Jamie Gutierrez, Midwest Maintenance, Inc.
Midwest Maintenance Company, Incorporated, one of Omaha's largest building service
contractors, was founded in 1965 by Paul and Alice Gutierrez. Today, Midwest Maintenance
stands as a leader in the Industry and maintains in excess of servicees. This reputation
has led to relationships with customers that have lasted for more than 15 and 20
years. Midwest Maintenance has been named the "Largest Minority Owned Business in
Omaha" and employs over 300 people. We are members of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce,
Great Plains Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc., as well as the Building
Service Contractors Association International(BSCAI).
Jamie Gutierrez Vela, President and CEO of Midwest Maintenance Company and an active
member of the community, directs all aspects of the company, with emphasis in administration
and finance. Her college career began in 1984 at the University of Nebraska at Kearney,
where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences and continued graduate
work at Creighton University until 1991. Ms.Gutierrez Vela supports a number of
local programs and agencies such as Nebraska Children's Scholarship Fund and Our
Lady of Guadalupe/St. Agnes Mission School. Jamie is a member of Offutt Air Force
Executive Advisory Council, Governor's Minority Affairs Advisory Cabinet, University
of NE at Omaha Chancellor's Advisory Council, as well as the Greater Omaha Workforce
Investment Board. She was given the Archbishop Elden F. Curtis Award last year and
is finishing training for Family Ministry at her parish.
John W. Sehi, Sehi & Associated, P.C.
John Sehi's 24-year career as a certified public accountant has included 21 years
as a partner or shareholder in CPA firms. In July of 1986, Mr. Sehi co-founded the
accounting firm Auten, Gaines & Sehi, P.C. He served as president of the firm
and its successor, Auten, Sehi, Pruss & Beckman, P.C. until June of 2001 when
he formed his new firm, Sehi & Associates, P.C. His career has included auditing,
litigation support, corporate, partnership, trust, estate and individual tax planning
and preparation. A great deal of his time has been spent in small business consulting
services including business start-ups, acquisitons and sales, and succession and
retirement planning. Sehi & Associates, P.C. currently employs six accountants
and has offices in Norfolk and Clearwater, Nebraska. Mr. Sehi has also been involved
in many civic organizations, endowment boards, and professional societies. Some
of these include: The Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants, The American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Board of Directors for the Norfolk Arts
Center, Prime Time Toastmasters Club, University of Nebraska Alumni Association,
and a life member of Optimist International. He and his family are members of Sacred
Heart Catholic Church in Norfolk.
Johnny Rogers is accepting the award
on behalf of Michael Green.
Michael Green, EverGreen Capital Management
Michael Green is President and Chief Investment Officer of EverGreen Capital Management,
which he established in 1989. EverGreen is a registered investment advisor a specializing
in managing equity portfolios individual and institutional clients. Michael attended
the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, where he completed his Bachelor of Science
degree in Economics and Marketing in 1970. In 1970, he began his career as financial
analyst and Loan Officer at the Omaha National Bank(now US Bank). During his eight
years at the bank, he held several management positions. Also during this time,
he completed his Masters Degree in Business Administration in 1977. Mr. Green remained
at the bank until 1978. From 1978 until 1987, he held several managerial positions
including the position of Finance and Acquisitions Analyst at InterNorth(now Enron
Corp). From 1987 until 1989, he worked as an Account Executive at Kirkpatrick, Pettis,
Smith, Polian, Inc. It was during this time that he decided to start EverGreen Captial
Management. Mr.Green realized that blacks, women or Hispanics owned fewer than 100
of the nation's 16,000 registered investment advisors. EverGreen would be and is
still Nebraska's first and only minority owned registered investment adivisory firm,
specializing in managing assets for institutional and individual clients. EverGreen
manages nearly $150 million for private corporations, public retirement systems,
and foundations nationwide. The company uses a value philosophy for investing portfolios.
Mr.Green has always been involved in many civic activities. He currently or formerly
has served on: The Executive Committee of the Mid-American Council of the Boy Scouts,
the University of Nebraska Medical Center Board of Governors, the North Omaha Business
Development Corp., the Foundation for Educational Funding, the Nebraska Judicial
Nomination Commission, and Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority.
Paul Sandall, Advance Services Inc.
Paul Sandall began Advance Services, Inc., a staffing company, in May of 1994 in
Norfolk, Nebraska. Since the opening, Paul has opened 21 more offices throughout
Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa.
Paul's first fiscal year in business generated $320,000. In 2001, that number grew
to $44,600,000. Advance services has grown from a staff of 2 employees to over 60
employees. In 2000, the company had a total of 10,000 employees that worked for
the company with many of those eventually being hired by Advance Services' customers.
Paul grew up on a farm near York, Nebraska. He went on and received a Bachelor of
Science degree from Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, Nebraska. This is where
he met his wife Gretchen. Paul and Gretchen have two children, Allison and Nathan.
Paul got his start in temporary staffing as an Accountant Specialist with a company
in Omaha, Nebraska. Within 3 years, he was promoted to a position where he oversaw
the operations for 3 branch offices. This is where Paul recognized the importance
of temporary and seasonal employment. When starting Advance services, he wanted
to focus on developing long-term relationships with both customers and employees.
Paul is also active in many activities and Boards. He is an active member and leader
of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Norfolk, where he serves on several Boards and
committees, including Board of Stewardship; All Boards-Leardership; 40th Anniversary
Committee; and Strategic Planning Committee.
Advance Services will continue to grow and expand upon Paul Sandall's dream of "doing
staffing right", benefiting its employees, customers and communities that they serve.
Thomas J. Lauvetz, T.J. Lauvetz Enterprises, Inc.
Since his company's beginning in 1975, Tom Lauvetz has undertaken 14 commericial
real estate development projects totaling over $20 million of new investment in
Hastings, Nebraska. During the same period, Tom and his company have owned and managed
a wide variety of businesses including two wholesale beer distributors, four different
theatres, two travel agencies, restaurants and other retail businesses.
The keystone or common theme of his real estate development projects has been to
revitalize a declining property by making it attractive to new business while at
the same time preserving its original character and design. Some of these projects
include: The Imperial Mall, The Imperials Plaza and Theatre, The Burlington Center,
and most recently the conversion of the 16 acre Crosier Monastery into the Crosier
Park Professional Center. This 112 year old building is now the new home of 21 businesses.
Tom graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1967 and worked for Internorth,
Inc.(Enron) for over 16 years. Currently, he is involved in many projects and organizations
directed at growing the community and improving family quality. He is Chairman of
the Adams County Convention and Visitors Bureau, a board member of Wells Fargo Bank
in Hastings, and a board member of the Downtown Business Improvement District among
other things.
Cody Foster, Backporch Friends
Few grandmothers may live to fully realize the heritage they leave. Two Cherry County
women, however, watched their grandson take what they taught him as a youth and
rapidly develop a successful business. At the age of twelve, with his grandmother's
guidance, he began working with fabric soft sculpture. Then as an adolescent, Cody
began to experiment with making figures out of cloth. He soon began to realize that
other people enjoyed and valued his work. These early successes eventually led to
a regional popularity of his figures. Which in turn led to the creation of a company.
In 1993, working out of his parents' basement, Cody started a wholesale company
called "Backporch Friends". To keep up with the demand of orders Cody's mother,
Diane Foster, quit her day job and helped with the business aspects of the company.
Today Backporch Friends is located in a 5000-sq foot manufacturing building including
a retail storefront. Currently the company employs eight people.
Cody's designs have become nationally recognized. His work has been featured in
"Country Living" magazine, the Museum of American Folk Art in New York City, and
in high-end boutiques, museum shops, and department stores across the country. His
work is prized by designers and collectors alike, for their unique and whimsical
charm.
Cody and Diane both feel that the ability to change and evolve with the demands
of an ever-changing market place is very important. Cody introduces new ideas and
display concepts twice a year to keep customers coming back. Just this year he has
licensed a new collection of designs that are being produced by a company overseas.
Also in the near future a new collection of ornaments, and smaller pieces will be
produced.
