Date: October 13, 2026
Location: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Business
This year’s Great Plains Economics and Business Conference, sponsored by NEBA will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Business. Academic and business professional presenters are welcome to this conference. Graduate and undergraduate students are also encouraged to submit proposal.
Agenda
Room 231
8:15 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Check-in and breakfast
Cottonwood/Goldenrod Room
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Panel Presentation: State and Local Strategies to Lower Housing Costs
- Ward F. Hoppe, Principal, Hoppe Development
- Nick Dolphens, Senior Vice President, Omaha Operations, The Home Company
- Nate Haugen, President, Metropolitan Omaha Property Owners Association
8:50 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Break (Atrium)
10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Faculty Papers – Concurrent Breakout Rooms
Presentations in Room 231, 310 and 111
- Room 231 is on the Second Floor and is the room used for meals and Panel Presentations
- Room 111 is on the First Floor
- Room 310 is on the Second Floor
| Morning Session | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Room 231 | Room 211 | Room 310 |
| 10:00 a.m. – 10:25 a.m. | Fritz L. Laux, PhD – Northeastern State University | Jane Liu, PhD – University of Nebraska at Omaha | Student Presentation, TBD |
| Paper Title: | State-Tribe Reciprocity in Cigarette Taxation as a Strategy to Promote Tobacco Control and Improve Tribal Health | Volatility and Risk Spillovers in Stablecoin and Financial Markets | |
| 10:25 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. | Michael O’Hara, J.D. PhD – Retired, University of Nebraska at Omaha | Pil Joon Kim, PhD – Chadron State University | Student Presentation, TBD |
| Paper Title: | Tax Policy Truths | Artificial Intelligence (AI) Adoption and Shareholder Wealth: Evidence from a Fama–French Five-Factor Event Study | |
| 10:50 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. | Eric Thompson, PhD – University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Henry Akaeze, PhD – Wayne State College | Student Presentation, TBD |
| Paper Title: | State Incentive Levels and Subsequent Economic Growth | State Incentive Levels and Subsequent Economic Growth |
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Lunch – Buffet located in the Atrium/Dining in Room
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Presentation: “6 Regions, 1 Nebraska” by K.C. Belitz, Former Director, Nebraska Department of Economic Development and Dena R. Beck, Central Regional Navigator, 6 Regions, 1 Nebraska (Room 231)
1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Faculty/Student Papers – Concurrent Breakout Rooms
Room 231, Room 111 and Room 310
| Afternoon Session #1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Room 231 | Room 211 | Platte River |
| 1:00 p.m. – 1:20 p.m. | John W. Tiner, PhD, RN – University of Nebraska at Omaha | Dishant Pandya, DBA, AFC – Bellevue University | Joseph Faello, PhD – Wayne State College Yingge Qu, PhD – University of North Alabama |
| Paper Title: | A look at Transshipping: A case study of an economic Nexus | Excess CEO Compensation and Board Structure: The Long-run Effect of Regulatory Changes of 2002 on Excess CEO Compensation | The Zombie Firm Effect and the Inefficient Allocation of Capital |
| 1:20 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. | Raymond Leach, PhD – Augustana University Reynold F. Nesiba, PhD – Augustana University Meriem Abdulhafiz, Student – Augustana University | David K. Palmer, Ph.D. – South Dakota State University | Nicholas D. Fisher, JD, MBA, LL.M. – Chadron State College |
| Paper Title: | Earned Wage Access: Easy Money or Fintech Payday Lending? | Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk: Tuckman’s Model of Group Development and the Ship of Theseus | Unintended Side Effects: Regulatory Prescriptions and the Rural Housing Shortage |
| 1:40 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Bruce Johnson, MBA – South Dakota State University | Ruth L. M. Burkhart, DNP – Ottawa University, Kansas City; Kristen E. Moore, PhD – Ottawa University, Kansas City; Stephen M. Weiss, PhD – Ottawa University, Kansas City | Adam Nutt, MSBA – University of Nebraska at Omaha |
| Paper Title: | Is communication really the problem? | Effective strategies in retaining healthcare professionals in the Midwest. | Powering the Future: Considerations of Grid Expansion and Decentralized Solutions |
2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Break (Atrium)
2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Student/Faculty Papers – Concurrent Breakout Rooms
Presentations in Cottonwood/Goldenrod Room | Little Blue Stem Room | Platte River Room
| Afternoon Session #2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time | Room 231 | Room 111 |
| 1:00 p.m. – 1:25 p.m. | Melissa Trueblood, PhD – Economist, Nebraska Public Power District | Michael O’Hara, J.D. PhD – Retired, University of Nebraska at Omaha |
| Paper Title: | Economic Impact of a New Family in Nebraska | Next of Kin |
| 1:25 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. | Mitch Herian, PhD – Project Director, University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Dustin R. White, PhD – University of Nebraska at Omaha (Presenter) Ben O. Smith, PhD – University of Nebraska at Omaha |
| Paper Title: | The Economic Impact of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Programming in Lancaster County, NE | Looking the Part: Appearance and Performance Evaluation in Professional Football |
| 1:50 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. | Eric Thompson, PhD – University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Presenter) Comlanvi Konou, PhD – Alfred University | TBD |
| Paper Title: | A Local Economic Impact of a Farm Boom and Bust |
2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Break (Room 231)
Room 231
2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Commerce Business Meeting After Presentations
4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Conference Adjourns
Nebraska Economics and Business Association 