Colonel William "Mick" Bloom retired on 1 July 1980 following a 32-year career in the U.S. Air Force. While on active duty, Colonel Bloom participated in local AFCEA affairs serving as VP for publicity for the Hawaii chapter and as AFCEA liaison at Headquarters Air Force Systems Command for over six years. Since returning to Omaha and following retirement, he has served the Greater Omaha Chapter of AFCEA as a board member, VP for programs for two years and president for two years. Colonel Bloom was actively involved in all aspects of chapter affairs. Under his guidance and leadership the base of chapter participation broadened and attendance at monthly meetings noticeably increased. His management and innovative ideas resulted in additional revenues for the chapter's scholarship program. Chapter membership increased despite the formation of a new chapter within the area previously covered by the Greater Omaha Chapter. In June 1984, the Greater Omaha Chapter was presented the Albert J. Myer Award for largest percentage of increase in chapter member renewals.
During October 1984, the Greater Omaha Chapter sponsored its first Mid-America Symposium. The symposium theme, "Information Systems for Strategic Command and Control" was examined in three high-level panel discussions. Supplementing the panel sessions were major addresses by General Bennie L. Davis, USAF, Commander in Chief of SAC; the Honorable Robert Kerrey, Govenor of Nebraska; and VADM Jon L. Boyes, USN (Ret), President of AFCEA International. Industrial exhibits displayed the latest in hardware and software technologies. Colonel Bloom was the symposium executive chairman and also the acting general chairman. With the assistance of an expert symposium committee inspired by his active leadership and guidance, he achieved excellent success with this first-ever major chapter event. Fourteen industry exhibits were arranged to complement the social functions. Registration totaled 282 symposium participants and a cash surplus was realized in the amount of $6632.00. This money was added to the chapter's scholarship account. The response from Industry and the DoD participants to the Mid-America Symposium was so positive that a follow-on symposium was held in 1985 and most every year since then. Colonel Bloom spent many hours chairing the planning committee and working many of the planning actions himself. In large measure, he was directly instrumental in the symposium's technical and financial success.
Colonel Bloom worked hard to expand participation in chapter activities, increase the quality of programs presented to chapter members and to make the Greater Omaha AFCEA Chapter the best professional organization serving the Omaha area.