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March is Women's History Month,
a time when we reflect upon the tremendous contributions
of women to our nation.
This year is particularly important
for those of us who serve the American people,
because this year's theme honors women in public service
and government.
While it is not possible to recognize the contributions
of each woman at the USPTO,
this video highlights the story of Marilyn Ricks-Beach.
When orders come in, this is where the magic starts.
I came to the USPTO in 1980 as a GS-2,
a file clerk working at one of the --
They used to call them groups.
They are now called technology centers.
The position really was a temporary position.
Still here in the agency like 37 years later.
She's always been my inspiration.
I always look up to her because she's my older sister.
[Laughing]
KEITH: I've known Marilyn for probably 20 years,
and I worked with her for 12 years,
and then she became to be the boss.
I started in the Patent and Trademark Office.
I came into a mechanical group,
and she was one of the clerical people in that same group,
so you could say I've known her my whole career.
MARILYN: Good morning, Director Lee.
- Hi. I'm Marilyn. - You're Marilyn.
- Yes. - Great to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
TED: Marilyn's growth has certainly inspired me just generally.
It's very impressive.
I really like to see people move up,
you know, not through any kind of chain advancement,
but through their own initiative
and take on more and more responsibilities,
and she certainly does that.
MARILYN: I've been fortunate enough to work
in a lot of different parts of the agency,
and in the last year I got a different position
and I became a program analyst
for the Office of Public Records.
This office provides certified and uncertified copies,
and these certified and uncertified copies
are used for filing for courts.
Basically, it's protecting the property rights.
This is what a certified copy of a application --
and each certified officer signs.
They apply the gold seal.
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TED: She has developed a tremendous amount
of confidence and expertise.
She is our go-to person.
She's a very hard worker,
and she also is a great teacher, too.
She's a go-getter.
She's serious about getting the work done
and meeting the production goals,
and if she can help you as one of her employees,
she'll help you move along, too.
- ...off of the paper to the -- - Yeah.
TRAYNA: She might tell me about a job,
a vacancy announcement that's available that I can apply for.
She'll say, "You could do that. You could do that."
She's very strong and very smart, okay,
and very dedicated to her job.
She's there for everybody. Seriously.
I really don't know how she does it.
She bowls. She gets her grandkids.
She has a son that just went off to college.
She comes down. She checks on me and my family.
I want some of her energy.
MARILYN: Being a woman at the Patent and Trademark Office,
there are a lot of opportunities.
There are a lot of different programs.
There are a lot of organizations that you can really
get involved in.
I was a part of Women's Executive Leadership Program,
and through that program I got a lot of training.
If I hadn't been in that program,
I know I would not have applied for some of the positions
and taken some of the risks to try to move forward.
I think what's kept me at PTO for this long is the fact that
PTO is so totally different.
Anything that's invented, it's coming through this agency.
Somebody trademarks something, that registration
is coming through this agency.
Being a part of a agency that's really helping to shape
the world from a intellectual property standpoint
is a great place to be.
We all understand how important our customers are.
We value our customers,
and being a part of information dissemination, you know,
is rewarding.
And every part of the organization, every part,
is a reflection of the agency, so --
Exactly.
-- this is critically important.
- So thank you. - Thank you.
- Thank you for what you do. - Thank you.
- Really wonderful. Thank you. - Thank you.
This year's theme for Women's History Month
is "Working to Form a More Perfect Union:
Honoring Women in Public Service and Government."
I would like to proudly recognize the work of women
such as Marilyn, whose career, like many others here,
highlights the vital role that women play in support
of our agency's mission.
Every day, women at the USPTO are making a difference
as a result of their hard work.
The women of the USPTO serve with dedication
and distinction that inspires me every day.
I am also proud of the USPTO community,
which encourages employees to achieve a work-life balance
with flexible work hours and alternative work schedules.
And, as the first woman to have the honor of leading the USPTO,
I would like to encourage all women throughout our agency
to help each other and further increase the number of women
in public service roles.
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