Patent Information Users Group, Inc.

The International Society for Patent Information Professionals

PIUG Milestones

1988	PIUG born; organizational meeting following IFI meeting First discussion list on Dialmail
1989	First annual one-day business meeting First newsletter
1992	First Northeast meeting
1995	Technical sessions at one-day annual meeting Thomson Derwent hosts internet discussion list
1996	CAS hosts PIUG website
1998	First multi-day annual conference focusing on technical topics PIUG Service Awards 500th subscriber to discussion list
1999	PIUG Incorporated, leading to Board of Directors
2000	First West Coast meeting Membership over 400
2001-2002	First non-US based volunteers (Chair, Director, Webmaster)
2002	Online credit card payments accepted (through PayPal) Over 1400 discussion list subscribers First annual Brian Stockdale Memorial Award recipient
2003	Record attendance of 320 at annual conference Individual membership exceeded 600 by year end.
2004	Meeting planner hired for annual conference (2005)
2005	PIUG Trademark registered in U.S. Web pages moved to allow PIUG more flexibility (with updates/features). Improved online credit card payments (with Merchant Accounts). Online membership management (with 123Signup)
2006	Implemented new discussion list with Listbox
2007	First Boston Biotech Meeting
2008	20th Anniversary of the PIUG Record attendance of 400 at annual conference Strategic Planning Committee established First five year strategic plan for PIUG unveiled CEPIUG and PIUG Memorandum of Understanding signed PIUG Wiki implemented
2009	PIUG Wiki Discussion Forum replaced the discussion list PIUG Association Manager hired, outcome of Executive Secretary Task Force Certification, Training, Mentoring Working Groups- formed by PIUG Education & Training Task Force (PETT) International Certification Scheme proposed by Certification Working Group Patent Analytics Working Group established Outreach and Collaboration with Patent Documentation Group (PDG) initiated
2010	Bylaws Amendment to Single Membership Category took effect January 1, 2010 Partnership with WIPO on worldwide patent information training began PIUG Fundamentals of Patent Information Course initiated PIUG Wiki registrants surpass 1330 Chinese subchapter is initiated
2011	PIUG receives an entry in Wikipedia Quarterly Executive Meeting with CEPIUG established PIUG begins partnerships with AIIP, LES, IRF and AALL Mock Certification Exams held in conjunction with 2011 NE conference PIUG partners with USPTO, EPO and CEPIUG to support the start of the CPC project PIUG Newsletter goes digital
2012	First Australian elected as PIUG Chair First PIUG Marketing Brochure available in English and Mandarin Improved online membership management, member directory and website platform established (with Wild Apricot)
2013	25th Anniversary of the PIUG PIUG receives acknowledgement from the EPO President and the USPTO Director concerning CPC implementation First Stu Kaback Business Impact Award recipient Quarterly Executive Meeting with PDG established Mutual Release & Termination signed by PIUG and PIUG's association management company PIUG Chair delivers keynote speech at the EPO Patent Information Conference PIUG participates in WIPO's first Patentscope User Forum and USPTO's software partnership meeting
2014	PIUG Treasurer celebrates 10 year anniversary as Treasurer PIUG is invited and applies to become a non-governmental permanent WIPO Observer AIIP and PIUG sign Memorandum of Understanding
2015	PIUG is granted WIPO Observer Status PIUG participates in WIPO’s IPC Committee of Experts meeting PIUG Chair participates in USPTO Open Data Roundtable PIUG hires its first employee (Administrative Coordinator) PIUG publishes 2014 Salary Survey USPTO-EPO CPC Annual Meeting held in conjunction with PIUG 2015 Annual Conference
2016	PIUG participates in Committee on WIPO Standards (CWS) Legal Status Task Force (LSTF) PIUG website becomes mobile-responsive PIUG introduces mobile event app for 2016 Annual Conference PIUG Patent Searching Fundamentals Course offered at USPTO PIUG FTO Fundamentals Course added to roster PIUG invited by IPPH (SIPO) to co-develop 2016 PIUG-PIAC Asia Session (Beijing) PIUG Chair attends USPTO Patent Quality Community Symposium
2017	PIUG created Social Media Committee, established LinkedIn PIUG Company page KIPO/KIPI sought suggestions for speakers, discussed PIUG participation at 2017 PATINEX Conference (Seoul) PIUG presented at 2017 PIUG-PIAC Asia Session (Beijing) PIUG held first member webinar on our participation in Committee on WIPO Standards (CWS) Legal Status Task Force
2018	30th anniversary Implemented volunteer recognition program
2019	First paid webinar educational series
2020	First virtual annual conference
2021	First Virtual Combined Annual & Biotech Conference Re-energized Education & Training Committee Re-energized Electronic Communications Committee New Leadership for the Partnerships & Patent Offices Committee Implemented a Volunteer Recruitment Committee Implemented Community Engagement Hours Implemented an Automated Marketing Effort via Higher Logic Consistent use of Social Media Outlets, LinkedIn, Twitter & Instagram
2022	Virtual Biotech Conference Return to in-person Annual Conference Advanced Patent Search Strategies (When All Else Fails) Webinar Series Introduction of a PIUG Community & Job Board to the PIUG webpage Introduction of a new Board of Directors

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Phone: +1 (302) 660-3275 Fax: +1 (302) 660-3276

Email: PIUGinfo@piug.org

Webmaster: webmaster@piug.org

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No one may use the PIUG name or logo for any promotional or commercial purpose or any other purpose without the prior written consent of the PIUG Board of Directors.