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Michael Yanney, a beloved figure in Omaha, passed away this weekend at the age of 92, leaving behind a legacy of generosity and community service through his work with Burlington Capital and Partnership 4 Kids.He is remembered for his investments into the Omaha community, including his spearheading of projects in Aksarben, UNMC, and to build up the Riverfront. Yanney co-founded Partnership 4 Kids with his wife, Gail, nearly four decades ago.Yanney’s daughter and CEO of Burlington Capital, Lisa Roskens, said his passion in life was mentorship.”What really floated his boat was helping people get somewhere, wherever they wanted to go, whether it was starting a small business and creating stability for their family,” Roskens said.Mike Yanney was born in Kearney as the youngest of nine, before attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney. His upbringing, Roskens said, is what inspired his life-long generosity.”He grew up, you know, the poor little Arab kid on the wrong side of the tracks in Kearney, Nebraska,” Roskens said. “He was so determined to be who he became. But I think that’s why he focuses on the parts of the community and the demographics that he does, because that’s how he got here.”This mission continues at Partnership 4 Kids under President Deb Denbeck.”Mike’s vision was to help young people make change, and he didn’t want it to be just a simple one-and-done. He wanted to stay with kids,” Denbeck said. The program has grown from humble beginnings as a mentorship program for over a dozen middle-school-aged children to a full-scale K-12 operation to serve Omaha’s youth. Denbeck accredits its success to Yanney’s unwavering commitment.”There’s more work to be done because there’s more kids that need help. And when our kids succeed, neighborhoods succeed, communities succeed. And that’s what he wanted to see. That’s what he created,” Denbeck said.Roskens believes her father’s legacy will endure. “I think what he would want is for people to think less of themselves and more about the broader world. How can we solve problems? Maybe not in a way that benefits us, but in the right way,” Roskens said.
Michael Yanney, a beloved figure in Omaha, passed away this weekend at the age of 92, leaving behind a legacy of generosity and community service through his work with Burlington Capital and Partnership 4 Kids.
He is remembered for his investments into the Omaha community, including his spearheading of projects in Aksarben, UNMC, and to build up the Riverfront. Yanney co-founded Partnership 4 Kids with his wife, Gail, nearly four decades ago.
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Yanney’s daughter and CEO of Burlington Capital, Lisa Roskens, said his passion in life was mentorship.
“What really floated his boat was helping people get somewhere, wherever they wanted to go, whether it was starting a small business and creating stability for their family,” Roskens said.
Mike Yanney was born in Kearney as the youngest of nine, before attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney. His upbringing, Roskens said, is what inspired his life-long generosity.
“He grew up, you know, the poor little Arab kid on the wrong side of the tracks in Kearney, Nebraska,” Roskens said. “He was so determined to be who he became. But I think that’s why he focuses on the parts of the community and the demographics that he does, because that’s how he got here.”
This mission continues at Partnership 4 Kids under President Deb Denbeck.
“Mike’s vision was to help young people make change, and he didn’t want it to be just a simple one-and-done. He wanted to stay with kids,” Denbeck said.
The program has grown from humble beginnings as a mentorship program for over a dozen middle-school-aged children to a full-scale K-12 operation to serve Omaha’s youth. Denbeck accredits its success to Yanney’s unwavering commitment.
“There’s more work to be done because there’s more kids that need help. And when our kids succeed, neighborhoods succeed, communities succeed. And that’s what he wanted to see. That’s what he created,” Denbeck said.
Roskens believes her father’s legacy will endure.
“I think what he would want is for people to think less of themselves and more about the broader world. How can we solve problems? Maybe not in a way that benefits us, but in the right way,” Roskens said.
