Extraordinary Ordinary Innovators

At a time when a sizeable number of Americans questioning that “truth matters,” this book – “Extraordinary Ordinary Innovators” – demonstrates the importance of truth and ideas through innovation. Innovators see things that others do not see by “thinking differently” – new ways, improved ways, and different ways of doing things. Most important, the target audience is ordinary people because research shows they are increasingly coming up with new ideas. Through this book, the aim is to inspire everyday people to embrace innovation to improve their lives, communities and country. This book is an introduction to innovation and hopefully, it will encourage people to learn more about this gift to discover solutions, invent things, and make the world a better place. A special feature will be a profile in the First Chapter or “Part” of Robert Emery of Indiana. Bob demonstrates how ordinary thinkers can become ingenious and are emerging as creative problem solvers.

The objective of “Extraordinary Ordinary Innovators” is to demonstrate the importance of truth and ideas through innovation. They are interlinked and critical to our unparalleled way of life and flow of ideas to create economic prosperity. Increasingly, it is ordinary people who come up with new ideas. Citizen innovation is projected by Harvard Professor Teresa Amabile to become even more prevalent in creative breakthroughs. Indeed, this book is supporting her call for more research into the creative behavior of ordinary people. Moreover, this book seeks to encourage everyday people to learn the surprise, discovery and rigors of innovation. After all, innovators lift us up and give people everywhere a sense of the possible. Innovators believe in the importance of truth and ideas. And innovators often understand we have an obligation to leave this place better than we found it.

John H. Davies has worked over 55 years and been involved in challenging fields, from journalism to steelmaking, to farm equipment, to health care, to entrepreneurship, to economic development. John was inspired from a 1,000 mile solo bicycle journey during a summer vacation while attending Valparaiso University traveling through 7 countries in Europe, during which he sent bi-weekly dispatches of his experiences to his hometown paper. His dream was to become a writer, eventually a journalist, and this took him on all sorts of adventures. He was trained at the City News Bureau of Chicago, and after his service in the US Marines, he worked for the Chicago Tribune. His work introduced him to the importance of innovation, and he launched the first Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana serving as Managing Director for 13 years. John and his wife Jo Ann have two daughters, Kelly and Jennifer and their families, and now live on the family farm outside of Valparaiso, IN. John was born in Washington, D.C., and has just celebrated his 80th birthday.