Couple Enjoys Small-Town Feel with Big-City Benefits after Moving to Beatrice, Nebraska

Short commutes, sociable neighbors, and the opportunity to shape their surroundings—Nic and Jennifer Buller are enjoying these aspects of life after moving from Kansas to Beatrice, Nebraska. They’ve also enjoyed experiencing all there is to do in and around their new hometown.

Nic and Jennifer both grew up in a small town of about 500 people outside of Wichita, Kansas. After graduating high school, each went to a nearby college. Nic attended Wichita State University, and Jennifer attended Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, 30 minutes north of Wichita.

Having spent their whole lives in Kansas, the Bullers were presented with the opportunity to move to Beatrice when Nic, who works at Koch Fertilizer, was offered a promotion.

“It wasn’t an easy decision, but Jennifer and I talked, and we decided it was something we’d like to do,” Nic recalled. They were used to a small-town lifestyle, but they also knew that many small towns didn’t have the amenities of a bigger city like Wichita. Beatrice (population 12,262) impressed them with how much it had to offer, while still having the small-town feel they enjoy.

A small town with plenty to offer

“When we came here, we were surprised by how small it felt in a good way,” said Nic. “Beatrice is a small town to a lot of people, but to us it’s big. It’s small in the sense that a lot of people know each other and you can get places quickly, but there’s plenty to do. We like the restaurants and breweries and wineries around here. And we’ve started exploring Lincoln and Omaha more. Beatrice has that small-town feel but is close to larger cities.”

Jennifer added that where they grew up in Kansas, they didn’t have a lot to do in their town. There were no restaurants or places to bring their community together. “We had a small grocery store and that was it. It’s nice to be able to go to small towns around Nebraska to try different eateries,” she said. “There are boutiques that are fun to visit. We’ve gone to quite a few parks around here as well like Rockford Lake. It opens a lot of opportunities to be outside and see what is around.”

Moving to Nebraska pays off

Nic and Jennifer are glad they made the decision to move to Nebraska. They enjoy life in Beatrice, and Nic is thriving in his new job. He works in finance for Koch Fertilizer, and he said the company is very good at letting employees define some of their responsibilities.

“You don’t have to stay in your box,” he remarked. “For example, there might be a position like mine at each of our operating facilities. We will have a core 30 percent of our job that is the same, but outside of that we can adapt to the things that we specifically enjoy.” This flexibility has given Nic the opportunity to pursue his interest in technology. He is discovering ways to better implement technology to make forecasts, track costs, and set production goals—while also exploring non-traditional approaches to his finance role.

Koch, Inc. is based in Wichita, but it has operations worldwide. Nic works for Koch Fertilizer, a division of the business with two locations in Nebraska (Beatrice and Aurora). The division’s purpose aligns with Nebraska’s strengths, as it is focused on producing innovative nutrient enhancement products to help farmers increase crop yields.

Healthcare accessibility in small-town Nebraska

Jennifer has also found a great career. She works at Asuta Health Neuropathy Clinic where she is the new patient coordinator. She has been amazed at the abundance of healthcare options in their relatively small community.

In addition to a community hospital, Beatrice has an orthopedics center, rehab facility, dental clinics, physical therapy offices, multiple doctor’s offices, several chiropractic centers, and more. “Having that availability of healthcare in a small town is pretty neat,” she said.

Making connections to community

In addition to finding rewarding work, the Bullers have found a welcoming and hospitable community in Beatrice. Since this was their first time moving away from the Wichita area, they weren’t sure what it would be like developing friendships in a new place.

“We’ve really built good friendships with coworkers, coworkers’ spouses, and connections through church,” explained Nic. “We go to the YMCA to work out, and there’s a good group of people there too. Naturally, it took a little bit of time coming to a brand-new area and not knowing anyone, but we’ve really found those connections.”

Building up Beatrice

Nic is now a recent graduate of Leadership Beatrice, a local leadership development group through the Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce, and is also a current member of the Young Professionals Gage County group. These groups focus on learning about community needs and opportunities to enhance quality of life in the area. At the end of the Leadership Beatrice group’s year-long session, they choose a community betterment project to take on together.

Last year’s class project was an abandoned alleyway where a building had been torn down. They turned the empty space into shuffleboard courts and picnic tables, an area where people can spend time together. “Each year they do something to help bolster and improve the community; it’s cool to see,” said Nic. “Our 2024-2025 Leadership Beatrice Class committed ourselves to developing a local space that will honor, uplift, and offer peace to anyone impacted by cancer.”

Plans are underway for a location called Community Cancer Garden of Life & Legacy. “I’m grateful to be a part of groups like this with amazing people who want to make a positive impact on the community,” he added.

The Good Life Is Calling

Are you interested in learning more about living and working in Nebraska? Connect with the Good Life Is Calling team here. You can also learn more about finding a career in Nebraska here.