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ExecutiveBiz: What is the role of the EDA in spurring growth in Fairfax County?
Gerald Gordon:
Our primary objective is to help foster a prosperous climate for business growth, and over the past three decades Fairfax County has demonstrated – consistently demonstrated – that the county is an attractive place in which to do business, whether it’s launching a new enterprise or relocating or expanding an existing one. We are proud to be home to six Fortune 500 companies and are widely regarded as among the premier centers of technology in the country. While the county’s success has had a multiplier effect, which means that the businesses born and germinated here make it an attractive place for new businesses, that consequence does not mean that we can rest on our laurels. Continued growth begets continued prosperity and a consistently high quality of life for our residents. That, ultimately, is the driving force behind the FCEDA.
ExecutiveBiz: What do you mean by a “prosperous climate for business growth?” Why is Fairfax County such a sought-after location for business?
Gerald Gordon:
When you compare Fairfax County to other markets of the country, you begin to appreciate the vast number of advantages we have. The pro-business climate I referred to starts with an attractive tax structure, with an adequate array of office space and access to two international airports. Our highly educated and technologically proficient workforce is second to none, and our digital communications structure also is unparalleled. Combine that with our education system – I’m referring to public schools and the local colleges and universities – not to mention the quality of life that we enjoy, and you begin to appreciate why the county is such an attractive place to do business.
ExecutiveBiz: You recently announced that Fairfax County EDA is sponsoring a major conference this fall – the 2007 National Conference on the Creative Economy. What’s that all about?
Gerald Gordon:
It starts with the premise that we live in a global economy, an economy that increasingly will be built on innovation. Over the past century, we lived within an economic paradigm that was largely built on size and speed: who could make it bigger or smaller, who could make it faster, who could make it produce or store more data? The economic stimuli today are much more sophisticated, much more subjective. We must think smarter, we must think globally, and we must think creatively. I believe that creativity will be the currency of the 21st century. In order to take full advantage of this shifting paradigm and to best prepare Fairfax County businesses to meet the new challenges of the creative economy head on, we are sponsoring an inaugural conference called the National Conference on the Creative Economy.
ExecutiveBiz: Just what do you mean by the “creative economy?”
Gerald Gordon:
The “creative economy” – a phrase popularized by George Mason University Professor Richard Florida – is the byproduct of what we traditionally think of as creative businesses: the arts, film production, advertising, or architecture and design. Important as they are to the business climate of a community, these professions typically do not serve as significant economic catalysts, and they certainly are not the source of major job growth or tax revenue. But what the business community is coming to appreciate is that this traditional definition of creativity is far too narrow. We must think of creativity as a synonym for innovation – innovation in any field. Creativity is what drives technological and scientific breakthroughs. It is what is often behind the entrepreneurial spirit that seeks out new solutions. Businesses with workplace cultures that encourage new ideas are helping fuel the creative economy and are positioning themselves as market leaders, irrespective of the kind of industry they are in.
ExecutiveBiz: Why is Fairfax County Economic Development Authority putting this conference together?
Gerald Gordon:
There are several reasons. First, we are logical hosts. Fairfax County, after all, is acknowledged as one of the country’s hubs for thought leadership, and we have a long record of being on the cutting edge of embracing and nurturing new ideas. Second, we believe this conference will provide valuable insights for an array of Fairfax County companies and help better prepare them to meet some of the challenges of the future world economy. Close to 300,000 Fairfax residents (more than half of our workforce) are employed in creative occupations, from computer analysts and engineers to educators and healthcare professionals. Third, we believe that sponsoring this national conference will help showcase the economic success story that is Fairfax County.
ExecutiveBiz: Who is involved in the conference?
Gerald Gordon:
Many of the details are still to be worked out, but we are tremendously excited to have secured three prestigious and insightful speakers on the topic. Dr. Richard Florida, one of the world’s leading social theorists and author of The Rise of the Creative Class, is perhaps the foremost authority on the impact creative people can have on a community, particularly as an economic stimulus. As you know, he is a professor of Public Policy at Fairfax-based George Mason University. Next is three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Tom Friedman of The New York Times. He is the author of several best-selling books, including The Lexus and the Olive Tree, which has been called “simply the best book written on globalization.” We will be pleased to welcome famed futurist Alvin Toffler, author of the seminal book, Future Shock, and his newest book, Revolutionary Wealth, which was 10 years in the writing. Also confirmed is Admiral Thad Allen, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. You might remember he was brought in to lead post-Katrina relief efforts. He will lead a panel that will discuss creativity in Defense Department programs.
ExecutiveBiz: Who do you expect to attend?
Gerald Gordon:
We believe that there will be strong participation from within Fairfax County and throughout the Washington region. We also expect significant interest from businesses in other markets around the country. I also believe that we will see a strong representation from overseas. The FCEDA is a globally oriented organization, and we have offices in South Korea, India, Israel, the United Kingdom and Germany, and we expect to market the conference in these countries and beyond. We’re calling it a “national” conference, but we’d like it to have an “international” orientation.
ExecutiveBiz: What are the goals for the conference?
Gerald Gordon:
This conference will be a showcase for the power of ideas, and it’s our hope that it not only provides a dynamic forum for learning but also helps propel these new concepts more deeply into the mainstream. In effect, this conference can help provide the impetus for a broader embrace of creativity as an economic lever, and while that may be an ambitious goal, I think we are well positioned at this time and place to make it a reality. And, of course, the spotlight will shine on Fairfax County.
ExecutiveBiz: What will be covered?
Gerald Gordon:
From an overarching perspective, the conference will address the role that a vibrant, creative workforce plays in the growth and success of businesses and communities in an information-based economy. We will examine what we mean by a creative workforce and economy and how they can best be attained and sustained. We’ll explore creativity in the work place and present examples of how companies and communities around the country are attracting a creative workforce. We believe that the topic lends itself to a wide range of workers – from C-level officials at major corporations to front-line HR recruiters to software engineers and management consultants to municipal leaders and academicians.
ExecutiveBiz: Are you ready to share any of the particulars yet? Where and when, etc.?
Gerald Gordon:
The conference will be held October 24-25 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner Hotel. Conference sponsorships are still available at several levels. Cost for individual attendance will be $395. Watch for more information in the weeks ahead on the conference web site at www.creativeeconomies.org., which was designed by The Push Group LLC, a Fairfax County company that is a sponsor of the conference.
For more information about
Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, visit
www.fairfaxcountyeda.org.
Interview with Gerald Gordon conducted by JD Kathuria.
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