COLUMBUS AREA UNITED WAY RALLIES COMMUNITY AS THE 2026 CAMPAIGN BEGINS WITH LOCAL PACESETTER COMPANY MOMENTUM
Columbus- Ready, Set, Campaign! Fourteen local Pacesetter companies are ready to help “Set the Pace” for the 2026 Columbus Area United Way campaign. These companies, with help from their employees, are the top local contributing companies and will help kick off the campaign in August. Their participation is vital to the success of the campaign as approximately 60% of the campaign total is raised by these companies and their employees. The General Campaign launches in September and will run through December 31st, 2026.
The 2026 Campaign Team consists of Drive Chair, Adam Urkoski, Pinnacle Bank, Assistant Drive Chair, Bryan Chochon, Great Plains State Bank, and Pacesetter Chair, Ahren Uhlig, Edgewater Insurance who will work with the Board of Directors to lead the Campaign.
During the month of August, Columbus Area United Way partners with Pacesetter companies in developing a customized campaign specific to each Pacesetters’ employees and timeline. Campaign presentations are held at Pacesetter locations providing information about Columbus Area United Way goals, partner agencies, impact, and building awareness on where the dollars go to support the local community. Pacesetter Chair, Ahren Uhlig, said “Our Pacesetter companies are a big reason our campaign starts off strong. They raise about two-thirds of the total funds raised and their participation is vital to the overall success of the campaign.”
Columbus Area United Way has developed an online toolkit which provides data, information, marketing tools, partner agency videos and more through the Columbus Area United Way website (columbusunitedway.com.) Uhlig adds, “Our Pacesetter companies set an excellent example for the community on what it means to support each other. Their leadership shows the community that if we come together, we can make an impact.”
The dollars raised during the 2026 Campaign will go to support sixteen partner agencies offering thirty programs in the areas of Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, and Healthy Communities in 2026. Currently, 1 in 4 community members access programming supported by Columbus Area United Way.
Columbus Area United Way is honored to have the support of the following 2025 Pacesetter companies:
BD Medical
Behlen Mfg. Co.
Camaco Columbus Manufacturing
Cargill (Columbus and Schuyler locations)
Columbus Bank and Trust Co.
Columbus Community Hospital
Columbus Public Schools
First National Bank
Great Plains State Bank
Nebraska Public Power District
Pillen Family Farms/DNA Genetics
Pinnacle Bank
Valmont
Vishay Intertechnology
On September 10th, Columbus Area United Way will report on the success of the Pacesetter campaign in which the General Campaign will launch. Columbus Area United Way volunteers will comb the community asking you to partner in the 2026 campaign.