Former Head of USPTO Joins AbsolutelyNew Advisory Board
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PRESS RELEASE Posted: July 29, 2010 @ 11:39 am Page viewed 5,809 times |
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Jon Dudas
AbsolutelyNew, Inc., a next generation consumer products company that develops and launches the best ideas from independent inventors, has added former Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Jon Dudas to its Advisory Board. Jon will help AbsolutelyNew advance its successful strategy of harnessing the great ideas of independent inventors.
Jon’s distinguished career includes significant contributions to the field of Intellectual Property on behalf of inventors. From 2004-2009, Jon served as the head of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He was appointed to this position by the President of the United States.
As Director of the USPTO, Jon was responsible for administering the laws and regulations related to granting patents and trademarks, and the day-to-day management of the agency’s $1.7 billion budget and over 8,000 employees. Previously, as Staff Director and Deputy General Counsel for the House Committee on the Judiciary, he guided enactment of major patent, trademark and copyright policy, including the last major legislation regarding U.S. intellectual property, the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999.
In June of 2010, Jon became President of FIRST, a not-for-profit organization (founded by prolific inventor Dean Kamen), that inspires students and professionals in engineering and technology fields, with the long-term aim of increasing the competitiveness of the Unites States in the global economy.
Jon joins other notable AbsolutelyNew advisors, including Myra Hart and Mark Copman. Myra is a co-founder of Staples, Board Member of both Office Depot and Kraft, and retired Professor of Harvard Business School. Mark Copman is 3M’s Vice President of Corporate Development and Mergers & Acquisitions.
According to Jon, “Many brilliant inventors patent their ideas but may not have the time or knowledge to develop and manufacture them. One of the greatest benefits of our patent system is that ideas themselves can be protected and sold to those who have that expertise. It is innovation that lifts the economies of all nations. AbsolutelyNew’s contributions help fill the gap between invention and successfully marketing and selling a final product. It allows inventors to focus on what they do best—inventing.”
“We’re thrilled to have Jon join our Advisory Board. He is clearly an expert in innovation management, and understands how all of the pieces fit together to create the ‘big picture’,” said Richard Donat, AbsolutelyNew CEO. “We’re confident he’ll help us reach our next level of success, and enable us to help the U.S. become more competitive in the global economy.”
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Posted in: IP News, IPWatchdog.com Blog, Invention Marketing, Patent Fools™, Press Releases, USPTO
“Jon’s distinguished career includes significant contributions to the field of Intellectual Property on behalf of inventors. From 2004-2009, Jon served as the head of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.”
Gene,
What drivel by the clueless popular media. For example, I see no mention of the Tafas/GSK case debacle. Or the sagging allowance rate at the PTO that was used as the sole “quality” criteria under Dudas’ leadership (if you can call it that). AbsolutelyNew, Inc. deserves what they get which is politically-climbing “grandstander.”
Gene,
Because my ‘real name’ appears on several patents, I periodically get letters from so-called invention promotion companies. IIRC, Absolutely-New is one such company. I do not know if they are for real or something else as I had never contacted them back.
Wait, I’m confused. Are they funding development of these new ideas, investor-style, or just providing advice and services for inventors?
I think over 99% of patent practitioners and independent inventors would agree with me when I say that “he should crawl back under his rock.” Hey Jon!! Go do something less damaging to the country like trying to impeach the president !!! Keep away from science and technology, of which you know nothing. Maybe you should first take some community college courses so you can qualify to sit for the patent bar !!
You might want to check out the USPTO published scam page – note the March 2010 Absolutely New complaint from McDaniel. He asserts that they took him for $23,890.
Hello everyone. I figured this post would generate some strong feelings.
I found this press release and published it as-is, so it comes from AbsolutelyNew.
I don’t know Dudas personally, but what I do know is that people seem to like him and think his is a nice guy. To say something nice about him, it is fair to observe that while he was PTO boss he tried like hell to make changes and do something positive. I never thought any of the initiatives were good ideas though, and he managed to get what he measured, which didn’t in my opinion lead to quality. He is, however, extremely well connected so perhaps he is well suited for his work with Dean Kamen and AbsolutelyNew.
As far as AbsolutelyNew goes, I really know nothing about them first hand, but like many others have heard stories. The stories I hear are rather non-specific and not numerous. They are a fairly new company as I understand it, and they are a fee for service company (at least that is what I have been told). I understand that they charge a lot for their services, and I have heard from at least some that were not happy with what they received. I have also heard from numerous industry people (some who many would say wear white hats and some who many would say wear black hats) that they do not have a favorable opinion of AbsolutelyNew, and in one situation I was urged to look into what is really going on there. Is this jealously or typical criticizing of another business in the market? Is this just the fact that you cannot please everyone all of the time and inventors are more than happy to let folks know when they feel they didn’t receive proper service? I don’t know.
The complaint on the USPTO website referenced above in the comment chain by DE is available at:
http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/scam_prevention/complaints/mar10mcdaniel.jsp
-Gene
Gene,
Yeah, most people blow “hot” or “cold” on Jon D., and I blow “very cold” on him, just like Rogan and Lehman who were equally unqualified. Kappos to me is the one “bright spot” in terms of appointments by the current Administration.
Gene,
You could request an interview with Jon D. in his new position. He should say yes if he really beleives AbsolutelyNew is a legit company.
That complaint sounds more like it came from a dissatisfied customer who managed to find the internet than the victim of a scam.
I realize we’re all supposed to hate this Dudas guy, but if that’s the case shouldn’t we have enough legitimate reasons without creating flimsy new pretexts like this? One person was unhappy with the service he got from this company, as far as we know, no substantiating evidence is available, and Dudas wasn’t even associated with them at the time. Big deal. Let’s move on.
Gene, as DE said above, you should really try to get an interview with Dudas. I’d love to hear his reflections on all of the debacles he was involved in. I don’t think he would grant you one, though, I think it put would him in a tough spot. If he wants to be honest, he would have to admit the USPTO leadership (including Doll & friends) really screwed up lots of things. If he still supports all of their failed initiatives, it would make him look terrible. So I’ll bet the farm he would decline.
Anonymous,
You put a huge smile on my face today. I just love your comments! Especially “Hey Jon!! Go do something less damaging to the country like trying to impeach the president !!!” I bet we can guess where you stand on the Obama bandwagon!
Your other comment; “Keep away from science and technology, of which you know nothing. Maybe you should first take some community college courses so you can qualify to sit for the patent bar !!” is also a good one. But didn’t he join the firm Foley & Lardner LLP in 2009 as a partner in the Washington, D.C. office, working with the Intellectual Property and Public Affairs Practices? So that would suggest that he did take the patent bar. I am not going to bat for him, I am asking in all seriousness, because I though he was a patent attorney. But I could be wrong.
Renee
So that would suggest that he did take the patent bar.
Renee, you see they change the regulations to serve, well, themselves.
Here is the new 37 CFR 11.7 [Added, 69 FR 35427, June 24, 2004, effective July 26, 2004]:
§ 11.7 Requirements for registration.
…
(d) Waiver of the Registration Examination for Former Office Employees.
…
(3) Certain former Office employees who were not serving in the patent examining corps upon their separation from the Office. The OED Director may waive the taking of a registration examination in the case of a former Office employee meeting the requirements of paragraph (b)(1)(i)(C) of this section who by petition demonstrates possession of the necessary legal qualifications to render to patent applicants and others valuable service and assistance in the preparation and prosecution of their applications or other business before the Office by showing that he or she has:
(i) Exhibited comprehensive knowledge of patent law equivalent to that shown by passing the registration examination as a result of having been in a position of responsibility in the Office in which he or she:
(A) Provided substantial guidance on patent examination policy, including the development of rule or procedure changes, patent examination guidelines, changes to the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, development of training or testing materials for the patent examining corps, or development of materials for the registration examination or continuing legal education; …
(ii) Was rated at least fully successful in each quality performance element of his or her performance plan for said position for the last two complete rating periods in the Office, and was not under an oral or written warning regarding such performance elements at the time of separation from the Office.
Renee-
Dudas is definitely not a patent attorney. He was a Staffer on Capitol Hill who moved over to the Patent Office as a political appointment and eventually became Director. That was the reason why so many of the initiatives he forwarded didn’t make any sense. He didn’t understand the Patent Office because he didn’t grow up through the ranks as an Examiner, and he wasn’t a patent attorney either. So he didn’t really know anything about patents or patent practice. A very dangerous combination.
That is why the Kappos appointment was so welcomed by the patent bar. Finally a patent attorney was appointed to run the patent office.
-Gene
Well, I guess you can tell I’m NOT the patent attorney. LOL I’m just the marketing gal. That’s why we pay Gene the big bucks!
Renee
The government being self-serving?
Why yes, I have that flavor – one glass or two?
Dudas?
Never has any one person done so much to hurt so many in the history of both the Patent Office and the patent world in general.
Sorry; but there’s no silver lining to this cloud.