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The National Governors Association (NGA) Announces Innovation America Task Force. Governors, Business and Academic Leaders Focus on Innovation, Competitiveness
The National Governors Association (NGA) today announced a 17-member task force to guide the Innovation America initiative. The announcement came as governors gathered in Phoenix, Ariz. to launch the effort.
The task force, led by NGA Chair Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano and NGA Vice Chair Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, brings together a bipartisan group of governors and members of the academic and business communities to oversee efforts to strengthen the competitive position of the United States in the global economy by improving the nation’s capacity to innovate.
Other task force governors include: Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius; Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt; Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell; and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.
Business and academic leaders include: Dr. Craig R. Barrett, chairman of the board, Intel Corp.; Dr. G. Wayne Clough, president, Georgia Institute of Technology; Dr. Michael M. Crow, president, Arizona State University; Jamie Dimon, CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Charles O. Holliday Jr., chairman and CEO, DuPont; Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, president, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Dr. Judith A. Ramaley, president, Winona State University; Dr. Mary S. Spangler, chancellor, Oakland Community College; John Thompson, chairman of the board and CEO, Symantec Corp.; Kevin Turner, COO, Microsoft Corp.; and Meg Whitman, president and CEO, eBay Inc.
"To maximize our strengths in this increasingly global environment, governors must partner with the business and academic communities to ensure state policies complement and reinforce private sector innovation," said Gov. Napolitano. "The Innovation America task force provides an outstanding forum for these groups to work together to enhance our economic competitiveness."
"Working with the NGA Center for Best Practices, the task force will take the lead in developing strategies that drive innovation," said Gov. Pawlenty. "The work of this task force will be critical to ensuring every state—and our nation—is equipped to excel in the global economy."
During the two day gathering, governors will work with business and academic leaders to identify challenges to innovation and determine the most promising strategies, policies and programs for addressing them. The agenda includes discussions centered around the state innovation landscape, K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and the role of postsecondary education as an engine of innovation. Key gubernatorial staff members will learn about the resources being developed through the initiative and begin framing an action plan for creating an "innovation environment" in each state.
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