FAB 50:
THE UNDERDOG
Business Journal
JOHN “BUZZ” GARLOCK’S STORY ONE OF CHARACTER OVER CIRCUMSTANCE
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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY ACROSS NEBRASKA & BEYOND
MBJ.COM
VOLUME 52 No.9
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FEBRUARY 27, 2026
A Closer Look OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF TODD SCHMADERER CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF SERVICE BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN Omaha Police Department Chief Todd Schmaderer will soon receive an honor several in this city — from Martie Cordaro to Mayor John Ewing Jr. and more — have called their favorite achievement. Schmaderer’s caricature is set to be the latest “Face on the Barroom Floor” at the Omaha Press Club, where more than 150 friends, family members and colleagues will gather to roast OPD’s longest-serving chief. The hand-drawn honor is reserved for those who have made a lasting mark on Omaha, and after 13.5 years leading the department, Schmaderer has earned his place among the likes of boxer Terence “Bud” Crawford and astronaut Clayton Anderson. Schmaderer isn’t going anywhere soon. Last year, the chief secured a five-year extension past his mandatory retirement date, driven in large part by a juvenile justice crisis he wasn’t willing to walk away from. MBJ recently sat down with Schmaderer for a closer look at his career, and life.
MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL CRE ASCENDS TOWERING ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2026 BY TIM ROHWER The new headquarters for Mutual of Omaha, at 677 feet the city’s tallest building ever, is on track for opening in 2026. The project leads a list of major projects underway or in the planning stages, leading officials in the commercial real estate development field to forecast a robust year of positive growth ahead. CRE OUTLOOK, SEE PAGE 08
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LOCAL ARTS STARS SHINE 20TH ANNUAL OMAHA ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS AWARDS
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