Nebraska Department of Economic Development

10/22/2026

Congratulations to Pacific Engineering Inc. (PEI) on the ribbon cutting for their newest facility in North Omaha! This 150,000-square-foot manufacturing facility will bring new jobs and growth to the area, adding about 150 well-paid employees over the next several years.

PEI is the first business to open within the Omaha Inland Port Authority business park, and this is its second location in Omaha! PEI has been designing and producing systems for commercial and defense applications since 1998 in Nebraska.

DED has supported Pacific Engineering with North and South Omaha Recovery Grant funds, a QCT Recovery Grant, State Trade Expansion Program awards, and Business Innovation Act grant funds. This project was also supported by Omaha 100 Inc and Burlington Capital.

10/20/2026

Today, the Insurtech on the Silicon Prairie conference in Omaha brought together about 700 insurance industry professionals from throughout the U.S. to connect and learn at the Holland Performing Arts Center! These included leaders from State Farm, Ameritas, Mutual of Omaha, GEICO, SpaceXAI, OpenAI, MetLife, Anthropic, Nationwide, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and many more.

Nebraska's insurance industry is a valuable piece of the economy and a powerful force for growing the state. Insurance business entities in the state hold combined assets of over $1.3 trillion, making it one of the top states in the nation for this industry.

Learn more about Insurtech on the Silicon Prairie and Nebraska's insurance industry: https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/insurtech-on-the-silicon-prairie-highlights-nebraskas-under-the-radar-industry-success-story/.

Nebraska Insurance Department

10/16/2026

The Perseverance Rover is currently exploring Mars for signs of ancient microbial life, collecting soil samples, and testing technology for the potential of human travel to the planet. And a piece of the Atlas V apparatus that launched the rover was built in Minden, Nebraska.

During Manufacturing Month, Nebraska celebrates businesses throughout the state who are creating quality products.

More than $7 billion of manufactured goods are exported from Nebraska each year. Being a $19 billion industry that employs more than 100,000 people in Nebraska, manufacturing also helps drive local economies and create careers suited for nearly all skillsets.

Bruckman Rubber Co. Royal Engineered Composites

The Perseverance Rover is currently exploring Mars for signs of ancient microbial life, collecting soil samples, and testing technology for the potential of human travel to the planet. And a piece of the Atlas V apparatus that launched the rover was built in Minden, Nebraska. “There’s a little s...

10/16/2026

Congratulations to the Beatrice community for the completion of two new rental units! These four-bedroom, three-bathroom rentals are ready for move-in and available to income-qualified tenants. In addition, two more rentals will be ready by Nov. 1st!

The houses were built through a community partnership between Southeast Nebraska Development District - SENDD, Gage Development Coalition, and the Southeast Nebraska Affordable Housing Council. Focused on safety, quality, and affordability, these units will increase the amount of excellent housing available to the Beatrice community.

DED is grateful to have supported this project by providing funding through the Pandemic Relief Housing Program.

10/14/2026

With deep roots in the Nebraska business community, Tim Murman’s father (Mike Murman) first started Glacial Till Vineyard & Winery out of a hobby.

In 2003, he purchased six acres of land in Otoe County near Palmyra, where he began growing a vineyard. This hobby turned into a family business, with all three of Mike’s sons now running the business and Mike being semi-retired.

Tim remembers his time growing up on this land while his father built the business. “Just to see what the winery has grown into over 20+ years; it used to be just old pasture grounds, cedar trees, dirt roads. That’s crazy to look back and remember what it was like when I was a kid out there playing,” he said.

When a severe frost hit Glacial Till’s vineyard in 2015 it left them with a 1,000-gallon tank sitting empty. This caused the family to work with Kimmel Orchard to begin producing hard c***r. This year-round product has become a Nebraska staple, and is even sold at the farmers markets in Lincoln and Omaha.

Glacial Till grew their business into Ashland when they opened the Glacial Till C***r House & Tasting Room in 2010. Started with about 15 tabletops, this business was expanded in 2019 and has helped grow downtown Ashland.

Haymarket Farmers' Market Omaha Farmers Market

10/13/2026

Governor Jim Pillen was joined by leaders and representatives from several state agencies and post-secondary institutions to highlight a new, multi-agency initiative to bring discharging U.S. Armed Forces service members and their families to Nebraska. The “Good Life is Calling Veterans” initiative is run by the Nebraska Commission on Military and Veteran Affairs in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs (NDVA), Nebraska Department of Economic Development, Nebraska Department of Labor, Nebraska Department of Education, and the Nebraska Military Department Nebraska National Guard. Additional partners include post-secondary institutions with NDVA’s “Veteran & Active Duty Supportive” designation.

Today, Governor Jim Pillen was joined by leaders and representatives from several state agencies and post-secondary institutions to highlight a new, multi-agency initiative to bring discharging U.S. Armed Forces service members and their families to Nebraska. The “Good Life is Calling Veterans” ...

10/13/2026

Eric Dunning remembers sitting through a lecture at the University of Nebraska Business School when the teacher said something that caught his attention. The professor gave an overview of Nebraska’s economy and listed the top three industries in the state.

Agriculture and manufacturing were the top two, but the third surprised Dunning. Insurance was listed at number three. “Not banking and insurance, not finance and insurance, but just insurance,” explained Dunning, who is now Commissioner for the Nebraska Department of Insurance (NDOI). “It is an incredible anchor to the state’s economy, but there’s no museum for insurance,” he laughed. “We tend to be the quiet success story.”

Nebraska Insurance Department

Insurance conference will bring industry leaders to Omaha Oct. 19-20 Eric Dunning remembers sitting through a lecture at the University of Nebraska Business School when the teacher said something that caught his attention. The professor gave an overview of Nebraska’s economy and listed the top thr...

10/13/2026

Hope Harbor, Inc. celebrated a beautiful groundbreaking for Lighthouse Apartments last Friday in Grand Island! This project is bringing more affordable housing to Central Nebraska through units rented both at and below market rate.

When completed, the three-story building will include 20 units ranging from studio to 3-bed apartments.

Thank you to Blair Freeman, Engineering Technologies, Inc. - ETI, Olsson, Thompson, Dreessen & Dorner, Inc., Chief Construction, Pinnacle Bank, Five Points Bank, and Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture for assisting in this project.

DED has awarded federal funding to Hope Harbor through the HOME-American Rescue Plan Act program to assist with the project. Lighthouse Apartments is expected to open in early 2028.

10/09/2026

DED announced recertification for the City of Deshler (pop. 747) in the Leadership Certified Community (LCC) program this week.

Local business and community investments in a childcare facility and a county-wide workforce housing initiative have earned statewide recognition for Deshler.

City of Deshler earns recertification in State of Nebraska’s Leadership Certified Community program. The Nebraska Department of Economic Development announced recertification for the City of Deshler (pop. 747) in the Leadership Certified Community (LCC) program this week. Local business and commun...

10/09/2026

Congratulations to CLAAS on the ribbon-cutting of its new R&D facility in Sarpy County!

The $10 million building will bring together the company’s engineering, testing, logistics, and validation under one roof.

CLAAS manufactures agricultural equipment and has had a presence in metro Omaha since 1999, where it has assembled more than 10,000 LEXION combines.

Thank you to CLAAS for choosing to grow in the Good Life!