Don Rowe is an Omaha native, elected to represent District 5 on the Omaha City Council in June 2021. Spending his early years in North Omaha, he moved to La Vista for high school. He attended Manhattan Christian College in Kansas, before transferring to UNL where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in finance and economics.

Don worked customer service at Millard Lumber’s Lincoln location for 20 years before transferring to their main location in Omaha in 1998. After 25 years of service, began speaking to the Vice President, Joel Russell, about leaving Millard Lumber for a part time job to begin his retirement. A year later, a friend called Russell about a 6-month position on the City Council after Rich Pahls was elected to the Nebraska Legislature. With a business to run, and young kids to take care of, Russell had little interest in the position, but recommended Don apply. Rowe dismissed the idea at first, but after time spent in prayer and conversations with his wife Marcy Rowe, decided to run. Out of 17 candidates Don was one of three people to receive a vote, however lost. Six months later Don ran for the position of District 5 City Councilman. Joel Russell volunteered as his campaign manager, and they got to work fundraising. 

Public Safety has always been his biggest concern. He has spent his first year in contact with the Union Heads for the Police and Fire departments. Ambulances in the area are getting old and outdated, so the president of the Fire unions expressed a need for new ambulances. Don made a few phone calls and learned new ambulances will be arriving in the fourth quarter. The homeless issue is one Don recognizes and does not take lightly: “We need to figure out how to handle housing affordability and opportunities for those who can’t afford anything.” 

Millard Lumber is supplying materials for Siena Francis House’s tiny home project, which plans to place 50 affordable houses near 16th and Charles. Don sees this project as a good step in tackling a nationwide issue.

            The biggest misconception Don thinks people have of his position is that he is a public servant. He noticed some people viewing him as a politician, chasing power and favors, but whether it be at Millard Lumber or City Council he views his jobs as customer service. 

“My job is to serve as a liaison between my neighbor and someone in the city who can solve whatever problems come up.” Rowe says.

While not every issue can be solved through the City, he encourages residents of District 5 to reach out with their concerns. He might not have the means to solve every issue, but he is happy to respond to all inquiries. He can be contacted through his email at Don.Rowe@cityofomaha.org. 

After a long day serving his community, Don likes to unwind with a good book. At the time of writing this he is reading Grant by Ron Chernow. He can also be found out on bike trails, a few yards behind Marcy. When he gets the chance, Rowe enjoys revisiting his alma mater to catch a Husker game. Don hopes to see them win something, one day, hopefully soon.

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Name                           Don Rowe

Occupation                   Vice President – Sales (Millard Lumber)

Education                     Bachelor of Science – Business Administration (UN-L)

Political Affiliation        Republican

Website                       www.donroweomaha.com

What are your connections to the community?

Resident of Millard for over 20 years

Member of the leadership team at Kingsway Christian Church

Past Board Member of the Metro Omaha Builder’s Association

Past Board Member of the Nebraska State Home Builder’s Association

What experience do you bring to the office?

For nearly 25 years I have worked at Millard Lumber as a member of the Executive Management Team. My work has allowed me to develop relationships in the building community. I have learned to be an excellent negotiator. I interact with customers, vendors and associates to achieve win-win solutions.

What would one of your top priorities be?

I look forward to working with the city departments to increase access to affordable housing. I believe a few adjustments to our zoning rules and a careful review of our building and safety codes could make affordable housing projects easier to develop. I am especially interested in the concept of the Missing Middle Housing.

What motivated you to run for public office?

My hope is that Omaha continues to grow and develop into a city that is welcoming, safe and affordable. My neighbors are hard-working people that want to make a good life for themselves and their families. They want to have a place to call home, where their families can feel safe. They want their neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and places of worship to be safe. I want to be a part of making that happen.

What’s the biggest issue that Omaha faces?

I believe balancing the budget coming out of the pandemic will be a challenge for the next Administration and City Council. My work at Millard Lumber has equipped me to think strategically and budget for successful financial results. I will be a common sense decision maker for the benefit of the whole city.

Is there anything else you want to tell voters?

I am proud of our city and love Southwest Omaha and the Millard area. As a resident for over 20 years and a leader in the Millard business community, I believe I have a great deal to offer. My vision for this office is to use my strong business experience to increase the quality of life for the people of Omaha. I won't raise taxes, I won't strip away Constitutional Rights, and I won't ignore the will of my constituents. We live in a great city and I believe we can work together to make it even better. I am grateful for your support.