Written by: LT Connie Braesch
Post Written by Commander Andrea Palermo
TAMPA, Fla. - Attendees line-up to register for this year's 2010 Innovation Expo. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Telfair Brown, Sr.
Yesterday, the Coast Guard welcomed more than 1,600 attendees to its largest Innovation Expo in the 10 year history. Held in Tampa, Fla., the three-day expo features more than 500 exhibits from industry and Coast Guard enabling innovators to share ideas, network and tap into a diverse pool of expertise.
The addition of a “green zone” to this year’s exhibit hall showcases sustainability, energy efficiency, waste management initiatives and reduction of the Coast Guard’s carbon footprint. Click on the images and following these links to watch video interviews with Coast Guard members in the “green zone.”
Click on the image to watch a video with Lt. Ryan Murphy discussing Naval Engineering Support Unit Honolulu’s energy efficiency and water conservation efforts. U.S. Coast Guard video by Telfair H. Brown, Sr.
Aids to Navigation School making ATON environmentally friendly
Rescue 21 in Alaska reducing and improving power consumption
Coast Guard Yard hazardous waste treatment
Training Center Petaluma energy efficiency and water conservation
“The Innovation Expo is held to stimulate and identify best practices that can be ingrained in our organization as we seek to continuously improve our service delivery,” said Adm. Bob Papp, commandant, U.S. Coast Guard.
Diverse speakers and panel discussions from industry leaders compliment the exhibition floor and expose attendees to different and unique approaches to being innovative. In the keynote address, Mr. David Zanca, Senior Vice President of E-commerce Technology for FedEx Services, highlighted his company’s quest for innovation by enhancing existing systems, creating a creative and collaborative environment and learning from failures.
“One of our approaches is taking technology that others have discovered and figuring out how it can be best applied to our business,” said Zanca.
Click on the image to watch a video with Coast Guard cadets about the Academy’s Sustainability Club. U.S. Coast Guard video by Telfair H. Brown, Sr.
Taking direction from Papp’s four guiding principles for the service, panels highlight the “can do” spirit of our service and underscore the strength of our organizational diversity. One prevalent element was the innovation showcased by newer members of the Coast Guard.
“It’s very important to me that our junior people, enlisted, officers and Academy cadets, are here as they are the future leaders of our Service,” said Papp.
This morning those junior innovators shared breakfast with Papp and other senior leaders to exchange ideas and brainstorm solutions to service challenges.
You can watch the 2010 Captain Niels P. Thomsen Innovation Awards presentation and closing ceremony on live web cast Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
