THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                     (Shepherdstown, West Virginia)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                    January 4, 2000

          PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES NICHOLAS P. GODICI TO SERVE 
          AS ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS

The President today announced his intent to nominate Nicholas P. Godici as Assistant Commissioner for Patents and Trademarks at the Department of Commerce.

Mr. Nicholas P. Godici, of Alexandria, Virginia, has over 25 years of experience in the intellectual property rights protection arena. At present, he has been assigned the duties of the Assistant Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks at the Department of Commerce where he is responsible for managing all aspects of the patent business organization, examination, search, and procedural functions. Prior to his present position, Mr. Godici served as the Acting Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Patents. In addition, Mr. Godici has served the Department in several other capacities including Director of Patent Examining Group, Supervisory Patent Examiner and Patent Examiner.

Mr. Godici received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Mechanics in 1972 from Pennsylvania State University and graduate level Certificate of Advanced Public Management from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs from Syracuse University in 1998.

The Assistant Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks serves as the principle advisor to the Assistant Secretary and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks. The incumbent is responsible for directing the Patent Examining Groups and the Patent Documentation Organizations, which includes international responsibilities, such as, agreements with other countries negotiated through the World Intellectual Property Organization.

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