Experience

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  United states navy

  Jul 1979 - Aug 1987

  Naval nuclear propulsion officer, submarines

  Chief Nuclear Engineering Officer - USS SCULPIN (SSN 590)Staff Training Officer/Leading Engineering Officer of the Watch - S3G LAND-BASED NUCLEAR PROPULSION PROTOTYPEEngineering and Sonar Division Officer - USS LAPON (SSN 661)

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  Illinois power/illinova

  Sept 1987 - Dec 1999

  Various

  Project Manager - Sole Illinois Power employee responsible for managing all aspects of a $15 million gas turbine site restoration project. Scope of the project included complete overhaul and restoration of four gas turbine engines having significantly deteriorated material conditions, requiring extensive recovery efforts. The fast track production schedule was aggressive and corporate commitments made to regulatory authorities were met.Operations Superintendent - Duties included observing electric production processes and identifying opportunities for improvement; tracking improvement activities from cradle to grave; determining scheduling, planning, and project management details associated with planned and emergency shutdowns (“outages”) including financial, manpower, and material resource management; administering labor contracts; ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements.Outage Manager - Provided the outage management team with the focus and direction necessary to reengineer all processes associated with the management of scheduled outages in a manner consistent with completing all assigned projects on time and within budgetary constraints. Large, multi-million dollar projects were consistently under budget via strict budgetary management, a significant improvement over legacy practices that resulted in expenditures $2 million over budget. In addition, improved maintenance practices resulted in improved post-outage capacity and run-time of the units.Training Coordinator - Instituted a comprehensive, procedurally oriented operator training program that included system descriptions, detailed operating procedures and instructions, hands-on practical performance activities, and detailed instructor training plans. Spearheaded the development and implementation of an accredited Power Plant Technology curriculum in concert with a local junior college and recruited over 150 participants. Show less

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  Ge automation serivces

  Jan 1999 - Jan 2005

  Project manager

  I drafted and managed industrial automation project contracts that identified, qualified, and quantified scopes of supply, customers’ responsibilities, and financial risks. I then executed the projects meeting and exceeding customer requirements regardless of budgetary and time constraints. Moreover, I utilized Six Sigma techniques for managing P&L by executing projects in a manner consistent with maximizing contribution margin with positive cash flows. In addition, I consistently identified, priced, and executed additional opportunities throughout the project execution timeline. Furthermore, I managed diverse engineering disciplines including mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation and controls as well as programming, operator interface development, and computer-assisted drafting (CAD). These resources were geographically dispersed, including outside the United States. Show less

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  Armstrong teasdale llp

  Jul 2005 - Feb 2017

  My practice focused on the preparation and prosecution of U.S., foreign, and international patent applications in the mechanical engineering, material science, electrical/electronic engineering, business process, information technology/computer science (hardware and software), and industrial control arts. In addition, I developed and leveraged a large array of other transferable skills, specifically, employee leadership, management, and training as well as excellent client interface/management skills. Show less

  • Associate, Of Counsel Intellectual Property Service Group at Armstrong Teasdale LLP

    Oct 2010 - Feb 2017

  • Patent Engineer in Intellectual Property Services Group

    Jul 2005 - Oct 2010
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  Lieberman & brandsdorfer, llc

  Dec 2017 - Aug 2019

  Patent attorney

  My practice focused on the preparation and prosecution of U.S. patent applications, where I sharpened my technical knowledge and drafting skills in the information technology/computer science (hardware and software) arts. I became particularly adept at arguing and overcoming rejections from the USPTO under 35 U.S.C. §101 to accelerate the rate of allowance for those clients heavily invested in the aforementioned arts. In addition, my practice included drafting and prosecuting patent applications that integrated the mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, material science, electrical/electronic engineering, atomic and nuclear physics, and industrial control arts. Show less

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  Ibm

  Sept 2019 - Apr 2024

  Patent attorney

  I am a patent attorney registered to practice in Missouri and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). I have an extensive technical background and over fourteen years of experience in drafting and successfully prosecuting patent applications for technologies in a diverse set of disciplines for a multitude of entities, large and small. Joining my interests in engineering with that of law, and the addition of corporate and military backgrounds, I bring a heightened perspective particularly suited for working for IBM. For example, I witness the cutting edge of information technology and computer science in a world-class organization while guiding inventors (many leaders in their field) through the patent application process with a focus on their inventions. I am particularly adept at arguing and overcoming rejections from the USPTO under 35 U.S.C. §101 to accelerate the rate of allowance for those applications in the aforementioned arts. Based on my track record in my previous patent professional roles, and continuing in my new role as a patent attorney with IBM, I am leveraging my extensive, practical experience and knowledge of technology and engineering (developed as a working, interdisciplinary engineer and engineering manager) to craft applications, many of which have received first action allowances. In addition, I am well-experienced and successful at overcoming objections and rejections raised by patent examiners through technical and legal arguments to advance the maturation of patent applications to issued patents.In addition, my experience in patent practice includes drafting and prosecuting patent applications that integrate aspects of the mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, material science, electrical/electronic engineering, atomic and nuclear physics, and industrial control arts. Show less