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Greg Vidovich

Associate Commissioner for Patent Quality

Greg Vidovich was recently named the Associate Commissioner for Patent Quality. Prior to being named to this position, Mr. Vidovich was a Director in Technology Center 3600. As a Technology Center Director, Mr. Vidovich managed in the Business Methods area. He has been instrumental in providing numerous training events to examiners across the corps to improve clarity in Office actions. Mr. Vidovich led: interim guidance and three workshop style training events dealing with 35 U.S.C. 101; a training lecture and workshop style training on 35 U.S.C. 112(b); multiple training lectures dealing with 35 U.S.C. 112(f), and a training lecture and workshop style training dealing with 35 U.S.C. 112(a). Mr. Vidovich has also worked on projects under the Enhanced Patent Quality Initiative (EPQI) focused on improving clarity and reasoning in Office actions. Other projects included implementation of HR Connect to Patents, IT changes to an Office action form to improve clarity, IT changes to improve tools for managers, and new examiner search tools.

Prior to being selected as a Director in January 2012, Mr. Vidovich held a variety of positions in the Office. He first became a Supervisory Patent Examiner in Technology Center 3700. He later became a Quality Assurance Specialist in Technology Center 3700. He then went to the Office of Patent Training as a Class Manager in the Patent Training Academy which focused on the training of new examiners. He later went to the Office of Patent Information Management (OPIM) where he led the Search Team & Data Division which worked on the examiner search systems in the Office. He also developed management systems to substantially automate many of the processes performed by over 600 managers in areas such as performance reviews and ratings, awards, and promotions for over 8,000 examiners. During this time, he also was on a team which helped develop the first Regional Office in Detroit as well as worked on projects with the IP5 international intellectual property community.

Mr. Vidovich received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State and started his career in the Office over 23 year ago.