Riverfront-Focused Missouri River Commons Hires First Director Rachel Halbmaier
Missouri River Commons, an ambitious new public-private initiative aimed at activating the Omaha-Council Bluffs Riverfront, has named its first director. Rachel Halbmaier will lead the effort, which is being spearheaded by the Greater Omaha Chamber.
Missouri River Commons (MRC) is a coalition of leaders from business, community and government. Halbmaier will be in charge, specifically, of:
- Participating in and supporting the vision, planning and development process for the Missouri riverfront
- Raising awareness of the riverfront as a destination
- Working with the Omaha and Council Bluffs Parks Departments to coordinate and expand activities along the riverfront
- Leading the effort to develop a major festival on the riverfront
“Rachel has proven she has a knack for creating and promoting unique events that people really respond to. Under her direction, we envision a vibrant, re-energized riverfront that will not only enhance our quality of life but help us attract the talent our businesses need to thrive,” said David G. Brown, president and CEO, Greater Omaha Chamber.
Donn Seidholz, chairman of the MRC coalition, said, “Riverfront revitalization has been a passion of mine for quite some time. I am thrilled Missouri River Commons has its first director in place and that it is someone as enthusiastic about activating the riverfront as Rachel Halbmaier.”
Halbmaier graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in advertising and public relations. Prior to joining Missouri River Commons, she served as director of operations for Railyard Entertainment, LLC.