INTA Commends Outstanding Association Volunteers

Market Wire, November, 2006

On November 9, 2006, INTA recognized volunteer contributions to the Association and to the development of trademark law. At its Leadership Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, INTA President Paul W. Reidl presented the 2006 INTA President's Award to Charles Gielen and F. Jeannie Smith, and INTA's Volunteer Service Awards to William Seiter, Susan Brady Blasco, Stephen Bullock, James McCarthy, Joseph Norvell, Mark Kudlacik, Tiki Dare and Zhen (Katie) Feng.

The INTA President's Award is one of the highest honors given to intellectual property practitioners. It was established in 2000 to recognize exceptional individuals who, over the course of a career in trademark law, have made outstanding contributions to INTA and to the profession.

Dr. Charles Gielen, of NautaDutilh in the Netherlands, has been instrumental in shifting the focus of the organization to an international perspective. He was very active in moving INTA deeper into the European market, including being a driving force behind the decision to hold the Annual Meeting outside of North America for the first time in 2003. His support and contributions have been key to the organization in acknowledging the need to be international and acting on it. Mr. Gielen has also served on numerous INTA committees for more than ten years, as well as the Board of Directors. His commitment, energy and guidance have helped shape INTA into the global trademark association it is today.

"He has been one of the strongest advocates within the organization for ensuring we [INTA] take an international approach," Mr. Reidl said in his speech in Phoenix.

F. Jeannie Smith, of Baker & McKenzie in Hong Kong, has been a trailblazer in Asia, where she has managed the global intellectual property department of Baker & McKenzie for many years. As an INTA volunteer, Ms. Smith has tirelessly served on various Asia-oriented task forces and committees, including the ASEAN Subcommittee and Treaty Analysis Committee, and INTA's Board of Directors. She was extremely involved in developing INTA's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and impacted the trademark legislation in the region. Ms. Smith's extensive knowledge of trademark law in general, and Southeast Asia in particular, has assisted INTA with many successful initiatives and advancement of trademark protection in Asia and throughout the world.

"From the seeds that she helped to plant," said Mr. Reidl, "INTA's membership and influence in the region [Asia] grew to what it is today."

The Volunteer Service Awards recognize individuals who provided exemplary volunteer service to INTA during the past year. There are three categories of Volunteer Service Awards.

The first is the award for the Advancement of Trademark Law, presented to individuals whose participation and efforts during the year have led to the advancement of substantive trademark law and practice. This year's winner is William Seiter.

William Seiter, of Seiter & Co. in Santa Monica, California, USA, received the award for his leadership as Chair of the East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee of the Legislation and Regulation Committee. Under Mr. Seiter's leadership, the subcommittee handled legislative issues in New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as dealt with proposed amendments to Canadian trademark regulations, the Chinese Unfair Competition Law and the Korean Trademark Act.

The next Volunteer Service Award is for individuals whose initiative and creative thinking have led to the Advancement of Committee or Subcommittee Objectives. There were five winners of this particular award, all from the Membership Services Committee.

Mark Kudlacik, founder of CheckMark Network in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, received the award for his work on the Service Firm Subcommittee, leading the effort to benchmark the benefits INTA offers to Service Firm members, including exhibition and sponsorship opportunities. Mr. Kudlacik developed a new exhibition and assignment process, which resulted in increased revenue for INTA and a better benefit to exhibitors and sponsors.

Susan Brady Blasco, of Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP in San Diego, California, USA, and Stephen Bullock, of Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann L.L.C. in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, were recognized for serving as co-chairs of the Academic Subcommittee. Ms. Blasco was the driving force behind the Student Course, one of the most comprehensive basic international trademark law courses in the world, and Mr. Bullock was active in the Database of Trademark Professors and Courses Project Team.

James McCarthy, of McDonnell, Boehnen, Hulbert & Berghoff in Chicago, Illinois, USA, and Joseph Norvell, of Brinks, Hofer, Gilson & Lione in Chicago, Illinois, USA, received their awards for their conception and administration of the Young Practitioners Subcommittee. They benchmarked what young practitioners needed at INTA, and developed and implemented a plan to meet those needs. This included a mentor program, young practitioners' receptions and a charity project to be held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting to benefit the hosting city.