News Release: North Platte businessman Pat Keenan elected chairman of Platte Institute board of directors

News Release: North Platte businessman Pat Keenan elected chairman of Platte Institute board of directors

NEWS RELEASE from the Platte Institute

Contact: Adam Weinberg
(402) 500-0209
aweinberg@platteinstitute.org

Attachment: Photo of Pat Keenan

Pat Keenan elected chairman of Platte Institute board of directors
North Platte businessman determined to realize Blueprint Nebraska vision

NORTH PLATTE, NE — The Platte Institute board of directors has elected Pat Keenan, of North Platte, as chairman of the organization. A photo of Keenan is attached. His bio is available with the complete board roster on PlatteInstitute.org.

The Platte Institute’s board of directors is responsible for overseeing the organization’s mission and budget, including its role in implementing economic initiatives developed by Blueprint Nebraska. The Platte Institute is a Blueprint Nebraska Alliance partner, along with the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Aksarben Foundation.

Born and raised in North Platte, Keenan graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska and began his career in the soft drink industry. The Keenan family owned and operated Great Plains Bottlers and Canners, an independent Coca-Cola bottling operation in the area for nearly a century.

Keenan was President of the Nebraska Soft Drink Association and was later a director of a soft drink bottling and canning cooperative in New Mexico. He also served as Chief Financial Officer at Great Plains Bottlers and Canners. The company was sold to Coca-Cola Enterprises in 1998.

Keenan then entered the hospitality industry, and now manages Keenan Management LLC, which owns and operates hotels and develops commercial properties, including the Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn, and Tru by Hilton in North Platte.

“Pat Keenan is someone who not only works hard in business, but has a greater vision of bringing vitality to the places where he invests,” Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of the Platte Institute, said.

“He sees what Nebraskans are capable of achieving and is driven to help his community and the state reach its fullest potential,” Vokal said.

Keenan serves on committees and boards for the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation, and the Quality Growth Fund of North Platte, while previously serving on the steering committee for Blueprint Nebraska. He was a past chairman of the Great Plains Regional Medical Center, the North Platte Salvation Army Board of Advisors, and the North Platte Development Corporation.

“Thousands of Nebraskans were involved in developing Blueprint Nebraska economic initiatives on issues from agriculture, to the workforce, to finally bringing Nebraska’s tax system into the 21st century, and the Platte Institute won’t let their work just sit on the shelf,” Pat Keenan said.

“With so many other states taking major steps to become more inviting and welcoming in this new economy, our team won’t settle for just a little fine-tuning. We’ll continue building momentum for thinking big and acting boldly to advance opportunity in communities across Nebraska,” Keenan said.

To schedule an interview on this announcement, please contact Adam Weinberg at (402) 500-0209 or aweinberg@platteinstitute.org.

The Platte Institute advances policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. Visit PlatteInstitute.org/Media to find more Platte Institute media resources.

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