Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., is asking residents from every corner of the state to take a journey this week into the center of the state and discover their potential.
"The United States Patent Office has granted more than 6 million patents for new products. The next one could be yours," Enzi said in a video he recorded from Washington DC to encourage Wyoming residents to explore invention.
Enzi is sponsoring a free inventors workshop this week in Riverton and he's encouraging people from all parts of Wyoming, all walks of life and all ages to attend. 'How to' presentations, Wyoming testimonials and a world-famous inventor will be on hand March 17 and 18 at the Riverton Holiday Inn and Central Wyoming College to help inventors or potential inventors not only create and market a product, but to "create their own job."
"Energizing people about inventing and taking the next step with their ideas is the reason I have hosted this conference. Too often, young people in Wyoming start thinking at too early an age that they will have to leave the state to find a good job. I’m offering another suggestion - create your own product - create your own job. That kind of mindset will encourage creativity and begin to tap the well of good ideas so many of our state’s young people have to share," Enzi said. "I believe that someone who attends this conference will have the idea for the next popular product that will be labeled 'Made in Wyoming.' We can attract businesses, but we can grow our own new businesses too. Good ideas generate good jobs and that is something that will keep our kids at home and attract new businesses to our state."
The conference begins at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Riverton Holiday in with a presentation from Bryan Ray, a Wyoming inventor who created the magnetic fly patch. Conference goers can find out more by contacting Robin Bailey at 307-682-6268 or e-mailing her at Robin_Bailey@enzi.senate.gov or they can just show up.
"Anyone can have a good idea. Anyone can be an inventor. You don’t have to be a business owner. You don’t have to have a college degree. And you don’t have to have a fancy lab with lots of expensive equipment. An inventor sees a common-sense solution to a common problem and builds it. We will have everyone on hand from manufacturers, to teachers, to moms that work at home. Whether you are already an inventor, or just have an idea for an invention today, you have the potential to impact Wyoming’s economy tomorrow," said Enzi.
