2014 Meetings
2014 Meeting Info FOR DIRECTIONS CLICK HERE
Our meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at:
Costa's Restaurant - Roselle Park, NJ
Meetings are free and open to the public. No reservations required.
Dinner & Networking - 6:30 - 8 PM
New Member Orientation - 7 PM
Meeting (usually a speaker) - 8 PM
Our meetings are divided into three parts. The first part is from 6:30 to 8:00 PM and consists of Dinner and Networking with other members. During this time, members socialize, discuss, and ask questions, usually related to designing, patenting, producing, or licensing inventions.
New prospective members should try to arrive by 7:00 PM, as we usually gather new members together then. This is when beginner inventor questions are usually asked and answered from 7:00-7:30 PM.
Starting at 8:00 PM, we usually have a speaker give a talk related to inventing, patenting, production or licensing products, and that usually goes for an hour or so.
Most members skip dinner at home, or eat a light snack, and then eat upon arrival. The food is usually quite good and consists of your usual Italian fare. The meeting location is provided compliments of the restaurant, so members are encouraged to support it by purchasing food and beverage during the early part of our meeting.
We almost never cancel meetings. If we do, usually only because of severe weather, like heavy snow in the winter, notification will be posted on the home page, and an email will be sent out to members that subscribe to our emails.
Our meetings are currently held in the back room of:
Costa's Restaurant (the restaurant, not Costa's Pizzeria, which is next door)
120 Chestnut Street
Roselle Park, New Jersey 07204
908-241-1131
Click on the "DIRECTIONS" tab at the top of the page for directions info and a MAP
YES, we are meeting unless we post a cancellation notice on the HOME PAGE
Our Scheduled Speaker for Tuesday - December 9, 2014 - Jennifer Jedra
We will be presenting on how to create value in your IP through licensing. Particularly, how to select the IP to license and how to launch a licensing program. We will also touch on IP enforcement and how to use a feasible, reasonable route to eliminate threats to your IP.
Listing of Our Previous 2014 Meetings:
Tuesday - December 9, 2014 - Jennifer Jedra
We will be presenting on how to create value in your IP through licensing. Particularly, how to select the IP to license and how to launch a licensing program. We will also touch on IP enforcement and how to use a feasible, reasonable route to eliminate threats to your IP.
Tuesday - November 11, 2014 - Garrett Wilson
Garrett Wilson's story about his Catzenpup Automatic Wet Food Pet Feeder on Kickstarter.
In Japan there are two words for genius. One word is for the guy who takes it from zero to one, the other is for the guy who takes it from one to one hundred. Come hear Garrett's story about going from zero to one, and perhaps beyond, as he prepares to launch his Catzenpup Automatic Wet Food Pet Feeder on Kickstarter on November 17th.
Tuesday - October 14, 2014 - Edie Tolchin
Secrets of Successful Inventing: From Concept to Commerce is the newest, and most comprehensive guide for the novice inventor, covering everything about the invention process and product development. Sixteen experts have come together to contribute vital, first hand information and experience regarding prototyping, patents, crowdfunding, marketing, manufacturing, retail, websites, marketing – and the list goes on! A brief PowerPoint and open, informal discussion about the book will be provided by New Jersey resident, Edie Tolchin (www.egtglobaltrading.com), with plenty of time for Q&A. Books will be available for signing after presentation.
Tuesday - September 9, 2014 Speaker 
Stan Kremen
What Is Your Invention Worth? It will cover patent and intellectual property valuation.
It will answer the following questions among others:
1. What is a valuation? Why do it?
2. Why is valuation important?
3. How can you increase the value of your invention?
4. Should you manufacture your invention yourself vs. licensing to others?
5. Should you patent your invention?
6. Should you file a PCT international patent application?
7. Is the value of a patent different from the value of an invention?
8. Should you litigate? How much should you settle a lawsuit?
9. How should you value your invention? The four basic methods.
10. What is your invention worth to the rest of the world?
11. What is your invention worth to you?
August 12, 2014 Speaker: Ron Saharyan
Managing Director of Profit First Professionals, LLC (a company of author, Mike Michalowicz). Ron Saharyan is the Co- Founder and Managing Director of Profit First Professionals. Profit First Professionals is an international network of extraordinary accountants, bookkeepers and financial specialists who are not just leaders in their fields, but are also experts in guiding companies to significantly increased profits.
Prior to building Profit First Professionals, Ron was the Managing Director of Project One, an IT services consulting firm. With the recession still having it's effects, Ron was able to take the company to an all time high in revenue, and profitability. Ron utilized the "riches are in the niches" strategy that is highly effective at both increasing customer demand and efficiency. Ron perfected the implementation of Profit First while at ProjectOne, before he tasked himself with guiding others on the process.
July 8, 2014 Speaker: Gaylord Olson - A Proposed National Inventors Cooperative
A proposal will be presented for a new group that might best be called an inventors cooperative. This differs from any existing organization in several fundamental ways. It will be owned by all of the inventor/members, it will give prompt, unbiased, comprehensive evaluations of patent pending ideas, and it will subsidize and expedite the best ideas with the goal of full patent protection and commercial success.
June 10 Speaker: David D. Postolski - Attorney at Law - Intellectual Property (IP) primer for Inventors.
IP not only includes patents for inventions, trademarks, industrial designs and geographical indications; it also includes the words we read, the images we see, the videos we watch, and the music we listen to. Any inventor seeking to monetize their inventions, start a company around their product or invest in a company for its innovation must realize the importance and necessity of IP. A company's IP is often their most valuable asset. The seminar is designed to give inventors business an understanding of their rights and the importance of protecting their IP. This interactive presentation will cover Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Trade Secrets. In this session we'll discuss: * Legal requirements * IP process and costs * Infringement and enforcement * Monetization * International considerations * Gray Areas. Seminar will be led by: David D. Postolski, Attorney at Law, Gearhart Law
Please note that David has recently moved to Gearhart Law. Check out this press release.
May 13 Speaker: Alan N. Walter - Equity Crowdfunding and Securities Law 101
Alan N. Walter, a lawyer who specializes in helping new businesses get started and stay on focus, will give a presentation on the braver newer world of raising funds through private placements, including equitycrowdfunding.
Alan concentrated in mathematics and philosophy at Harvard College. He earned his JD from the New York University School of Law. Additional information on Alan can be found on his website http://www.waltercounsel.com/and via alan@waltercounsel.com.
April 8 Speaker: Mindy Bickel – U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
The United State Patent and Trademark Office continues to implement programs to address challenges the office faces in the digital age and meet the demands of the technology era. Mindy Bickel, a USPTO employee since 1989, will outline and provide details on the various initiatives designed to assist inventors, entrepreneurs and their attorneys through the patent process, including programs to reduce pendency, to continuously increase patent quality and to assist in the reduction of fees for obtaining a patent.
Mindy Bickel, a USPTO employee since 1989, is the Innovation and Outreach Coordinator for the New York City Region. With an office located at Cornell NYC Tech in Manhattan, Mindy works with innovators, entrepreneurs and local educators in and around New York City, providing them with appropriate information and resources offered by the USPTO and the Department of Commerce.
March 11 Speaker: Author: Linda J. Barth
A History of Inventing in New Jersey: From Thomas Edison to the Ice Cream Cone
Many people are familiar with Edison’s “invention factory” in Menlo Park, where he patented the phonograph, the light bulb, and many more innovations. Yet many other ideas have grown in the Garden State, too—New Jerseyans brought sound and music to movies and built the very first drive-in theater. In addition to the first cultivated blueberry, tasty treats like ice cream cones and M&M’s® are also Jersey natives. Iconic aspects of American life, like Bubble Wrap®, the boardwalk, the Band-Aid®, and even professional baseball itself started in New Jersey. Life would be a lot harder without the vacuum cleaner, plastic, and air-conditioning, and many other important advances in medicine and surgery were developed here.
Join author Linda Barth as she explores groundbreaking, useful, fun, and even silly inventions and their New Jersey roots.
Linda Barth has been a fan of New Jersey for a long time. As a fourth-grade teacher, she tried to focus students’ attention on the positive aspects of our state: its diverse geography, agriculture, industry, and famous firsts and inventions. A lifelong resident of the Garden State, Linda has served on the board of Celebrate NJ!, a grassroots movement that builds pride in and fosters a brighter future for New Jersey through educational programs and promotional initiatives. She has written two books on the D&R Canal for Arcadia Publishing and two children’s picture books: Bridgetender’s Boy, published by the National Canal Museum in 2005, and Hidden New Jersey, from Charlesbridge Publishing in 2012. A History of Inventing in New Jersey: From Thomas Edison to the Ice Cream Cone, published by the History Press, was released in August 2013. She has also contributed to the Encyclopedia of New Jersey.
February 11 Speaker: Warren Tuttle
WARREN TUTTLE - President of the United Inventors Association
For those familiar with the Mega-hit kitchenware product called Smart Spin, Warren Tuttle was the person behind the scenes helping to orchestrate its direct-response, overnight success. Teaming up with a Boston based inventor, Warren selected an explosive path to market. Since its launch, more than 10 million Smart Spin units have been sold.
Warren has also partnered in the initial market launch of several other innovative housewares products including MISTO, The Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer, which has sold more than 5 million units worldwide, and The Toss and Turn Pan, one of the decade’s best selling cookware fry pans in the US. Warren has also helped numerous housewares product patent holders obtain licensing agreements with major US manufacturers and has counseled many inventors who have gone on to start their own small businesses.
Currently, Warren works with the Open Innovation programs for two major US companies: Techtronic Industries NA of Anderson, South Carolina and Lifetime Brands of Garden City, NY. As an outside contractor, he screens and serves as a liaison for innovative external product submissions for the mutual benefit of both the companies and inventors.
As the largest manufacturer of power tools in the US, TTI Group distributes products under the RYOBI, Ridgid and Milwaukee brands, as well as other OEM arrangements. Additionally, TTI owns Homelite, Hoover vacuums and Dirt Devil.
Lifetime Brands is the world’s largest manufacturer of kitchen utensils and a major supplier of food prep and tabletop products to America’s major retailers. They market over 18,000 products under multiple brand names including Farberware, Kitchen Aid, Cuisinart, Pedrini, Mikasa, Towle and Pfaltzgraff. In the past four years, Warren has initiated more than 40 of the company’s new product licensing agreements.
Currently, Warren serves as the President of the United Inventors Association, a national non-profit dedicated to educating aspiring inventors, patent holders and product developers. He speaks regularly across the country about licensing and open innovation at Inventor Clubs, Industry Trade Shows and, on occasion, USPTO events. He currently resides in Connecticut, just outside of NYC, with his wife and three daughters.