Community Conversation: Unleashing the Entrepreneurial Spirit in Government
The final Community Conversation of the year, Unleashing the Entrepreneurial Spirit in Government celebrated Global Entrepreneurship Week.
As part of the University of Miami’s Global Entrepreneurship Week and in partnership with the UM Launch Pad, the Good Government Initiative held its 4th Community Conversation, entitled “Unleashing the Entrepreneurial Spirit in Government” on Friday, November 18, 2011. The panel, kicked off by UM’s Susan Amat, Executive Director of the Launch Pad and moderated by Katy Sorenson, President and CEO of the Good Government Initiative, was made up of Miami Gardens Mayor Shirley Gibson; Michael Spring, Director of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs; Alexandra Villoch, Co-Chair of the Beacon Council’s One Community One Goal Initiative; and Peter Schnebly, founder of Schnebly Winery in the Redland.
The panel discussed innovation in government, the importance of having a strategy, acquiring and using key resources, and the interactions between government and business.
Mayor Gibson talked about what motivated her to lead the movement to incorporate Miami Gardens – that they could do better as a city than as a part of unincorporated Miami-Dade County. She told the audience of community members and UM students about the tenacity of the movement and how she has continued to advocate for her city as mayor. She drew chuckles when she said “I may not be a strong mayor,” referring to the government structure in Miami Gardens, “but I’m certainly a strong woman.”
Mr. Spring discussed his department’s comprehensive strategy to expand and support the arts in Miami-Dade County. He enumerated the major investments made in infrastructure by local governments that help arts organizations succeed. He also detailed the Department of Cultural Affairs’ techniques to expand the audience for arts programming, including Culture Shock Miami , which offers $5 tickets to students for a wide range of cultural events.
Ms. Villoch detailed the development of the One Community One Goal Initiative and the Beacon Council’s strategy to attract businesses from target industries while laying the groundwork to make sure resources are in place when these businesses relocate to South Florida.
Mr. Schnebly, talked about his transition from running a farm to running a winery and the importance of learning the government process. In his view, government gives business the ability to have structure for the things they need to do, and that the relationship between community and government is one that both sides have to work at. While working on legislation regarding breweries and bed and breakfasts, he reported that instead of ignoring government, he decided to “become a part of it in order to change it.”
Katy Sorenson called it an interesting conversation among professionals who represent some of the best of entrepreneurship in our community. “I was glad for the audience to hear about creativity and imagination in both the public and private sectors. It’s important for all of us to understand the role government can play in innovation,” Sorenson said.
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