UNO Announces Purchase of First Data Property
- contact: Charley Reed - University Communications
- phone: 402.554.2129
- email: unonews@unomaha.edu
- search keywords:
- omaha
- community
- first data
- campus
OMAHA - Leaders of the University of Nebraska and First Data Corp. in Omaha announced today that the university, using private funds, has acquired the First Data office building at 6902 Pine St., which is adjacent to UNO’s Pacific Street Campus. The acquisition will allow for strategic program growth and collaborations in areas important to the state.
The 194,000 square-foot building will accommodate program growth in areas that represent key strengths for the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Those could include applied information technology, national security, IT innovation, business and others important to Nebraska’s economy and workforce. Additionally, the space could open new opportunities for collaborative partnerships with industry, including First Data, or other entities in Omaha and beyond.
“This is a win for UNO, First Data and the state. The building is a tremendous resource for our campus that will set the stage for the next phase of growth at UNO,” said Chancellor John Christensen. “We have an opportunity to build on our success in ways that will benefit our students, business partners and the community. I’m incredibly excited about what this means for the future of the university.”
“First Data has a long and successful partnership with UNO that serves as a key pillar of our overall commitment to higher education and the Omaha community,” said Frank Bisignano, Chairman and CEO, First Data. “Beyond our relationship as neighbors and the real estate transactions at our Aksarben campus, we have worked with UNO on a number of strategic initiatives, including providing internships for talented UNO students and hiring recent graduates for a variety of positions within our company.”
UNO and First Data have been closely linked for decades. The University of Nebraska’s Peter Kiewit Institute and UNO’s Mammel Hall and Scott Village student housing stands on land originally purchased by First Data from the Ak-Sar-Ben Trust in the mid-1990s and donated to UNO. This new agreement furthers the commitment between UNO and First Data as collaborative partners, dedicated to bringing together education and business to support Omaha and Nebraska.
“First Data is pleased to assist UNO with their strategic expansion, as this builds on our nearly two decades of successful partnership,” said George Wehbe, First Data Senior Vice President and Head of Omaha Business Operations. “This transaction will allow us to consolidate this office with our other Omaha locations, and will further our efforts to modernize our facilities, improve communication and collaboration, while deepening our commitment to the region.”
First Data will transition operations from the Pine Street building to other space it holds in the metropolitan area. Employees will be transferred to other properties.
“One of the University of Nebraska’s most important responsibilities is making investments in areas where we have an opportunity to be a global leader and where growth would better serve our students, faculty and Nebraskans. With this building, we’ll be able to do that,” said University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds. “This is the latest example of the tremendous momentum and energy I experience every time I’m at UNO.”
The state budget package approved by the Legislature and signed Wednesday by Gov. Pete Ricketts includes funding for university maintenance projects, including renovation of the Pine Street building. Bounds thanked the Governor and state senators for their support, which will be used to update the building to create 21st-century learning and working space. Bounds also thanked NU Chief Strategist James Linder, M.D., for his leadership in working with First Data to develop deeper collaborations, resulting in the opportunity to acquire the building to support UNO’s strategic growth.
The building was purchased by the University of Nebraska Foundation. The foundation will transfer the building to UNO at a later date.
About the University of Nebraska at Omaha
Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.
Become a fan of UNO on Facebook: facebook.com/unomaha and follow UNO's Twitter updates at twitter.com/unomaha.
About First Data
First Data (NYSE: FDC) is a global leader in commerce-enabling technology and solutions, serving approximately six million business locations and 4,000 financial institutions in 118 countries around the world. The company’s 24,000 owner-associates are dedicated to helping companies, from start-ups to the world’s largest corporations, conduct commerce every day by securing and processing more than 2,500 transactions per second and $1.9 trillion per year.