Media Advisory: Lilly's Lechleiter to Offer Keynote Remarks at Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Conference in Wa

What:

Roughly 300 thought leaders, member of Congress, congressional and agency staff, private sector representatives, academics and press will be in attendance at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation's (ITIF) 5th Anniversary Conference in Washington, D.C.

Who:

John C. Lechleiter, Ph.D., chairman, president and chief executive officer of Eli Lilly and Company, will offer keynote remarks on the urgency of closing America's innovation deficit. Following his remarks, distinguished public and private sector officials and thinkers will discuss what the U.S. has done right or wrong in the last five years when it comes to innovation policy and what innovation policy should look like in 2016 (when ITIF marks its 10th anniversary) for the U.S. to meet the challenges it faces.

When:

Thursday, June 23 at 2:00 p.m.

Where:

The Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W.

Why:

A study conducted by ITIF ranked the U.S. sixth among the top 40 industrialized nations in innovation competitiveness, but 40th out of 40 in "rate of change in innovation capacity" over the past decade.  The ranking measured what countries are doing – in higher education, investment in research and development, corporate tax rates, and more – to become more innovative in the future.  The U.S. ranked last.

Lechleiter will discuss the importance of innovation to the country – and especially to life science businesses – and call for the policies that foster innovation, specifically: improvement in science and math education; more open immigration laws that encourage top scientists to work here; a well-funded basic research infrastructure within academic and government labs; and tax policy that fosters innovation.  

Lechleiter's comments will come only days before thousands of leaders from across the country converge on Washington to share best practices and discuss the future of life sciences at the 2011 BIO International Conference.  

Refer to:

Edward Sagebiel (317) 433-9899 (Lilly)

Greg Kueterman (317) 277-4021 (Lilly)