FOUNDED IN 1898 ★ VOL. 113, NO. 27 ★ DENVER, CO ★ JULY 6, 2012 © $2.00 Selection of Denver is a patently good move BY PETER MARCUS of Colorado …” said Posthumus. THE COLORADO STATESMAN The study, conducted by the Univer- sity of Colorado Leeds School of Busi- The Denver metro area will be home ness, estimates that over the first five to a new federal satellite patent office years, the new Patent Office will have that is estimated to generate $439 an economic impact of $439 million, of million for the region just over the first which $389 million will occur in the five years alone. Denver metro area. The contributing The announcement on Monday that elements will be new jobs, an influx of Denver has been selected by the U.S. facility and visitor spending, economic Department of Commerce for one of development opportunities and the three new satellite patent offices office itself, which will lead to increased brought a welcome showing of biparti- innovation. sanship from Colorado’s political The facility is expected to initially leaders, and has been hailed by busi- generate 230 examiners and support ness and technology experts as a workers, which will grow over five symbol of the state’s emergence as one years. Total facility employment is of the top research and technology expected to be 440 workers in the first innovators in the nation. year, growing to 958 over five years. A specific site for the Denver area Tom Clark, chief executive of the has yet to be chosen. Acting Commerce Metro Denver Economic Development Secretary Rebecca Blank and David Corporation, agreed that the economic Kappos, director of the U.S. Patent and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, U.S. Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock growth for Colorado as a result of the Trademark Office, will travel to Denver and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper focus on Sheridan Ross patent attorney John patent office will secure Colorado as a next week to meet with local busi- Posthumus as he addresses the press conference. technological and economic leader in nesses, entre- PHOTOS BY JOHN SCHOENWALTER/THE COLORADO STATESMAN the nation. He said what helped the preneurs and beginning,” confirming that Secretary that the U.S. Commerce Department state’s cause was its willingness to work public officials Blank will “urgently” be moving has decided to locate a new office in together to benefit the whole state. to plan loca- forward with plans to select a site for Denver,” Udall said in a statement. “The cool thing about living in metro tions for the the location in the next few weeks. “The Commerce Department’s decision Denver, and the way I believe that we new office. “This is a great day; a great opportu- shows that it agrees with what ultimately won this, is that we were not After require- nity,” said Hickenlooper. “Take a Coloradans have known all along: not city against city. We don’t do that here,” ments are set moment and reflect. Too often we take only is Denver a said Clark. “We forth next for granted our success and we get back great place to live went as a state; week, officials onto the next one. We don’t really cele- and do business, we went as a will send out a brate appropriately… this is a day of but it is a center region; we went as notification for great celebration.” of innovative one, and that bids to begin Apparently the lobbying by public thinking and job takes a whole the process. officials to President Barack Obama’s creation.” bunch of static out In a administration was relentless, with “Our most of the line in a January report Metro Denver EDC CEO several state and local leaders hounding important task is selection process.” issued by the Tom Clark lauds the not only the president’s cabinet, but to get Coloradans Phil Weiser, Coalition for a arrival of the U.S. Patent dean of the Office to Colorado. also the president himself. back to work, so Colorado Congressman Ed Perlmutter, D- the decision to University of Satellite Golden, remembered riding in Obama’s bring one of only Colorado Law Patent Office — a consortium of public motorcade on one of the president’s three new satellite School who also and private organizations dedicated to visits to Denver. The president’s limou- patent offices to work-ed on the securing the patent office, including sine is referred to as “The Beast,” and Denver is a victory patent office patent attorneys from Denver-based according to Perlmutter, Hickenlooper for our economy proposal, agreed intellectual property law firm Sheridan was not afraid to have a beastly conver- and for creating that what helped Ross and the Metro Denver Economic sation with the president over the meaningful new Colorado was its Development Corporation, led by U.S. patent office. jobs right here in willingness to Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo. — several “The governor’s sitting next to the our state,” work across sites were identified as being ripe for president and he says, ‘What about the DeGette said in a borders and polit- the patent office, including: patent office?’” recalled Perlmutter. statement. “Many ical lines. But he • The Anschutz Medical Campus in “The president says, ‘What?’ And [the of us have long also believes that Aurora; governor] says, ‘What about the patent known that Colorado’s emer- • The Stapleton area in Denver; office? Where are you guys on the Colorado is leading gence as being one • The Denver Federal Center in patent office? the nation with of the top five Lakewood; and Colorado should innovations that technological • The Denver Technology Center in be really some- will spark innovators in the Greenwood Village. where in the economic develop- nation pushed the The new Anschutz Medical Campus mix on the ment and exten- state to the finish was where leaders gathered on Monday patent office.’” sive job creation. line. to announce the exciting economic Perlmutter Today’s announce- Patent attorney John Posthumus of the “People can development news for the region. said Obama ment is a welcome Sheridan Ross law firm addresses the press debate who is in Anschutz is home to groundbreaking conference. He is the driving force from the the top five — immediately got acknowledgment private sector behind the success of the bioscience research that will require on the phone that Colorado’s Patent Office landing in Colorado. Silicon Valley is patents in the coming years, though with then- entrepreneurial No. 1 — but we technological research and development Secretary of leadership is quickly becoming recog- have a place at that table, and that’s in areas such as Boulder and the Commerce John Mayor Joyce Thomas nized by the nation.” big news because it has been an under- Western Slope are also driving the need Bryson to get an of Federal Heights is Senate President Brandon Shaffer, the-radar story what’s been happening for a patent office around Denver. update. one of several regional D-Longmont, issued similar senti- in Denver and Boulder, and this is a “This patent office will serve as a Denver mayors to attend the ments. The legislature this year passed very tangible example of what is a Patent Office press brand for this region,” said Bennet. “It Mayor Michael conference. a joint resolution supporting the efforts robust technology ecosystem here in will tell the rest of the world what we Hancock says he to bring the patent office to Colorado. Colorado,” said Weiser. “We came out already know about Colorado; about was even worse “We in Colorado know this is the on top. That’s huge.” our aerospace industry; our energy riding in “The Beast” with the presi- best place to live, work and start a busi- industry; our bio-science industries; the dent. Hancock says he interrupted a ness, and that message seems to have app makers on the Front Range and on rant by Obama on the NBA lockout been heard loud and clear in Wash- Detroit, Dallas and Silicon the West Slope. It will tell the world that had been ongoing at the time. ington,” said Shaffer. “This office will Valley also chosen that we’re open for business here and “The president was going on and on be good for our economy and will allow In addition to the Denver area office, we’re ready to innovate here and we’re about how upset and disappointed he us to capitalize on Colorado’s spirit of the other locations will be in the Dallas not going to take a second seat to any was with… the NBA lockout, and I’m innovation.” area and Silicon Valley, Calif. The three other state, or any other region in the sitting there, and the whole time I’m offices are in addition to an expanded world.” hearing my staff’s… voices in my ear, office that is scheduled to open on July Bennet led the charge in Wash- ‘Patent office, patent office…’” recalled Private sector rallies for cause 13 in Detroit. ington, D.C. to clear the path for addi- Hancock. “So, I interrupted the presi- John Posthumus, a patent attorney “These new offices are an historic tional patent offices, setting the stage dent, [and I say], ‘Mr. President… I with Sheridan Ross, led the private step toward further advancing our for Colorado to compete. He co-spon- apologize beforehand for interrupting, effort on the ground. Posthumus had world’s best IP system, and reinforcing sored an amendment to patent reform but if I miss this opportunity I’m going actually started the process when Hick- the United States as the No.