Dr. Robert E. Kahn accepting his award (photo courtesy CEA)Yesterday I attended the "CES at the Hill" event. Today I am heading for the Digital Patriots dinner to honor leaders that contributed their efforts to the consumer electronics industry and to innovation, those are Sen. Tom A. Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) and Dr. Robert E. Kahn, chairman, CEO and president of the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI), also known as the co-founder of the Internet TCP/IP protocol.

Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), explained the importance of innovation for this industry and for the country, a matter that is especially important to the current difficult situation of the country, which needs far more than economic restoration.


Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) accepting her award (photo courtesy CEA)As Mr. Shapiro put it on a very original video booklet that was specially created for Congress, America is ready for a comeback, innovation is the engine of human progress, and great innovators have been the real drivers of American success, creating jobs, markets and new industries where none existed before.

The subject is fully covered on his book "The comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream", which he was signing to attendees of the CES at the Hill event yesterday.

I agree with Mr. Shapiro regarding the importance of innovation as a tool to help solve many current problems, not only important for the consumer electronics industry, but also for energy, health, education, environment, etc.

Innovation is a key driver on a free market economy, and government must foster it with timely actions and constant support, while letting the industry and the market evolve on their own with favorable trade policies and motivating competition.


Gary Shapiro - President and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association - Signing his best seller book about innovation as a key ingredient for a comeback as a country.Congress effectiveness and timeliness could also use some innovation in order for the innovations of the industry to be successful in an internal and in a global economy.

CES 2011 showed industry innovations from more than 2,700 exhibiting companies in over 1.6 million net square feet of exhibit space to launch an estimated 20,000 new products. 140 countries were represented by 149,000+ attendees, including 40,000+ top decision makers and senior level executives from entertainment, retail, education, engineering and financial services. That is what I call self-motivation in pursue for innovation and competitiveness.

While accepting his award Mr. Kohn informally suggested that Mr. Shapiro should run for Congress. Quite frankly, regardless if one would agree or not with some of his positions, such as the controversial broadcast spectrum reutilization plan of the FCC, Congress could use more proactive officials that understand the industry as he does.

I personally congratulated Mr. Shapiro for his efforts and for the successful event.