PRESS RELEASE Contact: Brigid Quinn (571) 272-8400 or brigid.quinn@uspto.gov

June 7, 2007 #07-22

USPTO’s Community Day Celebration Recognizes Diverse Workforce “Many Skills, One Remarkable Community” is this Year’s Theme U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Jon Dudas was joined today by Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille in celebrating the agency’s 11th annual Community Day.  For over a decade, the USPTO has held this special day to recognize the many cultures represented in its workforce of over 8,000 innovative and talented people. “To remain the gold standard for intellectual property protection around the world, we must continue to hire and retain the best and brightest people from every sector of America,” said Under Secretary Dudas.  “Our inclusiveness and diversity are among our greatest assets.”     Highlights of Community Day featured exhibitors and vendors, live music, and international games, foods and dress representing the diversity of USPTO's workforce. A health fair offered information about diabetes and health insurance, and also provided free glaucoma checks. The celebration also included the annual custom automobile and motorcycle show with custom vehicles built or owned by employees, as well as an exhibit of employees’ artistic works. The day’s program also included a demonstration of precision and discipline by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team.  The Alexandria police department’s SWAT team and fire department’s search and rescue demonstrated their skills at rappelling down the side of the USPTO’s Edmund Randolph Building. They also displayed some of their specialized equipment including the Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) and ladder truck. An exhibit of genuine and counterfeit products provided by over a dozen companies--including  Acushnet Golf, Chanel, Ford Motor, Kate Spade, Prada, Rolex, Sony and Timberland--showed the challenges counterfeiters cause consumers and companies that own intellectual property.   ###