Joining Organizations in Omaha, NE – March 2021
The purpose of the Joining Organizations feature is to give our readers the chance to familiarize themselves with some amazing local organizations, especially if they are looking for ways to grow their business or professional network, make a difference in the community, and gain valuable experience outside of the work place. Don’t be afraid to reach out and get involved!
Whether it’s meeting over Zoom or in person, joining a professional organization is vital to keeping your business healthy. After joining one of these esteemed groups, you’ll be intimately connected with other professionals in your industry and beyond. You’ll have a platform to enrich your understanding of your chosen career and the community you serve, and to join others in learning new and innovative techniques, ideas, and practices. There’s also networking opportunities, advocacy events, scholarship programs, and career development workshops to take advantage of. Not only that, but joining one of these groups will grant you visibility in the business community and offer you a chance to grow your reputation among other professionals and consumers. Even if you’re choosing to socially distance, being a part of one of these organizations in any capacity will keep you accountable to your peers and on the path toward success.
Now the question is, how do you find the right organization for you? That will depend on your values and the goals you have for yourself and your career. Each organization has a set of values that they’re more inclined to support, and so doing your research so that you’re in a group around other like-minded professionals is essential. Take the time to consider which one you want to be most associated with based on how much personal and professional development opportunities are offered. This way, you can decide what organization you feel most confident dedicating a portion of your time and/or money to supporting.
Despite the disruptive way the pandemic is keeping us all apart, the following local organizations and associations work twice as hard to keep us all together and to keep the opportunities flowing. Take the time to look through these organizations to find out how they’re keeping the Omaha business community thriving.
Better Business Bureau (BBB) has been assisting U.S. consumers and businesses since 1912. It is a private, nonprofit, business-supported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Nearly 400,000 BBB Accredited Businesses support BBB’s mission of advancing marketplace trust, and their dues and contributions allow BBB to offer its information and services to consumers at no charge. BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million companies, over 11,000 charity reviews, dispute resolution services, alerts and educational information on topics affecting the marketplace.
People today are overwhelmed with choices—and often unsure about where to find verified, unbiased information. There are more than 32 million businesses in North America alone, and hundreds of thousands of sites around the world where people shop online. Also, thousands of free and subscription websites offer a range of information, including: reviews, reports, directories, listings, and gripe sites. BBB is the resource where you can find trusted, verified information. Go to BBB.org/nebraska or call (800) 649-6814.
The National Association for Women in Construction (NAWIC) is a resource for women in the construction industry and offers its members education, support, and networking to help advance their careers in construction, build their technical skills, and become leaders. NAWIC Chapter #116 includes Omaha, Lincoln, Council Bluffs, and the surrounding areas.
This year, Women in Construction Week is March 7–13, 2021. The focus is to highlight women as a viable component of the construction industry. Women in Construction Week also provides an occasion for NAWIC’s thousands of members across the country to raise awareness of the opportunities available for women in the construction industry and to emphasize the growing role of women in the industry. It is also a time for local chapters to give back to their communities.
Information about upcoming meeting locations, topics, and times is available on the website at www.nawicomaha.com or email nawicomaha@gmail.com to request information. The Greater Omaha Chapter meets on the second Thursday of each month at various locations in the Omaha area. Visitors are welcome to attend.
The Metro Omaha Builders Association (MOBA) was chartered in 1946 and is a not-for-profit organization that was established to promote and protect various aspects of the home building industry. MOBA is an organization of individuals and firms involved in residential and light commercial building and development and related industries. The organization is also known for the Omaha Home Show, Remodel Omaha Tour, Parade of Homes in the spring and fall, and Street of Dreams. Experience the benefits of MOBA, join now! For more information, visit www.moba.com.
“Let’s succeed together.”
For Omaha to prosper, we need to build a connected community that supports business growth, employment and quality of life. As a Chamber member, you aren’t just building your business, you’re investing in the future of our city.
To connect with other professionals; to grow your presence in the community; to develop your skills and experience; to ignite change and serve as a catalyst for economic growth. These are just some of the reasons to invest yourself and your business into the Greater Omaha Chamber.
“We won’t let up. We won’t let you down—because your work is too important to go it alone.”
Join 3,000 other businesses and be part of the movement toward greater: OmahaChamber.org/Belong | memberservices@OmahaChamber.org | (402) 346-5000
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., t h e organization’s membership exceeds 364,000 in more than 16,200 clubs in 145 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org and follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.
Lincoln, Omaha, and surrounding areas are served by Toastmasters District 24. District 24 is a grouping of over 60 Toastmasters clubs and over 1,000 members from Kearney, NE to Council Bluffs, IA. Learn more about District 24 and upcoming meetings and events by visiting d24tm.org or www.meetup.com/District-24-ToastmastersMeetup. You can also find them on Facebook (@D24TM). “Come visit us, because we believe that Toastmasters helps you build the confidence and skills to be a better you!”
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Cornhusker Chapter supports the commercial construction industry through apprenticeship and safety training, advocacy, and workforce development. In addition, they offer opportunities for networking, and their Excellence in Construction Awards allow them to showcase members’ project success. The organization helps their members and their members’ employees with the opportunity to succeed, winning work, and delivering that work safely, ethically, and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work. ABC strives to be the leading voice for free enterprise and the merit shop philosophy of construction in Nebraska. They offer apprenticeship training through the NCCER Curriculum, continuing education, and leadership courses, not only to members, but also to anyone wishing to enter the construction industry for a bountiful career. For information about ABC Cornhusker Chapter, contact Anne Klute at (402) 477- 4451 or annek@abcnebraska.org. Please visit the website at www.abcnebraska.org to learn more.
The Business Ethics Alliance exists to provide solutions to companies of all sizes and for employees across all levels, from C-suite to entry-level, to conduct their businesses and professional lives with accountability, integrity, and moral courage.
Your actions and decisions impact your employees, your coworkers, your community, your customers, your vendors…and more. So much to balance, so much at stake. Ethics matter because reputation counts. What you do each day impacts you and your organization’s reputation for years to come. You have a lot to consider. EthicSpace Conference will lay it all on the table for you with honest and real conversations.
Join the Business Ethics Alliance on November 9, 2021, for the EthicSpace Conference at the CHI Health Center. This year’s theme is Your Company. Our Community. All of Our Responsibility. EthicSpace is inspirational, educational, positive, and practical. To learn more about the Ethicspace Conference, visit Ethicspace.org. To learn more about the Business Ethics Alliance, go to businessethicsalliance.org.
Metro Omaha Women’s Business Center (MOWBC) was formed in 2008. Their mission is to empower women to become economically self-sufficient by providing targeted education, workshops, job training, strong relationships, and resources that provide business, professional, and personal growth. The endeavors of the organization are designed to accelerate the success of women in all aspects and at all levels. They create economic opportunities through their signature MOWBC programs. Members of MOWBC are able to find mentorship, share their dreams, and embrace a unique kind of sisterhood.
There is a multitude of benefits to becoming a member of the Metro Omaha Women’s Business Center, including: Entrepreneur Annual Award Grants of $500-$1,000; business-to-business discounts; access to referral resources, educational programs, and business opportunities; featured in monthly communications on the MOWBC website; discounts/advance notices to MOWBC events (seminars and conferences); business listing in MOWBC directory; company logo and story listed in the MOWBC Newsletter; business after hours networking; personal log-in and password to the MOWBC membership site; promotional code for discounted member events; and monthly commercial opportunities. To learn more, visit www.mowbcf.org or call (402) 763-0540.
Founded in 1959, the AMA Omaha is the local Chapter of the American Marketing Association, the world’s largest nonprofit marketing association with more than 30,000 members. For over 60 years, AMA Omaha has been the leading network for local marketing professionals and continues to serve the Omaha community to advance the practice of marketing by providing a forum for discussion and on key issues impacting marketing professionals, as well as compelling educational opportunities. Members enjoy a host of national perks, from webinars to savings on promotional items, as well as exclusive local benefits like discounts on programming, award entries and more. Groups of three or more are eligible for a group membership discount. For information on AMA Omaha’s award-winning chapter and to apply for membership, visit AMAOmaha.org.
BNI members enjoy unparalleled business growth. As the world’s largest referral network, with over 10,000 chapters worldwide, BNI passed over 12 million referrals last year, resulting in more than $16 billion in business, and we are on pace to exceed that total in 2020. More importantly, our area members throughout NE, IA, SD, and WY closed over $40 million in tracked business — creating a return of 700 times their investment — most of that supporting other local businesses. BNI celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, and has proudly been helping Nebraska businesses grow for over 20 years.
Members increase their exposure to like-minded professionals, gain referrals from a local, national, and international network, and sharpen their networking skills with exclusive member resources. Belonging to BNI is like having sales people working for you everywhere.
BNI’s proven structured system of giving and receiving business cultivates deep relationships with other professionals. Their members have the opportunity to substantially increase their business through BNI’s core values of Givers Gain, Building Relationships, Life-Long Learning, Traditions + Innovation, Positive Attitude, Accountability, and Recognition.
For more information about BNI Heartland, please contact the regional office at (402) 880-6311, email info@bniheartland.com, or visit our website at www.bniheartland.com.
The Empowerment Network works together with the residents and leaders to TRANSFORM the ECONOMIC condition and QUALITY OF LIFE of African Americans, North Omaha residents, and citizens in the Greater Omaha region. The goal is to close long-standing gaps in employment, entrepreneurship, education, housing and other quality of life factors to transform Omaha into a thriving and prosperous city, in every zip code and neighborhood.
The Empowerment Network (EN) is recognized as a backbone organization supporting the key functions of its collective impact partners. The EN excels in the capturing of data; capacity-building; leadership development; advocacy; civic engagement; and fundraising to support specific initiatives identified by the community. The Network model, recognized regionally and nationally, relies on each person and organization doing their part. Visit empoweromaha.com or call (402) 502-5153 to learn more.
A strong business network should bring you: new business, referrals, visibility, opportunities, advice, and support. Is your network doing enough?
The Sarpy County Chamber proudly serves the communities of Bellevue, Gretna, La Vista, Offutt, Papillion, Springfield, and the Greater Omaha area as the primary business resource in Sarpy County. Joining the Sarpy Chamber is joining a culture of connections with groups, events, marketing, education resources, and more. They make it easy.
Sarpy Chamber membership also unlocks these benefits online with the new Sarpy Chamber Member Video Resource page. This content has been developed and curated specifically for educating and empowering the Sarpy County business community. Only Sarpy Chamber members will have access to this business educational video library that covers leadership training, advertising/marketing, finance, IT, security, wellness, and much more.
Visit www.sarpychamber.org to join easily online or call (402) 339-3050 to learn more.
The Millard Business Association (MBA) was established in 2003 and comprises more than 350 area businesses members. The MBA provides the catalyst for our members to grow and prosper through a variety of events, opportunities, services, and programs.
Joining this thriving organization is great way to GROW Your Business. Members do not need to reside in Millard. The basic requirement is doing business or wanting to do business in the Millard area. Membership is only $130 per year; there is a $65 associate’s rate for member businesses that want to add a representative. In addition, MBA has a young professionals group. YP membership is $50 per yer. Some of the benefits include:
Networking and Exposure—“It’s not what you know but who you know.” Make all those important contacts through Networking Lunches, “Bagels & Business” Meetings, Business After Hours, and Ribbon Cuttings. Join one of the many active referral groups.
Community Connections—Get involved and learn more about the nonprofits in the community.
Educational Opportunities—Stay competitive, be productive! MBA’s monthly “Lunch and Learns” offer expert advice for today’s economy.
Apply for membership at www.MillardBusinessAssociation.org. For more information, contact the MBA Admin at (402) 707-2827 or email info@millardbusinessassociation.org.