Nebraska business leader Bryan Slone to leave state chamber post – Nebraska Examiner

Bryan Slone, president and CEO of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is leaving the post after seven years. (Courtesy of NE Chamber)
LINCOLN — After a seven-year run leading Nebraska’s statewide business lobbying group — and speaking out on hot topics such as state brain drain andimmigration reform — Bryan Slone announced Tuesday he is leaving his post.
He will step down as CEO and president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry officially in June, following the 2025 legislative session. A search has begun for the next head of the chamber, which describes itself as the state’s “voice of business” in legislation, regulation and policy matters.
But Slone, 67, said he is far from ready to retire and will pursue other possibilities in Nebraska, where he grew up and graduated college. He said he has not made a decision on his next step, but his options include work in the private sector and politics. He wouldn’t specify any office.
“Everything is on the table,” he said.
Slone was a finalist for the University of Nebraska presidency that went to Dr. Jeffrey Gold in March.
In 2014, he was a Republican candidate for governor of Nebraska and, in 2023, after re-registering as a nonpartisan, wasamong applicants for Gov. Jim Pillen’s appointment process to replace former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., who had resigned to lead the University of Florida.

Unafraid of controversy


Slone said the end of the legislative session is a good time to make a transition, as a “dynamic young leadership team” is in place and changes his team initiated are in motion.
He said his goal coming into the office was to stay five or seven years. As he approaches the seven-year mark, he said, he is proud of having led the chamber in being “effective” lobbying for what he called complex and sometimes controversial issues includingtax policies, the workforce shortage, thepush for Nebraska to become a“technology state” and making the state a more welcoming placefor the foreign-born.
“We’ve not been afraid to be an advocate for economic growth, even when the issues were controversial, and I think we’ve made a difference,” Slone said.
He said he wants to remain active in areas such as workforce development, reducing brain drain, housing and child care development.
Slone often raised alarms over the state’s number of unfilled jobs, saying it had reached about 80,000. He said Tuesday that some “progress has been made – but not for the right reasons.”
Today the number of unfilled jobs in Nebraska is closer to 50,000, Slone said.
“That’s because federal policymakers intentionally slowed down the economy to try to fight inflation by raising interest rates,” he said. “And so most of what I’m seeing in terms of lowering that number relates to slowing down the economy, primarily from interest rates.”
Slone projects the number of unfilled jobs to rise as interest rates fall.

Recruitment gap


Asked whether the state is making progress in attracting talent, Slone said: “Not anywhere close to the extent we need.”
He pledged continued support for immigration reform. “Once we get legal immigration reform at the federal level,” he said, Nebraska would have to figure out ways to better incorporate newcomers to grow the state’s workforce.
Slone said he’s healthy and active.“I’m not anywhere near close to wanting to stop.”
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by Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner
January 7, 2025
by Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner
January 7, 2025
LINCOLN — After a seven-year run leading Nebraska’s statewide business lobbying group — and speaking out on hot topics such as state brain drain and immigration reform — Bryan Slone announced Tuesday he is leaving his post.
He will step down as CEO and president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry officially in June, following the 2025 legislative session. A search has begun for the next head of the chamber, which describes itself as the state’s “voice of business” in legislation, regulation and policy matters.
But Slone, 67, said he is far from ready to retire and will pursue other possibilities in Nebraska, where he grew up and graduated college. He said he has not made a decision on his next step, but his options include work in the private sector and politics. He wouldn’t specify any office.
“Everything is on the table,” he said.
Slone was a finalist for the University of Nebraska presidency that went to Dr. Jeffrey Gold in March.
In 2014, he was a Republican candidate for governor of Nebraska and, in 2023, after re-registering as a nonpartisan, was among applicants for Gov. Jim Pillen’s appointment process to replace former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., who had resigned to lead the University of Florida.

Unafraid of controversy

Slone said the end of the legislative session is a good time to make a transition, as a “dynamic young leadership team” is in place and changes his team initiated are in motion.
He said his goal coming into the office was to stay five or seven years. As he approaches the seven-year mark, he said, he is proud of having led the chamber in being “effective” lobbying for what he called complex and sometimes controversial issues including tax policies, the workforce shortage, the push for Nebraska to become a “technology state” and making the state a more welcoming place for the foreign-born.
“We’ve not been afraid to be an advocate for economic growth, even when the issues were controversial, and I think we’ve made a difference,” Slone said.
He said he wants to remain active in areas such as workforce development, reducing brain drain, housing and child care development.
Slone often raised alarms over the state’s number of unfilled jobs, saying it had reached about 80,000. He said Tuesday that some “progress has been made – but not for the right reasons.”
Today the number of unfilled jobs in Nebraska is closer to 50,000, Slone said.
“That’s because federal policymakers intentionally slowed down the economy to try to fight inflation by raising interest rates,” he said. “And so most of what I’m seeing in terms of lowering that number relates to slowing down the economy, primarily from interest rates.”
Slone projects the number of unfilled jobs to rise as interest rates fall.

Recruitment gap

Asked whether the state is making progress in attracting talent, Slone said: “Not anywhere close to the extent we need.”
He pledged continued support for immigration reform. “Once we get legal immigration reform at the federal level,” he said, Nebraska would have to figure out ways to better incorporate newcomers to grow the state’s workforce.
Slone said he’s healthy and active. “I’m not anywhere near close to wanting to stop.”
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Aaron Sanderford for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com.
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Senior Reporter Cindy Gonzalez, an Omaha native, has more than 35 years of experience, largely at the Omaha World-Herald. Her coverage areas have included business and real estate development; regional reporting; immigration, demographics and diverse communities; and City Hall and local politics.
Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
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