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Local innovators gather at idUS conference
Two years ago, Scott Ihrig and Shannon Morrison could barely pick out Columbus on a map. Now, they’re among the city’s biggest advocates. The principals at event-design and production firm IM Creative have been given the reins to idUS, a Central Ohio symposium of creative types and forward thinkers that runs from Sept. 28 through Oct. 8.
But in order to tell that story, it’s important to explain how the couple came to call this city home.
The two had been living in New York. Morrison produced Broadway shows, Ihrig the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. But disillusionment set in under the big-city lights.
“It was super-glamorous in our twenties and super-tired in our thirties,” Ihrig says.
While working on a project in Orlando, the couple saw a Victorian Village home featured in The New York Times. Intrigued by the charm (not to mention the affordability), they took the scenic route home, making a stop in Columbus before returning to New York.
By the end of the trip, Ihrig recalls, “We were scouring the Short North and Victorian Village for ‘For Sale’ signs. We moved here within six months.”
The pair brought with them their fledgling business, IM Creative, which Ihrig launched in 2000 to keep himself occupied during the nine months of the year he wasn’t engrossed in the Christmas Spectacular. The business has grown along with the client list, which has included Microsoft, L’Oreal and Pfizer, among others. “We create live experiences for clients,” Ihrig says, “making sure that whatever the experience is aligns with the company’s business goal. We translate a brand into an experience.”
Their move came at a good time. 200Columbus, the city’s bicentennial initiative, began seeking someone to spearhead its ambitious fall event. The duo seemed a perfect fit for idUS, both for their expertise and their unique back story. Ihrig and Morrison represent the kind of people the city is hoping to attract and retain.
“[Columbus has] a huge intellectual capacity,” says Jamie Greene, program manager for 200Columbus. “We have the world’s largest private research entity in Battelle. We have the No. 1 library, the No. 1 zoo. There’s a lot we can stake a claim to.”
Greene says he was immediately drawn to IM Creative because of the principals’ extensive background producing technical events. “But also they have a really strong creative component stemming from their work in the theater,” Greene says. The goal, according to Morrison, is for idUS to be “a driver of economic prosperity for the city of Columbus.” The way to do that, he says, is “to create a community that is more proud and engaged.”
Programs range from the Mini Maker Faire (showcasing crafters) to TEDxColumbus (an idea forum centered on technology, entertainment and design). There will be events dedicated to the importance of creative design and its bearing on local economies, a new film festival and world-renowned entrepreneurs, businesspeople and innovators sharing their accomplishments and ideas. Another big draw will be EcoSummit, an international ecological forum that runs simultaneously from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5. (Visit idus.us for a complete schedule.)
Organizers hope the event will become an annual endeavor. “The idea is that maybe in seven years, idUS may be to Columbus what SXSW is to Austin,” says Greene.
