Tyson Foods’ 35-year presence in Lexington transformed the community. The population boomed; waves of immigrants from Mexico, central America and Africa made it one of the most diverse towns in Nebraska; and the 3,500 jobs became the economic engine of the region. In the wake of Tyson’s closure, we discuss how it’s impacted the community, efforts to help laid off workers, and what comes next. Join longtime community advocates and economic experts to discuss what happens when your town’s biggest employer disappears. 

In this conversation with Nebraska’s Chief Justice, we’ll explore leadership, decision-making and public service at the highest level of state government. Drawing on a career shaped by the law, civic responsibility and institutional stewardship, the Chief Justice will reflect on how complex systems balance independence, accountability and public trust. The discussion may touch on the evolving role of the courts, the challenges of leading through uncertainty and what it means to make consequential decisions that affect communities statewide. Above all, this session offers a rare opportunity to hear how leadership looks from inside one of Nebraska’s most enduring institutions.

Nebraska’s mental health crisis is often defined by a math problem: too many people in need, too few providers available to help. This discussion moves past statistics to examine the human toll of a system where a child can wait years for life-saving care and primary doctors are forced to bridge the gap. We will explore the friction between local innovation and the systemic hurdles — from insurance barriers to workforce shortages — that still prevent thousands of Nebraskans from accessing the help they deserve.

If it rains in Brazil, it matters in Nebraska. Farmers and ranchers here compete in a global marketplace to export billions of dollars’ worth of beef, corn and soybean around the world. Today, they face a whiplash of tariffs, on-and-off trade restrictions, a shuttered beef processing plant, high costs and new global competition. Moderator Steve White is joined by local producers who share how they’re navigating these challenges on their farms and on behalf of Nebraska’s biggest industry.

Entrepreneurship in central Nebraska is often framed as a lifestyle choice or a local success story. It can be that, but it’s undoubtedly more. This discussion moves past small-business nostalgia to examine how firms like FastForward, Nave Analytics, and ventures based in places like Hastings pull dollars into the region from outside its borders, expanding the pool of money that can circulate through local communities. We will explore the tension between entrepreneurial momentum and the structural challenges — from capital access to talent retention — that still limit how fully these businesses can fuel growth in central Nebraska.