Kansas City Fed President Esther George speaks at the Economic Forum in La Vista, Nebraska, on May 9.

As a local connection to the nation’s central bank, the Omaha Branch is a resource on the economy for organizations and communities throughout Nebraska. During two recent Economic Forums hosted by the Branch in Kearney and La Vista, Kansas City Fed President Esther George and Omaha Branch Executive Nathan Kauffman shared updates on the regional and national economies with business, banking, civic and community leaders, and educators.

In turn, George and Kauffman also learned about local economic conditions and concerns from discussions with those in attendance, which is an important step in the monetary policy process. Leadership and research staff at the Kansas City Fed continually monitor regional economic conditions to provide grassroots input at a national level, where decisions are made on the interest rates charged to financial institutions when they borrow from the Federal Reserve. As president of the Kansas City Fed, George is a member of the Federal Reserve’s policymaking body, the Federal Open Market Committee. 

That means that one of the Federal Reserve’s most important resources is real-time knowledge gained from business and community leaders, including those serving on our Boards of Directors. Reserve Bank directors are conduits between their local communities and the Federal Reserve, offering insight on current and emerging issues drawn from their own expertise and contacts. In conjunction with the Kearney Economic Forum, the seven members of the Omaha Branch Board of Directors met for an offsite Board meeting. While in Kearney, Omaha directors, George, and Kauffman also toured BluePrint Engines and the Health Science Center at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Omaha Branch Director Tom Henning is president and chief executive officer of Cash-Wa distributing in Kearney. Learn more about our Boards of Directors. 

View photos from the Forums and the Offsite Board of Directors Meeting below.

Omaha Branch Executive Nathan Kauffman provides an update on Nebraska's economy at the La Vista Economic Forum on May 9.

Kansas City Fed President Esther George speaks with Javier Fernandez, chief financial officer with OPPD, and Carmen Tapio, founder, president and chief executive officer of North End Teleservices, before the Economic Forum in La Vista.

Kansas City Fed President Esther George and members of the Omaha Branch Board of Directors tour BluePrint Engines as part of the Offsite Board of Directors meeting in Kearney on April 4.

The Omaha Branch Board of Directors toured the Health Science Center at the University of Nebraska at Kearney as part of their offsite meeting on April 4.

Kansas City Fed President Esther George provides an update on the U.S. economy and monetary policy at an Economic Forum in Kearney, Nebraska, on April 5.

Omaha Branch Executive Nathan Kauffman speaks with Brian Esch, president and CEO of MNB Bank in McCook and former Omaha Branch director, and Max Wake, president of Jones National Bank and Trust Co. in Seward and former Kansas City director, following the Economic Forum in Kearney on April 5.

Omaha Branch Executive Nathan Kauffman welcomes guests and provides an update on Nebraska's economy at the Kearney Economic Forum on April 5.