On Tuesday, UNMC joined a new partnership that is dedicated to developing and growing the capacity of small and emerging businesses in the Omaha area and throughout the region.
The partnership, called REACH, is a collaborative effort to address the growing demand of organizations with construction projects and procurement opportunities.
“We’re pleased to play a role in this initiative, which will provide opportunities for small and emerging businesses to share in the construction boom and economic success that is permeating throughout the Omaha metro, and in particular, midtown Omaha,” said Bob Bartee, vice chancellor for external relations at UNMC.
REACH will be led by executive director Winsley Durand and operated out of the Greater Omaha Chamber. The program seeks to address this market opportunity through the following:
- Identify and increase the number of existing small and emerging businesses (SEBs) in the region;
- Expand the capacity and capabilities of SEBs;
- Recruit new SEB-qualified businesses with scopes of work not present in the market; and
- Educate SEBs on various topics to increase awareness and access to resources and avenues of assistance, including workforce and development training.
In addition to UNMC, REACH partners include the Greater Omaha Chamber; City of Omaha; Metropolitan Community College; and Omaha Public Schools.
“REACH is a true collaboration of companies working together to solve a market gap,” said David G. Brown, president & CEO, Greater Omaha Chamber. “Together we can utilize our resources to create a positive impact in our community.”