Making innovation a priority with your governor: SSTI Conference preview

This week we continue our four-part series focused on navigating innovation priorities in a variety of settings. With the 2018 elections less than three weeks away and 36 states facing gubernatorial races, this week we focus on how to make innovation a priority with your governor. SSTI spoke with C. Michael Cassidy, director of the new Emory Biomedical Catalyst, and Christine Smith, managing director of innovation, Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, about their experiences in working with their states’ governors over the years.

The series features excerpts of interviews with experts in the field, each of whom will also be presenting at our annual conference, where these topics will be explored in greater depth. This conference session on Dec. 4 in Salt Lake City will also feature Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. Click here for more information on the conference.

Q:  Is there one best method to gaining support for regional innovation within a state?

A: Mike Cassidy – I like to go back to what Dan Berglund is famous for saying — do good work, talk about what you do, and don’t screw it up. It is important to have that portfolio of good stories to talk about — and I do mean stories. It is a qualitative, not a quantitative thing. You do have to have the data, but is the stories that bring to life that what an agency does is important.

Christine Smith - The best strategy I have found is to be inclusive – identify stakeholders across the state who share an interest in your work and can help you communicate its importance. 

Q:  Why is it important for an organization to be engaged with their governor and administration on TBED issues? 

A: Christine Smith - Many issues compete for a governor’s attention so it is critical that a TBED organization establish strong relationships with state government officials at all levels to ensure TBED topics are properly supported and central to the governor’s economic development strategy. With a strong relationship, you become a trusted source and not just another email asking for a letter of support or a budget line item.

Mike Cassidy – While many states may be seeing their revenues increasing, the reality is what is left in discretionary spending for our programs is less and less. It is going to take more than the merit of what we’re doing to see these programs succeed. It will mean developing relationships beyond the direct operating mode of technology-based economic development. It will mean gaining the support of leaders in the state who have said that this is important to the future of the state.

Q: Where should one start in working with an administration? 

A: Christine Smith – Oftentimes it is your external partners who can really help during the transition and early days of a new administration. Key staff or members in the legislature, external liaisons at the academic and medical institutions as well as your corporate contacts all are really helpful in supporting your programs and establishing them as priorities for the new administration.  In addition to hearing from you through transition memos, your new governor and staff will hear directly from the community that what you are doing is important, has value and benefits companies in your state.

Mike Cassidy - With a new administration, you have to figure out what their “root” is and you have to say first, “What can we do for you?” Each new governor brings new ideas to the table and each will put a different spin on what they want to do. So first, you have to say, how can we help, and then you backfill with what you have been able to accomplish. Frequently if a previous administration has touted what they did with your organization as part of their portfolio, a new governor may want to move on to their own signature programs, and you have to be able to tweak what you are doing with the next governor.