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New Officers Elected for 1999 President: Tony Patti, Vice-Pres: Randy Sloan, Sect'y Treas: J.R. Trout, Sgt at Arms: Gary Fosburg, Editor/Web Master: Vince Chemist, Program Director: Charles Ketcham, Trustee Board Chairman: Don Evans, Trustees nominated: Tony Patti, Randy Sloan,J.R. Trout, Bill Young, Don Evans, Dr. Bill Torch and Gary Fosburg.
Oct 24- 1998
Meeting called to order at 9:O5 AM by Tony Patti, acting president. Financial report by Don Costar,
Treasurer.
Discussion of need for a program chairman. Charles Ketcham appointed and accepted. Don announced Peggy Reis is in Dallas for a juvenile products show. She hopes to bring back business cards of manufacturers and sales reps.
Vince Chemist, Bud Heath, Gary Fosberg will work on a members list with; abilities(what this member can do), picture(so you can find him/her), full name and address, home telephone. And there will be another list of people willing to help with specialties (at some cost), with a small cost for publication and web exposure.
Also, all persons that are expecting a receipt for dues, should pick them up at meeting, any question call me Vince Chemist (677-0123) .
First speaker: Don Costar, on the DRTV show coming up in April of '99. at Disney land the Advantages and reasons to attend show if an inventor has a mass market appeal product. The brochures and entry forms for product evaluation were made available to all by Don. More forms are still available for those who want them. (call Don) Discussion expanded into protection of ideas and products, and do's and don'ts of patent prosecution.
Second speaker: Bruno Menicucci, of Menicucci Insurance Associates, regarding aspects of product liability insurance for inventors. Bruno has obtained coverage for Bill Young's air bag invention -- the only one in the U.S. that is not self-insured. All other manufacturers and/or distributors of air bags are self insured. Also talked about insurance in general, pertaining to inventors.
Third speaker: Dr. Bill Torch, who showed a fascinating video regarding his eye-com invention for detecting drowsiness. Dr. Torch's invention has progress into a high tech solution for not only saving lives of drowsy drivers, pilots and others but also a method of communication through the blinks of eyelids. This can apply not only to aphasics and quadriplegic, but as a communication device for security personnel and those who need to send messages discreetly.
He also talked about his work on the new "Science and Industry Museum." 14 floors of
fantastic, hands-on, live exhibits that will make it a truly one of a kind museum for Northern Nevada. and the
new information he brought., He had some drawings and pictures (raw land) of the area that will be developed for
this multi-acre, fantastic, improvement for the greater Reno, Sparks and County areas.
Note: Don Costar, Don Evans, Toni Patti will not be at the Nov. 28 1998 meeting, so Randy Sloan will be conducting
the meeting.
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Announcing the 1998 -- NMOA US 500
The Search For the 500 Most Unique and interesting Products
Made In America.
It can happen! Some lucky manufacturer could "strike it rich" if their product happens to be chosen by the NMOA as one of the best 500 products made in America. "You never know where that next hot product will come from," says John Schulte, NMOA Chief Manager. " This is the perfect way for manufactures to get in front of wholesale buyers." All valid entries will enjoy free publicity in :Mail Order Digest." the association's international newsletter. Mail Order Digest goes to the merchandise buyers from mail order companies, catalog companies, informercial companies, and other direct marketers - nationally and internationally. If one or more of these direct marketing companies picks your product to sell, and it turns out to be a hot seller, truckloads could be sold in just a short time. "The products selected will be exposed to hundreds of merchandise buyers from around the world, adding export possibilities as a bonus," 500 Winners will receive a beautiful frameable certificate of recognition and a winners publicity kit. 50 of the 500 Winners,(one per state) will also have their product featured on the NMOA web site for an entire year free. As an added bonus 1998 winners may also get extra publicity like many of the 1997 winners and receive additional publicity in their local papers, one winner from last year is even being featured in Barbara Brabec's book "Creative Cash" (the 1998 edition due out in August). Manufacturers of all sizes are invited to participate, including the one-man shop. Products can be of any type, and can be for the general consumer or businesses. Firms wishing to enter a product can get an entry form via fax back (612) 788-4193, or by printing it off the NMOA web site, 'http://www.nmoa.org' or sending a sase to NMOA headquarters, Completed entries must be submitted no later than dec. 31 1998. NMOA will notify all winning entrants by mail.
John Schulte
2907 Polk Street NE
Minneapolis MN 55418-2954 USA
schulte@nmoa.org
Phone 612.788.1673
fax: 612-788-1147
http://www.nmoa.org
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Conducts the NMOA 500 Product Search.
The NM0A product search is meant to help small to midsize manufacturers and Inventors get publicity for their products. This also helps merchandise buyers from mail order and other direct marketing companies find new and interesting products for their company to sell.
In other words we help product manufacturers connect with the merchandise buyers from Mail order, catalog, and direct marketing companies. A connection that otherwise may not be made.
We are simply doing what a trade association Should be doing, helping unite people with common
interests and needs.
If we expand our explanation a bit, you begin to understand our reasoning behind the contest.
Some of the most interesting products come from smaller manufacturers around the USA But many times the smaller guy has a hard time getting his products in front of buyers. Even if they have the marketing expertise and the connections, It is very time consuming and expensive for them to do without help.
Just the expense to travel and display at a product trade show is an enormous investment in money and manpower. It's just too much for many smaller companies. So what happens -- they don't go. They miss their chance to get in front of buyers.
Manufacturers that do go to large product trade shows have often found that their booth can be like needle in a haystack, hard to find and be noticed. Likewise, many manufacturers have also found that attendance at trade shows has changed with the time -it's down! In today's hectic, down sized, and budget tight business environment, buyer have more responsibilities and are in short supply of time.
That means less time available to do trade show shopping.
Yet, at the same time, merchandise buyers are always under extreme pressure to find new and interesting products for their company to resell and are always on the lookout for the next hot seller. They just want to be able to shop at their convenience.
This is our way of helping both. and having some fun doing it.
For answers to additional questions contact: John Schulte, phone (612) 788-1673
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This is the beginning of a new series for the Nevada Inventor's Association Newsletter. We will
be interviewing members in the upcoming months for their "Bio's"!
Gary L. Fosburg
Gary was born in Los Angeles, Ca. back in the fifties. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley. He contributes his
inventiveness to his father, Gordon, who set up the Slyvania plant in Batavia, the Tompson organ plant in Riverside
and then put in 25 years with Lockheed. He had over 30 Certificates Of Accomplishment which also resulted great
savings over the years(to the companies).
Gary has invented and prototyped over 70 ideas, but as we all know, fianancing these ideas to market is the hardest part. His latest, the Web-Away, which is a battery operated Rod which wraps up spiders. This his main focus until it's on the market. According to Gary, the first problem is staying focus on a specific product. Most inventor's enjoy the challenge of "inventing" versus actually putting something to market. Gary tends to be of this variety. The income that would be realized is not paramount to the success of the inventing process itself.
Gary's dream, (which now dictates that one of his products generate revenue) is to establish
a prototype shop. This shop would effectively be a non-profit corporation. The shop would have all the tools necessary
to take a product to market. Desktop publishing, lathes, stereolithography (which can make a prototype in about
a hour out of plastic) a software package for accounting, inventory, etc. What would happen is a person would come
to the shop,the product would be developed free of charge, then would be marketed, they in turn donate 2% of the
net profits for a year to the prototype non-profit organization. This becomes the operating capital for future
"gadgits" and at same time is a tax write-off for the inventor.
The next meeting is Nov. 28 -1998, there will be NO meeting in December.
Created on Nov. 20, 1998
Updated on November 29, 2005