Omaha Announces COVID-19 Task Force and Economic Recovery Plan

How Omaha's Chamber is working to help businesses rebound from the pandemic.

CHAMBER ISSPEARHEADING ATASK FORCE TO HELPBUSINESSES GETBACK TO WORKDURING THEPANDEMIC.REPORTER RUTAULCINAITE TALKEDWITH SOME OF THETASK FORCEEXECUTIVES TOLEARN HOW THEY'REPROVIDINGBUSINESSES WITHTOOLS ANDRESOURCES..IN TODAY'S EDITIONOF THE REBOUND -HEARTLAND.STANDUPSTEF122401.MXF19:48 "AS BUSINESSESNAVIGATE THEPROCESS OFREOPENING, LOCALBUSINESS LEADERSAND CEO'S FROM THEGREATER OMAHACHAMBER CREATED ANEW TASK FORCE TOHEP THEM WITH THATPROCESS." MANYBUSINESS PARKINGLOTS REMAIN EMPTYAS THE BUSINESSESTHEMSELVES REMAINCLOSED.THE NEW TASK FORCECALLED THRIVE 2020IS WORKING TOREFILL THOSEPARKING LOTS IN ASAFE AND STRATEGICMANNER.DAVID BROWN -PRESIDENT/CEO,GREATER OMAHACHAMBER "IT'S ACOLLECTIVE EFFORTTRYING TO FIGUREOUT HOW WE CANHELP ACCELERATETHE PROCESS OFRECOVERY ONCEPEOPLE DECIDE TOCOME BACK TOWORK." 04:01 THETHRIVE 2020EXECUTIVE COMMITEEIS MADE UP OFBUSINESS LEADERSWHO WILL FOCUS ONDIFFERENT ENTITIESOF THE RECOVERYPROCESS, INCLUDINGTHE CEO OF MUTUALOF OMAHA JAMESBLACKLEDGE, WHOWILL OVERSEEECONOMICDEVELOPMENT.JAMES BLACKLEDGE -CEO, MUTUAL OFOMAHA "OUR PRIMARYMISSION REALLY IS TOKEEP THE PIPELINEREALLY FLOWING FORFUTURE ECONOMICDEVELPMENTOPPORTUNITIES TOATTRACT AND RETAINAND GROWBUSINESSES HERE INNEBRASKA." 01:34:10DUE TO THE SIZE ANDMAKEUP OF OMAHA,JAMES, ALONG WITHPRESIDENT AND CEOOF OPPD TIM BURKE,HAVE HIGH HOPESFOR OMAHA BUSINESSPOST-PANDEMIC.TIM BURKE -PRESIDENT/CEO,OPPD "PLACES LIKEOMAHA ARE REALLYRIGHT FOR THIS KINDOF ECONOMICDEVELPMENTACTIVITY ANDSUCCESS." 04:44THE TASK FORCE HASA MULTI-STEPPROCESS TO HELPBUSINESSES REOPENSAFELY.PHASE ONE ISEXPECTED TO BEGINSOON AND THESTAGES WILL MOVEALONG INACCORDANCE TOHEALTH GUIDELINES.TIM BURKE -PRESIDENT/CEO,OPPD "THIS IS REALLYTHAT OPPORTUNITYTO BE ABLE TO DOTHAT IS PUTTOGETHER A SET OFTOOLS ANDGUIDELINES ANDTHOUGHTS ANDTHOUGHTPROCESSES TO HELPBUSINESSES BEGIN TOTHINK ABOUT WHAT'SRIGHT FOR THEM."08:57 TRIVE 2020'SMAIN GOAL IS TO BE ARESOURCE FORLOCAL BUSINESSESAS THEY NAVIGATETHROUGH COVID-19,SO OMAHA CAN COMEOUT STRONGER."GET STRONGER,GROW FASTER, EVENHAVE MOREOPPORTUNITIES FOROUR CITIZENS WHENTHIS IS DONE THANWE HAD BEFORE ITSTARTED." 06:23REPORTING INOMAHA, RUTAULCINAITE, 3NN.FOR MOREINFORMATION ON THETASK FORCE AND THEINFORMATION ANDRESOURCES THAT AREAVAILABLE TO ALLLOCAL BUSINESSES,VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT3-NEWS-NOW-DOT-COM.