Luke Virgil
Opening Plenary Response Panel
Luke Virgil is the executive director at Wayne Area Economic
Development (WAED). He has been working in economic development
since 2012 and has assisted multiple businesses of varying sizes
via recruitment, retention visits, and transition planning.
Since starting at WAED, Virgil has championed broadband, child
care, and housing as strategies to grow and improve rural
Nebraska. Most recently, WAED has been working with municipal
leaders, businesses, and local property owners to develop a new
industrial site and additional housing developments for Wayne.
In 2020, WAED welcomed Ace Hardware & Home to Wayne, which
filled the local retail void created by the closing of Shopko in
2019. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, WAED has been an active
advocate for businesses in the community, even though the full
impact on individual businesses and the community may not be
felt for months or years. Virgil grew up near Wahoo, Nebraska,
and received his B.S. in political science at Wayne State
College. Virgil and his wife, Megan, have an 8-year-old son,
Brody, and a 5-year-old daughter, Brynn.