Now let’s look at some organizations I’ve had more pleasant personal experience with and whose members of the organization’s leadership team I know. I cannot, however, vouch for most of the organizations listed, and you should use your own judgment on whether you feel a group meets your personal requirements and on its legitimacy. One of the best ways to qualify an organization is through references by satisfied members. (See Appendix C for a full list of organizations.)

Several kinds of organizations exist:

Two different types of national organizations operate, the United Inventors Association (UIA) and the Intellectual Property Owners, Inc. (IPO).

The UIA claims to represent more than 10,000 inventors worldwide. It was established in September 1990 as an outgrowth of a Department of Energy Conference organized to discuss the needs of our nation’s independent inventors.

There is no finer or more impactful group of advocates for the independent inventor than the folks at the UIA. They labor tirelessly on the front lines and behind the scenes, scrupulously watching out for the rights of the independent inventor. The UIA is actively involved in bringing fraudulent invention-marketing companies to the attention of lawmakers, law enforcement agencies, and regulators. I encourage you to visit the UIA website, at www.usuia.org.

Intellectual Property Owners (IPO), often at odds with the UIA on issues of patent lawand patent policy, is a fine organization, comprised of many more corporate members than independent inventors. The IPO is not an inventor organization, per se.

It is a trade association (read: lobbyists) that serves the needs of owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets throughout a wide range of industries and fields of technology. Members include Fortune 500 companies, universities, patent law firms, independent inventors, and authors.

The IPO was founded in 1972 by a group of individuals concerned about the lack of understanding of intellectual property rights in the United States. Members include Union Carbide, Monsanto, United Technologies, P&G, AT&T, and more than 300 small businesses, universities, independent inventors, authors, executives, and attorneys.

Herb Wamsley, the IPO’s indefatigable executive director, has been at the helm of the organization for as far back as I can remember. While the IPO is definitely not for the casual inventor, it should be given consideration by professional inventors who have interest in up-to-the-minute information about intellectual property issues and who seek contacts within big business. For a full list of the IPO’s benefits and services, request a fact sheet and other background material from the organization.

The IPO sponsors the National Inventor of the Year Award. Its purpose is to increase public awareness of current inventors and how they benefit the nation’s economy and our quality of life. Its Daily News, an awesomely informative summary of current ip news and tidbits, is sent to members via e-mail and is available free to anyone who visits the IPO website at www.ipo.org.

I served two consecutive terms on the IPO’s board of directors filling the one seat it had for an independent inventor. It was a great place for making contacts with the gatekeepers of corporate ip. For more information, contact Intellectual Property Owners, 1501 M Street NW, Suite 1150, Washington, DC 20005; 202-507-4500; fax: 202-507-4501; www.ipo.org.

Don’t join a national organization at the exclusion of a state or local group. These organizations complement each other in terms of what they deliver. State and local organizations are typically smaller, warmer, and friendlier. You will be able to attend regular meetings. And because the membership is close by, the information shared will be highly targeted, for example, where to get prototypes made, find competent patent counsel, and so forth. The non-nationals also often have great guest speakers, social events, and recreational activities.

Fred Hart, formerly of the Department of Energy, advises, “Search out the nearest inventors’ organization and join. If there isn’t one, start one up. It’s only through a mutual support group that you can safely get help.”

If you need guidance on how to start your own organization, take a look at the advice proffered by the Houston Inventors Association, at www.inventors.org/invclub/h2start.htm.

If you don’t want to start a formal organization, think about informal get-togethers. A great example of one is what has become known as Toy Inventors Weekend in Vermont every September.

John Hall, a former vice president for R&D at Playskool, and his wife, publishing dynamo Nancy, first organized this weekend back in 1993, and it has become an annual, by-invitation-only event that some 25 people attend. The group takes over a beautiful country inn and spends a fall weekend renewing friendships, sharing business stories and corporate intelligence, and enjoying the beauty of the Green Mountain State.

Toy inventors and their spouses or significant others come from as far away as California and England to attend. The weekend is restricted to independent inventors. No currently employed corporate executives are invited, although some inventors once worked inside.

Palm Beach County, Florida, is home to the Sunshine Santas, a loosely organized band of some 15 toy inventors who work, play, and dine together all year long. Sheryl and I are proud to be founding members of this tightly knit group of elves.

While a licensor might not make a trip to Florida to see a single individual inventor, because the opportunity exists to hear pitches from many different people/teams, there is a steady stream of executives coming in and out from as far away as England, Canada, and California.