April 21, 2014, 6:00pm: Speakers’ Dinner at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse. Sponsored by:

April 22, 2014: The schedule for the conference includes:

7:30 – 8:00 Registration and Coffee

8:00 – 8:15 Welcome and Introductions

8:15 – 9:15 “Brand Licensing as a New Model for Innovation” – Stephen R. Reily (Managing Director, Chairman & General Counsel, IMC Partnerships);

9:15 – 10:00 “Branded for Growth: The Importance of Branding to Start-Ups”– Panel including David Knox (Co-Founder, The Brandery and CMO, Rockfish), Doug McCormack (CEO, OrthoCare) and Joel Warneke (Partner, Rocket Science) moderated by Vance VanDrake (Partner, Ulmer & Berne)

10:00 – 10:15 Break

10:15 – 11:15 “How to Represent a Super Hero and Other Mere Mortals” Jim Kipling (Of Counsel, Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP); Seth Lehman (Assistant Chief Counsel, Marvel Entertainment)

11:15 – 12:15 “Iconic Branding” – Bill Samuels (Chairman Emeritus, Maker’s Mark)

12:15 – 1:15 Lunch and Networking. Special thanks to:

1:15 – 2:15 “Sports Marketing” – Samantha Quimby (Managing Associate, Frost Brown Todd, LLC), Martin Ludwig (Director, Trademarks and Licensing, The University of Cincinnati), Robert Cleveland (Director, Trademarks and Licensing, The Ohio State University), and Michael Drucker (Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Collegiate Licensing Company), moderated by Eric Combs (Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP)

2:15 – 3:15 “Branding in the Digital and New Media Arena” – Nicolette Hudson (Intellectual Property Counsel, Express), Steve Caldwell (Senior Counsel, The Procter & Gamble Co.), Abbey Elinger (General Counsel, Interbrand), moderated by Karen Gaunt (Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP)

3:15 – 3:30 Break

3:30 – 4:15 “Trademark Counterfeiting: Infringement on Steroids!” – Heather McDonald (Partner, BakerHostetler)

4:15 – 5:00 “Non-Traditional Marks” – Alison Tan (Counsel, The Procter & Gamble Co.)

5:00 CLE and Closing

Thanks to our sponsors:
Gold Sponsors:


Silver Sponsors:



Exhibitors: