November 12, 1999
#99-44
Maria V. Hernandez
Brigid Quinn
703-305-8341
PRESS RELEASE #99-44
DICKINSON AND CHASSER CONFIRMED BY SENATE TO TOP POSTS AT PTO
PRESS RELEASE
The U.S. Senate, on November 10, 1999, unanimously confirmed Q. Todd Dickinson as Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner for Patents and Trademarks, and Anne Chasser as Assistant Commissioner for Trademarks.
Dickinson said, "I am pleased to have this opportunity to serve the President, Commerce Secretary Daley, and the nation by working to strengthen our intellectual property protection systems and our economy. We live in the information age, an age characterized by massive expenditures on research and development, continued growth in corporate emphasis on marketing and advertising to promote brand name identification, and rapid international exchange of digital information. For the American economy to continue to grow in this environment, America's intellectual property--and its creators, large and small--must be nurtured and safeguarded."
Dickinson has been serving in the job in an acting capacity since January 1, 1999, and was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Deputy Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks.
"It is a great honor to serve this Administration," said Chasser in learning of her confirmation. "In our increasingly global and electronic economy, trademarks are becoming even more important. They are the street numbers on the information superhighway. Trademarks are critical for protecting consumers as they navigate the Internet, as well as for ensuring the Web's commercial integrity. In this environment, a good name is exceedingly valuable."
Mostly recently, Anne Chasser was Senior Advisor to Commerce Secretary, William M. Daley. Before joining the Department, Chasser of Columbus, Ohio, was formerly the Director of Trademarks and Licensing Services at The Ohio State University,one of the nation's largest public research universities. At the time of her nomination she was also President of the InternationalTrademark Association (INTA), a trade association of leading trademark owners with over 3,600 members from 120 countries.
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