What a great time to be in Lincoln, Nebraska.
I believe history will reflect on this era of the community as a time of prosperity and growth that is unmatched in Nebraska and around the country. Our state and our city often lead the nation in lowest unemployment rates, we have been rated as a “Top 10 City” in dozens of national publications, and now – we are proud to say the community has landed the biggest jobs project and economic development expansion since Verizon in 2006.
Hudl and Nelnet went public this spring with a plan to add over 400 jobs to the Lincoln economy. UNL’s Bureau of Business Research estimates the investment will ripple through the community creating an estimated $140 million economic impact.
Hudl will expand and build a new global headquarters on Canopy Street in the West Haymarket. Nelnet will partner with them and plans to use the building for additional growth, including the expansion of its software development team in Lincoln.
Most Lincoln area residents will recognize the Nelnet name. The company is a world leader in loan servicing, payment processing, education planning and asset management. However you may not be familiar with name Hudl. Founded in 2006 by three University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates – David Graff, Brian Kaiser and John Wirtz – Hudl has been the fastest-growing private company in Nebraska for the last two years. More than 150 full-time “Hudlies” work out of the headquarters in Lincoln, while another 80 operate out of offices in Omaha, Boston and London and remotely in Texas, California and New York. With more than 3.5 million users from 100,000 teams across 30 sports worldwide, Hudl is changing the way coaches, athletes, parents and fans find value in practice and game film.
I can’t say enough how proud I am of the team at Hudl and our business leaders at the Chamber and the Partnership for Economic Development who pushed for the redevelopment in the West Haymarket. The Hudl and Nelnet expansion project is the perfect example of what the community set out to accomplish when the redevelopment project moved forward in 2001. The vibrant and growing atmosphere of the area was one of the leading factors in keeping Hudl in Lincoln. Hudl CEO David Graff said it best in this quote: “What we’re most excited about in moving to the West Haymarket is how much it’s grown just in the last couple of years. We host job candidates from every corner of the country, and all leave Lincoln with a new appreciation for the Midwest. Likewise, university graduates who moved away several years ago are amazed by the progress made in this area.”
The path to today was not easy. It took years of hard work to bring the vision to fruition. Now, anything is possible, including keeping a global software company firmly rooted in Lincoln when they could have easily chosen another place to call home.
The Chamber’s mission is to improve the lives of Lincoln residents by providing increased economic opportunity and can only be accomplished together. Networking opportunities, business advocacy, and creating economic viability are critical to our success. We encourage you to become a member and help us achieve these goals for Lincoln. For more information, please contact our Membership Director, Kristin Holmes, kholmes@lcoc.com.
by Wendy Birdsall, President, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce
402-436-2350 | www.lcoc.com