2015 Program of Work
The Greater Omaha Chamber strives to accelerate growth and prosperity in the region by assisting individual
businesses and providing a wide range of other, broader-based actions.
This summary outlines five specific organizational goals focused on accelerating regional growth.
They are:
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Creating, growing and recruiting businesses, jobs and investment in the region
Fostering a more competitive business environment
Growing, recruiting and retaining the talent and workforce needed for the future
Delivering relevant and high quality member programs, events, services and information
Operating the Chamber with excellence
Included within each goal are both community impact or macro measurements, as well as more micro measures
of specific Chamber outcomes.
The resources designated to support the goal are also outlined. In total, the human resources necessary to
accomplish this program of work include a staff of approximately 60 individuals, several hundred volunteers and
dozens of partner organizations.
Policy guidance and leadership are provided by the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, supported by
several councils and committees. Executive leadership is provided by the Chamber president/CEO, two senior
vice presidents and chief financial officer. Chamber staff is structured into three divisions: Office of the President,
Economic Development and Innovative Services.
The financial resources are reported in the combined operating budget of $8 million. Within that overall budget is
a Prosper Omaha budget of $4.4 million restricted for regional economic development, image marketing, business
climate and talent development programming and a Chamber budget of $3.6 million which funds a variety of
member services, events and advocacy related functions. The largest revenue sources in 2015 include: Prosper
Omaha contributions, membership dues and special events. The largest areas of expenditures in 2015 include
personnel and benefits, promotion (which includes event expenses) and professional and consulting fees.
The organization’s financials and progress on the Program of Work will be reported quarterly to the Chamber
Board of Directors. A copy of this program of work, as well as the quarterly progress reports, is available on
www.OmahaChamber.org.
The following pages provide a summary of the five goals, measurements and related actions planned. More detail
on the elements of this Program of Work is available at the individual staff and program level.
Vision
The Chamber will be the catalyst organization that ensures Greater Omaha is a
vibrant place to do business, work and live.
Mission
To increase business, investment and employment in the Greater Omaha area.
Values
Excellence – We provide the highest quality programs and services, challenging ourselves to achieve greater results for
our members, our community and each other.
Family – We respect, trust and support each other in an environment that embraces work-life balance.
Passion – We pursue our work with enthusiasm, fueled by a strong commitment to our mission.
Vision – We consistently focus on a bold future, pursuing innovation and collaboration to facilitate the growth and
vitality of our community.
Goal: Create, grow and recruit businesses, jobs and investment in the region
Measurements:
Annual
 GDP growth: Greater than 2.5 percent
 Civilian employment: 1 percent growth annually
 $600 million in investment from landed projects
 2,400 new and retained jobs associated with
landed projects at or above median wage
 500 business visits
 20 tech startups launched
 $30 million in capital deployed or received
Quarterly
 Project pipeline data – number of files opened and
number of prospect visits
 Progress on landed projects, jobs, investment
 Status updates on programs and initiatives
Objectives and Measures of Success:
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
 Drive job, income and investment growth by sparking the startup community
 Support area incubators through referrals, programming and staff assistance
 Lead the efforts to connect corporate innovation teams to the start up community
 Conduct entrepreneurship events in the area to support the ecosystem and grow the number of entrepreneurs
Retention and Expansion
 Drive job, income and investment growth by assisting regional companies
 Conduct 500 visits to area businesses to build relationships, educate and provide assistance resulting in at least
75 projects
 Plan and execute trips to 40 headquarter/corporate offices that have operations in the Greater Omaha region
 Make preparations to withstand future Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)
 Provide business assistance to 50 THRIVE participants
 Facilitate six events with commercial loan officers of area financial institutions to provide information and
encourage referrals
Attraction
 Drive job, income and investment growth by bringing new companies to Greater Omaha
 Conduct 48 out-of-market prospect visits
 Achieve 24 project opportunities resulting in approximately two RFP opportunities per month
 Host 20 international prospect visits, recruiting two new international businesses to Greater Omaha
 Conduct eight targeted industry seminars
 Host a site consultant to provide program assessment and promote partnership assets
 Host the ITRA Global Conference in April 2015, showcasing the Greater Omaha region
Client Services
 Drive job, income and investment growth through exceptional project support and advancing regional real estate
infrastructure development
 Provide 100 percent on-time response to project opportunities and support the six county partnership
 Conduct Data Center Day event and four events with area commercial real estate brokers
Marketing, Research and Technology
 Promote the regional image to both individuals and businesses through a variety of storytelling tactics
 Create marketing campaigns that generate excitement, interest and the actions desired
 Lead a pro-active media strategy that increases the positive messages of our brand
 Provide strategic economic and demographic information/publications/summaries/white papers for economic
development efforts
 Maintain/Update economic development and entrepreneurship and innovation websites and social channels with
accurate, current and meaningful information
 Support organizational goals with technology, as needed.
Goal: Foster a more competitive business environment
Measurements:
Annual
 Key bills passed in legislature
 Improved competitive rankings
 Increase member PAC participation
 A Community Development
Intermediary/Community Development Financial
Institution created
Quarterly
 Progress updates on legislative bills
 PAC Fundraising
 Status updates on programs and initiatives
Objectives and Measures of Success:
Public Policy
 Pursue enactment of legislation that improves Nebraska’s state and local business climate, including lowering the
overall tax burden and removing regulatory barriers to business development
 Work to defeat legislative proposals that would increase the cost of doing business or add more regulation of
business
PAC
 Continue educating members on the importance of the PAC
 Increase number of PAC contributors
Community Development
 Create a community development intermediary/community development financial institution
 Create a strategy for philanthropic investment in comprehensive community development projects
 Maximize Chamber’s participation in relevant community efforts and their outcomes
Site Development
 Maintain five industrial properties under contract, including a site in North Omaha
 Have five GO! Ready sites available for development
Marketing, Research and Technology
 Lead a pro-active media strategy that tells the story of PAC
 Support organizational goals with technology, as needed.
Goal: Grow, recruit and retain the talent and workforce needed for the future
Measurements:
Annual
 Increase number of individuals employed
 Increase number of individuals employed at
above-median wage income
 Increase percent of individuals with postsecondary degrees
 Increase percent of high school graduates going
on to two and four colleges
 Increase percent of high school graduates
Quarterly
 Status updates on programs and initiatives
Objectives and Measures of Success:
Leadership Development
 Identify a pool of qualified candidates for elected office
 Equip community leaders to serve on nonprofit boards
 Connect Leadership Omaha Alumni to each other
 Develop effective community leaders
Talent & Workforce
 Retain and develop talent needed for the future
 Facilitate strategies that increase the number of individuals living and working in Greater Omaha
 Develop and execute strategies that increase the number of technology, STEM and manufacturing workers in
Greater Omaha
 Convene and participate in a system that meets businesses needs for talent and skills
 Train and educate individuals living in poverty to work in targeted, high growth and high demand industries and
occupations
Young Professionals
 Execute Greater Omaha Young Professionals Summit
 Coordinate programming for Council of Companies and Young Professionals, focusing on the retention and
development of YPs in Greater Omaha
 Lead strategies within the overall Talent and Workforce Strategy to retain and develop the talent needed for the
future
Marketing, Research and Technology
 Promote the regional image to both individuals and businesses through a variety of storytelling tactics
 Create marketing campaigns that generate excitement, interest and the actions desired
 Lead a pro-active media strategy that increases the positive messages of our brand
 Develop tools to promote the region to targeted individuals and occupations
 Provide strategic economic and demographic information/publications/studies to support talent initiatives
 Maintain/Update talent website, social channels with accurate, current and meaningful information
 Support organizational goals with technology, as needed.
Goal: Deliver relevant and high quality member programs, events, services and
information
Measurements:
Annual
 Increase in net membership base (>3,100
members, $1,950,000 dues)
 Develop benchmark data for member
engagement (which includes attendance at events,
groups or educational opportunities, use of electronic or
research information, and business assistance)
Quarterly
 Member satisfaction on events/other –
measuring above a 4 on a 5- point scale
 Acquisition and retention update
 Metrics of communication channels
 Status updates on programs and initiatives
Objectives and Measures of Success:
Member Programming
 Create fresh, exciting opportunities for meaningful business connections and promotion through targeted
networking events, programs (Open Omaha, Executive Dialogue, Tips, The Catalyst Experience)
 Recognize the accomplishments of members with more than 80 awards, provide more than 150 sponsors
targeted visibility, and approximately 7,500 attendees an excellent experience through eight high quality special
events
 Revamp and reenergize the Business Owner Success Series (BOSS) with signature events, updated marketing
and promotion, and an educational series focused on business owners/CEOs
 Offer an educational series entitled Business Insights focusing on the different aspects necessary for a
successful business; this will complement the educational series provided to the business owners
 Utilize technology for just-in-time education, networking and member interaction
 Develop strategic partnerships for educational offerings
Member Information/Communication
 Maintain Savings Connection on OmahaChamber.org as a venue for members to promote their businesses and
offer discounts
 Promote member only discounts, and add additional member only discounts, to add clear value for those looking
for direct ROI
 Continue to refine and adjust as needed the marketing messages and sales processes to sell and retain
members on the value of their investment (i.e. sell to retain philosophy)
 Update processes using the new database and website capabilities to gather better member information and
begin to use this business intelligence to better respond and meet individual needs
Membership Acquisition and Retention
 Continue to develop and encourage President’s Club volunteers to sell and retain memberships as the primary
sales channel without a membership campaign
 Continue to develop our sales staff as a secondary channel of membership sales
 Implement a proactive, consistent retention plan; focus will be the first two years of membership, while also
adding some touch points for longer-term members
 Establish a new volunteer group to assist with retention activities
 Continue the process of contacting every member 90 days past due to attempt to save each account
Marketing, Research and Technology
 Create marketing campaigns that generate excitement, interest and the actions desired
 Use editorial calendar to plan a range of diverse topics
 Monthly review of ad sales to ensure we meet goals
 Maintain/Update Chamber website, social channels with accurate, current and meaningful information
 Support organizational goals with technology, as needed.
Goal: Operate the Chamber with excellence
Measurements:
Annual
 Expenses and income managed to budget
 Continued focus on employee engagement
monitored by Q-12 scores and dialogue
 Accomplishment of Chamber goals and
objectives
 Board, member, sponsor and investor feedback
 Engagement in community projects
 Statewide relationship building
 Chamber program promotion in community
Quarterly
 Financial reporting
 Status updates on programs and initiatives
Objectives and Measures of Success:
Leadership and Manager Expectations
 Lead the organization in accomplishing the vision, mission, goals and division objectives
 Effectively engage Board of Directors, investors, members and volunteers in the program of work
 Provide a strengths-based team culture based upon the Chamber’s mission, vision and values
 Develop and execute a program of work with identified strategies and tactics to drive organizational goals
 Utilize data to monitor progress toward objectives and outcomes, making adjustments as necessary
 Effectively manage all financial functions of the organization; ensure revenue numbers for Prosper Omaha
contributions, membership dues, events and other sources such as program sponsorships and affinity
partnership are achieved; manage expenses to budget and income
 Communicate and establish clear performance expectations; use the performance appraisal process to
effectively coach and develop team members to successfully accomplish goals
Organizational Resources
 Direct an effective human resource operation that assures attraction and retention of exceptional personnel for
the Chamber and provide opportunities for full employee engagement, growth and development
 Oversee facility management and improvements
 Manage first impressions and functions of the front desk
 Develop and manage the budgets to support the program of work activity
Technology and Information Management
 Manage CRM enhancements to improve efficiency and add system support to updated for newly defined
processes
 Implement SharePoint for the economic development “request for information processes.” Future roll outs will be
scheduled after the first is completed.
 Support changes to OmahaChamber.org as directed by marketing.
Marketing and Research
 Maintain/Update Chamber website, social channels with accurate, current and meaningful information
 Provide research, database and analytical support for targeted geographical marketing, business assistance
and membership efforts
12/05/2014