People of Lincoln

Doug Ganz: Lincoln is a Connected Community

By Randy Bretz

Most of us who’ve lived in Lincoln for a while talk about how connected we are. Meet Doug Ganz who is a perfect illustration. Doug grew up in Lincoln, attending Rousseau Elementary, Irving Middle School, and Southeast High School. Doug and his wife Pam (Sands) Ganz have three children: Andrew, Steve, and Nancy. “Pam and I were in kindergarten together,” he said as he scrolled through his phone looking for a picture. “I have a picture of us at a birthday party when we were in kindergarten, but we really didn’t get to know each other until years later.”

Doug’s dad, Dr. Dale Ganz, was a professor in the School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1947 to 1985. He also directed the choir at St. Paul United Methodist Church and that’s where Doug made some of his early connections with the Roger and Shirley Larson family, the Duane and Phyllis Acklie family, and the Ron and Naomi Hull family, among others. As he talked about these connections and how these people impacted his life, I could tell that he cared deeply about each person he mentioned.

Doug has degrees in business and economics and that’s what got him into the world of banking. After a time working in Arizona, he returned to Lincoln to work with the National Bank of Commerce (NBC). Following several years at NBC, Doug ran into Mark Hesser of Pinnacle Bank. That led to an invitation to join the leadership at Pinnacle Bank where he has called home for nearly 25 years.

When asked what he thinks makes Lincoln tick, after a thoughtful pause he said, “There are great people who are committed to giving of their time, talent, and treasure—working together to make Lincoln a wonderful place. They have come together in so many ways, such as the 2015 group that helped develop the Arena, and so much more. Lincoln has grown a great deal since I was a kid here, and we’re facing challenges. But I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve on boards and give back to help keep Lincoln a connected city.”

It's that culture of caring for the community that has involved Ganz in so many activities and boards. He’s served on the Lincoln Symphony Board, the Community Health Endowment Board, the Friends of Opera, and the Pace Woods Foundation Board. He still serves on the Cedars Board and is connected to Lincoln’s Lighthouse After-School Program.

After talking with Doug, it became clear to me that three things are important to him. First, his family. Second, the many connections he has across Lincoln and beyond. Third, the people who inspire him to be involved in making Lincoln not just a place to live, not just a place to work, but a community which he’s proud to call home.

Randy Bretz is well past 55, and he enjoys life as a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, storyteller, author, professor, communicator, and civic activist.