Charles E. Ankner

West Palm Beach, FL 33415

Cell (805) 598-3422

charles@CharlesAnkner.com

USAF Service-Connected Disabled Veteran – Tinnitus / bilateral hearing loss

Summary

Corporate patent and trademark law, technical, and analytical background with excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills. Effective in dealing with all responsibility levels of personnel in a tactful, diplomatic, and positive manner. Superior level of ethics, integrity, confidentiality, dependability, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Develop, manage, and administrate US corporate intellectual property (IP) portfolio.  Provide guidance to employees at all levels related to IP and legal issues.  Function as liaison between ownership, executive, research and development, design engineering personnel, manufacturing, and outside IP counsel.  Perform trademark availability, and patent prior art searches.  Evaluate patent prior-art citations in light of corporate global technical, scientific, and market efforts.  

Draft, review, and edit patent applications, office action responses, appeal briefs, and IPR responses.  Certified Paralegal (Oak Brook College of Law).  2L studies completed. 15-year California Notary Public. Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator Type: ISTJ.

Professional Experience

Charles Ankner Social Enterprises, LLC

Founder and Senior Steward Jan ‘15 – Present

Non-Attorney/Agent consulting related to IP. Provide IP guidance and Patent Attorney support to individuals and small-to-mid sized companies.  Contracts, non-disclosure agreements, trademark and patent search, patent analysis.  Interpreter and liaison between clients and Counsel: answering questions, explaining concepts, shooting-the-breeze, gleaning information, identify issues before they become nightmares, policing competitors for infringement and portfolio analysis.  Ghost draft patent applications and responses.  Quick turn-around search and evaluation of patent citations is a specialty.

Karl Storz Imaging, Inc., Goleta, CA

Global Intellectual Property Manager, Global Patent Dept.   Dec ‘00 – Jun ‘15

Primary Responsibilities:

Functioned as informational resource and technical/legal liaison for global corporate executives, departmental heads, engineers, and scientists relating to IP issues.  Provided IP guidance to all corporate divisions, executives, and outside U.S. and German IP counsel.  Developed, managed, and administered expanding, world-class, corporate IP portfolio.  Developed, modified, and maintained corporate policies and procedures to ensure technical and commercial activities did not infringe the IP (trademark, copyright, patent, and trade secret) rights of others. Ensured protection from infringement of IP rights by third parties, ensured the effective capture of invention related information during research, development, and/or design efforts, and ensured the proper corporate use of trademarks; either registered, pending registration, or unregistered.  Assisted U.S. and German patent counsel in preparing, drafting, filing, docketing, administering, and litigation of U.S. and international patents. Provided guidance to corporate officers, directors, and department heads as to the need for services of outside IP counsel. 

Additional Responsibilities:

Performed in-depth trademark availability searches prior to mark use and federal registration.  Performed specialized, in-depth, prior art searches, and evaluated current research and development conflicts with relevant prior-art.  Prepared invention disclosures, drafted patent applications for submittal to U.S. patent counsel, reviewed and approved patent applications from U.S. patent counsel prior to filing. Managed patent and trademark activity costs to budget. Conducted training of corporate executives and employees related to IP issues.

Test Supervisor / Manufacturing Test Engineer   Apr ‘98 – Dec ‘00

Primary Responsibilities:

Provided direct technical and professional supervision of three electronics technicians and seven quality inspectors.  Developed and implemented production test methods and procedures in support of diversified and fast-paced electronics manufacturing line (medical video cameras).  Provided and directed tear down / root-cause analysis of discrepant production and field return units.   Technical liaison between manufacturing and design engineering for sustaining and new development programs. Participated in critical design review functions for existing and new development projects to ensure product performance requirements are met while maximizing manufacturability.

Additional Responsibilities:

Supported most company departmental functions (service, customer service, project management, design engineering, etc…) in the areas of project testing and manufacturing.  Provided in-depth training of new hires on technical requirements and work practices. Developed, modified, and implemented manufacturing and quality systems to ensure continued improvement of processes and practices. Work-Area Emergency Team Representative.

Supervisor- QC Test,ALQ-184 Manufacturing Program  Jun ‘94 – Apr ‘98

Primary Responsibilities:

Directed and/or performed testing and troubleshooting of complex systems and subsystems. Established priorities for work assignments and directed test performance to meet program budget requirements and production schedules. Called and/or attended production meetings to revise commitments, recommended delinquent recovery plans, and identify problem areas (providing correction recommendations) requiring management action and approval.  Directed and took corrective action as required to resolve material, schedule, or other problems which effected efficient test operations.  Developed and/or recommended most efficient and effective test methods and operations while meeting quality standards. Devised and implemented cost reduction techniques to maximize testing efficiency (including test equipment evaluation and purchase).  Supervised assigned personnel (11 to 25+) and settled employee related problems (industrial relations, performance review, hiring and termination, etc...) in liaison with Human Resources as necessary. Motivated subordinates for maximum program output (both quality and quantity) while maintaining positive and cohesive working environment.

Additional Responsibilities:

In depth training of new hires on technical requirements and work practices. Work-Area Security Custodian and building Security Representative.  Emergency Preparedness Representative, Safety and Environmental Health Representative. Performed product failure review for both internal and external vendor and customer corrective action recommendations. Division representative during both domestic and international initial system “bed-down” and acceptance.

QC Test Engineer,ALQ-184 Manufacturing Program   May ‘90 - Jun ‘94

Primary Responsibilities:

Performed system acceptance testing, system environmental stress screening, and in-depth system and subsystem troubleshooting to ensure compliance with technical and government standards.   Ensured overall system test compliance while meeting production schedules. Coordinated with other departments (i.e. inspection, assembly, engineering etc.) to resolve production test impacts in the area of technical requirements and performance. Interfaced with design and manufacturing engineering to facilitate transition of systems and subsystems from development to production. Verified and validated support equipment and system software prior to customer release.

Additional Responsibilities:

Technical supervision and employee scheduling.  Trained new hires on technical requirements and work practices. Work-Area Security Custodian and building Security Representative.

USAF

85th Test and Evaluation Squadron

Tactical Air Warfare Center, Eglin AFB, FL    Sep ‘82 - Apr ‘90

Electronic Warfare Systems Tech/Supervisor (SSGT, E-5, 7 Skill Level)

Performed test and evaluation of newly procured systems and their related support equipment. Conducted detailed testing to ensure compliance with modification and engineering specifications. Analyzed system design and operating characteristics to determine reliability, maintainability, and reparability. Evaluated and implemented changes in maintenance philosophies to improve system performance.  Planned and scheduled work priorities for daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly compliance.  Set maintenance and training standards. Directly supervised five electronics technicians.

Education

Oak Brook College of Law and Government Policy, Fresno, CA

Paralegal Certificate, 42 credit hrs, 1113 study hrs, GPA 3.66      2010 - 2011

Common Law Jurisprudence, Torts, Contracts, Family Law, Legal Philosophy & Reasoning, Basic Principles of Counseling, Real Estate Transactions, Criminal Law & Procedure, Christian Conciliation, Wills & Trusts, Legal Research & Writing, Business Organizations, Ethics for Legal Professionals, Constitutional Law, Civil Litigation, Advanced Legal Research.

External J.D. Program, 1L Studies   2005 - 2006 

Completed 1L Studies (Contracts, Torts, CrimLaw, Legal Writing & Research), Status: 2L, GPA 2.50

Southeastern University, Lakeland, FL       1994 - 1998

Major: Bible, Minor: Systematic Theology, Status: Senior, GPA 3.85

Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, AL      1985 - 1988

Avionics Systems Technology, 55 sem. hrs.

Okaloosa-Walton Community College, Niceville, FL    1984 - 1988

A.S. Electronics, 52 sem. hrs.

Formal Speaking: Briefing VIPs, Corporate Executives, and Customer representatives. Conducting both formal and informal training courses.

Awards and Honors

Raytheon Company, Goleta Operations Suggestor of the Year for 1994 - cost savings realized totaling over $450,000.

USAF Commendation Medals- ‘85 and ‘90; for meritorious service.

USAF Achievement Medal- ‘84; for software update and technical order revision.

USAF Good Conduct Medals – ‘85 and ‘88.