Categories: Unofficial Gazette
      Date: Jan 24, 2002
     Title: Society Honors Former Director Q. Todd Dickinson

On October 3, 2001 the PTOS held a luncheon at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse to honor Q. Todd Dickinson for his many contributions that benefited the PTOS and the USPTO. About 30 members of the PTOS Board of Directors, the JPTOS Board of Governors, the Executive Staff of the USPTO and other Society members were on hand to honor Mr. Dickinson.

Mr. Dickinson served as Assistant Secretary and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO from November 17, 1999 to January 20, 2001. Under his leadership at the USPTO many landmark changes occurred. These changes included reorganizing management structure, transforming the USPTO into a performance-based organization, enacting some of the most sweeping changes to our statutes in 50 years, implementing the electronic filing of patent and trademark applications, and establishing the Office of Independent Inventor Programs.

Perhaps Mr. Dickinson’s most significant contributions to the PTOS were the improvements to the quality of work life for all USPTO employees and the greatly improved relationship between management and the employees. These contributions are best exemplified in the Day One and Day Two initiatives. Among these initiatives are casual dress, no more sign in/sign out sheets, fifteen minute increments for earning and using leave, mid-day flex, and increased flexitime.

In recognition of Mr. Dickinson’s contributions, the Society presented him with two awards. These awards were presented jointly by William (Butch) Neuder, President of the PTOS and Richard Stouffer, former PTOS President and a long-time member of the PTOS Board of Directors and JPTOS Board of Governors.

The first award was a bound set of PTOS Journals for the years when Mr. Dickinson was Assistant Secretary and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO.

The second award was a framed, engraved copy of the first patent. The engraving reads:

November 17, 1999 - January 20, 2001
Q. Todd Dickinson

With sincere appreciation from The Patent and Trademark Office Society for your support and guidance through your leadership at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

These awards were the Society’s way of saying thanks to Q. Todd Dickinson for his many contributions.