LINCOLN — A small-town Nebraska mom grew weary of having to travel to get speech therapy for her daughter. She went back to school to become an expert, opened her own clinic in Hemingford, with its population of less than 800, and developed a smartphone app that helps kids bridge communication gaps.

Thursday, Jenilee Woltman was among a handful of entrepreneurs and businesses recognized by the Nebraska Business Development Center during a State Capitol ceremony for “strengthening communities and expanding economic opportunities.”

Headquartered at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and nearly 50 years old, the NBDC is fueled by state and federal dollars. It operates nine offices statewide, typically providing free consulting services to businesses, from startup phases to succession planning, and expertise that connects clients to financial and other sources.

Woltman’s Sand Canyon Therapy business and “Mission Accomplished” app won the Innovation Business of the Year award. The app is described in an NBDC report as a tool that helps neurodivergent children build independence.

“What she is doing in Hemingford, Nebraska, and with that app, can have significant impact across the country,” Dan Curran, executive director of the business development center, said of Woltman. Curran is a former state Department of Economic Development deputy director.

Woltman is a mother of four with an undergraduate degree in animal science and a master’s in speech-language pathology. Melissa Schoenemann is chief operating officer at Sand Canyon, which received grant and consulting assistance from NBDC staff.

Curran said Sand Canyon today is pursuing federal grant funding and launching a clinical trial in partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Other winners buoyed by the center’s experts and services:

• Jeff and Shae Caldwell of North Platte, Champion of Small Business. According to NBDC materials, the couple has opened multiple businesses, including a screen printing and a bicycle shop, a Pizza Ranch and companies that manage, own and renovate commercial properties. Curran called the family “serial entrepreneurs” and cited their investments in revitalizing downtown North Platte to help keep young people in the city.
• METGreen Solutions of Norfolk, Government Contractor of the Year. Founded in 2014 by Brian Moore, a veteran, the operation designs, integrates and manages information technology solutions for federal customers.
• Central Community College Entrepreneurship Center of Grand Island, SourceLink Nebraska Resource Partner of the Year award. The honor recognizes an entity that strengthens the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through service and partnerships. The CCC center serves 25 counties.

The honorees were recognized during an event that included Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly and UNO Chancellor Joanne Li. State lawmakers also were invited.

Nominations for the annual awards come from consultants who work with the center. An advisory board selects winners based on criteria that include job creation, sales growth and innovation in product or service offerings.

Curran said the winners reflect the “diversity, creativity, and resilience of Nebraska’s business community.”

“Our mission is to walk alongside entrepreneurs as they navigate challenges and seize opportunities,” he said.

The NBDC is part of a national network of 63 small business development centers supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration and 92 “APEX Accelerators” supported by the Department of Defense.

According to a newly released 2025 annual report, the organization’s total direct and indirect impact to the state’s economy was estimated to be $789 million last year. The report said 2,104 clients were served last year and 147 jobs were created or saved.

This story was published by Nebraska Examiner, an editorially independent newsroom providing a hard-hitting, daily flow of news. Read the original article: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/small-town-mom-veteran-college-and-r...