John Fernandez shares thoughts about innovation

John Fernandez, former  U.S. assistant secretary of commerce for economic development and former Bloomington mayor,spoke at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs Tuesday as part of the school’s 40th anniversary celebration.

Fernandez, a SPEA alumnus, discussed innovation as well as his career at the Department of Commerce, where he said he concentrated on regional innovation.

“At the end of the day, we understand that competitive regions are absolutely critical to driving national success concerning innovation,” Fernandez said.

He said the Midwest needs to compete against countries with other major investments.

“We need to try to drive regionalism and lead groups to draw regional innovation clusters,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez urged students to create an economy that enables entrepreneurship. He said people take business failures harder in the Midwest.

“In the Midwest, you’re tagged as a failure if you start a business and it flames out,” Fernandez said. “If you’re in Boston or on the West Coast, you are expected to fail.”

He said innovation has to be a part of everyone’s economy.

“There is a gap in our innovation,” he said. “This is where the federal government can partner with the private sector.”

He said a proposal for innovation will only work if it has market relevance.

“Then, people will be committed to making it move forward,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez told a story of a man in Arkansas who used parts of his old Ford pickup trucks to irrigate crops. As a result, the man cut his energy costs by 15 percent.

“That’s innovation by definition,” Fernandez said.