Pye-Barker Engineered Solutions September 2019

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND YOUR BUSINESS HOW TO EFFECTIVELY PROTECT YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

to protect. If you have taken the steps necessary to protect your own trade practices, you may have a case if you ever discover your trade secret has been leaked. Having your employees sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) is a great way to initially establish your unique business practices as trade secrets.

Intellectual property is defined by Merriam-Webster as “property (such as an idea, invention, or process) that derives from the work of the

mind or intellect.” As you can no doubt glean from this definition, intellectual property can be a lot of things, so it’s important to identify and protect you and your business’s intellectual property. Here are the main categories and protections for your company’s creations.

TRADEMARKS The name of your business, product, or service — anything a customer uses to identify a product — generally requires a trademark.

TRADE SECRETS A trade secret is any useful piece of information that the public doesn’t know about and the owner has taken steps

This may include your company’s name, product name, etc. Think of the distinctive Nike “Swoosh” and the familiar ending sound of Dell’s

SMARTS AND PEOPLE SKILLS DERRICK SALADNA HAS IT ALL

friends and going on hikes, he enjoys getting outside to experience all Georgia has to offer. We’re lucky to have such a talented professional on our team!

We’re spotlighting another new face here at Pye-Barker this month! Derrick Saladna came on board this February, but he’s already been making a huge difference for the people we serve. Doubling as an application engineer and an inside salesman, Derrick is one of those rare individuals who understands machines and people alike. “Honestly, I didn’t think too much about going into sales until my last semester,” Derrick explains. A recent graduate of Kennesaw State University, Derrick earned his degree in mechanical engineering but discovered he didn’t just want to work around machines all day. “I’ve always had good people skills, and some other members of my family had gone the sales route, so I thought I’d try my hand at it.” Coming to Pye-Barker after college, it would seem Derrick has found the perfect balance between his two passions. “I love it here. Every day there’s some new challenge, but I always get to work with good people.” At the time of writing, Derrick just finished helping a client find the right pump for a process involving hydrochloric acid. Finding a custom solution for such a corrosive material is exactly the kind of challenge Derrick thrives on. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned at Pye- Barker,” he reflects, “it’s to not be afraid of thinking outside the box.”

Thanks, Derrick!

When Derrick isn’t working with a client or tinkering with machinery, you’ll likely find him in the great outdoors. Between playing sports with

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