Greater Omaha Chamber President and CEO, David G. Brown to be Honored
Lincoln, NE – The NEBRASKAland Foundation Board of Directors recently selected the individuals to be honored at the 2020 Statehood Day Banquet to be held on February 29, 2020 in the State Capitol Rotunda.
David G. Brown, president and CEO, Greater Omaha Chamber, will be named a 2020 Distinguished NEBRASKAlander. Brown joins such past honorees as Tom Osborne (1982), V.J. Skutt (1984), Gerald Ford (1987), Father Val Peter (2005) and more in receiving the annual recognition.
A thought-leader and champion of a thriving, prosperous region, Brown leads such initiatives as Prosper 2.0 and Greater Omaha 2040 with bold vision, comprehensive understanding and contagious enthusiasm. He, Chamber staff and volunteers work in earnest on behalf of more than 3,000 member organizations, encouraging their success by advocating for a strong business climate, creating opportunities for visibility, pursuing investment and jobs for the region, strengthening leaders and the community and enhancing the region’s brand and image.
Brown also leads the Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership, a seven-county, two-state region representing six counties in Nebraska (and 44 percent of Nebraska’s population), as well as Pottawattamie County in Iowa.
About the 2020 Honorees
Keith and Doris Olsen built their lives around farming and promoting agriculture in Nebraska. On their farm near Grant they not only raised a fine family but also connected with state, national, and international leaders to promote agriculture. Keith served many years on the Nebraska Farm Bureau Board of Directors and later on the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors. He has been active in promoting agriculture focused state legislation and participated in key trade missions to several countries, the most notable being Cuba in 2005.
The careers of Jim and Susanne Blue have centered on helping the needy in Southeast Nebraska. Jim joined Youth Service System in 1991 and his passion to serve led him to become President and CEO when Youth Services System and CEDARS Inc. merged to form CEDARS Youth Services. With over 200 employees, CEDARS provides services to thousands of children and youth. Susanne’s profile is similar. The Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach was formed in 1992 to provide support to those in need. Susanne was hired as the executive director in 1999, and she has led Matt Talbot in serving the needy ever since.
David G. Brown is the president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber. Since joining the organization in 2003, he has helped Omaha business and community agencies achieve notable successes. David focuses on catalytic leadership to encourage change and a focus on the future. The Chamber was recognized as the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) Chamber of the Year in 2015. In 2019 David Brown was elected Chairman of the board of the ACCE, in addition to his Omaha duties.
About NEBRASKAland Foundation
The NEBRASKAland Foundation was founded in 1962 by Governor Frank Morrison to promote Nebraska. Among its various activities is responsibility for organizing and conducting the Statehood Day Banquet to celebrate Nebraska’s entry into the federal union as a state on March 1, 1867. The foundation’s motto is: Celebrate, Educate, Promote Nebraska.