New Director at NCAEDC

We’re excited to welcome Lisa Walker as our new Executive Director at Nebraska City Area Economic Development Corporation. Originally from Nebraska City, Lisa is passionate about fostering economic growth and reinvesting in the community that shaped her.

Lisa brings a strong background in business collaboration and workforce development. Before stepping into this role, she served as the Associate Director of Employer Engagement at the University of North Georgia, where she worked closely with businesses and government agencies to create meaningful opportunities for students, helping them build connections and access valuable career pathways. Additionally, she taught in UNG’s National Service Leadership Track program, preparing ROTC Cadets for success beyond military commissioning.

Now back in Nebraska City, Lisa is eager to engage with local businesses, community leaders, and residents to strengthen economic opportunities. Along with her husband, Chris, and daughter, Lexi, she is excited to reconnect with family and friends, and to contribute to the vibrant future of the region.

Connecting Innovation to Opportunity: UNL’s Research and Innovation Showcase

On October 23, NCAEDC had the privilege of attending the first annual UNL Research and Innovation Showcase, hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Office of Research and Innovation. This inspiring event brought together researchers, industry leaders, and community partners to explore how innovation at UNL can fuel economic development across Nebraska.

The Office of Research and Innovation serves as a central hub for advancing research, fostering collaboration, and connecting university expertise with real-world challenges. For businesses – large or small – this means access to cutting-edge technology, data-driven insights, and problem-solving partnerships that can spark new ideas and drive growth.

During the showcase, we toured several of UNL’s premier research facilities:

  • Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience – advancing materials science for industries ranging from agriculture to aerospace.
  • The Food Processing Center – supporting food entrepreneurs and manufacturers with product development and safety expertise.
  • The NIMBUS Lab – pioneering drone and robotics research with applications in agriculture, emergency response, and more.
  • The Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior – integrating neuroscience and psychology to improve health and performance.
  • Morrill Hall – a reminder of the deep connection between science, education, and community engagement.

These centers represent just a fraction of the resources available to Nebraska businesses through UNL. Whether you’re exploring a new product, facing a technical challenge, or seeking research support, UNL offers a wealth of knowledge and tools to help. NCAEDC is excited to help local businesses explore these opportunities. If you’re curious about how your business might benefit from a partnership with UNL, we would be happy to help make that connection. Let’s turn innovation into impact – right here in Otoe County!

Help to build business in Nebraska without spending an extra dime

Imagine if you could help your city to flourish each time you purchased a hot cup of coffee, grabbed a quick lunch on the go, or swiped a new pair of shoes to feed your running habit? Now through a key voter-approved program – titled LB-840 – the dollars you spend help to promote economic development.

If you are an average Nebraska City resident, it’s rather likely that you aren’t aware of exactly how LB-840 works. LB-840 is a program that redirects a portion of the funds collected through the city’s sales tax to create grants and loans to foster development in business, industry, and tourism. Whether you are an intrigued small business owner, or interested city resident, you may learn a bit more through this link.

Safer roads, convenient commute

Take a moment to imagine the stress you face when stuck in bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic while trying to get to work on time. If you are like most other commuters, you probably despise this part of your daily routine.

Not only is overly-crowded traffic highly inconvenient, it can also be quite dangerous and contribute to additional auto accidents. Nebraska City is taking action to make its roads less crowded and, as a result, more safe with the start of two significant road projects.

The city is now taking action on plans that have been in development since the late 2000s. Included in these plans is: building an overpass from Highway 2 to Highway 75; resurfacing the South 11th Street; replacing some storm system drainage, and adding a sidewalk.

Read more about the specific details of these plans here.

Network for Success

They say that it is not what you know, but who you know, that leads to success in business. Building connections with others in your industry often creates unexpected opportunities for growth and development.

Building a business is a difficult and often intimidating venture. One of the best ways to avoid disaster is by learning from the experiences of others in your industry. Additionally, by connecting with other business owners in your area, you can build a broad network that you can contact when in need of help.

Discover how you can benefit from building your network by attending a Monthly Coffee at the Nebraska City Small Business Incubator. Monthly Coffees are held on the 3rd Tuesday of every month. By attending Monthly Coffees you can learn how to best plan, grow, and sustain your business.

Career success with college credit

Do you want to stand out above all others in your future career? One of the best ways to succeed is by learning and practicing skills specific to your career as early as possible.

Just think of the head-start you could get if you were able to take classes focused specifically on the skills you need for your future career while still in high school. You would learn whether a particular job is a good fit for you, while gaining experience that directly transfers over to the workforce.

The new Nebraska City High School Academy provides students with this opportunity for both experience and academic credit. Built at the site of the former Food Pride Building, the academy provides an opportunity to specialize in health, construction, welding, and information technology career tracks.

Get a head start on your career through these links: http://ow.ly/8pQG303DvFq; http://ow.ly/yUhr303DvGp; http://ow.ly/llyr303DvHi

Destination Nebraska

Which cities pop into your mind when thinking about the top destinations for tourism? Teams of dedicated officials, business owners, entrepreneurs and volunteers are looking to push Nebraska City toward the top of your list.

Nebraska City’s recent Destination Development session brought together the individuals mentioned above to work on a goal of making Nebraska City a year-round boutique destination for tourism.

The group’s Destination Tourism plan is intended to benefit the community in numerous ways by: increasing revenue, focusing on the natural and built environment, and by highlighting the quality of life in this community. This dedicated group will continue to meet to work on further improving both their community and the quality of life for its residents.

Learn more about this team’s efforts.

Take Your Business to the Next Level

Are you feeling a bit stuck in your entrepreneurial venture? Are you seeking some mentorship and coaching in taking your business to the next level?

If you are a budding entrepreneur, you have probably heard of business incubators. These incubators offer a unique environment rich in resources to help entrepreneurs grow their business through mentorship, networking, and more.

The Nebraska City Small Business Incubator provides its clients with a wealth of resources. At the Incubator you can find customized training and coaching; business support; opportunities to network; rent below market rates; and an invaluable opportunity to interact with faculty from the Southeast Community College Entrepreneurship Center. Interested in building your business?

Climb the Career Ladder

Do you dream of holding a key position at a Fortune 500 company? To successfully climb the career ladder you must first build your workplace skills.

Programs like Business Administration allow you to have flexibility in your area of emphasis. This program allows you to focus on accounting, entrepreneurship, information systems, insurance/financial services, or marketing. Take an additional step to stand out among your peers with further specialization in Administration, Microsoft Office, Legal, Medical and more!

Southeast Community College’s new campus outreach center in Nebraska City provides education in a broad range of career fields including Workplace Skills. Programs like Office Professional and Business Administration help you to excel in today’s business culture. With the Business Administration program you may also choose to pursue a certificate in Business Administration, Client Relations, Entrepreneurship, and Event-Venue Operations Management.

Invest in Your Future with Youth Entrepreneurship Investigation Camp

Want to invest in the future? Invest in education. After all, today’s kids will be tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, leaders, innovators, and caregivers.

A comprehensive education requires something more than school. Extracurricular programs and camps provide invaluable learning experience that equips youth with the resources they need to thrive in the dynamic workforce of tomorrow.

That’s why we’ve created a program here in Nebraska designed to give kids entrepreneurial skills. It’s called Entrepreneurship Investigation (ESI) camp, and it’s organized by the Valley County Community Foundation Fund. During seven days of camp, learn critical entrepreneurial skills, meet with local businesses and bankers, and even sell their own products and services.