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)

Senator

 

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts was sworn in as Nebraska’s U.S. Senator on January 23, 2023.

 

Born in Nebraska City and raised in Omaha, Senator Pete Ricketts is the son of an entrepreneur and a school teacher. Pete and his wife, Susanne Shore, have been married for 26 years and live in Omaha. They have three children: Roscoe, Margot, and Eleanor.

 

Pete graduated from Westside High School before attending the University of Chicago where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology and an M.B.A. in marketing and finance.

 

After graduate school, Pete returned to Omaha and worked for Union Pacific before working as a customer services representative in his family’s business, a company that would eventually become known as Ameritrade. He went on to hold leadership roles in the company including Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, Senior Vice President of Product Development, Senior Vice President of Marketing, President, and Chief Operating Officer (COO).

 

Pete also founded Drakon, LLC, which supports Nebraska entrepreneurs and startup companies, and was a past board member of TD Ameritrade’s Board of Directors and the Chicago Cubs baseball team.

 

Pete was sworn in as Nebraska’s 40th Governor on January 8, 2015 and reelected to a second term in November 2018. As governor, Pete dramatically improved services to Nebraskans, and worked with the Legislature to deliver over $12.7 billion in tax relief, including over $10 billion in property tax relief, by 2027. Additionally, he fully eliminated state taxes on veterans’ retirement income starting in 2022 and on Social Security benefits by 2025. Pete cut the growth of state spending by more half and held state budgets to an average of 2.8% growth annually. He created new workforce development programming and cut unnecessary red tape to bolster Nebraska’s business-friendly climate. Additionally, he expanded international markets for Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers. Thanks in part to the Governor’s leadership, Nebraska won the Governor’s Cup for the most economic development projects per capita three years in a row from 2016 to 2018. He was also appointed to serve on the Council of Governors and the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations by President Donald J. Trump.

 

Pete has also taken on leadership roles in local and state associations and organizations. He serves on the board of the Mid-America Council of the Boy Scouts, as a director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation, a member of the Board of Advisors of Opportunity Education Foundation, a member of the Archbishop’s Committee for Development, a member of the Knights of Columbus, and a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. Pete and his family attend St. Margaret Mary’s church.

 

 

Hello Rotarians and friends of the Rotary Club of Omaha!  This past meeting we learned about The RiverFront development from Kiewit engineer Harrison Abbott.  It’s fascinating to realize how much goes on behind the scenes in a one-of-a-kind project. The efforts and coordination of so many talented experts came together to reenergize these areas of our downtown, helping to make Omaha a pretty cool place to be!  I enjoy The RiverFront regularly, whether I am out for a run or strolling with my husband after dinner…there is always something going on between Gene Leahy Mall,  the Heartland of America Park, the Luminarium, etc.  and it’s fun to see how popular the spaces are with all ages.

 

Our club is the place for lunch on a Wednesday! We have quite a lineup of speakers at our next several meetings: Pete Ricketts, Tony Vargas, David Brown, and Preston Love to name just a few (link to calendar).

Plus, we have many additional opportunities to gather together:

 

August 27 – Business Networking with Omaha Morning Rotary at Equitable Bank 5-7pm,

August 28  - Prospective New Member Day at our club, please invite guests for lunch! (contact Franco Gentile)

August 28 - our club social (directly after the meeting at Field Club) 

August 31 - our annual 9/11 Memorial flag display (contact Dan Esch) 

September 5 - Tobi Mathauser is hosting our club’s Rotary Business Networking event at Goodwill from 4-6pm. (Note: This event is also an optional fundraiser for our club’s foundation for those who would like to make a contribution. These funds help our club provide grants to local organizations with approval from the Club Foundation Board.)

See details on our club website events calendar, and please register.

 

Thank you to our Business Sponsor of the month Vanessa Essono with The Good Care LLC. Video link! Please connect with Vanessa Essono to learn more!

 

I’ll see you at the Field Club this Wednesday for lunch. Bring a guest!

August 28, 2024, this Wednesday is Rotary Guest Day! This presents a wonderful opportunity for you to extend a warm invitation to your prospective members. The best part? Rotary will cover the cost of your prospective member's lunch. To ensure a smooth experience, please register your guests in advance by contacting our Membership Chair, Franco Gentile via email at FGentile@sbgtv.com or register your guest upon arrival at Field Club.

 

Let's make this Rotary Guest Day a memorable one by sharing the Rotary spirit and values with potential new members. Thank you for your proactive involvement in growing our Rotary community!

July is the perfect time to start your journey towards becoming a Perfect Rotarian!