OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The CEO of Oriental Trading Company, Steve Mendelik, ran the Berkshire Hathaway "Invest in Yourself" 5K along the Omaha riverfront with family and employees. They joined shareholders and neighbors for a run that doubled as a fundraiser for Girls Inc. It was an end to the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting.
Environmental activists also showed up. They hope the Omaha-based firm will divest from its fossil fuel utilities and invest entirely in renewable energy.
Mendelik said he felt good watching runners cross the finish line: "The smiles on their faces of accomplishment, you know, it's really cool."
Samal Kumarova, who traveled from Kazakhstan for the event, said she was pleased with her performance: "I think that maybe I finish in 23 minutes, so it was good."
Ryleigh Hanson, a member of the Disney Elementary Running Club: "I feel good and I feel like I achieved something."
Apparently, a friendly rivalry has developed between Omaha-area Girls Inc. clubs, according to 10-year-old Lillie Johnson from the South Omaha club: "We usually just go past them and then they see us, so they just try to go past us but we're a little too fast."
Also among the runners were members of environmental groups calling on Berkshire Hathaway — which owns utilities across the country — to close power plants that run on fossil fuels. Emma Colman noted the proximity of one major facility to the race route.
"Yeah, so one of the biggest plants in the state of Iowa is just down the river from this 5K," Coleman said, looking across the river.
Groups including the Sierra Club and Iowa Environmental Council want the company to invest exclusively in renewable energy. Sunshine Thomas-Bear, who is Winnebago, said a MidAmerican Energy plant near the Winnebago Reservation is harming her community.
"Winnebago and the Omaha Nation reservations are taking the brunt of this pollution and my people are suffering," Thomas-Bear said.
MidAmerican Energy provided a statement that reads, in part: "MidAmerican continues to invest heavily in renewable generation, including wind and solar, while maintaining a balanced energy mix to ensure dependable 24/7 service ..."
Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel was asked about fossil fuel plants on Saturday: "...we have plans on resources and when we'll, um, retire our coal units, potentially and, and our gas units. That's very much driven by state policy," Abel said.
Coleman stressed what she see as an urgent situation: "We don't have any wiggle room with the pollution in our water in Iowa, we don't need that added to it."
READ THE ENTIRE MIDAMERICAN STATEMENT BELOW
"MidAmerican Energy has a long track record of advancing renewable energy while delivering reliable and affordable service for customers. In Iowa, MidAmerican owns and operates the nation’s largest rate regulated wind fleet. In 2025, that portfolio helped MidAmerican provide carbon free energy equivalent to approximately 96% of Iowa customers’ annual electricity use, while keeping electric rates about 44% below the national average.
MidAmerican continues to invest heavily in renewable generation, including wind and solar, while maintaining a balanced energy mix to ensure dependable 24/7 service, particularly during periods of peak demand and extreme weather. The timing and pace of further transitions are guided by state policy and regulatory processes, with customer reliability and affordability as the top priorities.
All MidAmerican operated generating facilities comply with federal and state environmental laws and regulations. Since 2005, MidAmerican has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 30%, nitrogen oxides by 71%, and sulfur oxides by 87%, even as total generation has increased by 95% to support economic growth.
With respect to water and air quality, MidAmerican takes environmental stewardship seriously. As coal ash regulations evolved, the company closed all ash ponds and now manages coal ash in lined, on site landfills that meet regulatory standards. Groundwater at those sites is routinely monitored, and MidAmerican remains in full compliance with environmental requirements.
MidAmerican’s goal is straightforward: protect the communities and natural resources it serves while providing safe, reliable, and affordable energy for today and the future."
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