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One Year. Building the Foundation.One year ago today, I was given the incredible opportunity to serve as the Executive Director of the Omaha Inland Port Authority.Coming home to Nebraska has been one of the greatest honors of my professional career.When I accepted this role, I knew we weren't simply launching...
The Omaha Inland Port Authority (OIPA) unveiled the future site of its headquarters Tuesday morning at Ames Avenue and North 28th Street, marking the first phase of a $30 million innovation district aimed at revitalizing North Omaha."We're putting investment into a community that has been disinvested for so long. The...
The Omaha Inland Port Authority announced plans for a new facility at 30th and Ames in North Omaha that leaders say will serve as a hub for innovative housing construction, research, businesses, and community spaces.Garry Clark, executive director of the Omaha Inland Port Authority, said the project is designed to...
For decades, the North Omaha community has heard proposed plans that would change the underserved area — promises of new businesses, new jobs and new hope for a part of the city that has largely been overlooked.Now officials with Omaha’s Inland Port Authority have unveiled a plan to create an...
Omaha port authority, backed by $30M state grant, amasses property for ‘innovation district’
Jul 6 2026Signage went up last week, heralding progress on a signature project of the Omaha Inland Port Authority.The first phase of the port authority's "innovation district" — an initiative seeded with a $30 million state grant — now has a home. It's poised to sprout within a roughly 12-block area southeast...
The Omaha Inland Port Authority was proud to be featured on the latest edition of the Grow Omaha Radio Show with Trenton Magid and Brad Williams.Executive Director Garry Clark joined the conversation to discuss the exciting momentum underway across North Omaha and the important role OIPA is playing in advancing...
Economic development in urban centers is often critiqued for favoring macro-level corporate interests at the expense of local neighborhoods. Nebraska is deliberately altering that dynamic.The Omaha Inland Port Authority (OIPA) actively engages with its local community through the Community Advisory Committee (CAC), a legally chartered bridge ensuring that the voice...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOmaha Inland Port Authority Welcomes Yolanda R. Williams as Business Operations ManagerOMAHA, Neb. — The Omaha Inland Port Authority (OIPA) is pleased to announce the addition of Yolanda R. Williams, affectionately known throughout the community as “Ms. Yo,” as its new Business Operations Manager.A respected executive leader, community...
What Is a Port Authority?
May 20 2026To understand what a Port Authority is, one must first look past the literal definition of a "port." While traditionally associated with coastal docks and maritime trade, a modern Port Authority, such as the Omaha Inland Port Authority (OIPA), is a specialized governmental or quasi-governmental entity designed to serve as...
Omaha Inland Port Authority Advances Inclusive Economic DevelopmentThe Omaha Inland Port Authority was officially created by the Omaha City Council on Jan. 9, 2024, and made possible by The Municipal Inland Port Authority Act passed by the state in 2021. OIPA is now a public entity dedicated to advancing inclusive...
Omaha Inland Port Authority launches new site to support education, engagement, and economic development
May 11 2026FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThe new site, developed with Golden Shovel Agency, is a hub for site selectors, developers, existing businesses, and residentsOmaha, NE– Omaha Inland Port Authority (OIPA) has announced the launch of a new website designed to put the economic development organization’s message front and center for its target audience...
OMAHA, NE – The Omaha Inland Port Authority (OIPA) is excited to announced a coordinated set of funding opportunities and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) designed to accelerate economic growth, expand access to capital, and create long-term pathways to ownership and opportunity across North and East Omaha. This release includes the launch...
Omaha Inland Port Authority Announces Manne Cook as Senior Director of Planning and Innovation
Mar 24 2026FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThe Omaha Inland Port Authority (OIPA) is proud to announce the appointment of Manuel “Manne” Cook as Senior Director of Planning and Innovation, a key leadership role advancing the Authority’s vision for equitable, innovation-driven development across North and East Omaha.Manne Cook is an accomplished urban planner, designer, and...