2022 Nebraska Business Hall of Fame Honorees Announced

LINCOLN, NE (January 11, 2022) – The NE Chamber and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) College of Business today announced the 2022 inductees into the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame, including:

Mike McCarthy, McCarthy Capital of Omaha;
John Sampson, Sampson Construction of Lincoln; and
Gloria Thesenvitz, Nova-Tech, Inc. of Grand Island.

The three will officially be inducted at the NE Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Hall of Fame Banquet Thursday, February 3, at a 5 p.m. reception and 6:30 p.m. banquet held at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel. To join in honoring these individuals and their families, register at web.nechamber.com/events or contact the NE Chamber at 402-474-4422. To sponsor, contact James Berringer at 402-474-4717 or [email protected].

“Our honorees this year really embody the ingenuity, determination and service to community and neighbor that characterize the Good Life,” said Bryan Slone, NE Chamber president. “Their personal drive and vision of growth have literally brought about game-changing opportunities in both their communities and the quality of life for others.”

McCarthy, Sampson and Thesenvitz join a distinguished group of more than 120 business leaders whose work to grow their businesses in Nebraska have made a significant impact on the free enterprise system, Nebraska’s economy, overall job opportunities and quality of life in their communities. Candidates are nominated by individuals from the business community, business associations and academia. The program was established in 1992 by the NE Chamber and UNL College of Business.

“Our three inductees are leaders in their industries and great examples for our students and other entrepreneurs who want to lead the future of business. Gloria, John and Mike also give back to their communities and the state through advocacy, service and support,” said Kathy Farrell, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Dean of the UNL College of Business.

“Celebrating the success of strong, civic-minded members of our business community means celebrating strong communities and decades of growth and good jobs,” Slone said. “They give us an example to which we can aspire.”

The NE Chamber is the largest, statewide business association, proudly serving as the voice of Nebraska’s business community since 1912. The organization promotes and protects Nebraska’s free enterprise system by ensuring a competitive business climate, economic growth and greater prosperity for all Nebraskans. Learn more at nechamber.com.

NEBRASKA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

2022 HONOREES

MIKE MCCARTHY, McCarthy Capital, Omaha

Mike McCarthy is founder of McCarthy Group, a private equity firm headquartered in Omaha since its founding in 1986. The investment firm, with affiliates, manages more than $10 billion in capital, with roots in construction and contracting, expanding to agricultural and real estate development and property management over the years. Mike serves on the boards of the Joslyn Art Museum, the Omaha Community Foundation, United Way of the Midlands, the Omaha Zoo and Creighton University, among others. He is the current chair of Heritage Services and a board member of Lasting Hope Recovery Center. He has also held numerous professional directorships on corporate boards, including Kiewit Corporation, Union Pacific, Cabela’s, HDR and Election Systems & Software.

JOHN SAMPSON, Sampson Construction, Lincoln

John has been the President and CEO of Sampson Construction since 1995. Under his leadership, Sampson Construction has completed over $3 billion in commercial building projects in Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada and Illinois. Throughout his commercial construction career with Sampson, John has served in all types of project management and development roles. His day-to-day focus is to manage the assignment, deployment, and use of the firm’s resources at each of its five locations. As a result, he forms strong, ongoing relationships with project management teams, project owners, subcontractors, and community leaders. These relationships allow Sampson Construction to stay on the leading edge of the market and continue to deliver high-quality construction services across the Midwest.

GLORIA THESENVITZ, Nova-Tech, Inc., Grand Island

Gloria Thesenvitz is founder and board chair for Nova-Tech, Inc., a nationally recognized provider of custom aseptic fill manufacturing services and private label IV fluids to the animal health industry throughout the United States and Canada. In 2011, the site transfer of manufacturing into a new plant located in the Platte Valley Industrial Tract in Grand Island laid the foundation for three additions, each bringing significant growth through growing production and technical capabilities. A strong advocate for education, quality jobs, women entrepreneurs and rural Nebraska, Gloria has reinvested her talents, time and resources serving on multiple community and state boards. Gloria is the recipient of the Governor’s Bioscience Award and the Grand Island Independent’s Woman of the Year in 2017.