RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE
We recognize this year’s Citizen of the Year and our Corporate Partner Award winners for going above and beyond to help our neighbors in need during the 2022-23 campaign.
henry davis
2023 Citizen of the year Award
Henry Davis was named the Citizen of the Year for his commitment and dedication to our community.
Henry Davis is the CEO of Greater Omaha Packing Co. He joined the family business upon his graduation from the University of Denver in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and later succeeded his father, Pennie, as President and CEO in 1987.
Under Henry’s leadership, Greater Omaha Packing Co. has seen tremendous growth. They have quadrupled their processing capacity and expanded product lines and shipping worldwide, while remaining true to its original dedication of providing the highest quality product to its customers and the consumer. Greater Omaha Packing Co. exports to more than 70 countries and is the sole provider of U.S. beef to many across the world. Greater Omaha Packing Co. also shares its success with its employees by providing college and trade scholarships to dependents of employees, and they have been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Omaha” by the Omaha Chamber of Commerce.
Greater Omaha Packing Co. has also shared Henry’s business talent with the rest of the country. He represented Nebraska at the White House in the first “Made in America Showcase,” and he was a member of the Economic Advisory Council for District 10 of the Federal Reserve Board.
Henry’s leadership does not stop at the board room door. He has a passion for helping underserved youth in the greater Omaha community, having served on the boards of Partnership for Kids and Avenue Scholars. But, no other organization knows Henry’s passion for helping vulnerable youth better than Project Harmony, which serves more than 10,000 children a year who have been physically, sexually or mentally abused. With Henry’s support and leadership, Project Harmony opened the Henry Davis Campus in 2010 – allowing more than 200 professionals and eight supporting agencies to work together collaboratively under one roof. More recently, due to Henry’s generosity, the Henry Davis Bryan Middle School Boys & Girls Club was opened providing an onsite Boys & Girls Club at Bryan Middle School where students can enjoy quality athletic programming and a STEAM Innovation Center.
In addition to his passion for serving the youth, Henry also supports the arts having served on the boards of the Joslyn Art Museum and Kaneko. He has also served on the boards of Bellevue University, the Omaha Community Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Omaha, Catholic Charities, the North American Meat Institute, and is a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO).
Henry is the former recipient of a number of Humanitarian of the Year awards; from the City of Omaha, the Jewish Federation of Omaha and the Conference for Inclusive Communities.
He has two children, Lauren a psychotherapist and Cameron who is a lawyer with Arnold and Porter.