Streck CEO Connie Ryan ‘Hall of Fame’ In Business and North Omaha Neighborhood
Habitat Omaha Celebrates Ryan’s Induction into Omaha Chamber Hall of Fame
Habitat for Humanity of Omaha is able to help address the great demand for affordable housing in its five-county service area of eastern Nebraska because of many business and community leaders who serve as board members and advocates.
One of those all-time greats is Connie Ryan. The Streck CEO, recently was inducted into the Omaha Business Hall of Fame at the Greater Omaha Chamber’s annual event. But she’s been in Habitat Omaha’s hallowed halls for nearly a decade for her efforts to create affordable housing and help first-time homeowners achieve their dreams.
Ryan served on the Habitat Omaha Board of Directors from 2015 to 2020 and on the Habitat Omaha Advisory Council from 2021 to 2022, and she isn’t done yet. In 2023, she joined a likely future Hall of Famer, Sue Thaden, CEO of Client Resources, Inc. (CRi) and present Habitat Omaha Board Secretary, to co-found the Women Build: Belvedere-Miller Park Project.
The two women are leading the $8 million project to rehabilitate about 25 homes and provide a significant number of critical home repairs, Rock the Block neighborhood cleanup events and generational wealth-building clinics in north Omaha.
(Left to right) Connie Ryan, Amanda Brewer, Sue Thaden
Photo courtesy of Debra S. Kaplan
This is an amazing spot,” Ryan said on a recent visit to a Belvedere cul-de-sac of homes looking out over the expanse of the Missouri River valley traveled in 1804 by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. “They have done such a nice job of keeping up their homes,” she said. “It is THEIR circle. It’s all owner-occupied, and the pride in their neighborhood really shows. It’s not so much the house; it’s the fact that the house becomes a home.”
“Connie and Sue’s vision to invest in this neighborhood is extraordinary,” said Habitat Omaha CEO Amanda Brewer. “They are lifting up an entire neighborhood and the accomplishments of the neighborhood. This is special and something to build upon with a little extra help from Habitat Omaha.”
Besides Ryan’s vision and prowess leading Streck’s development and manufacturing of medical technology quality control projects, she is a leader in affordable housing efforts, including workforce housing for her employees.
“When I was on the board at Habitat, I saw the positive transformation of families when they had a home to live in,” Ryan said. We spoke about having limited funds to build and remodel houses and that many people need housing, but not enough homes are available.
“While homeownership is the path for Habitat Omaha, for Streck, quality apartments were the answer,” Ryan said. “Habitat encouraged me to move forward with a plan to build apartments for my employees. It is an important benefit and why Streck is a great place to work. All efforts to build affordable housing make Omaha a better place.”
(Left to right) Amanda Brewer, Connie Ryan
Habitat for Humanity of Omaha proudly celebrates Connie Ryan’s induction into the Omaha Business Hall of Fame. We congratulate and thank her for providing affordable housing opportunities to make Omaha a stronger community.
A special thank you to the Greater Omaha Chamber and Will Frampton for providing interviews and transcripts for this story.
