Acceptance speech LES USA & CANADA 2008 annual meeting Orlando

ACCEPTANCESPEECHLESUSA&CANADA2008ANNUALMEETING
ORLANDO

FRANÇOISPAINCHAUD*
LEGERROBICRICHARD,
LLP
L
AWYERS,PATENTSANDTRADE-MARKSAGENTS
IwishtothankyouallforentrustingmewiththetaskofleadingthisgreatSocietyfor
theupcomingyear.Itakeitas,both,anhonorandagreatresponsibility.Butmaking
ourgreatSocietyshineandcomealive,thatisLESUSA&Canada,is,likemany
otherthings,ateameffortwhichfindsitswaythroughitsroots,itspeople,its
principlesofcontinuity,itsleadership.Inshort,atthecoreofLESUS/C,thereisa
CULTURE,onethatputsforthitsmaincapital,itsmembers.Throughitsmembers’
involvementandefforts,ourSocietymaintainsitsleadershipwhetheritbein
education,instandardssettingorinleadingthewayintonewdevelopmentsasIwill
touchuponinafewminutes.
Butfirstletitbeknownthatthisteameffortis,formanyofitsparticipants,made
withoutrealizingtheimpactoftheircontributiontoourSociety’sjourney.
Family:recognizeNadine,CAandElizabeth
Firstletmeintroducemyfamilytoyou,
NadineKerba,mywifeandpartner(yes,wearemarriedevenifwedon’thavethe
samelastname;Iguessitisaculturalquestionalso,butwherewecomefrom,
womendon’tchangetheirname).Althoughnotamemberpersay,Nadinehasbeen
withmeatmostallLESmeetingsIattendedsinceIjoinedLESUS/Cforthosewho
knowher,IamsureyouwillagreethatshehasbeenmybestP/Rperson,personal
meetingsdirectorand“PowerNetworking”manageranyonecouldimagine.
MySonCharles-Alexandre,healreadyhasassumedresponsibilitiesatthe
registrationdesk.Atalmost7yearsold,Ithinkwecansaythatheisaveteranof
LESUS/Cmeetings,hisfirstmeetingwastheWashingtonSpringMeetingin[May]
*©CIPS,2008.
Lawyer,partnerwithLEGERROBICRICHARD,
LLP,amultidisiciplinaryfirmoflawyers,andpatentand
trade-markagents.Publication62.031

2
2002,hewasafull6monthsold.IfIremembercorrectly,hesleptthroughallthe
events!
AndourfamilyhasnowgrownwiththearrivalofouryoungdaughterElizabeth,who
joinedusinMarchofthisyear,shecelebrated15monthslastSaturday;Elizabeth,
unfortunately,couldnotbewithusforthismeetingbutIamsurethatshewillstart
attendingmeetingswithinthenextyear.
Iwishtorecognizetheirsupportthroughouttheyears,inparticularNadine’sefforts
whichcontributetomakingourSocietywhatitistoday.Nadine,thankyouforyour
volunteerworkwithinLESUS/C.Thankyouforbeingwhoyouare.
RecognizeTeamTrustees,committees,office
AsImentionedearlier,LESUS/Cisateameffort.Ialsowishtoformallyrecognize
theworkofallthememberswhohavedecidedtogetinvolvedatmanylevelsinour
Society.Youallmakeadifference.Andthisincludesallthevolunteersinvolvedin
committees,industrysectors,localchapters,alltrusteesandofficersandallpast
volunteers.THANKYOU!
Thankyouforgivingallofus,thebenefitofyourtimeandwisdom;
Thankyouformakingadifference.
TobeavolunteerinourSocietyisalwayschallengingbutalsoveryrewarding,I
speciallywishtoacknowledgetheworkofmypredecessorforgivingsomuchtoour
Societythroughpersonalchallengingtimes,
Tom,Thankyou!
ThankyoualsototheLESUS/Cofficestaff,leadbyKenSchoppmann,thankyoufor
yourhardwork,youareanintricatepartofourSociety’ssuccessandleadership.As
alittleanecdoteletmejustsharewithyouoneofmyexperiencesasavolunteer.I
wasplenaryco-chairwithAlanGordonduringthe2000AnnualmeetinginToronto,
whichwasimmediatelyafterKenSchoppmannjoinedus,hewasalreadyan
accomplishedmanagerexperiencedwithnot-for-profitorganizations,buthegotto
experienceanLESUS/CAnnualMeetingwithoutmuchlead-time.Myguessisthatit
wastruly“learningbyexperience”orasituationmadefor“apprendresurletas”as
wewouldsayinFrench.PowerPointpresentationswerethenew“hot”thingandno
onehadexplainedtoAlanandI(onstage)howtomanagetransitionofpresentations
(andcomputers),needlesstosayitwasagruelingexperienceforthebothofusand
forKen,butKencamethroughandthoseproblemsbecameathingofthepastas

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quicklyastheycame.ItisamazingtolookbackandseetheprogressofourSociety
inonlyeightyears!
ThankYouallforyourflexibilityinworkinghandinhand,volunteersandstaff.
Recognizepastpeopleandmentorship:
Nowtherearealsoallthesegreatmentorsthathavecomeandgoneforwhichour
Societyhasalwaysbeenveryproudof,andthatwenowtrytorecognizeinmany
waysnotably,throughtheFrankBarnesMentoringAward.Asournewestrecipient,
MarvGuthrysaiditverywellonMonday“asmentor,itisthementeesthatIwill
remember,Ilearnedagreatdealfromthem”.Mentoring,Isubmittoyou,ispartof
theLESCultureworldwideanditisespeciallypresentandvibrantwithinLESUS/C.
Now,someyearsago,wehavesetupa“MentoringCommittee”whichwasuptothis
lastyearundertheresponsibilityofoutgoingtrusteeJimVlaznyandMonaSachetas
co-Chairs.Thegoalofthiscommitteewastohelppeoplefindtheirwaywithinthe
complexitiesandintricaciesoftheLESUS/Cstructureandtofacilitatethe
involvementofvolunteersintoourSociety.Wenoticedovertherecentyearsthatthe
nameofthecommitteehascreateddifficultyandoftenwehavehadtoexplainthe
differencebetweenthisprogramandwhatIwouldcallthemoredirect“spontaneous”
mentoringthathasoccurredthroughouttheyearsandthathasbeenpartofour
collectiveLESCulture.Well,wehavenotdoneawaywiththisprogrambuthave
renameditthe“NewMembershipOrientationCommittee”whichisnowchairedby
ConnieClearyundertheresponsibilityofMitchCharness,theTrusteeforNew
Membership&Mentoring.Webelieveitwillbetterdescribethefunctionsofthis
committeeandwillavoidconfusioninthefuture.Thefocusofthecommitteeisbroad
basedandconcentrates(i)onorientationofnewmembersthroughsuchthingsas
ournewmembers’receptionsonthefirstdayofameetingandnowthenew
members’orientationwebinar,and(ii)alsoconcentratesonenticingnewmembersto
getinvolved.This,webelieve,contributestoourmembershipretentionefforts.
Thatbeingsaid,LESUS/Cwillcontinuetopromotementorshipandcreatethe
conditionsthatareconducivetomentoring.Ifyouhaveideasorsuggestionsonthis
subject,don’thesitate;getinvolved!
Likemanyothers,Igotinvolvedandbenefitedimmenselyfrommyinteractionswith
manyofyou,Iconsidermyselfprivilegedandfeelhumbledinstandinghereinfront
ofyoutoday.Obviously,Icannotnameeveryonebutherearesomeofthepeople
whowereinfluentialinmyjourney,theyhavebeencounsels,theyhavebeen
listeners,theyhavebeen,andare,friends.Inshort,theyhavebeen,andsomeare
still,myMENTORS:

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IrememberAndrewNeyandErniePosner,andIcannotforgettheinfluenceoftheir
lovelywivesJocelynandGretel,theywereamongsttheveryfirstonestogetboth
NadineandIinvolvedinourSocietyinameaningfulway,andtheywereclosely
supportedinthatventurebyTedandHelenCross.AndrewNeytaughtmethetricks
ofthetrade,astheywerethen,onhowtobeaneffectiveLocalChapterChair.
ThentherearepeoplelikePatO’Reilley,KathleenDenis,LouBerneman,Dwight
OlsonandArtNutterwhoallhadaverymeaningfulinfluenceonmycareerand
personaldevelopmentwithinandoutsideofLES.
Andthenthereisalsomymostinfluentialmentor;hewasafriendlycompetitorinreal
life:Amanverydeartome,JohnWoodley.
Nowturningtothiscomingyear
Nowturningtothiscomingyear,wearetodayseeingturbulentand“interesting”
times,butthegoodnewsisthatourSocietyisverysoundbothfinanciallyandonthe
membershipfront.This,however,doesnotmeanthatweshouldslowdown,we
needtoremainproactiveandattheforefrontofinnovation.
Wewillofcourse,continuetoexecuteonourstrategicplanwhichistheresultofa
ratherlongprocessstartedunderKathleenDenis’presidencyandwhichculminated
underDwightOlson’spresidencywhenweadoptedourcurrentstrategicplantofirst
createtheCLPandsecondembarqueonourglobalizationefforts.Wewillcontinue
toexecuteonbothofthesefronts:
WehaveallowedsignificantresourcestoensurethesuccessofCLP.Thisyearwill
betheconsecrationofthespin-outofCLPasastand-aloneentitymanagedbya
BoardofGovernorsalreadycomprisedofLESandnon-LESmembersincluding
membersoftheBIOandAUTMorganizations,andcomprisedofNorth-Americanand
Europeanmembers.
Ourglobalizationeffortswillcontinue,aswearefurtherdevelopingourdirectties
withtheotherNationalLESSocietiesaroundtheworldandwithLESInternational.
Herearetwoexamplesoftheseenhancedrelationships:(i)wehavejustlicensed-in
the“ONEDAYINTRODUCTORYWORKSHOPONTHECOMMERCIALIZATION
OFINTELLECTUALPROPERTYTHROUGHLICENSING”,originallypreparedby
LESSouth-AfricainaneffortleadbyAlanLewis;thiscoursewillbegiventomorrow
forthefirsttimeunderthehospicesofLESUS/Cinaversionadaptedtotakeinto
accountUSandCanadianpracticesandlaws;(ii)wehavesupportedLESI’sLatin-
AmericantourthroughthehelpofmanyVolunteersofourSocietywhoagreedto
takeafullweekoftheirtimetovisitBrazil,ArgentinaandChile.Thesevolunteers
included:MarkNawacki,JimMcCarthy,BobGrutzmacherandLindaChao.The
supportandcoordinationweremanagedbyJohnPaulandthestaffofourofficeand

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PamDemaincontributedextraslides.Finally,wesharedtheresultsofthe
“BioPharmaceuticalRoyaltyRate&DealTermsReport”thatIwilltalkaboutina
fewseconds.
Intermsofneweffortsfortheupcomingyearasidefromallthegreatprogramsofour
Society:
WehavejustformalizedtheRoyaltyRate&DealTermCommitteeleadbyJim
McCarthy.Thepilotprojectwasverysuccessfulandbroughtusthe
“BioPharmaceuticalRoyaltyRate&DealTermsReport”inJuneofthisyear.We
werefortunatetohaveafurtherworkshopearlierMondayhighlightinginformation
revealedfromfurtherminingthedata.TheCommittee’snewmandatewillbeto
repeatthissurvey,lookatglobalizingthesurveyandhelpactas“mentors”intrying
toexpandthistypeofsurveytootherIndustrySectors.
IhavealsochargedtheStrategicPlanningCommitteetotakeafreshlookat
MeetingsandEducationprogramsandatMembership,inorderthatwemaintain
ourtrackofexcellence.Soagain,ifyouhaveideas,suggestions,getinvolved!
Contacttheco-chairsoftheStrategicPlanningCommittee,WalterCopanorKen
McKayorme.Thisprojectconcernsallofus.
Forthe2009year:
Forthe2009year,theimmediatefutureofourorganizations,wewillbecontinuing
theworkalreadybegun.“Globalization”hasbeenattheheartofthepreoccupationof
LESUS&Cinrecentyears,anditwillbeatthecoreofourprogrammingagainthis
comingyearthroughthefollowingtheme:
Licensing:aglobalCulture
Wewilllookatkeyaspectsoflicensingandhowitexemplifieslicensingand
technologyacquisitionsasaculture…aglobalone.Licensingprofessionals
communicateacrossnationalbordersbecausetheyarealldealingwiththesame
product–intangibleassetsofIntellectualProperty,andtheydealwithinasimilarset
ofvaluesandskills.
Ofcourse,whenwetouchonthesubjectofCulture,therearedifferentculture
barrierswhethernational,corporateorotherwisethatcannotbeoverlookedbut,in
2009,wewillbelookingatthecultureexistingwithintheLicensingcommunitythat
ralliesusallaroundthefieldofIPCommerce.Ihavetosaythatindevelopingthis

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theme,IwasinspiredbyROBERTMONDAVIWhenhereflectsonhispartnershipwith
FrenchmanBaronPhilippedeRothschild,ownerofthegreatwineMouton
Rothschild,inhis1998book:
HarvestsofJoy
HowtheGoodLife
BecameGreatBusiness
[ReferringtotheformationofthePartnershipofOpusOneMondaviwrites:]Forboth
partners,thisprocesswasveryeducational.“Westartedoutwithtwodifferentwine
culturesandtwodifferentperspectives,”recallsPatrickLéon,[…]Mouton’swine
maker[…].“I’dsaythat,inessence,itwasscienceversusnose.TheAmericans
wereverystrongwithtestingandanalysis,buttheywerelessstrongintheartofthe
assemblage,theblendingoffinewine.TomakeawinelikeOpusOne,youhaveto
bewillingtotakerisks.There’snosurerecipe.Youcan’tverifyeverythingin
advance.”
WetaughttheMoutonteamthewaysofAmericanbusiness;theytaughtustheways
ofFrenchwine.Tim[Mondavi’sson]andhisstaffprofitedfromtheexchange,
pickingupideaswewouldlaterintegrateintoourownoperationsattheRobert
MondaviWinery.Justasimportant,Timandhisteamwereexposedtoa
differentcultureandspiritofwinemaking.IntheviewofPatrickLéon,for
instance,“nose”iswhatdistinguishesagreatwinemaker,andthetrueartist
alsoneedssomethingmore:unpetitgraindefolie,meaningatouchofwhimsy
orfolly.NowwhatAmericanwinecourseormastercouldeverteachyouthat?
NowthisistheculturethatIwanttotalkabout,acultureofopenness,reachingout
andofethics.WehadaglimpseofthisyesterdayduringthePlenarySessionofthe
GlobalTitansofLicensingwhentheparticipantsagreedthatglobalmarketsinspired
globalpracticesandthattheflatteningoftheworldconfrontsemergingeconomiesto
issueandfollow“worldrules”.This,Ibelieve,isconduciveincreatingaglobalIP
CommerceCulture.
Eachmeetingwillexploredifferentaspectsofthecultureoflicensing–the
characteristicsthatmakeitaunique,relationship-basedcommunity,thatempowers
innovationtodrivetheglobaleconomy.Licensingopportunitiesexistonaglobal
scale,andLESmembersareincreasinglycalledupontodevelopandmanage
intellectualpropertyaroundtheworld.
Inthiscontext,ourwinterMeetinginSanAntonio,TX,willaddresstheimportanceof
Professionalism,ourSpringMeetinginMontreal,Qc,willbeanopportunityto
examineNetworkingrelationships,andtheAnnualMeetinginSanFrancisco,CA

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(whichrepresentsthesynergyoftechnology,business,andentrepreneurship)will
focusonEducationandDiversityinlicensing.
Conclusion

Yes2009willbeaninterestingyear.Theelectionswillbebehindus,yesthe
CanadianelectionsaswellastheUSones,thefocuswillbeputbackonbusiness
andtheeconomyand,ifIcanlooselyparaphrasesomeofRichKarlgaardthoughts
hesharedwithusearlierMonday:“weshouldentertheyearwithrealisticoptimism”.
Whereelsecanyoulearn,network,developlong-lastingrelationshipsand
friendships,sometimesacrosscontinents,withpeoplethatsharethesamepassions,
thenwithinourgreatorganizationofLES!Asyoumayhaverealizedduringmy
address,ItrulybelievethatLESisaboutpeople,aboutallofyou!
ThankyouandIhopetoseeallofyouagainin2009.

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