Gene M. Munson, Primary Examiner in TC 2800, passed away Saturday, December 30, 2006. Gene was a long-time POPA representative and POPA supporter.
Our condolences go out to Gene’s wife and three sons.
Gene began his USPTO career in 1974 and was first elected as a POPA representative in 1983. Gene was elected by his fellow patent professionals to represent Group 250, Group 2500 and Tech Center 2800 in each election since 1983; continuously representing his fellow examiners for 23 years.
Gene was not only an examiner but also an attorney. Over the years as a member of the POPA Executive Committee, Gene provided legal representation for the entire bargaining unit and for some individual unit members. Gene was instrumental in the early automation negotiations and served as chair of the automation committee and filed several legal briefs in litigation surrounding those negotiations. Gene also served as chief negotiator in the religious compensatory time negotiations, which resulted in an agreement on religious compensatory time for patent professionals. More recently Gene had used his legal expertise to write an appeal brief and present oral arguments before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on a removal action for a fellow examiner in TC 2800.
Gene went about his work as a POPA representative in a quiet manner, always helping those in his area by dispensing legal advice or referring the examiner to the POPA representative who could offer the best advice.
His many friends on the POPA Executive Committee and his many friends in Tech Center 2800 will greatly miss Gene.