25, 2026 Field Club of Omaha, 3615 Woolworth Avenue, Omaha, NE 68105

Presiding Officer: President Gretchen Harvey

Secretary: Matthew Boulay

Sgt at Arms: Chris Rath
Digital Experience: Bill Harvey

Invocation & Pledge: Christopher Nwafor

Navigator: Sean Olson

Cashiers/Check-in: Theresa Contreraz & Heather Legge

Admin Support: Rebecca Niemeyer Rens

Greeters: Sue Kutschkau & Lisa Schiele

New Member Host: Need Volunteer

Speaker Host: Chris Mehaffey

Speaker: Harrison Abbott

Buffet Lunch is $18 for members and $20 for visiting Rotarians and guests.
Lunch ticket is back. Please collect your lunch ticket after check-in and put it in the jar at the beginning of the buffet line

Rotary Speaker March 25, 2026 - Harrison Abbott

Harrison Abbott
Structural Engineer

"A $2 Billion Kiewit Oil and Gas Project and Its Impact on the Local Economy"

Presentation Topic:
A brief introduction to the regional economic impacts of two major Gulf Coast energy projects: the Calcasieu Pass LNG export facility in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast Growth Ventures (GCGV) petrochemical complex in Texas / Louisiana.
Both projects represent multi-billion-dollar investments and provide significant economic benefits, particularly during the construction phase. These benefits include thousands of jobs, increased local business activity, and substantial wage growth driven by large, temporary workforces.

The presentation highlights important differences in long-term economic impact. LNG export facilities, while highly capital-intensive, typically require relatively small permanent workforces once operational. In contrast, petrochemical manufacturing facilities like GCGV support a larger number of long-term, high-skilled jobs and generate more sustained local economic activity. The comparison underscores a key takeaway: while large-scale energy investments can deliver immediate economic boosts, the type of facility plays a critical role in determining long-term employment, income stability, and regional economic retention. These distinctions are important for community planning, workforce development, and policy decisions related to industrial growth.

Harrison Abbott is a design professional and team manager for Kiewit Corporation and moved back to Omaha from South Texas. Working for Kiewit as a professional engineer, he collaborates, designs, and executes with a multitude of projects across North America.

Harrison’s early life includes being born and raised in western Nebraska on a family ranch. Attending and graduating from Ogallala, his family encouraged him to study and gain real world experience outside the family ranch and led to completing an engineering degree from the University of Nebraska (Lincoln). After graduating, he joined Kiewit in 2012 as a field supervisory staff and worked on TD Ameritrade Headquarters and STRATCOM.

In 2017, Harrison transitioned to a structural engineering role focusing on design, collaboration, and execution of higher-risk projects throughout North America. With this role, he responsible for managing multiple project’s higher risk temporary works through feasibility studies and completing the subsequent engineered designs. With this assignment came a lot of travel the past years, working with private clients (Exxon Mobil, Conoco Phillips, Alaska Airlines), government agencies (USACE, NAVFAC, DoD), and state agencies (DoTs). This has led to living in states such as Alaska, Texas, Washington DC, New Mexico, and more.

Welcome to our newest Rotarian, Chris Kestel!

Chris serves as a Relationship Manager in the Public Sector for Commercial Banking, working with communities across Eastern Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas, including Omaha, Lincoln, Fremont, Kansas City, and North Dallas. Taking a holistic approach, he partners with clients on business banking and treasury solutions, supporting day-to-day operations while identifying strategies to help them achieve both short- and long-term goals within the public sector.

Chris began his professional career in public accounting before joining FNBO’s Internal Audit department in 2011. In 2015, he transitioned into a role in yield management and marketing engineering, where he oversaw pricing index rate processes and analyzed customer behavioral trends. In 2019, he moved into credit risk administration before assuming his current role at FNBO. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration, both from Creighton University.

Chris is a strong supporter of Creighton athletics, particularly Bluejay basketball. A lifelong fan, he has attended games since childhood and is now a season ticket holder. He is also a dedicated Chicago Cubs fan.

Outside of his professional and sports interests, Chris enjoys spending time at his family’s home at Lake Okoboji and pursuing his passion for golf, often playing weekend rounds with family, friends, and colleagues. He is actively involved in the community, serving on the Project Harmony Service League Board and having held multiple executive board positions over the past 14 years. He also contributes to the Friends Committee for Kicks For A Cure, an organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for local cancer research at Creighton University’s Lynch Comprehensive Cancer Research Center and the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, while promoting active and healthy lifestyles.

We are delighted to welcome Chris Kestel as our newest Rotarian and look forward to his involvement, fellowship, and contributions to our club and community.

Chris Kestel with President Gretchen Harvey and his sponsor Jim Stewart

Membership Drive Momentum Continues

Our March 11 Membership Drive Day was a tremendous success. We were excited to welcome 26 prospective Rotarians who joined us to experience the energy, fellowship, and service spirit of our club. Since that day, three prospective members have already submitted their membership applications, and the Board is currently in the process of voting on these applications. We now have 23 more prospective members to connect with and continue engaging so they can fully experience what it means to be part of The Rotary Club of Omaha.

Our heartfelt thanks go out to every Rotarian who took the time to personally reach out to family members, friends, and work colleagues and invite them to attend. Your efforts truly made a difference. The meeting room was packed, the excitement was evident, and the momentum was undeniable. Adding to the energy of the day, our program speaker, Sean Mulhall of Mulhall's Nursery, generated strong media interest and the meeting was covered by KETV, further highlighting the vibrancy and relevance of our club in the community.

Special thanks to the Membership Committee, led by Sarah Robak, for their leadership, organization, and dedication in making the Membership Drive Day a success. We also extend our sincere appreciation to our Rotary panelists Deb Skinner, Todd Murphy, and Russell Vaughn, who did an outstanding job sharing their Rotary experiences and inspiring our guests.

Let us continue the follow-up, invitations, and Rotary welcome as we work together to turn this strong interest into lasting membership growth.

A Future Rotarian Arrives: Welcome Baby Violet Ann Tritsch

The Rotary Club family is delighted to celebrate wonderful news from Rotarian Amy Tritsch with the arrival of her beautiful daughter, Violet Ann Tritsch.

Violet was born on January 2, arriving four weeks early after a very difficult pregnancy. She spent some time in the NICU, but we are happy to report that she is now doing great and bringing endless joy to her family. Amy shared that she is currently enjoying every moment of those precious baby snuggles, and we couldn’t be happier for her.

The arrival of a new baby is always a special moment, and for our Rotary family it also means welcoming the next generation of future Rotarians. While Violet may be tiny now, we know she is already surrounded by the same spirit of service, compassion, and community that defines Rotary.

Please join us in congratulating Amy and her family on this beautiful blessing. We look forward to the day when Violet Ann joins us at a meeting and hears the familiar words: “Service Above Self.”

Congratulations, Amy, and welcome to the Rotary family, Baby Violet Ann. 💜

Rotary Goes Green for St. Patrick’s Day Celebration ☘️

There was plenty of Irish spirit and Rotary fellowship at last week’s meeting as members showed up wearing their best green outfits in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. From festive hats and shamrock accessories to bright green jackets and cheerful beads. The annual St. Patrick’s observance has become a favorite Rotary tradition, giving members a chance to relax, connect, and enjoy the lighter side of service.

Beyond the festive attire, the celebration reflected what makes Rotary special: strong friendships, joyful fellowship, and a shared commitment to Service Above Self. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the meeting memorable. We are already looking forward to next year’s green celebration. ☘️

Green Rotarians L to R: Deb Skinner, Yolanda Hoffman, Okley Gibbs, Candi Jacobs, President-Elect James Mackiewicz, Susan Koesters, and Sarah Robak

Governor Robert Rapp March 2026 Message

Rotary District 5650 Rotarians—Welcome to March! The question always is? Did the weather come in like a lion or lamb? Well, I think the sunshine answers that question.

Click here for photo album. Select slide show to see the photo descriptions.

This newsletter is special for me as I attended the annual Rotary International Mexico Leadership Conference (RIMEX), in beautiful sunny, San Miguel de Allende, MX. (See airline trip photo) North of Mexico City. San Miguel de Allende is famous for its Cathedral and sunset views.

Our RI Board of Director, Salvador Rizzo, invited the District Governors and a few other guests from our Zones 29 & 29B from the United States to attend this amazing gathering here February 26-28th, 2026. That included PDG, Barg Bartle and her husband Bob from Lincoln #14 Rotary Club. It was so great to have them at the Conference!! A big thank you to them!!

The Conference included a Project Fair for all 7 Rotary Districts in Mexico featuring 41 Rotary Club international service projects representing 12,000 Rotarians. The service projects do not require Rotary Club to apply for a Global Grant. Rotary Clubs can participate directly. I will send more information by email to each of your Rotary Clubs and post the project page and links on our District website.

Where else but through Rotary, could I attend a 3-day Conference in Mexico to make so many new friends and connections to build bridges of peace and understanding.

There were three special highlights for me during the Conference.

First, was giving a peace pin to Rotarian, Jose de Anda, from the San Miguel de Allende Midday Rotary Club in front of the beautiful peace pole that his Rotary Club dedicated a few years ago.

Rotarians serving meals at Stephen Center

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.

March 3, 2026 volunteers at Stephen Center L to R: Nonoka Kamada, Steve Gerdes, Steve McCollister, Pastor Heidi McGinness, Uniikye Washington, Fletcher Reel, & Matt Boulay.

Happy Birthday, Rotarians!

Celebrating Our Perfect Rotarians!

At our July 16 meeting, Outgoing President Heather Legge proudly recognized an extraordinary group of members, our Perfect Attendance Rotarians!

Achieving perfect Rotary attendance is no small feat. It reflects dedication, service, and an unwavering commitment to our club’s mission. Whether it's showing up at weekly meetings (in person or via Zoom), joining service projects, attending committee meetings, helping with club operations, gathering with fellow Rotarians (3 or more), visiting other clubs, participating in online makeups, or engaging in board activities, these Rotarians show up, step up, and make a difference! Let's give a big round of applause to these role models of Rotary engagement!

See the full list of honorees below.

July is the perfect month to start your own journey to becoming a Perfect Rotarian! Join us, stay involved, and let’s make service and fellowship a way of life.

Rotary Social is Business Networking

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 Socials.

Rotary Social L to R: Bob Keefer, Sandy Lemke, John Mock, Cella Quinn, Fletcher Reel, Lloyd Gnirk

Hillcrest Foundation for Enhancing Lives fundraiser 3/21/2026 at the Omaha Press Club. L to R: Sandy Lemke, President Gretchen Harvey, Bill Harvey, Shayne Fili, Mike Mancuso, Tom Adams, and Randy Wieseler

Rotarians meet-up L to R: James Mackiewicz, Lynn McCormack (Millard), and Katelyn Sethi

Rotarians meet up L to R: Brett Frevert, Todd Chaney, Shelley Ruwe, and James Mackiewicz

Rotarians at Gouttierre’s presentation L to R: Tom Gouttierre, Jim Stewart, Tom Adams, and Charlie Peters

Rotarians at the Rebecca Rens for Nebraska (LD 10) event last Thursday evening. L to R: John Sullivan, Rebecca Rens, Julia Palzer & Hal Daub.

Rotarians at the Downtown Omaha Inc. St Patrick's Day Parade presentation. L to R: Kim Stewart (Suburban), Lynn McCormack (Millard), Yolanda Hoffman, Dan Esch, Bob Perrin (Suburban)

Past President Steve McCollister visiting the Rotary Club of Blair, though it looks like some Blair Rotarians weren’t quite ready for a photo 😊

Rotarians at the Gouttierre’s presentations at CHI Lakeside L to R: Chris Peters, Jim Stewart, and Tom Gouttierre

Go Big Forum featuring Larry Guenther, Mayor John Ewing, and a fellow Rotarian from another club.

Mayor meet up L to R: Larry Guenther, Bill Harvey, and Mayor John Ewing

Mayor John Ewing welcomed our two transfer Rotarians, Randy Wieseler and Tom Adams.

We are Rotary

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 Sarah Robak at sarah.robakcfa@gmail.com.

Apr 01, 2026

Tina Bakehouse

Intuitive Communication Coach

Apr 08, 2026

Club Foundation Grant Recipients

Club Foundation Community Projects

Apr 15, 2026

CEO Heath Mello

Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce

Apr 22, 2026

Dean Jordan Pritle

Dual Enrollment Programs

Apr 29, 2026

No Weekly Rotary Meeting

Rotarians Attending Honor Roll Apr 27

May 06, 2026

Javier Fernandez

OPPD

May 13, 2026

Senator Brad von Gillern

Updates from the NE Unicameral

May 20, 2026

Major General Strong

Nebraska National Guard

May 27, 2026

No Rotary Meeting

Memorial Day - week observation

View entire list

Club President

Gretchen Harvey

Club President-elect

James Mackiewicz

Immediate Past Club President

Heather Legge

Club Administration Director

Yolanda Hoffman

Club Secretary

Matthew Boulay

Club Treasurer

Jim Stewart

Club Foundation Chair - TRF

Heather Legge

Club Membership Chair

Sarah Robak

Club Engagement Chair

Chris Mehaffey

Club Polio Chair

Bill Harvey

Club Program Chair

Tobi Mathouser

Club Public Image

Lisa Tonjes Moritz

Club Service Projects

Steve McCollister

Club Foundation Board Chair - Club Foundation

Tobi Mathouser

Sergeant-at-Arms

Okley Gibbs

Club Foundation Board Member 2023-2026

Aileen Warren

Club Foundation Board Member 2025-2028

Jill Slupe

Club Foundation Immediate Past President

Chris Tooker

Board Member - 2023-2026

Josh Todd

Board Member - 2024-2027

Lisa Tonjes Moritz

Club Foundation Board Member 2025-2028

Leslie Volk

Board Member - 2024-2027

Susan Koesters

Board Member - 2023-2026

Sue Kutschkau

Club Foundation Board Member 2023-2026

Sean Connolly

Board Member - 2025-2028

Gene DeBoer

Club Foundation Board Member 2024-2027

Gene DeBoer

Board Member - 2025-2028

Tobi Mathouser

Club Foundation Board Member 2024-2027

Tobi Mathouser

Member Birthdays

Liz Crnkovich

March 4

Chris Tooker

March 6

Jeff Matuella

March 6

Jim Cavanaugh

March 7

Michael Kosalka

March 8

Gretchen Harvey

March 10

Lloyd Meyer

March 10

Doug Pedersen

March 14

Jack McKeegan

March 19

Richard Sampson

March 21

Michelle Trawick

March 26


















Aileen Warren Adam Leong Amy Tritsch Aileen Warren Bill Harvey Gretchen Harvey Bob Keefer Brad Burklund Camille Metoyer Moten Brett Frevert Charlie Peters Colleen Brennan Deb Skinner Elkhorn Athletics Josh Todd Fletcher Reel Gene DeBoer Goodwill Industries Heather Legge Heidi McGinness Huntrex.com Jim Murphy Jim Stewart John Mock Larry Guenther Larry Johansen LeRoy Swedlund Lisa Tonjes Moritz Michelle Trawick Nash Mahupete Okley Gibbs Omaha Downtown Rotary Foundation Omaha School of Massage Therapy Paul Cohen PDG Bob Perrin PDG Roxy Orr Ralston Schools Foundation Randy Wieseler Rick Waxman Sarah Robak Scott Buchholz Steve Carper Steve McCollister Susan Koesters Tobi Mathouser Todd Chaney Todd Murphy Tom Gouttierre Westside Foundation