RUHLMAN'S STEAKHOUSE

A monthly event featuring great food, live music, and an interview with an inspiring individual.

$125/ticket – Call (402) 780-8887 to secure your reservation

Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., a heart surgeon and first-generation college student with decades of proven leadership in higher education, began his term as the ninth president of the University of Nebraska on July 1, 2024.

Welcome to the University of Nebraska System – our state’s only public university, home to 50,000 students ready to build the future and 16,000 talented faculty and staff whose teaching, research and service changes lives in Nebraska and around the world. It is a privilege to serve this institution that has done so much for me personally and for the citizens of the state for 155 years and counting.

I’m a Nebraskan by choice and not birth, but my personal story will sound familiar to many people in this great state that I now call home. I am the product of public K-12 schooling and became the first in my family to go to college, relying on financial aid to help me through. Education truly opened doors for me that otherwise would not have been possible.

My hope now is that the University of Nebraska will provide the same life-changing opportunities to future generations that higher education did for me. I want every young person, no matter their background, to see Nebraska as the place where they can get a world-class education, for an unbeatable value, that will prepare them for lifelong learning and success.

Having the privilege of serving at this university since 2014 in roles that have touched every campus and every corner of the state, I am convinced that we are poised to rise from excellence to a new level of eminence. We have all the right ingredients in place: outstanding faculty, staff and students; strong partners in elected leadership and the philanthropic community; and a citizenry that is deeply invested in our success and continues to entrust us with the sacred care and education of their children.

We now must take advantage of this great opportunity before us to create the future I know we all desire. I am humbled and honored to be on this shared journey with you.

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Growing up in a rural farming community instilled in Leslie a lifelong passion for livestock. As a 4-H member, he was active in showing beef cattle. During his high school years, his involvement with the Ashland-Greenwood FFA provided valuable experience and interaction with cattle producers throughout the state. Many of these individuals went on to become our first customers and remain trusted friends and partners to this day.

After college, Leslie returned home to continue farming and managing the family’s cow-calf operation alongside his father and brother. In late 1982, the family had the opportunity to partner with neighbor and friend Dutch Rikli, a well-known Charolais cattle breeder. With a handshake and a verbal agreement, they founded The Semen Centre. Dutch provided housing for the animals in his barn, while the family built a laboratory and acquired the necessary equipment to process and freeze semen. By early 1983, the first semen was processed, marking the official start of the business — one that has continued to grow ever since.

In 1992, after Dutch retired, a new barn was constructed at the Ashland location to collect and house bulls. The expansion reflected the company’s steady growth and commitment to serving the cattle industry.

In the summer of 2017, we had the opportunity to purchase Nebraska Bull Service in McCook. On October 1, 2017, we collected our first bulls at the new location, and the business has continued to thrive thanks to our dedicated staff and loyal customers.

Two years later, in 2019, one of the barns at the Ashland location was updated to include a specialized area for customers to bring cows in for IVF procedures, in partnership with Boviteq.

Today, three generations of the Vogler family are proudly employed in the business, along with a talented team of employees who share a deep appreciation for the cattle industry. Together, we are honored to work with producers from across the United States, Canada, and around the world.

Brooke Michaels Medosch has enjoyed working in the world of Napa Valley Cabernet for 23 years. From Colorado, Brooke moved to California in 2000 after graduating college. She has worked with many different wine companies, most notably Inglenook (Francis Ford Coppola’s Estate), Silver Oak, TRU Estates (Robert Mondavi, Schrader, Mt. Veeder, The Prisoner) and the Huneeus Family since 2013. She loves that she has been able to work for incredible Napa Valley Cabernet estates for the majority of her 23 year career, and enjoys bringing the romance, history and “why” behind the wines to all of the people she interacts with throughout the United States.

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Alexi A. Wellman has served as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial and Accounting Officer since January 1, 2022 and has been a member of the Board since January 1, 2022. Ms. Wellman served as Chief Financial and Accounting Officer of Altaba from June 13, 2017 until December 31, 2021. Prior to that, she was Vice President, Global Controller of Yahoo beginning in October 2015. From November 2013 to October 2015, she served as Vice President, Finance of Yahoo. From December 2011 to June 2013, Ms. Wellman served as Chief Financial Officer of Nebraska Book Company, Inc., which owned and operated college bookstores. From October 2004 to December 2011, Ms. Wellman served as a Partner at KPMG LLP, an audit, tax and advisory firm. Ms. Wellman currently serves as a director and chair of the audit committee of Werner Enterprises, Inc. and ESS, Inc.

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In 1973, while managing an apartment complex in his twenties, Theisen opened Wild Willy’s, a bar in southwest Omaha. The establishment’s proximity to a local pizzeria led to a partnership with the owner, culminating in the creation of Godfather’s Pizza. Named after the iconic 1972 film, the restaurant combined Theisen’s innovative vision for casual dining with entertainment, featuring video games, pool tables, and a revolutionary mobile all-you-can-eat salad bar.

Under Theisen’s leadership, Godfather’s Pizza experienced phenomenal growth. After beginning franchising in 1974, it became America’s fastest-growing food chain, expanding at an unprecedented rate of one location every 60 hours. By the time Theisen sold the business in 1983, Godfather’s had grown to nearly 1,000 locations nationwide, ranking as the country’s third-largest pizza chain.

Following the sale of Godfather’s, Theisen continued to make significant contributions to business and community development. His service includes board positions with the Omaha Airport Authority, Creighton University, and the Metropolitan Entertainment Convention Authority (MECA). His impact on Nebraska’s business landscape has earned him numerous accolades, including induction into the Nebraska Business & Commerce Hall of Fame and an honorary doctorate from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

At 79, Theisen remains actively engaged in community service, serving as the 2024 Tree of Lights Chairman for the Salvation Army’s holiday campaign and mentoring through RISE, a program supporting incarcerated individuals. His entrepreneurial success story, built on handshake deal and napkin-written business plans, continues to inspire new generations of business leaders. Theisen’s legacy exemplifies how vision, hard work, and dedication to community can transform a simple idea into lasting success.