Agriculture Industry Council

• Notes
  • A lot of pride and satisfaction
  • Don’t need to sell importance
• Concerns
  • Next generation of producers
  • Low Prices
  • Trade
• Opportunities
  • Value-added agriculture
  • Innovation
  • Crop diversification

Banking & Finance Industry Council

• Notes
  • Many solid banks
  • Strength of having local, community banks
• Concerns
  • Banks could make more investments locally Businesses/entrepreneurs should be more educated about financing
• Opportunities
  • Reduce regulations, especially those that hurt local, community banks
  • People should bank locally
  • Banks should invest in new services and technology

Community Vitality Industry Council

• Notes
  • Great pride in communities and people
• Concerns
  • Rural areas are falling behind
• Opportunities
  • Funding for further investments in community revitalization to grow the community and its businesses and housing
  • Keep and engage young people
  • Attract and welcome new residents (some specific mention of immigrants)

Education Attainment Industry Council

• Notes
  • Most popular to answer three questions about
  • Great pride in K-Post secondary schools (with vocal minority)
• Concerns
  • High costs for post-secondary Preparation for jobs
• Opportunities
  • Connect with businesses Early childhood education
  • Funding (more, less, different)

Energy & Natural Resources Industry Council

• Notes
  • Public power and vast natural resources are assets Higher percentage of Millennials rated Poor for Current Status
• Concerns
  • Sustainability and diversity
  • Protection of public power
  • Protection of water resources
• Opportunities
  • Renewable technologies

Entrepreneurship Industry Council

• Notes
  • Nebraskans are hardworking and creative
  • Good low-cost environment for start-ups
• Concerns
  • Lack of capital invesment funds
• Opportunities
  • Techology is hot, but so are “non-tech” opportunities
  • Cut taxes and red tape for start-ups

Healthcare Industry Council

• Notes
  • Quality and Current Status based on location
    • Omaha and other parts of Greater Nebraska ranked Current Status as Excellent
    • Many rural communities did not share same the perspective
• Concerns
  • Rural availability
  • Workforce High costs
  • Coverage {insurance, reimbursements)
• Opportunities
  • Improve retention of young people Recruit from elsewhere
  • Reduce costs
  • Policy: Expand public programs/Reduce public programs

Housing Industry Council

• Notes
  • Marked negativity
• Concerns
  • Shortage of affordable housing
• Opportunities
  • Develop financing tools and partnerships to solve this problem

Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion Industry Council

• Notes
  • Complicated with three concepts combined Divergence in opinions about current status in all three areas
• Concerns
  • Nebraska has work to do
  • Nebraska is fine
• Opportunities
  • Articulate what leadership, diversity, and inclusion looks like
  • Articulate how leadership, diversity, and inclusion strengthen Nebraska

Manufacturing Industry Council

• Notes
  • Many career opportunities
  • Nebraskans have a great work ethic
  • Rated as Important by a lower percentage of persons from Omaha area and by Millennials
• Concerns
  • Workers don’t know about the opportunities in manufacturing
  • Need to attract more businesses and workers
• Opportunities
  • Diversify beyond agriculture
  • Create connections between educational institutions and manufacturers
  • Develop housing
  • Create tax, building, land incentives

Mega-site Industry Council

• Notes
  • Importance rank lowest:
  • Lots of wide-open spaces
• Concerns
  • Attracting businesses: may work or may not work
• Opportunities
  • May need to articulate what these are and how/when it makes sense to use them as a development tool

Military & Veterans Affairs Industry Council

• Notes
  • Nebraska respects vets and has an array of supports
  • Offutt AFB
• Concerns
  • Veterans don’t stay in Nebraska
  • It is difficult obtaining healthcare
• Opportunities
  • Recruit vets for workforce needs
  • Reduce taxes on employed military and veterans

Taxation & Incentives Industry Council

• Notes
  • Very divergent opinions
  • Panhandle region had higher rate of Poor for Current Status
• Concerns
  • Mixed, but most think there is a problem to be solved
• Opportunities
  • Reduce/maintain/increase/reform/rebalance taxes
  • Abolish/maintain/create incentives for businesses
  • Provide more/same/less funding for various programs

Technology & Innovation Industry Council

• Notes
  • University, Omaha, and Lincoln are seen as centers
• Concerns
  • Rural areas are falling behind
• Opportunities
  • Rural broadband access
  • Many sectors are/could be more innovative
  • Retain and attract young people and businesses

Transportation & Infrastructure Industry Council

• Notes
  • I-80 and rail are assets
  • Higher percentage of Millennials rated Poor for Current Status
• Concerns
  • Poor public transportation
  • Maintenance of roadways and rails
• Opportunities
  • Expand public transportation, including multimodal
  • Invest in maintaining and expanding roadways and rails

Workforce Industry Council

• Notes
  • Important but current status is Fair
  • Pride in work ethic
• Concerns
  • Not enough  of us
• Opportunities
  • Better coordination with education
  • Improve retention of young people
  • Recruit from elsewhere (acceptance of immigrants)
  • Higher pay/benefits