When the sun, the moon and the stars align….
How often do we speak of a specific time and place when despair suddenly becomes hope? When discouraging times are rapidly followed by great triumph? I see this pattern not as celestial but as very human, very real and very much the way progress is made. These are moments when players may find themselves in a coalition with a common vision and work to quickly get things done.
We’ve experienced some of that regarding the University of Missouri and economic development. Through hard work, and a bit of luck, we’ve enjoyed an alliance of courageous officials in government, long-patient leaders in business, and progressive leaders in the university—all working toward the same goal. We’ve seen the necessity of the research university being the foundation of a new, dynamic and long-lasting Missouri economy.
When such an alignment of interests happens, the results can be amazing. Consider St. Louis, where Express Scripts, a Fortune 150 company, now resides side-by-side with our urban campus. Here in Columbia, both the business incubator and the research park, long ambitions of the local community, are suddenly under construction. Plans also are well under way for similar developments in both Rolla and Kansas City.
Perhaps even more important than facilities are the partnerships with the university that have deepened and matured. In Columbia, the Missouri Innovation Center has expanded its board and is building a reputation for nurturing entrepreneurs to help them create successful start-ups. Wait until they get in their new facility. Another leap has been the formation, by the Chamber of Commerce, of Centennial Investors, mid-Missouri’s own bona fide angel investment group. Think of the city of Columbia itself and the planning being done to ignite the city/campus corridor. One can only imagine what mid-Missouri may look like in 10 years.
Though Missouri’s legendary humility and skepticism do serve important purposes, consider for a moment the progress being made. The raw talent and capability of our research largely has gone unharnessed. We have the ability to build upon these strengths in a geographical area central to the nation and proximate to a world made flat by technology.
It’s been a privilege to work amongst the allied interests of government, business and academia here in Missouri. My job also has re-taught me lessons learned long ago. We can accomplish a vision only when it is shared among partners, and we are only as strong and potent as the overall strength of that coalition. We have a fantastic group of leaders, organizations and affiliates in Missouri. If you are interested in what our future will be, count on it being determined by the strength of our collective vision and action.
John Gardner is vice president for research and economic development at the University of Missouri