Mady Besch—Graphic Designer II

Despite the circumstances, Besch had a lot to be thankful for in 2020. In March, she celebrated the addition of a Whoodle (Wheaten terrier/poodle mix) puppy named Ahsoka; in August, she got engaged to the love of her life, Ryan, on top of a mountain in Colorado; in November, a stray kitten, Ember, walked onto their doorstep and into their hearts; and at the end of the year, she celebrated four creative and fun-filled years at Omaha Magazine. Even though she sees magazines before they go to press, she says it’s still like Christmas morning when they arrive in her mailbox. She loves spending time with her furry family (including Ryan), thrifting, and with her loved ones. She hopes this year she can attend concerts and see family members who were affected and isolated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

KYLE FISHER—Accounting/Operations Manager

Fisher’s career has taken him on a full-circle adventure. More than 30 years ago, his sports management career started with the Omaha Royals. His wife, Phyllis, is a former military brat, so it was relatively easy for her to travel with Kyle on eight different sports gigs in eight years, the eighth being the Omaha Stormchasers. Their son, Travis, grew up in the area and started college at Nebraska Wesleyan in fall 2020. Memorable moments at the ballpark include a stadium bomb threat, an exploding field sprinkler that provided the teams with a pregame shower before the first pitch, and a dinner with Hall of Fame player George Brett and Warren Buffett. 

KIM REINER—Freelance Writer

Reiner is known to get up at 5 a.m. to write and actually enjoy it. By day, she’s the director of marketing and public relations at Omaha Children’s Museum; by night, she writes her hyperlocal family travel blog, ohmyomaha.com. She’s the author of Lost Restaurants of Omaha. Reiner is an Omaha native married to the funniest guy she knows, and has a son and daughter who share his sense of humor. She has two rescue dogs that make the worst home office mates, so it’s a good thing they’re cute.

MIKE WHYE—Freelance Writer

Whye is a freelance photographer and writer whose works appear in newspapers and magazines. He is the author of books, including most recently, Off the Beaten Path: The Dakotas and Iowa’s Historic Places. Photo books by him include Omaha Impressions and Nebraska Simply Beautiful. He has photographed for the tourism departments of Nebraska and Iowa. A native Texan, Whye is an adjunct instructor teaching photojournalism at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He lives in Council Bluffs with his wife, Dorie Stone. Their children are in Portland; Madison, Wisconsin; and Chicago.

This article originally appeared in the May issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.