Warrens Keep ‘City Jobs’ After Moving to Holdrege

The pandemic created a unique opportunity for Shane and Jennifer Warren to continue their current employment and move to a smaller town.

The Warrens had been living in Lincoln where Jennifer worked as the administrative billing specialist for KVC Behavioral Healthcare, a private, nonprofit organization that supports youth, families, and adults throughout Nebraska with a variety of programs. She has been working for the organization for 12 years now. Shane is a sales support engineer for Electronic Contracting Company, a company that provides audio/visual, fire alarm, healthcare, and security solutions to businesses and organizations. He has worked for ECC for nine years.

“Throughout the pandemic, our companies realized that employment doesn’t have to mean being in the office Monday – Friday 8:00 to 5:00 and that there is technology out there to make working from home a possibility for their employees,” Shane said. “Jennifer is originally from Holdrege and still has her close family members living in the Holdrege community. Both of our companies have allowed us to continue our employment while being able to move closer to family members. They have been amazing, supportive, and flexible in helping us get back to the root of things and be with family while continuing in our roles and dedication to our jobs.”

Jennifer, a 1999 HHS grad, and Shane, who is originally from Hastings, have been married for 16 years and have one daughter, Brecklynn, who is a fourth-grader at Holdrege Elementary. They received a tip from a family friend about a house going on the market in Holdrege in the summer of 2021, and they decided to make the move.

“It’s been great living here, and we have enjoyed getting back to a smaller community,” Shane said. “Attending the community events, our nephew’s games, getting together with family and friends have been amazing. Plus there is a lot of support in a smaller community, and it is so much more personal. The first month we lived here we were invited to a neighborhood social event, and we got to meet almost all of our neighbors. Plus our daughter having kids who go to her school in our neighborhood has been the best thing for her.”