The TEAM

Carver Legacy Center Owners and Joint Venture Partners

SMB/Revive:  Willie and Yolanda Barney launched SMB Enterprises, LLC, a media, events and communications company in 2003 and the nationally recognized Empowerment Network in 2006.  They are co-founders and co-owners of the Carver Legacy Center.  

They both have over 25 years of business and community development experience. Willie and Yolanda own several businesses including Revive Omaha magazine, Revive Center Omaha, an event & food center and a national consulting firm, WDB Resultants.  The Carver Legacy Center started as a vision from Willie to bring a financial institution back to the historic Carver building and the reemerging 24^th and Lake Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Business District.

SMB is the parent company of Revive Omaha which launched the Revive Black Business Network nine years ago and has worked with over 300 Black businesses and entrepreneurs. Revive has hosted workshops, a monthly business development luncheon with keynote speakers, special events with national consultants and one of the largest and most successful Black business expos in the region.  Revive also publishes the region’s most comprehensive Black business guide in print and online and a highly popular North Omaha Community Guide.  Revive has helped to launch and support dozens of Black-owned businesses. 

Barak II:  Martin and Lynnell Williams are the owners of Barak II and co-founders and co-owners of the Carver Legacy Center.  They are also the co-founders and former co-pastors of the internationally known Ambassador Worship Center. 

Martin and Lynnell both have 30+ years of community and economic development experience.  Martin also had a vision to own a financial institution and the Williams and Barneys joined together to launch Carver.

Barak II, LLC is a real-estate, investing and development company with real estate holdings in Nebraska and outside of the United States. Barak II has over 20 years experience incubating and launching successful small businesses, coaching them to advance from the hobby enterprise stage into thriving organizations. Barak II was instrumental in transforming a 120,000 sq. ft. mixed-use property into an entrepreneurship center. The development housed retail bays, offices, a salon, fitness center, insurance, and more currently valued at over $20 million dollars. After extensive renovations and repurposing, the space has provided an incubation model for several startup businesses. Barak II has strong financial investments locally and internationally.

American National Bank:  John and Wende Kotouc are co-CEOs and co-Chairs of the Board of Directors of American National Bank.  They have partnered with Willie and Yolanda Barney for over 15 years on strategic community initiatives and worked with the Williams family over 25 years ago on community outreach efforts. 

American National Bank is a strong regional bank serving customers nationally with a long history of making strategic community investments.  With over $4 billion in assets and 100+ years of banking experience, American National Bank serves as a vendor to the support the Carver Legacy Center. American National Bank is also making investments in the Carver Legacy Center to support the vision, including but not limited to: equipment, staff, and deposits and loans designated as Carver Legacy.  The Carver Legacy team is also committed to partnering with additional banks and institutions locally and nationally.