Summit looks at ways to spur entrepreneurs, market Rochester

AIMEE K. WILES Elsa Steo, an HR Works Inc. executive, speaks at summit. From left are Donald Boyd, assistant provost at Rochester Institute of Technology, and Joseph Lobozzo II, president of JML Optical Industries.

By David Tyler
Democrat and Chronicle

(Wednesday, January 30, 2002) -- Before about 200 business, government and academic leaders convened for an economic summit, Monroe County Executive Jack Doyle called for creation of a fund to develop new businesses.

"Technological innovation is the bulwark of our community," said Doyle at the summit he convened Tuesday in hopes of finding new strategies to encourage business creation and growth. Such a fund would help continue Rochester's tradition of bringing new products to the marketplace, Doyle said.

The fund, still in the planning stage, could reach $1 million from public and private sources, said County Planning and Development Director Rocco DiGiovanni.

Giving business innovators the economic means to thrive was a recurring theme of the summit.

"Don't create barriers to new creativity," said author Virginia Postrel, who gave one of two keynote addresses at the five-hour event, held at the Memorial Art Gallery.

Postrel encouraged government leaders to avoid regulations that limit business. That will help stimulate creativity among entrepreneurs, she said.

Another theme: marketing the region's strengths outside the area.

Economist Barry Asmus, the other keynote speaker, made a passionate plea for those at the summit to become "Rochester's cheerleaders."

"Talk about, share, disseminate the underlying virtues of Rochester," Asmus said.

He called for the creation of a group to market the region. One such group has already been created, the Greater Rochester Enterprise, an effort headed by business leaders, which plans a five-year, $14 million regional marketing campaign.

Asmus said the proposed fast ferry between Rochester and Toronto is just one proposal on which the community needs to come together.

"You can't sit there saying, 'I don't know if people will ride this,' " Asmus said. "Come on! Be a cheerleader."

Conference attendees said they were encouraged by what they heard.

"The idea of being a cheerleader really resonated with me," said Dana Miller, a neighborhood activist in the city's 19th Ward.

Josanne DeNatale, vice president and executive creative director of Cognitive Marketing Inc., a Rochester marketing firm that works in economic development, said she was pleased that the summit even took place. "These kinds of community conversations are necessary."

Doyle said he wants to make the summit an annual event. County officials also plan three follow-up meetings to discuss ideas raised at the summit.