David Gooder to depart USPTO
Current Commissioner for Trademarks will finish out his five-year term on Feb 28; Dan Vavonese named Acting Commissioner for Trademarks
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced that Commissioner for Trademarks David Gooder will conclude his five-year term on February 28, 2025. Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Operations Dan Vavonese will serve as Acting Commissioner for Trademarks until a permanent replacement is selected.
"Commissioner Gooder has been a great asset to our agency and an exemplary leader for our trademark community,” said Coke Morgan Stewart, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Acting Director of the USPTO. “His service to America’s brand owners has helped the U.S. trademark system remain the global standard for excellence, and I thank him for his leadership over these past five years.”
Some of the notable accomplishments under Commissioner Gooder’s leadership include retiring the 40-year-old trademarks IT system (known as TRAM), creating the Register Protection Office and greatly expanding the USPTO’s anti-fraud activities, and driving a two-month (28%) reduction in first action pendency, which had surged to over 8 ½ months during the pandemic.
Vavonese brings over 29 years of experience in trademark operations as an examining attorney, manager, and senior executive. In his current role as Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Operations, Vavonese leads a team of more than 900 examining attorneys, trademark professionals, and managers who deliver on all aspects of trademark examination, registration, and maintenance. He has championed numerous initiatives to streamline and improve efficiency in examination, most notably the recent trademark pendency reduction plan which resulted in a two-month decrease in pendency in 2024.
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