YEAR
IN
REVIEW
Groundbreakings
Ribbon Cuttings
53
2
154
New Members
114
Lincoln Chamber
of Commerce
Program Events
2024 BY THE NUMBERS
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HOSTED INTERCITY VISIT TO BOISE, IDAHO
This summer, the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce partnered
with the Greater Topeka Partnership to host our community’s
first intercity visit. Together, nearly 120 business and community
leaders traveled to Boise, Idaho to uncover new opportunities to elevate the
economic vitality of Lincoln. Over two working days, we learned about how Boise
is managing homelessness, driving economic development, facilitating more housing and
supporting entrepreneurs in starting new businesses. Building on the success of this inaugural intercity
visit, your Lincoln Chamber team is looking forward to hosting another intercity visit in 2026.
30+
BusinessLNK
video podcasts
produced
HOSTED NEBRASKA’S FEDERAL DELEGATION
AT THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT
In partnership with the Greater Omaha Chamber and the Nebraska Chamber
of Commerce & Industry, the Lincoln Chamber welcomed Nebraska’s
Federal Delegation to the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum,
offering the business community the opportunity to hear more about the
critical issues impacting our country.
LAUNCHED LATINO CONNECT
Over 150 people gathered in November for the launch of Latino Connect
– a new program of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce aimed at
empowering Hispanic and Latino business leaders in Lincoln by providing
access to valuable resources and networking opportunities. In 2025, Latino
Connect will feature a series of six educational events throughout the year.
HOSTED LARGEST WOMEN IN BUSINESS EVENT TO DATE
In partnership with the University of Nebraska College of Business and with
the support of the JoAnn Martin Leadership Legacy Endowment, the Lincoln
Chamber hosted the largest annual Women in Business event to date. Nearly
500 women gathered at the Rococo Theatre for an afternoon of learning
and connecting, with an impactful keynote address on the power of strategic
storytelling from best-selling author, Kindra Hall.
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EXPANDED PROGRAMMING WITH CHAMBER U
To better connect Chamber members with valuable information about making
the most of their membership, the Lincoln Chamber proudly introduced a new
monthly educational event – Chamber U.
EST.
2024
WOMEN
IN BUSINESS
ADVOCATING FOR LINCOLN’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY
The Lincoln Chamber’s policy team served as a leading voice for the business community, and all of Lincoln, throughout
the 2024 Legislative Session and summer Special Session. This dedicated team worked hard to retain business incentives
in Lincoln and advance plans for an East Beltway under a working group initiative by the Lincoln Chamber, while also
playing an active role in the strategic planning process for the continued success of Lincoln on the Move.
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In December, we recognized the valuable contributions made
to our community at our annual Celebrate Business Awards.
Congratulations to the very best of the best of Lincoln:
CELEBRATE BUSINESS AWARDS 2024
Entrepreneurial
Spirit Award
Union Bank & Trust
Green Business of the Year
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Husker Energy & Power
Roger T. Larson
Community
Builder Award
John Goodwin
Tom Lorenz Tourism
Development Award
LUX Center for the Arts
Small Business
of the Year
Custom Blinds
& Design
Cornerstone Award
ALLO Fiber
Manufacturer of the Year
Timpte, Inc.
APPLAUDED YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
Lincoln Young Professionals Group’s annual YP
Week united Lincoln YPs for a wide array of events to
elevate, engage and educate the future leaders of our
community. The 5th annual Young Lincoln Leader Awards
(YLLA) honored seven recipients for their outstanding
contributions to the Lincoln community. Congratulations
to the 2024 YLLA winners!
Young Citizen of the Year
Brodey Weber | Lincoln City Council
Young Professional of the Year
Kelly Ross | ECHO Collective
Next Generation Workplace
ALLO Fiber
Emerging Leader of the Year
Natalie Becerra | University of Nebraska – Lincoln
College of Journalism and Mass Communications
Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Brandon Akert | Gate 25, Of Leash Dog Bar
and Yes Chef
Diversity and Inclusion Excellence
Rose Cat Cofee Co.
Young Nonprofit Professional of the Year
Mary Choate | Center for Legal Immigration Assistance
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CONTINUED SUCCESS WITH MYTERN
This summer, the MyTern program united nearly 350
interns and college-aged workers from 25 companies
for three signature events to help them discover what
a future in Lincoln might look like. With 10 higher
education institutions, nine states and two international
countries represented, 85% of this year’s participants
said the program added significant value to their
internship experiences, with 70% receiving full-time job
offers or continued internships in Lincoln.
AWARD WINNING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXCELLENCE
The Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development proudly received the Excellence in
Economic Development Gold Award from the International Economic Development
Council in the Talent Development & Retention category.
Additionally, Lincoln was designated as an Economic Development Certified
Community, elevating Lincoln’s competitiveness as a community by strengthening our
response to site selectors on Requests for Proposals and positioning the LPED team to
continue attracting new businesses in the future.
LINCOLN NAMED NEBRASKA’S FIRST KIVA HUB
As the state’s first Kiva hub, Lincoln’s entrepreneurs – specifically those in underserved
populations such as women, immigrants, refugees and minorities - have access to interest free
microloans, making Lincoln an even more economically vibrant community for all residents.
LAUNCHED CAREERPATHWAY.COM
CareerPathway.com was launched by Bo Jones as a valuable platform to connect
students and job seekers with career exploration opportunities, while providing
employers and higher education institutions access to a talented pool of potential
job seekers and learners. CareerPathway.com features career readiness resources as
well as business-specific and industry-level career pathways for the manufacturing,
healthcare, technology and transportation industries.
INTRODUCED TALENT CONNECT SUMMIT
The Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development’s talent team hosted the inaugural
Talent Connect event, connecting HR leaders, workforce development professionals
and non-profits that serve the talent pipeline with valuable best practices and valuable
data. The talent team is excited to host another Talent Connect Summit in 2025.
Powered by Community Development Resources
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ELEVATED LOCAL TOURISM
Progress is evident in the landscape of Lincoln,
with two transformative projects – the Sandhills
Global Youth Complex and plans for a potential
future Lincoln Convention Center. Set to host young
athletes starting in Spring 2025, the Sandhills Global
Youth Complex will position Lincoln as a premier
destination for youth sports. Meanwhile, plans for a
potential new downtown convention center will be
a key addition to our city’s suite of amenities that
will attract events and visitors for years to come, as
outlined in the Vitality Lincoln Strategic Plan.
A STRONG YEAR FOR TOURISM
$4,706,522.06: Lodging Tax for Fiscal Years 2023 – 2024
(11% increase over prior year)
ANNOUNCED THE 2024 LAUNCHLNK COHORT
The following 2024 LaunchLNK grant recipients each received a $20,000 cash
infusion, in addition to valuable resources to accelerate their growth in Lincoln:
The Headset App | Larkspur Upholstery | ReUnite
Viosimos Ag | Road Sentinel | DARO
CONTINUED SUCCESS WITH THE LINCOLN
MANUFACTURING CLASSES
2024 was another successful year for the Lincoln
Manufacturing Council (LMC). Designed to address the
workforce needs of Lincoln manufacturers, LMC proudly
hosted eight classes which resulted in 95 program graduates
and seven individuals completing the Manufacturing
Youth Employment Program. Additionally, 77% of the
Manufacturing Basics graduates eligible for work reported
applying for a job.
of basics-level class
graduates eligible for
work reported applying
for a job
graduates from
Manufacturing
Basics
young people completed
the Manufacturing Youth
Employment Program
95
77%
Manufacturing
Classes
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WELCOMED NATIONAL EVENTS TO LINCOLN
Lincoln proudly hosted a variety of incredible events that positively impacted our local economy, including:
Photo credit: Jon Krolewicz
HOSTED THREE MEETING PLANNERS RECEPTIONS
Returning for its third year in 2024, Visit Lincoln hosted meeting planners from across
the area with its Meeting Planners Series. Three events showcased iconic venues and
unique gathering spots for event planners to utilize in addition to services, such as
food and transportation, that can only enhance the experience for attendees.
HOSTED THE INAUGURAL LINCOLN COFFEE WEEK
With the continued success of Lincoln Craft Beer Week, which is held each October to support Lincoln’s
local breweries, Visit Lincoln launched the first Coffee Week for Lincoln in 2024. With 19 participating
locations offering special promotions throughout the week for customers, Coffee Week was a huge
success and will return in 2025 with new digital passport technology to elevate the experience for Lincoln
residents and visitors.
Lincoln hosted its first
men’s professional
tennis event since 1979
with the ATP Challenger
Event, which took place
at the Sid and Hazel
Dillion Tennis Center on
UNL Campus.
Gravel Worlds brought
over 2,000 athletes
from across the world
to Lincoln and Lancaster
County.
USA Roller Sports held its
national championship
events at Speedway Sports
Complex, welcoming 4,500
athletes from 41 states.
The NXT Pro Basketball
Championships brought
750 teams from across
the country to Lincoln,
boasting some of the top
high school basketball
recruits in the country.
The Sports Car Club of
America (SCCA) Solo
Nationals welcomed
1,700 drivers from all
over the country to
compete in Lincoln for
the championships.
Membership
Makes a
Diference.
We work hard to
provide real benefits
for you and your
employees, and
we hope you will
continue to join us
in making Lincoln
great. Membership
in the Chamber is an
investment in your
community and in
Lincoln’s future.
We thank you
for being an
integral part
of that future!
Join us!
We are here to
welcome you.