Draft:Pete Festersen

Pete Festersen (born 1970) is an American politician currently serving as the President of the City Council in Omaha, Nebraska (population 485,153.. ). A member of the Democratic party, Festersen has represented Omaha’s first district as a member of the council since 2009. District 1 covers Omaha neighborhoods including Dundee, Country Club, Benson, Florence, Keystone, Crossroads, and the Westroads area.

Early Life and Education
Pete Festersen was born and raised in Omaha, where he attended Central High School before pursuing higher education. He graduated from Connecticut College and later earned his Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Political Career
Festersen's political journey began in 2009 when he was elected to the Omaha City Council. He has since been re-elected in 2013, 2017, and 2021. Notably, Festersen served as the President of the City Council from 2013 to 2015. In 2021 and 2023, he was re-elected as the President of the City Council. In 2023, Festersen’s appointment as President was chosen through a unanimous vote. In 2013, Festersen briefly ran for a seat in U.S. Congress before ultimately choosing to end his run to focus on his city council role, business career, and young family.

Professional Career
Aside from his political endeavors, Festersen has been the Division Vice President of Strategy and Public Affairs for CHI Health, a prominent private health system employer in Omaha, since 2016 From 2010-2015, Festersen owned and operated a consulting business, Strategic Business Development, LLC., providing support for corporate and non-profit business clients. Festersen has also held senior management positions at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, the Peter Kiewit Foundation, and the Office of the Mayor of Omaha.

Recognitions and Awards
In 2012, Festersen received the Excellence in Public Service Award from the University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Public Administration and Community Service The American Society for Public Administration-Nebraska Chapter named him elected official of the year in 2014. In 2015, the University of Nebraska at Omaha presented Festersen with the Citation for Alumni Achievement