MEDIA ADVISORY Contact(media inquiries only): Kim Byars 703-305-8341 kim.byars@uspto.gov July 31, 2001 #01-32 USPTO HOLDS 6TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY DAY U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce to address the many facets of diversity August 2, 2001, 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p. m Crystal Plaza Park Arlington, Virginia U.S, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Samuel W. Bodman will provide the keynote address at the Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) sixth annual community day, recognizing the agency's diverse workforce. Nicholas Godici, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Acting Director of the USPTO and agency staff will join Deputy Secretary Bodman in the celebration. Community Day will feature exhibitors and vendors, which represent USPTO'S diversity. Highlights of this year's event will include an exhibit featuring refurbished late model cars and motorcycles. There will also be a health fair with representatives from metropolitan area health facilities giving free massages, blood pressure screenings, breast cancer awareness literature and other significant health information. USPTO administers patent and trademark laws protecting intellectual property and rewarding individual effort. Intellectual property is a potent force in the competitive free enterprise system. By protecting intellectual endeavors and encouraging technological progress, USPTO seeks to preserve the United States' technological edge, which is a key to our current and future competitiveness. USPTO also disseminates patent and trademark information that promotes an understanding of intellectual property protection and facilitates the development and sharing of new technologies worldwide. Over 6 million patents have been issued since the first patent in 1790 and more than 2.3 million trademarks have been registered since the first in 1870. Last year USPTO issued 182,223 patents and registered 127,794 trademarks. # # #