Author’s work features North Dakota innovators far and wide

MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – North Dakotans have made contributions to life not only in the U.S., but also across the world. Some of these you may not know of.

Fortunately, an author is doing his part to bring their stories to light.

Born and raised in Minot, Bill Isaacson didn’t know he’d eventually discover a way to help improve vision quality for people all over the world. He’s one of many innovators featured in Bruce Gjovig’s writings.

The real market opportunity was for people that had cataract operations.

Isaacson said federal regulators were slow to approve the distribution of the multi-focus lens in the U.S., but he pushed it outside of the country.

He got an unexpected call one day with the claim that there was a patient that needed a lens. He said that if he didn’t get one, he or his wife would call ‘their friend’ and demand one. Isaacson said he had no idea who he was referring to at the time.

“Well, who’s the patient? Well it’s Frank Sinatra and his wife Nancy, and they will call their friend Ronald Reagan who sits in the White House!” said Isaacson.

The lens did not see U.S. approval until more than a decade after the world, but by that point, Isaacson was no longer involved in negotiations. He said the company that introduced it made a $100 million in its debut, according to their annual report.

“People need to read stories like this to get the sort of encouragement and even the inspiration so they might explore a life of doing and finding new ways to do things, finding innovation,” said Gjovig.

Another innovator, Clint Severson, is featured in Govig’s third book and helped turn multiple start-up businesses into profitable companies. His contributions helped these companies develop innovative machinery that drastically reduced the cycle time for blood test results.

“The ability to solve problems is what makes good entrepreneurs good. They get things fixed. They focus on the key success factors of the business,” said Severson.

Finding big fish in small ponds made a huge difference in the world around them.

Severson contributed to entrepreneurship in Minot in 2016 by donating a historic $2 million to the Severson Entrepreneurship Academy at Minot State University.

This was the largest gift in MSU history.

The men all agree that the history of North Dakota innovators should be part of the curriculum for high school and college students.

You can find Gjovig’s books at Main Street Books, Ferguson Books and online.

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