Ranking of the Best and Worst
Best and Worst USPTO Leaders of the Past Quarter Century, just in time before the Pepsi and Pearls era ends.
Based on my own limited perspectives and knowledge. There may be inaccuracies for ‘Best Leaders’. It definitely skews more Patents than trademarks, too.
WORST
1 (Tie). Coke Morgan Stewart, affectionately ‘Pepsi’ (Deputy Director)– Word has it, she’s the main driver behind some of the most counterproductive and illegal initiatives. (Removal of other time for training and team meetings, streamlined review, and she announced the removal of Popa representation and Patents business unit employees’ reclassification of work as “national security work” under Presidential executive order, amongst many others. She appears to be the stubborn leader of the ‘Pepsi and Pearls’ era in Patents.
1 (Tie). Valencia Martin Wallace, affectionately ‘Pearls’ (Act. Patents Commissioner)– This could be long, dating back to her original removal 20 years ago. More recently, I’d say it’s been her co-signing and championing all the things above. She was also the tasker for most of the nastiest work, like that Popa lawsuit affidavit.
3. John A. Squires (USPTO Director)– Some say he’s above the fray and not really involved in all the most unpopular initiatives because he joined a sh*tshow already in progress. Regardless of whether he’s directly responsible or not, it’s happening on his watch now.
4. Deborah Cohn – Trademark Commissioner, who resigned in 2014 after the IG found she violated federal nepotism laws by intervening to hire a female relative’s live-in beau, who was twice rejected for hiring. To be fair, she did have many ardent supporters during her 31-year career at the USPTO. However, the whistleblower incident shows how some don’t believe rules are for everyone. Even though another high-profile and highly discussed similar scenario engulfed Pearls years earlier.
5. Jon W. Dudas – (USPTO Director) remembered for controversial and failed quality initiatives (second pair of eyes) and other failed procedural changes. Had limited direct, pre-appointment patent experience. Just a rumor, later in his tenure, he wasn’t around the office much.
BEST (Unranked)
Margaret ‘Peggy’ Focarino (Pat. Commissioner/ briefly Acting USPTO Director) – Inherited an enormous backlog and led the PTO to lower that backlog while maintaining and improving the PTO’s morale and status as a good place to work. Met her—she permeated experience and knowledge. Seemed fair and reasonable too.
Robert Budens (RIP) – Former POPA president. Maybe he should be higher on this list. Much of what made this sustainable employment for so many of us, he played an instrumental role. During his time, POPA leadership did not have to examine much, or at all. Regardless, he used that flexibility to successfully advocate.
Dave Kappos (USPTO Director)– Was well regarded and liked by internal and external stakeholders, as I recall, anyway. Helped reduce patent backlogs and improve employee morale. For better or worse, AIA was implemented during his tenure.
Vishalli (Pat. Commissioner)– I thought she had some good ideas and implemented a few worthy initiatives popular amongst the examining core.
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Notable: I can’t put Jon W Doll (RIP) (Pat. Commissioner/ briefly Acting USPTO Director)on the ‘Best’ list because I’d be double-speaking; he was heavily involved in many things that landed Jon Dudas on the ‘Worst’ list during the (“Dudas and Doll” era). However, I thought he was hilarious! Still remember him wobbling and asking a class of nervous new patent examiners: “Is the room shaking? …Ehh, maybe it’s just me—I probably put too much tequila in my coffee again.” He’s also credited with leading many paper-to-digital conversions in Patents.
Notable: Michelle K Lee (USPTO Director), she could be on both lists depending on whom you talk to. Some saw her as reform-oriented with initiatives to improve quality (Enhanced Patent Quality Initiative, EPQI), establish regional offices, and champion diversity. Others saw her as polarizing, tech-biased, and she faced criticisms over PTAB panel stacking. I heard persistent rumors that she was unpopular with Administrative and other C-Suite executive staff. Lastly, there was the Obama-Trump transition, where she initially resigned with outgoing Obama as customary and later tried to renege her resignation under incoming Trump, unsuccessfully. This made it unclear who the absolute agency leader was to rank-and-file employees.