AIM was excited to join UNO’s inaugural OmahaxAI conference at KANEKO Tuesday, October 7th. AIM’s Director of Development Blaine Nelson was honored to be one of three judges for the intra conference student AI competition. The competition was designed to celebrate and highlight how the next generation envisions using artificial intelligence in their careers. Contestants were judged on the following criteria:
Creativity & Innovation: How original is your idea? Does it present a new approach or apply AI in unexpected ways? Judges look for submissions that think beyond conventional applications.
Potential Impact: Will your concept make a meaningful difference in your chosen field? Proposals are evaluated on their potential to solve real problems or create new opportunities.
Technical Feasibility: Could your idea reasonably be implemented with current or near-future AI capabilities? While visionary thinking is encouraged, concepts should have a path to reality.
Clear Communication: How effectively do you explain your concept? Judges value well-structured proposals and presentations that clearly document your development process and decision-making.
With Aditi Rai being awarded a $1,000 scholarship for 1st place, Jingzian Gin being awarded a $600 scholarship for 2nd place, and Narges Shakerian being awarded a $400 scholarship for 3rd place.
Jeanna Faulhauber is the Chief Information Officer at Lozier Corporation and a dynamic change leader with deep expertise in information technology, supply chain management, and large-scale enterprise transformation. With a proven track record in leading SAP and Oracle implementations, complex IT integrations, and organizational change initiatives, she consistently drives business efficiency and profitability through process improvement and strategic leadership.
Known for her collaborative and empowering style, Jeanna is passionate about developing talent, fostering innovation, and building high-performing teams. She brings a strong focus on delivering exceptional results, continuously improving performance, and enhancing stakeholder value. Her specialties span enterprise change management, cybersecurity, lean manufacturing, IT procurement, training and organizational development, and supply chain technology solutions.
Jeanna is widely recognized for her ability to align people, process, and technology to achieve transformational results while cultivating the next generation of leaders.
Students fly drones at Avenue Scholars Summer Boot Camp. This was part of the AIM Institute IT session students took part in for the camp.
The AIM Institute was honored to participate in the Avenue Scholars of Southwest Iowa Summer Career Boot Camp, hosted by partners at Iowa Western Community College.
Throughout June, students from school districts along the I-29 corridor engaged in a series of hands-on career boot camps focused on high-demand, high-skill trades. The camp offered five various career tracks for students to explore, and AIM served as the lead service provider for the IT Boot Camp.
During the IT sessions, students explored front-end web development, 3D printing, drones and robotics. Thanks to support from the AIM’s grant partner, Google Code Next, nine high school students earned certifications in HTML, CSS and JavaScript, gaining valuable skills that set the foundation for future careers in tech.
AIM Institute is excited to announce its Elevate Academy, a new modern and practical leadership path designed to grow both emerging and experienced leaders. AIM is partnering with Bellevue University on this initiative, which will cultivate soft skills, encourage innovation and empower the next wave of technology and business leaders.
There are two different pathways: Foundations of Leadership and Impact Leadership. Foundations of Leadership is a new dynamic leadership development program designed for professionals across various industries who are ready to step into leadership roles or enhance their existing skills. The AIM Institute’s Impact Leadership is an annual management course for technology professionals. The program consists of one full day of training each month for seven months. Each session focuses on a common on-the-job issue faced by tech managers.
Foundations of Leadership will be led by Dr. Mike Freel, PhD, who has spent the last 16 years at Bellevue University doing doctoral work in leadership and organizational change. Mike is passionate about leadership and will teach participants effective leadership skills that can immediately be applied to the workplace.
Program Highlights
The first session of Foundations of Leadership starts August 14 and concludes on November 20. If you are interested in learning more, visit this link to start your leadership journey. https://aiminstitute.org/programs/elevate-academy/.
AIM Institute’s Infotec 2025 conference was a great success! Close to 300 people, joined by representatives from over 20 companies and small businesses, attended the event at the Kiewit Luminarium on Omaha’s riverfront.
Infotec bridges the gap between business and technology leaders. Participants had positive responses about the speakers and sessions, which covered a range of topics including AI automation, emerging technologies, cyber security and risk management, workforce development and data and business analysis.
AIM’s events connect the region’s technology professionals for networking, workshops and continued education. Save the date for AIM’s Heartland Developers Conference (HDC), a mainstay in the Silicon Prairie developer community for more than 15 years. HDC is September 30-October 1, 2025, at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs. For two days, experts share the latest knowledge, demonstrate new techniques and build understanding.
