estta tracking number: estta1095950 11/17/2020

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Electronic Filing System. http://estta.uspto.gov

ESTTA Tracking number: ESTTA1095950

Filing date: 11/17/2020

IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD

Proceeding 91244907

Party DefendantDobbs Equity Partners, LLC

CorrespondenceAddress

MARY ELLEN ROYPHELPS DUNBAR LLP365 CANAL STREET 20TH FLOORNEW ORLEANS, LA 70130UNITED STATESPrimary Email: [email protected]

Submission Other Motions/Submissions

Filer's Name Mary Ellen Roy

Filer's email [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Signature /s/ Mary Ellen Roy

Date 11/17/2020

Attachments 2020-11-17 Opposition to Renewed Motion for Summary Judgment.pdf(4364970bytes )

http://estta.uspto.gov

PD.30129190.4

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD

In the Matter of U.S. Trademark Application Serial No.: 87/958,975 Mark: DOBBS HOUSE

Application Filing Date: June 12, 2018

DOBBS HOUSE, LLC,

Opposer

Opposition No. 91244907

v. Serial No. 87/958,975

DOBBS EQUITY PARTNERS, LLC,

Applicant

______________________________________________________________________________

OPPOSITION TO RENEWED MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Dobbs Equity Partners, LLC (“Applicant”) opposes the renewed motion for summary

judgment filed by Dobbs House, LLC (“Opposer”).

ARGUMENT

1. “Dobbs House” is a distinctive trademark.

Opposer argues that consumers allegedly recognize that “Dobbs” is primarily a surname.

But Opposer presents no evidence that consumers primarily recognize “Dobbs” as a surname.

Indeed, the examining attorney obviously did not believe that “Dobbs” was primarily a surname,

or the examiner would have rejected Applicant’s registration as being “descriptive,” and the

examiner did not do so. Likewise, Opposer has not presented any evidence that “Dobbs” has the

structure and pronunciation of a surname.

- 2 - PD.30129190.4

In fact, “Dobbs” is also a first name.1 As a baby name, “Dobbs” is as popular as many

male names, such as, e.g., Hunter, Lane, Austin, Mason, Franklin, Wade, or Fletcher.2 The first

name “Dobbs” means “bright fame” or “famous.”3 The first name “Dobbs” also means

“painting” or “daubing.”4 Thus, Opposer’s assertion that the word or name “Dobbs” has no

meaning other than as a surname is simply incorrect.

“Dobbs” also is a variation of the name Robert.5 The first name “Robert” began as a

Germanic (Teutonic) name, a combination of the words for “bright” and “fame,” “bright fame,”

or “famous.”6 It later became a Norman (or French) name.7

There were two Norman kings who bore the name “Robert”: Robert I (D. 1035), duke of

Normandy and father of William the Conqueror, and his son, Robert II.8 The name Robert

spread to Great Britain with the Norman Conquest. Indeed, three kings of Scotland were named

Robert, including Robert the Bruce.9

Thus, the name “Dobbs” is a variation of a famous name, indeed a royal name in

medieval Europe. The “Dobbs House” trademark, then, evokes a royal house of medieval

Europe. As such, the trademark “Dobbs House” when applied to restaurant services (or pies) is

distinctive, or at least suggestive.

1 Exh. 1; Exh. 2. 2 Exh. 1. 3 Exh. 2. 4 Exh. 10; Exh. 11. 5 Exh. 3. 6 Exh. 2; Exh. 4; Exh. 5; Exh. 6. 7 Exh. 4; Exh. 5. 8 Exh. 4; Exh. 5. 9 Exh. 4; Exh. 5; Exh. 6.

- 3 - PD.30129190.4

Opposer argues that “Dobbs” is a common surname.10 But by Opposer’s own admission,

there are almost 2,000 surnames that are more common than Dobbs in the United States.11

Opposer also admits that there are only 18,476 individuals with the surname of Dobbs in the

United States in 2010.12 The United States had a population of about 308,700,000 persons in

201013, meaning that the percentage of individuals with the surname “Dobbs” was less than six

in 100,000 or less than .006 percent.

Opposer also argues that the term “House” does not add to the distinctiveness of

Applicant’s mark, but Opposer presents no evidence that “House” is descriptive of restaurant

services.

2. Opposer does not have standing.

A plaintiff opposing a trademark registration application must allege facts sufficient to

show a “real interest” in the proceeding and a “reasonable basis” for its belief that it would suffer

some kind of damage if the mark is registered.14 To plead a “real interest,” a plaintiff must

allege a “direct and personal stake” in the outcome of the proceeding.15 The allegations in

support of a plaintiff’s belief of damage must have a reasonable basis “in fact.”16 Allegations in

support of standing must be affirmatively proved by the plaintiff on summary judgment.17

10 Renewed Motion for Summary Judgment at p. 7. 11 Renewed Motion for Summary Judgment at p. 7. 12 Renewed Motion for Summary Judgment at p. 7. 13 Exh. 9 at p. 15. 14 Empresa Cubana del Tabaco v. General Cigar Co., 753 F.3d 1270, 1275 (Fed. Cir. 2014); Ritchie v. Simpson, 170

F.3d 1092, 1094 (Fed. Cir. 1999); Lipton Industries, Inc. v. Ralston Purina Co., 670 F.2d 1024, 1028 (CCPA

1982). 15 Empresa Cubana, 753 F.3d at 1275; Ritchie, 170 F.3d at 1095. 16 Ritchie, 170 F.3d at 1092, (the belief of damage alleged by plaintiff must be more than a subjective belief) (citing

Universal Oil Products v. Rexall Drug & Chemical Co., 463 F.2d 1122, 1123 (CCPA 1972)). See also Doyle v.

Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik Inc., 101 USPQ2d 1780, 1783 (TTAB 2010) (petitioner’s alleged

belief that he would be damaged by respondent’s registrations is not reasonable). 17 See Ritchie, 170 F.3d at 1099 (citing Lipton Industries, Inc. v. Ralston Purina Co., 670 F.2d 1024 (CCPA 1982)).

See also, e.g., Stephen Slesinger Inc. v. Disney Enterprises Inc., 98 USPQ2d 1890, 1895 n. 15 (TTAB 2011) (no

standing in Board proceeding where district court decided plaintiff lacked ownership interest in marks), aff’d,

702 F.3d 640 (Fed. Cir. 2012), cert denied, 571 U.S. 824 (2013); Demon International LC v. Lynch, 86

- 4 - PD.30129190.4

A real interest in the proceeding and a reasonable belief of damage may be found where

the plaintiff proves a claim of likelihood of confusion based upon current ownership of a valid

and subsisting registration,18 prior use of a confusingly similar mark,19 or a registration on the

Supplemental Register.20 Opposer does not even remotely allege that it fits into any of these

standing categories. Opposer does not currently own a valid and subsisting registration, Opposer

has not shown a prior use of a confusingly similar mark, and Opposer does not have a

registration for the mark on the Supplemental Register. As the TTAB ruled in its June 11, 2020

USPQ2d 1058, 1060 (TTAB 2008) (failure to prove standing); Boswell v. Mavety Media Group Ltd., 52

USPQ2d 1600, 1605 (TTAB 1999) (at final decision, inquiry is not whether pleading of standing is sufficient

but whether allegations have been proven). 18 See Cunningham v. Laser Golf Corp., 222 F.3d 943, 944 (Fed. Cir. 2000); Lipton Industries, Inc. v. Ralston

Purina Co., 670 F.2d 1024 (CCPA 1982); Primrose Retirement Communities, LLC v. Edward Rose Senior

Living, LLC, 122 USPQ2d 1030, 1032 (TTAB 2016) (pleaded registration made of record); Research in Motion

Limited v. Defining Presence Marketing Group Inc., 102 USPQ2d 1187, 1190 (TTAB 2012) (same);

Trademarks Pty. Ltd. v. Phard S.p.A., 98 USPQ2d 1066, 1072 (TTAB 2011) (pleaded registrations of record);

SmithKline Beecham Corp. v. Omnisource DDS LLS, 97 USPQ2d 1300, 1301 (TTAB 2010) (same); Brown

Shoe Co. v. Robbins, 90 USPQ2d 1752, 1754 (TTAB 2009) (same); Bass Pro Trademarks LLC v. Sportsman’s

Warehouse Inc., 89 USPQ2d 1844, 1849 (TTAB 2008) (same); Corporacion Habanos S.A. v. Anncas Inc., 88

USPQ2d 1785, 1790 (TTAB 2008) (same); Boston Red Sox Baseball Club LP v. Sherman, 88 USPQ2d 1581,

1586 (TTAB 2008) (standing established by making of record copies of its pleaded registrations showing the

current status of the registrations and their ownership in opposer); Apple Computer v. TVNET.net Inc., 90

USPQ2d 1393, 1396 (TTAB 2007) (pleaded registrations made of record); Sinclair Oil Corp. v. Kendrick, 85

USPQ2d 1032, 1037 n. 10 (TTAB 2007) (opposer’s allegations of ownership of pleaded registrations

insufficient to prove standing); Black & Decker Corp. v. Emerson Electric Co., 84 USPQ2d 1482, 1490 (TTAB

2007) (pleaded registrations made of record; cancelled registration has no probative value); Christian

Broadcasting Network Inc. v. ABS-CBN International, 84 USPQ2d 1560, 1565 (TTAB 2007) (pleaded

registrations made of record); Otto International Inc. v. Otto Kern GmbH, 83 USPQ2d 1861, 1863 (TTAB

2007) (pleaded registrations made of record); B.V.D. Licensing Corp. v. Rodriguez, 83 USPQ2d 1500, 1505

(TTAB 2007) (pleaded registrations made of record); Knight Textile Corp. v. Jones Investment Co., 75 USPQ2d

1313, 1315 (TTAB 2005) (status and title copies of pleaded registrations made of record). 19 See First Niagara Insurance Brokers Inc. v. First Niagara Financial Group Inc., 476 F.3d 867 (Fed. Cir. 2007)

(intrastate use by foreign opposer); Ayoub, Inc. v. ACS Ayoub Carpet Service, 118 USPQ2d 1392, 1395 (TTAB

2016) (opposer’s trade name use); Hunt Control Systems Inc. v. Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., 98

USPQ2d 1558, 1565 (TTAB 2011) (prior use established by testimony); Giersch v. Scripps Networks Inc., 90

USPQ2d 1020, 1022 (TTAB 2009) (standing established by showing of common law rights); Green Spot

(Thailand) Ltd. v. Vitasoy International Holdings Ltd., 86 USPQ2d 1283, 1285 (TTAB 2008) (prior use);

General Motors Corp. v. Aristide & Co., Antiquaire de Marques, 87 USPQ2d 1179, 1181 (TTAB 2008) (past

use and present licensing); Kohler Co. v. Baldwin Hardware Corp., 82 USPQ2d 1100, 1106 (TTAB 2007)

(prior use). 20 See Otter Products LLC v. BaseOneLabs LLC, 105 USPQ2d 1252, 1254 (TTAB 2012) (opposer’s Supplemental

Registration sufficient to establish opposer’s real interest in proceeding)

- 5 - PD.30129190.4

Opinion denying Opposer’s prior Motion for Summary Judgment, Opposer’s abandoned

trademark application cannot serve as a basis for standing.

Opposer alleges that it has standing based on its alleged “bona fide intent to use the

mark.”21 Opposer’s reliance on Poly-America, L.P. v. Illinois Tool Works, Inc. in support of its

argument, however, is misplaced. In Poly-America, the party seeking cancellation of the

registrations had significant evidence of its bona fide intent to use the marks in question.22 In

addition to discussions with current and prospective customers regarding the new products, the

petitioner had taken concrete steps to add the product line, including purchasing manufacturing

equipment, creating product specifications, producing internal test products, and meeting with

representatives for various retail business in preparation for its entry into the market.23 The

petitioner’s customers also requested that the petitioner supply the products.24

Here, Opposer does not have standing to bring this opposition because Opposer cannot

make such a showing of a “bona fide intent” to use the mark. Opposer does not use the

trademark Dobbs House, has no concrete plans to use it, and, by its own admission, has been

denied a registration for it.25 Opposer alleges that he has a bona fide intent to use the trademark,

but there is no evidence that he does.

Opposer offers in support of its bona fide intent to use the trademark its 2011 Application

and the self-serving, unsubstantiated statements of James Carr. In his declaration, Mr. Carr

admits,

21 Renewed Motion for Summary Judgment at p. 5. 22 Poly-America, L.P. v. Illinois Tool Works, Inc., 124 U.S.P.Q.2d 1508, 1513. 23 Id. 24 Id. 25 See Interrogatory Answers Nos. 3 and 4, Exh. 8. Opposer’s only “evidence” that it has discussed its alleged intent

to use the mark is an email from 2011 asking a cake baker for a meeting. See Exh. 7. There is no evidence that

Opposer even met with the baker, much less that he commissioned any pies on which to use the “Dobbs House”

trademark.

- 6 - PD.30129190.4

Opposer has not used and does not currently use but intends in the

future to use the phrase ‘Dobbs House’ in connection with the sale

or offering for sale of pies and related goods or services. Other

than initially filing a trademark application to register the mark

DOBBS HOUSE [11 years ago] in connection with such offerings,

Opposer has discussed its intended use of the phrase internally and

externally, including with one catering business in Georgia.

Carr Decl. ¶ 4 (emphasis added).

Neither Opposer, nor Mr. Carr offer, any evidence to substantiate the bare allegation that

at some unspecified point in time, Opposer discussed its intended use of the phrase, “Dobbs

House.” Subjective testimony and mere statements about a subjective intention, without more, is

insufficient to establish Opposer’s bona fide intent to use the mark.26 Opposer has not offered

any documentary evidence whatsoever, such as written plans related to the products, to

demonstrate its alleged intent to use the mark. Thus, Opposer has failed to demonstrate standing

based on its alleged bona fide intent to use the mark.27

While Opposer complains that its intent-to-use application was denied ten years ago,

nothing has prevented Opposer from using the trademark “Dobbs Hose” since that time. If

Opposer had used the mark since 2011, Opposer could have applied for placement on the

Supplemental Register and, by now, its mark could be on the Principal Register. Opposer failed

to take these basic steps to gain standing to oppose another company’s trademark registration for

“Dobbs House.”

The purported evidence offered does not demonstrate that Opposer would be damaged by

Applicant’s registration of the trademark. Indeed, Opposer has not presented any evidence that it

believes it would suffer damage if Applicant’s registration is granted or that any such belief

would have a reasonable basis “in fact.”

26 W. Brand Bobosky v. Adidas AG, 843 F. Supp. 2d 1134 (D. Oregon 2011). 27 See id.

- 7 - PD.30129190.4

Opposer also argues that it has standing on the grounds that the mark includes Opposer’s

corporate name and surname of its principal.28 This argument fails because “Dobbs House” is in

fact a distinctive trademark and not primarily a surname. Moreover, Opposer’s reliance on the

Azeka case in support of its standing argument is misplaced.29 In that case, not only was the

Opposer and its owner named “Azeka,” but Opposer was the successor-in-interest to two prior

registrations and a 30-year-old business using the mark. In contrast, here, Opposer has never

used the mark and has never owned a registration for the mark.

Simply put, Opposer has not demonstrated a “real interest” in the proceeding and a

“reasonable basis” for its belief that it would suffer damage if the mark is registered. Opposer

has not shown a “direct and personal stake” in the outcome of this proceeding. Opposer’s belief

of damage does not have a reasonable basis in fact. Accordingly, Opposer’s Renewed Motion

for Summary Judgment should be denied.

Dated: November 17, 2020

PHELPS DUNBAR LLP

By: Mary Ellen Roy

Mary Ellen Roy

Dan Zimmerman

Ashley J. Heilprin

365 Canal Street, Suite 2000

New Orleans, LA 70130

Telephone: (504) 566-9311

Email: [email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Attorneys for Applicant,

Dobbs Equity Partners, LLC

28 Renewed Motion for Summary Judgment at p. 5. 29 Azeka Building Corp. v. Bryan Kenji Azeka, 122 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1477 (T.T.A.B. 2017).

- 8 - PD.30129190.4

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on this 17th day of November, 2020, a copy of the foregoing was

served upon counsel for the Opposer via email.

Mary Ellen Roy

PD.30253294.1

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD

In the Matter of U.S. Trademark Application Serial No.: 87/958,975 Mark: DOBBS HOUSE

Application Filing Date: June 12, 2018

DOBBS HOUSE, LLC,

Opposer


v. Serial No. 87/958,975


Applicant

______________________________________________________________________________

DECLARATION OF MARY ELLEN ROY IN SUPPORT OF

OPPOSITION TO RENEWED MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

I, Mary Ellen Roy, declare:

1. I am counsel for Dobbs Equity Partners, LLC in this matter. I am a Partner at Phelps

Dunbar, LLP in New Orleans, Louisiana and licensed to practice law in the State of

Louisiana. I have personal knowledge of the facts stated herein, and if called as a witness

would be able to testify competently to such facts.

2. Attached hereto as Exhibit 1 is a true and correct copy of the search results and

description of the meaning of “Dobbs” from the website gpeters.com.

3. Attached hereto as Exhibit 2 is a true and correct copy of the search results for the first

name “Dobbs” on the website BabyNamesCube.com.


name “Robert” on the website FamilyEducation.com.

- 2 - PD.30253294.1


name “Robert” on the website BehindTheName.com.


name “Robert” on the website BabyNameWizard.com.

7. Attached hereto as Exhibit 6 is a true and correct copy of the definition of the first name

“Robert” found on the website YourDictionary.com.

8. Attached hereto as Exhibit 7 is a true and correct copy of an email produced by Opposer

in response to Applicant’s Requests for Production of Documents.

9. Attached hereto as Exhibit 8 is a true and correct copy of Opposer’s Responses and

Objections to Interrogatories 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Applicant’s First Set of Interrogatories.

10. Attached hereto as Exhibit 9 is a true and correct copy of the January 5, 2017 Cabinet

Exit Memo prepared by Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzer, listing on

page 15 of 20, the U.S. population, as 308,700,000 people, as determined by the

Department of Commerce’s 2010 census.


name “Dobbs” on the website TheBump.com.


name “Dobbs” on the website Boy-Names.net.

This signatory being warned that willful false statements and the like are punishable by

fine or imprisonment, or both, under 18 U.S.C. 1001, and that such willful false statements and

the like may jeopardize the validity of the application or submission or any registration resulting

therefrom, declares that all statements made of her own knowledge are true and all statements

made on information and belief are believed to be true.

- 3 - PD.30253294.1

Dated: November 17, 2020

PHELPS DUNBAR LLP

By: Mary Ellen Roy

Mary Ellen Roy

365 Canal Street, Suite 2000

New Orleans, LA 70130

Telephone: (504) 566-9311

Email: [email protected]

Attorneys for Applicant,

Dobbs Equity Partners, LLC

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on this 17th day of November, 2020, a copy of the foregoing was

served upon counsel for the Opposer via email.

Mary Ellen Roy

Baby Name Guesser - the first name Dobbs - analysis of first names, popular boy and girl ... Page 1 of 4

Baby Name Guesser

Enter a first name: Dobbs

It's a boy!

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Based on popular usage, it is 1.590 times more common for Dobbs to be a

boy's name.

The popularity of Dobbs is: 4.474

(where 0 = extremely rare, 6 = super popular)

I am not aware of any deceased famous people named Dobbs.

Names with similar statistics to Dobbs:

Quinn Magic Crawford Austin

Burton Johnston Day Red

Hart Carroll Mccarthy Doyle

Richards Chapman Natural Mason

Patterson Music Yang Garcia

Lindsay Jamie Lim Porter

Morrison J.c. Olson Huang

Elliott Abbott Reynolds Bates

Lane Chang Sanders Bishop

Hunter Franklin Katz Ellis

Rich Armstrong Gallagher H' ins

Baby Name Guesser - the first name Dobbs - analysis of first names, popular boy and girl ... Page 2 of 4

Berry Foster Robertson Ferguson

Rodriguez Owens Woods Wagner

Wade Davidson Martinez Jennings

Ward Fletcher Brooks Browne

Lau Harrison Hawkins Webster

M-j Casey Boyle Payne

Stevens Berger Riley Fielding

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Davies Davis Dubois Dobbs

Divx Daves Dubose Database

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Dubos Dipsy Devaki Dobkowski

Devik Debesh Dipak Davish

Devika Deepika Debasis Dipika

Get the mean ing of the name Dobbs.

When naming your baby Dobbs, it's important to consider the gender of the

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question, "is Dobbs a man or a woman?", or "what is the gender of the

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some names are more strongly associated with either males or females.

Some spelling variations of the name Dobbs might be more popular than

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Dobbs - Meaning of Dobbs Name, Boy Dobbs Origin and Astrology Page 1 of 6

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Home (/) » Dobbs Name Meaning

Dobbs

Gender: Boy

Meaning of Dobbs name : Famous, bright fame

Dobbs name also used In these origins : Teutonic (/teutonic-baby-names)

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People Also Search for : Dob (/dob-name-meaning) , Riobard (/riobard-name-meaning) , Robben

(/robben-name-meaning) , Robbi (/robbi-name-meaning) , Robbie (/robbie-name-meaning)

Teutonic Meaning :

The name Dobbs is an Teutonic baby name. In Teutonic origin the meaning of name Dobbs is :

Famous, bright fame

Numerology

Dobbs Name Numerological Number is : 6

Person with name Dobbs has following quality:

Six Number Numerology Is Combination Of The Upward Male Triangle And Downward

Female Triangle. Meaning Of This Number Is Possess The Nurturing Side Of Womanhood

Safe, Stable, Warm, Domestic And Motherly. They Are Supportive, Harmonious,

Companionable, Responsible, Good Problem Solvers Who Know Life Requires Adjustment

Along The Way.

Similar Names Names with Same Meaning Variant Names Famouse Names (Zodiac )

Name Meaning

Dobagni

(/dobagnl-name-The stone of

meaning)

Dobiemir

(/dobiemir- Kind peace

name-meaning)

Dobiesi

(/dobiesl-name- Brave glory

meaning)

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EXHIBIT

.oa

Meaning and Origin of Robert - FamilyEducation Page 1 of 5

MENU i-anaRivedu

) Baby Names ) Name Meaning

Meaning and Origin of: Robert

C) First Name

O Last Name

SEARCH

Boy name origins & meanings

• Spanish : Bright Flame

• Old English : Bright; Famous

Boy name variations

Berto Burto

Rabbi Robbie

Robbee Robby

Roberto RupertEXHIBIT

3

Meaning and Origin of Robert - FamilyEducation Page 2 of 5

RubertMENU

Robin

Robbins

Riobarcl

Rober

Rob

Bob

Berty

l ob

Robertson

Robinson

Robben

Robey

Rab

Bobby

Bert

Tito

Dobbs

Family name origins & meanings

p

English, French, German, Dutch, Hungarian (Robert), etc : From a Germanic

personal name composed of the elements hrOdirenowni berht 'bright',

'Famous'. This is Found occasionally in England before the Conquest, but in

the main it was introduced into England by the Normans and quickly

became popular among all classes of society. The surname is also

occasionally borne by Jews, as an Americanized Form of one or more like-

sounding Jewish surnames.

A Robert From La Rochelle, France is documented in Trois-Rivieres,

Quebec, in 1666, with the secondary surname <xreF>LaFontaine</xreF>. A

Family From the Saintonge region of France are recorded in Contrecoeur in

1681, with the secondary surname <xreF>Deslauriers</xreF>. Other

secondary surnames include Saint-Amand, <xreF>Breton</xreF> and

<xreF>Lebreton</xreF>,< xreF>Watson</xreF>, La Pomeray, Durandeau,

and Dureau.

Famous people with this first name

Robert Blake

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert De Niro

Robert Kelly

Meaning, origin and history of the name Robert - Behind the Name Page 1 of 4

Menu

Gender Masculine69%Rating Save

Usage English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Polish, Russian,

Slovene, Croatian, Romanian, Catalan, Ancient Germanic DI

Scripts Po6epr (Russian)

Pron. RAHB-art (American English) RAWB-at (British English) RAW-,BEHR (French) RO-beht (Swedish)

RO-behrt (German, Finnish, Czech) RO-bart (Dutch) RAW-behrt (Polish) RO-bYirt (Russian)

roo-BEHRT (Catalan) [key IPA]

Meaning & History

From the Germanic name Hrodebert meaning "bright fame", derived from the Germanic elements hrod "fame" and

beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, where it replaced the Old English cognate Hreodbeorht. It

has been consistently among the most common English names from the 13th to 20th century. In the United States it

was the most popular name for boys between 1924 and 1939 (and again in 1953).

This name has been borne by two early kings of France, two Dukes of Normandy, and three kings of Scotland, including

Robert the Bruce who restored the independence of Scotland from England in the 14th century. The author Robert

Browning (1812-1889) and poets Robert Burns (1759-1796) and Robert Frost (1874-1963) are famous literary bearers of

this name. Other bearers include Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), the commander of the Confederate army during the

American Civil War, and American actors Robert Redford (1936-), Robert De Niro (1943-) and Robert Downey Jr. (1965-).

Related Names See All Relations • Show Family Tree

Variants: Rupert, Ruprecht (German) Robrecht (Dutch) Roopertti (Finnish) Hrodebert, Hrodpreht (Ancient

Germanic)

Diminutives: Bob, Bobbie, Bobby, Rob, Robbie, Robby, Robin (English) Bob, Rob, Robbe (Dutch) Pertti, Roope

(Finnish)

Feminine Forms: Roberta, Birdie, Bobbi, Bobbie, Robbie, Robina, Robyn, Robynne (English) Roberte (French)

Other Languages & Cultures: Roparzh (Breton) Robert, Robi (Hungarian) Robert (Icelandic) Roibeard (Irish)

Roberto, Berto (Italian) Roberts (Latvian) Robertas (Lithuanian) Hob, Hopkin (Medieval English) Roberto

(Portuguese) Raibeart, Rab, Rabble (Scottish) Robert (Slovak) Roberto, Berto, Rupert() (Spanish) Hopcyn

(Welsh)

Robert Name Meaning & Origin I Baby Name Wizard Page 1 of 9

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Robert Name Meaning & Origin

Robert

Pronunciation: RAH-bert f_kev)

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Origin of the name Robert:

Introduced to England by the Normans, Robert is derived from the Old High German Hruodperht, a compound

name composed of the elements hruod (fame) and perht (bright). The name was borne by Robert I (d. 1035),

duke of Normandy and father of William the Conqueror, and by three kings of Scotland.

From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman.

Related Names:

Bob, Bobby, Robbie, Roberto, Robin, Rupert, Bobbie

Looking for the perfect name? Try the Name Match Maker to find the perfect baby name for you!

NaineVoyager

US Popularity of Robert Over Time

DEFINMONS

Robert Robert

a masculine name: dim. Bob, Eoh ç

Ro'pert

Rob.by; var. Robi:-, 1-?L'pErEt• fem. Roberco,

Old French from Old High German 1-fruod,oriTit- from fame, praise from Indo-European base an unverified form

to praise, boast „oeri--1: bright

1. died 1035; duke of Normandy (1028?-35): father of William the Conqueror

2. r Bruce

'NE:cEEer E Wor.r:Cc1:eze Dictor.ary, Fifty :y 7iC ,a—r:or: HarccLrt :4J: 1 right.

1. A male given name.

2. (rare compared to given name) A patronymic

,e of the most common English given names since the Norman Conquest.

Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 10:12 AMSubject: Fwd: Michigan

Jimmy,

I am at Mullett Lake until July 6, when I move over to HS for

a week or so. New ideas always interest me. It would be great

to hear yours.

My cell number is 410-991-9373.

How long are you up?

Caroline

Forwarded message

From: Caroline's Cakes <[email protected]>

Date: Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 9:32 AM

Subject: Fwd: Michigan

To: Caroline Reutter <caroline302Rgmail.com>

Forwarded message

From: Jimmy Dobbs <[email protected]>

Date: Tue,' Jun 28, 2011 at 9:30 AM

Subject: Michigan

To: "carolineAcarolinescakes.com" <earoline carolineseakes.corn>

Dear Caroline

I met you a couple of years ago here in Harbor Springs at Laura's monogram shop. I ordered

three cake from your company today. The young lady who took the order was very sharp and like

you had a wonderful personality.

It is my understanding that you might possibly be near or at Walton Lake. If you could find

time I would like to meet with you about an idea which you might find interesting. My family was

and still is the food service business. We sold the Dobbs House and Toddle House business

several years ago but we do currently own 50 Wendys in Arkansas.

If any of this works for you;please email me at dobbsii i yahoo.com or my Harbor home

number is 231 526 1080,cell 405 210 7039 Summer home in Harbor is 1901 Pennsylvania Ave.

Harbor Springs, Michigan. You can call Laura and check me out. Laura Laura knows my wife Lisa

and I very well.

Thank you,

Jimmy Dobbs

EXHIBITCaroline Ragsdale Reutter

Caroline's Cakes

2

b3

13.o

OPP_000198

410.349.2212

410.349.2213 FAX

1.888.801.CAKE (2253)

www.Carol inesCakes.corn

Caroline Ragsdale Reutter

Caroline's, Inc.

Caroline's Cakes

1580 Whitehall Road

Annapolis, MD 21409

410-349-2212

410-991-9373 cell

www.carolinescakes.corn

IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD

DOBBS HOUSE, LLC,

Opposer,

v.


Applicant.


In the matter of Trademark Application

Serial No. 87/958,975

For the Mark DOBBS HOUSE

OPPOSER'S RESPONSES AND

OBJECTIONS TO APPLICANT'S

FIRST SET OF INTERROGATORIES

Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 2.120, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Manual of Procedure

§ 406, and Rules 26 and 33 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Opposer Dobbs House,

LLC ("Dobbs House" or "Opposer"), through its attorneys Perkins Coie LLP, responds to

Applicant Dobbs Equity Partners, LLC's ("Dobbs Equity" or "Applicant") First Set of

Interrogatories as follows:

GENERAL OBJECTIONS

The following objections apply to each and every Interrogatory propounded by

Applicant and are incorporated into each of the following specific responses by reference as if

set forth in full in response to each individual Interrogatory. Any repetition is for emphasis

only and not to the exclusion of any other General Objection.

1. Opposer objects to the Interrogatories to the extent they call for information that

is protected from disclosure by the attorney-client privilege, the attorney work product

doctrine, or any other privilege, protection, or immunity provided by law ("Privileged

Information"). Any response should be construed to exclude Privileged Information.

Inadvertent disclosure of Privileged Information shall not constitute a waiver of, nor signify

intent to waive, the applicable privilege, either as to the information inadvertently disclosed or

EXHIBIT

1 45700748.5

INTERROGATORY NO. 3:

(A) State whether you have used, currently use, and/or intend to use the phrase "Dobbs

House" in connection with the sale or offering for sale of pies, restaurant services, and/or any

other goods or services.

(B) If you have used but do not currently use the phrase "Dobbs House" in connection

with the sale or offering for sale of any goods and/or services, identify the goods and/or

services for which you used the phrase "Dobbs House," along with the dates of first use and

last use, and the geographic scope, for each of the goods and/or services.

(C) If you currently use the phrase "Dobbs House" in connection with the sale or

offering for sale of any goods and/or services, identify the goods and/or services for which you

currently use the phrase "Dobbs House," along with the dates of first use, and the geographic

scope, for each of the goods and/or services.

(D) If you do not currently use, but intend to use, the phrase "Dobbs House" in

connection with the sale or offering for sale of any goods and/or services, describe the goods

and/or services for which you intend to use the phrase "Dobbs House," along with a description

of all steps taken toward the intended use, the anticipated geographic scope (if known), and

the dates (if known) of the anticipated first use for each of the goods and/or services.

RESPONSE:

Subject to and without waiving its General Objections, Opposer responds as follows:

Opposer has not used and does not currently use but intends in the future to use the phrase

"Dobbs House" in connection with the sale or offering for sale of pies and related goods or

services. Other than initially filing a trademark application to register the mark

DOBBS HOUSE in connection with such offerings, Opposer has discussed its intended use of

the phrase internally and externally including with one catering business in Georgia. Opposer

does not currently know when or where it will first use the phrase with such offerings.

.4..145700748.5


Identify all persons involved with the creation and/or production (including but not

limited to designing, drafting, revising, and editing) of any advertising, marketing, sales, and/or

promotional material (including but not limited to print, television, billboards, signage, social

media, email, online, digital, point-of-sale, menus, flyers, literature, and/or websites) related

to Opposer's Products and Services.

RESPONSE:

Subject to and without waiving its General Objections, Opposer responds that it has

not created or produced any advertising, marketing, sales, and/or promotional material related

to Opposer's Products and Services.


Identify all persons who have marketed, advertised, promoted, sold, and/or offered for

sale Opposer's Products and Services.

RESPONSE:

None.


Identify all persons who are anticipated to market, advertise, promote, sell, and/or offer

for sale Opposer's Products and Services.

RESPONSE:

Opposer.


Identify all trade channels through which you have in the past, currently, or intend to

market, advertise, promote, sell, and/or offer for sale Opposer's Products and Services.

-5-145700748.5

DATED: October 15, 2019 PERKINS COTE LLP

By:

William C. Rava

1201 Third Avenue, Suite 49100

Seattle, WA 98101-3099Telephone: 206.359.8000

Facsimile: 206.359.9000

E-mail: [email protected]

Attorney for Opposer

-14-145700748.5

Exit Memo: Department of Commerce I whitehouse.gov Page 1 of 20

This is historical material "frozen in time". The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages

may not work.

I

Cab i net Ex i t Vemos

Counci l of Econom ic Advisors

Department of Commerce

Department of Defense

Department of Education

Department of Energy

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Department of the Interior

Department of Justice

Department of Labor

Department of State

Department of Transportation

Department of the Treasury

Department of Veteran Affairs

Environmental Protection Agency

General Services Administration

M i l lenn ium Chal lenge Corporation

Office of Management and Budget

Office of Personnel Management

Office of Science and Technology Pol icy

Overseas Private I nvestment Corporation

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Smal l Business Administration

United States Agency for I nternational Development

United States Department of Agriculture

United States Trade Representative

United States Mission to the United Nations

Exit Memo: Department of Commerce

A Record of Past Progress and a Roadmap for the Future

Secretary Penny Pritzker I January 5, 2017

Introduction

The Department of Commerce (the Department) sits at the intersection of all

business and economic issues, both domestically and abroad. A single mission

unites our 12 bureaus and 46,000 employees: to help create the conditions for

economic growth, job creation, and opportunity across the United States.

The Department helps American companies prosper in the global economy. We issue

patents and trademarks, as well as licenses to sell sensitive technologies abroad, We

collect and provide data on demographics, the economy, and the weather, as well as a

common language businesses can use to manage cybersecurity risk. We invest in

advanced manufacturing clusters and facilitate foreign investment in the United States.

We link minority-owned businesses with the capital, contracts, and markets they need

to grow, and we connect communities across America through expanded broadband

access,

Throughout President Obama's Administration, we took strides to make our team

more outcome-driven and responsive and provide important commercial perspectives

in policy discussions. Critical to our success has been our work to build a stronger

bridge to the business community, include the private sector in our policymaking

process, and serve as a key member of the President's economic cabinet.

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Record of Progress

The Department of Commerce has played an integral role in America's economic

recovery. While government alone cannot create companies or jobs, it can help create

the conditions for the private sector to grow and prosper. Our record of progress is

focused on five areas: trade and investment, innovation, data, environment, and

operational excellence.

TRADE & INVESTMENT: OPENING GLOBAL MARKETS AND ENCOURAGING

INVESTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES

Our Department has supported the President's economic growth agenda by

aggressively enforcing trade laws, increasing foreign direct investment, negotiating

trade deals that create a level playing field for American workers, and using the power

of America's business leaders to help shape policy in markets around the world. Our

team has worked to steadily open new markets to U.S. goods and services, reduce

trade barriers facing U.S. firms, and help our companies navigate challenging markets

abroad.

Commercial Diplomacy

Commercial diplomacy is based on a simple premise: America's commercial power

and influence is unmatched. In an increasingly complex world, that power must be

more effectively harnessed as a force alongside our more traditional foreign policy

tools. Our allies and trading partners want American investment and the promise of

private sector-led growth. And they know American companies can bring capital that

creates jobs and economic opportunities. This provides our business leaders with an

influential voice in foreign capitals, which can be used to promote policies consistent

with our common strategic goals. This in turn helps level the playing field for

American companies to sell more American products abroad while creating well-

paying jobs here at home. As such, when our objectives have aligned, we have worked

with the private sector as our policy partner. The Commerce Department has invested

heavily in building a commercial diplomacy agenda, and the next Administration

should continue developing more effective and focused commercial diplomacy

strategies to support the President's foreign policy priorities.

Enforcing Our Trade Laws in Record Numbers

The viability of U.S. manufacturers and the livelihoods of American workers has been

threatened by ill-advised policies of certain foreign governments that subsidize the

costs of production and artificially decrease the price of their exports at the expense of

their trading partners. This Administration has taken substantial steps to confront this

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problem, and the Department has played a leading role. Antidumping duty (AD) and

countervailing duty (CVD) investigations have reached historic highs. Specifically, the

Department of Commerce and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are currently

enforcing 350 AD/CVD orders that address dumped and/or unfairly subsidized

imports. To meet this challenge of increased dumping, we expanded our capacities by

adding more than three dozen positions in an effort to more quickly and effectively use

our trade remedies. We also secured legislative changes that strengthen the

effectiveness of the AD/CVD remedy, including provisions that improve Commerce's

ability to deal with foreign producers that do not cooperate in AD/CV D proceedings

and enhance the ability of Customs and Border Protection to combat evasion of anti-

dumping and countervailing duties.

China

The scope and nature of our interactions with the Chinese government has evolved

dramatically. We have worked to make the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade

(JCCT) a continuous process in tandem with the Strategic and Economic Dialogue,

and have made it a more dynamic and productive dialogue. While we have continued

to use the JCCT to push the Chinese to address core commercial policy challenges —

including excess capacity in steel and other sectors, the persistent theft of intellectual

property and trade secrets, and an increasingly hostile and protectionist approach to

digital policy challenges — we also have attempted to use it and our other engagements

with senior officials to focus energy on deepening our understanding of their strategic

economic priorities and looking for opportunities for greater collaboration. In addition,

we are working to end China's dangerous and market-distorting approach to

developing an indigenous semiconductor industry and have continued to prioritize and

invest heavily in trade enforcement.

Mexico

Recognizing that the U.S. government had underinvested in the U.S.-Mexico

economic relationship, the Department prioritized building stronger bilateral

commercial ties with one of our most important economic partners, and we have

achieved enormous success. Working closely with Vice President Biden, the

Department has led the High Level Economic Dialogue since its 2013 launch. This

mechanism has enabled our governments to more effectively collaborate on

commercial priorities like developing modern border infrastructure that promote

growth and job creation. We have made considerable progress on border

i nfrastructure, energy, economic and workforce development, travel and tourism,

and innovation and entrepreneurship.

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India

The Department has taken the lead on elevating our commercial ties with India

through the creation of the U.S,-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. This

mechanism will endure as a platform for commercial and strategic engagement on a

wide range of issues. We have made great progress in key areas affecting our

economic relationship, including ease of doing business, smart cities and

i nfrastructure development, innovation and entrepreneurship, and standards

harmonization.

Africa

One major goal of the Administration has been to transform the U.S.-Africa

relationship from one based on aid to one based on trade. Consistent with these goals,

the Department created and launched the President's Doing Business in Africa

initiative, which has allowed us to double our presence in African countries by

opening new offices throughout the continent facilitating greater investment and

supporting jobs here at home.

In partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Department also created the

U,S,-Africa Business Forums, which took place in 2014 and 2016. The Forums

brought together hundreds of American and African CEOs, and nearly every African

head of state to facilitate U.S. private sector engagement in Africa, which helped

generate $23.1 billion in investment. The first U.S.-Africa Business Forum also led to

the formation of the President's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-

DBIA), which I chair.

Cuba

The Department has taken a lead role to fundamentally change U.S. policy toward

Cuba. We launched the U.S.-Cuba Regulatory Dialogue and, in coordination with the

Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Department has

published six sets of regulatory changes aimed at empowering the Cuban people

through increased economic engagement. From .January 2015 through September

2016, we issued 738 licenses for proposed exports and re-exports to Cuba valued at

$9.4 billion. In addition, we worked with the private sector to identify the most

effective ways to increase economic engagement and ultimately benefit the Cuban

people.

SelectUSA

I n 2011, the Department launched SelectUSA, the first federal initiative focused on

creating world-class investment promotions to attract foreign direct investment to

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the United States. To date, this successful effort has facilitated $23 billion in foreign

direct investment creating and/or retaining tens of thousands of jobs across the

country. The 2016 SelectUSA Investment Summit alone brought together 2,500

participants representing 70 international markets. SelectUSA has also established

a presence at the U.S, embassies in each of the 30 largest markets for U.S.

investment globally.

Export Control Reform

The Department has led a comprehensive reform of the export control system. Prior to

this effort, the government's controls on defense items essentially were one-size-fits-

all regardless of technological sensitivity, end use, or end user. Now, tens of thousands

of less-sensitive defense items are subject to more nuanced and flexible regulations.

The end result has been stronger military interoperability with our allies; reduced

incentives for those allies' products to avoid U.S, content; government's resources

focused on transactions of greatest concern; and improved regulatory reliability and

predictability.

National Travel and Tourism Strategy

In partnership with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Commerce co-

authored the National Travel and Tourism Strategy, which sets an ambitious goal to

welcome 100 million annual international visitors by 2021. In 2015, 76 million people

visited the United States, up from 67 million before the strategy's implementation.

These visitors spent a record $217 billion on goods and services, supporting 1.1

million U.S. jobs and making travel and tourism our country's number one services

export.

LOOKING AHEAD

Complete the Trans-Pacific Partnership

The completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership is essential to America's economic

strength, to our leadership in the Asia-Pacific region, and to our national security. But

trade remains a complicated and highly charged topic for many citizens. To address

these challenges, our government needs to reconsider our approach to delivering the

benefits of completed trade agreements to our citizens. In addition, the inability of

Congress to pass the agreement has left a vacuum that China is already attempting to

fill with its own multilateral agreement that will exclude the U.S. and disadvantage our

businesses and workers.

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Growing Our Footprint at Home and Abroad

The Department's traditional trade responsibilities include helping American

companies resolve specific issues abroad, working with foreign governments to

address systemic trade policy challenges, enforcing trade laws, and building stronger

ties to cultivate economic opportunities for companies to compete for new customers

around the world. Globalization is creating a huge and growing demand by American

companies for the Department's trade services and expertise. To meet this challenge

and accomplish these goals, I believe there exists a need to increase the Department's

Foreign Commercial Service and Export Assistance Center footprint as well as our

enforcement resource's, so that we can keep pace with growing caseloads.

Increase Exports

In addition, we need to open new markets and help U.S. companies grow exports.

Rebalancing our economy to sell more globally is necessary because 95 percent of the

world's consumers live outside the United States. This will represent an important

shift in how our economy does business. We need to open new markets and maintain a

level playing field, simultaneous with expanded export counseling and trade finance

capabilities. To meet this opportunity, the Department's Commercial Service should

expand to ensure that all American firms in tradeable sectors fully capitalize on the

opportunities created by our trade agreements.

INNOVATION: SUPPORTING ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, SKILLS

TRAINING, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND A ROBUST DIGITAL ECONOMY

Between 1948 and 2012, over half the total increase in U.S. productivity growth, a key

driver of economic growth, came from innovation and technological advancement. As

"America's Innovation Agency," the Department of Commerce is responsible for

fostering an environment that supports the invention and commercialization of new

products and technologies. We are proud to have five Nobel Prize winning scientists

on our team who embody our Department's commitment to innovation.

Advanced Manufacturing

Manufacturing USA

The Department manages and coordinates the Manufacturing USA Network (formerly

the National Network of Manufacturing Innovation), an inter-agency initiative to

develop and deploy the technologies and workthree of the future in a collaborative

public-private. partnership. This effort will have launched a network of public-private

manufacturing institutes that will enhance America's competitive advantage in

advanced manufacturing by bringing cutting edge technologies from lab to market.

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Already, the more than $600 million in federal funding invested in the first nine

institutes has been matched by more than $1.3 billion in non-federal investment. And

more institutes are on the way.

Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership

Commerce is the lead agency for the Investing in Manufacturing Communities

Partnership, an initiative that encourages local leaders from the private sector, local

government, higher education, and economic development organizations to

collectively identify a sector of manufacturing where their community has a

comparative advantage and create a strategic plan that addresses every element of

competitiveness from workforce and supply chain to infrastructure and trade.

Twenty-four communities have been designated for preferred access to federal

funding totaling approximately $1.3 billion, and more than 65 other communities

received technical assistance and benefitted from the strategic planning undertaken

as part of the application process.

Skills Training

Skills for Business

The Department plays a critical role in federal workforce development policymaking

through our newly created Skills for Business initiative. While our Department does

not fund training, advancing 21st century skills is integral to strengthening American

competitiveness given the importance of talent development to our economy,

especially in key sectors like manufacturing, cybersecurity, and engineering. We

have led the effort to assure federal workforce expenditures are job driven,

sponsored research on the value of apprenticeships to employers, and strengthened

regional workforce development efforts.

Entrepreneurship

Promoting a Robust and Effective Intellectual Property System

The strength and vitality of the U.S. economy depends on effective mechanisms that

protect and encourage the development of new ideas, With the passage of the

America Invents Act, the Department continues to improve our service to American

i nnovators by improving patent quality, speeding the patent process, and curbing

abuse. In the last five years, we opened the first-ever permanent Patent and

Trademark regional offices in Detroit, Denver, Silicon Valley, and Dallas, bringing

our services closer to our customers, We also launched the Patents for Humanity

program to accelerate the use of patented technologies for humanitarian purposes.

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Regional Innovation

Through our Regional Innovation Strategies program and the i6 Challenge, the

Department awarded $59 million in capacity-building grants to help entrepreneurs

in diverse regions of the country move ideas to market, supporting the creation and

expansion of research-commercialization centers and early-stage seed-capital

funds.

Harnessing Private Sector Expertise to Support Entrepreneurship

The Department is committed to supporting startups at every phase of their business

cycle. In 2014, we created the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship

Program, which I chair. Through this effort, 20 of the nation's most recognized and

successful entrepreneurs commit to mentoring the next generation of innovators both

domestically and abroad. The Department also created and leads the National

Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE). Comprised of

experts from the public and private sectors, NACIE is responsible for providing

executable recommendations on how our innovation and entrepreneurship policies and

programs can be most effective.

Moving Technologies from Lab to Market

The Department has played a leading role in the Lab-to-Market initiative, a whole-

of-government effort to increase the economic impact of Federally-funded research

and development by accelerating and improving the transfer of new technologies

from the laboratory to the commercial marketplace. The Department has worked

with partners across the federal government to create more open access to federal

opportunities and to empower more effective collaborations by streamlining policies

and tools that help connect entrepreneurs with federal agencies.

Strengthening our Digital Economy

Cybersecurity

I n an economy increasingly vulnerable to cybersecurity threats, the Department plays

a central role in the federal government's policymaking focused on securing

America's data networks and systems. In 2014, the Department released the

Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. Created through

unprecedented collaboration between private industry and government, the voluntary

Framework consists of standards, guidelines, and practices that promote the protection

of critical infrastructure networks. The Framework has become the gold standard for

cyber-risk management and has gained widespread acceptance.

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In addition, the Department worked closely to support the President's Commission on

Enhancing National Cybersecurity, and will be taking steps to ensure that the

Commission's recommendations are incorporated into our future actions. We also lead

efforts on state-of-the-art identity protection, cybersecurity workforce training, and

solving technological challenges by working cooperatively with the private sector.

Protecting a Free and Open Internet: IANA Transition, U.S,-E. U. Privacy Shield, and APEC

An open and free internet is the lifeblood of the global economy that powers

commerce and promotes economic opportunity and human rights around the world —

deeply-held American values that lead to global stability, security, and well-being.

This Administration — and President Obama himself— strongly supported the Federal

Communications Commission's "net neutrality" decision to adopt the strongest rules

possible to ensure Internet Service Providers cannot become gatekeepers to the

Internet's content or create paid fast lanes for access to the best services. And for our

part, the Department has a number of accomplishments that advance this goal:

• On October 1, 2016, the Department transferred its stewardship role over the

I nternet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions to the non-profit, non-

governmental entity, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

The internet stakeholder community is now in charge of overseeing the global

domain name system as originally intended. This makes for a stronger, more

open Internet, which helps ensure no authoritarian government can ever

control it,

• The Department's successful completion of the E.U.-U.S. Privacy Shield

framework provides U.S,-based companies with a reliable mechanism for data

transfers between the European Union and the United States while maintaining

rigorous privacy standards. This framework is essential to supporting the more

than $260 billion in cross-Atlantic digital services trade occurring annually.

• The United States is working to advance the Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation's (APEC) Cross Border Privacy Rules system, a voluntary but

enforceable scheme of mutually recognized data privacy practices for

companies doing business in participating APEC economies. By minimizing

unnecessary barriers to cross-border data flows resulting from inconsistent

privacy regulations in participating APEC economies, the system is intended to

facilitate trade while strengthening consumer trust across the Asia Pacific.

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Increasing Digital Access: Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (B TOP)

The Department built a $4,2 billion grant program from scratch and funded projects

that increase access to broadband in unserved and underserved areas, The projects

helped create jobs and narrowed the digital divide. So far, BTOP has constructed or

upgraded 117,000 miles of broadband network infrastructure, connected 25,787

community anchor institutions, enrolled 671,585 new broadband service

subscribers, and has disbursed $3.833 billion in grants.

Digital Economy Board of Advisors

We created the Digital Economy Board of Advisors in 2015. Composed of leading

technologists, business leaders, social sector executives, and expert policy makers, the

board's mission is to provide advice to increase domestic prosperity, improve

education, and facilitate participation in political and cultural life through the

application and expansion of digital technologies.

Digital Attaches

Responding to the changing nature of global trade, in March 2016, the Department

launched our Digital Attaches pilot program, placing commercial service officers in

six markets abroad to serve as dedicated resources for U.S. companies navigating

digital economy hurdles overseas. This past October, we announced an expansion

of the program. This initiative will continue to drive policy advocacy on technology

issues, ensure linkages between trade policy and trade promotion efforts, and

provide front-line assistance for U.S. small and medium enterprises.

Infrastructure and Economic Development

FirstNet

FirstNet was created by Congress to design, build, and operate the first-ever self-

sustaining interoperable national public safety broadband network, We have worked

closely with FirstNet to help them evolve into a more mature organization, and will

maintain rigorous review and oversight processes to ensure FirstNet's success as it

builds out its network.

Strategic Investment in Economic Development

To implement the President's vision for modernizing support for communities, the

Department has taken a leadership role in the integration of federal economic

development assistance. This approach has increased the impact of federal support by

coordinating the funding streams from multiple agencies and targeting them to

communities that have adopted coherent strategies and comprehensive plans. The

results can be seen in communities supported by the Investing in Manufacturing

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Communities Partnership and the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and

Economic Revitalization Initiative,

LOOKING AHEAD

Strengthening the Digital Economy

The federal government is currently not properly organized to face the challenges

posed by the 21st century digital economy. Looking forward, there needs to be a

government-wide focus to address five critical issues: access, trust and security online,

promoting a free and open Internet globally, addressing the challenges and

opportunities of emerging technologies, and preparing workers for jobs in the digital

economy. As the President's statutorily designated principal adviser on

telecommunications and information policy issues, the Department can and must

quickly transform to be the lead agency with respect to the digital economy, just as it

has led with other sectors.

• Access: Too many U.S. households still do not have broadband access. Filling

that need is not currently happening organically through the marketplace. We

must develop policies and incentives and integrate experienced technical

network talent to encourage investment in infrastructure to connect all

Americans.

• Trust and Security Online: The digital economy cannot flourish if consumers

and businesses do not trust their privacy and security online. The

Administration has made progress with our Consumer Privacy Bil l of Rights, the

U.S.-E.U. Privacy Shield, the Cybersecurity Framework, and the APEC's Cross

Border Privacy Rules. But we face a growing global cybersecurity crisis, with

consumers and companies suffering at the hands of criminals and nation-

states. The next Administration must work with the private sector to promote

strong and innovative cybersecurity policies, pursue baseline privacy rules that

protect consumers while supporting innovation, and continue the national

debate regarding government access to data and the use of encryption as a

security tool.

• Promoting a Free and Open Internet Globally: We must continue to pursue

trade agreements and other policies that protect cross-border data flows,

discourage digital protectionism, and ensure open digital markets.

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• Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities of Emerging Technologies: For

America to remain competitive, government must strive to encourage

emerging technologies ranging from the Internet of Things to autonomous

vehicles to biotechnology to artificial intelligence. The Department's role in this

effort is to be an evangelist, a promoter, and to break down barriers to

i nnovation. We must also help the private sector by identifying the tough policy

issues raised by new technologies and address them early in the product

development life cycle.

• Preparing Workers for Jobs in the Digital Economy: Recognizing that

600,000 information technology jobs in America are currently unfilled, the

Department must remain engaged as a voice for the business community to

encourage policy that helps ensure we have a workforce ready for the

challenges presented by the digital economy.

Advanced Manufacturing

This Administration has built a strong foundation for continued growth in American

manufacturing. To build on that, the Department and Congress should look to grow

and better connect the institutes in the Manufacturing USA Network, strengthen the

competitiveness of America's small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies

through the enhancement of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program, and

invest in training workers with the skills that will be valued by employers.

Further Integration of Economic Development

Both the federal government and communities have benefited from our more

strategic approach to supporting economic development. The next Administration

could have an even greater impact through closer coordination between our

Department and the Department of Agriculture to promote rural development, the

Department of Transportation to maximize the impact of transportation

investments, and the Environmental Protection Agency to promote brownfields

redevelopment and water infrastructure.

UNLEASHING THE POWER OF GOVERNMENT DATA

The Department of Commerce, known as "America's Data Agency," is one of the

largest publishers of government data, generating more than 20 terabytes daily, Our

Department has made it easier for individuals and organizations to gain insights and

develop innovations based on our data. We continue to work with the private sector on

solutions that make data sets more accessible and usable. Our long-term vision is to

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enable the innovators, healthcare professionals, charities, non-profits, public servants,

and others to use our open data to enable and scale solutions for the public good.

Unleashing Our Data

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• Created the Commerce Data Service, an internal team of data scientists and

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• Started a Data Academy to both teach data science and apprentice our staff on I

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specific projects;

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programming interfaces (APIs), created tutorials, and built our own front end

tools;

• Built scalable internal-facing products (such as visualization and client

identification tools) to solve problems and demonstrate what can be done with

data in our programs;

• Leveraged private-sector innovators who are willing to donate their

technology for free to solve public problems;

• Created the Opportunity Project, to drive government and tech community

collaboration to spur the development of digital tools that use federal open

data to increase access to opportunity in communities around the country.

• Established Joint Venture Program to partner with universities, nonprofits, and

industry professionals and explore innovative technical solutions that help

federal agencies responsibly leverage their data to make better decisions.

Improving the Quality, Scope, and Timeliness of Economic Statistics

We have prioritized the improvement of core economic indicators such as GDP, and

we have materially reduced the size of revisions from the initial release. We are also

working with the private sector to improve the timeliness and quality of our

statistics.

2010 Census

The Department of Commerce conducted a successful 2010 decennial census and

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determined that our nation's population stood at 308,700,000 people, a 9.7 percent

increase from the 2000 Census population of 281,400,000.

LOOKING AHEAD

To achieve the most out of our assets, Commerce must do more than simply make its

data available. Below are a number of concrete steps I recommend:

2020 Census

Building off the lessons learned from 2010, the 2020 Census is designed to be more

automated, modern, and dynamic. By using new technologies, innovative

techniques, and new data sources, there is the potential to save up to $5.2 billion

while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy. To achieve this overall cost

savings, adequate testing and implementation funds are needed in the coming fiscal

years.

A Deeper Talent Bench

The next Administration must be bold and creative in finding new ways to hire and

pay high-skilled employees. We currently struggle to fill these jobs — and the talent we

have too often leaves for the private sector where higher pay awaits them. This is just

as true for cybersecurity as it is for data. Whether it be creating a "Cyber Corps" or

providing student loan forgiveness, we as a government will find ourselves at a

disadvantage if we do not do more to entice and retain technical experts and give them

a role at policymaking and program-implementation tables.

Privacy and Equality

Policymakers and regulators must encourage the social and economic benefits from

the use of big data analytics, but must also be vigilant about issues like privacy

protection, the possibility of re-identification of individuals, and the unintended

consequences of algorithmic decision-making. In addition, we must make sure that

all parts of our society benefit from more open data. There will need to be

significant future investment in infrastructure and services to enable innovation

around our data.

A Better, Faster Procurement Process

We need to push for better, faster ways for the federal government to acquire

technologies like modernizing data storage and authorizing use of open source

tools. Doing so will enable innovation and make it easier for smaller companies to

work with the federal government.

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New Investments and Authorities

Specific authorizations and appropriations for data science, infrastructure, and

software development will be critical. Also, congressional action that would permit the

sharing of information among the federal government's statistical agencies could

materially advance our work and reduce costs.

ENVIRONMENT: ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL INTELLIGENCE

AND ENSURING PRODUCTIVE FISHERIES AND ECOSYSTEMS

The Department of Commerce is committed to advancing the scientific research and

environmental intelligence necessary to help communities and businesses prepare for a

changing climate. Moreover, because U.S. industry is uniquely positioned to devise

technological solutions and provide leadership in sustainability practices to confront

the challenge of climate change, we are helping facilitate the success of U.S. firms

operating in the clean energy sector both domestically and abroad.

Advancing Environmental Intelligence

I n 2014, the Department launched the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, which

combines government-wide resources into one easy-to-access location to better

support Americans in their efforts to understand and address the climate related

risks facing their communities. These resources also inform state, local, and

business decision-making to strengthen resilience, In addition, we are providing

unique market intelligence to help industry strategically deploy resources in

renewable energy, smart grid, and traditional environmental technologies. We are

also informing mitigation planning, and making businesses and communities more

hazard-resilient through efforts such as our Disaster Resilience Framework.

Improving Weather Predictions and Supporting Key Decision Makers

The Department is strengthening the National Weather Service to be more

responsive to stakeholder needs and more effective in supporting emergency

managers, first responders, government officials, businesses, and the public.

Through development of new weather models coupled with high-performance

computing upgrades, we have improved weather forecasts, increasing the lead time

for warnings of severe weather events and saving lives.

Deploying the Nation's Next Generation Weather Satellites

During this Administration, we have developed and deployed the nation's next

generation of geostationary and polar orbiting weather satellites, which serve as the

backbone of weather forecasts. We just launched the most advanced weather satellite

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ever built. Called GOES-R, it will revolutionize forecasting and save lives by

collecting three times more data and providing four times better resolution, enabling

more effective and targeted warnings of severe weather events. Given the current age

and capabilities of our polar orbiting satellites, we must prioritize and execute the

planned 2017 launch of JPSS-1 to ensure there will be no gaps in satellite coverage.

Opening the National Water Center

I n May 2015 the Department opened the National Water Center at the University of

Alabama, the first facility in the nation dedicated to water forecast operations and

research, As the country becomes more vulnerable to events like drought and

flooding, the National Water Center will serve as a hub of integrated water

prediction and forecasting for the federal government.

Rebuilding Fisheries and Combating Seafood Fraud

The United States has become the global leader in sustainable seafood. During this

Administration we have largely ended the practice of overfishing and successfully

rebuilt a record number of fishery stocks that have been depleted. Due to our effective

management, overfishing has hit an all-time low and 40 stocks have been returned to

productive levels. The U.S. fishing industry contributed nearly $200 billion to the

American economy in 2014 and supports 1.83 million jobs. Nevertheless, improper

fishing continues to undermine the economic and environmental sustainability of

global fisheries. The Department co-chaired the President's Task Force on Illegal

Unreported and Unregulated Fishing to level the economic playing field by

combatting international pirate fishing and seafood fraud.

Building a 21st Century Fleet

Over the last eight years, we have added three modern vessels to our world-class

oceanographic research fleet to support the nation's economic and environmental

needs. These vessels provide a wide range of services to the nation, from supporting

the science that underpins economic fishery management decisions to charting coastal

ports and seaways essential to the maritime industry. However, without new and

sustained investment in the future, the aging fleet will be reduced to half its size in just

over a decade.

Restoring Gulf Coast Ecosystems

Following the Deep Water Horizon oil spill and the subsequent the implementation

of the RESTORE Act in 2012, the Department has stood up the Gulf Coast

Ecosystem Restoration Council whose mission is to rebuild and revitalize the

ecosystems and economy of the Gulf Coast, The Council set the rules and

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regulations necessary to disburse the BP and TransOcean settlement dollars and is

now working to fund critical restoration projects.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Department of Commerce should continue to play a convening role to spur U.S.

innovators to seize the business opportunity presented by the rapid global energy

transformation currently underway. We must continue to build a clean energy

economy that both benefits the environment and creates American jobs, To help

communities and businesses prepare for a changing climate, while also facilitating the

success of American companies that are developing and deploying climate solutions,

the Department should look to:

Expand Access to Our Climate Data

We should utilize the full array of federal data and services to improve the

assessment and quantification of the risks associated with climate change.

Businesses and communities alike continue to clamor for better and more

actionable information to inform their decisions. Expanding upon these efforts

should be a priority.

lncentivize States and Businesses to Adopt Clean Energy Solutions

Policymakers can accelerate job growth by providing financial incentives for states

to exceed clean energy goals, and by facilitating the creation of new projects,

i nfrastructure, and industries to match regional energy needs and existing industrial

ecosystems. Federal and private industry research investments must be aligned,

establishing additional joint public-private research collaborations to bring clean

energy innovations to scale,

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

We have made operational excellence a foundation of our management approach,

examples of which are woven throughout this memo. We have prioritized: improving

customer service, increasing employee morale, and running the department

strategically and professionally.

1 am proud that our Department has won plaudits for improved customer service from

a variety of third parties. Specifically, the Department has been one of the Top Five in

the Partnership for Public Service's "Best Places to Work" ranking throughout my

tenure. Also, in early 2016, our Business USA Team was given the President's

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Customer Service Award for the ongoing service provided to America's military

veterans under their Veteran Entrepreneur Initiative,

LOOKING AHEAD

Enterprise Services Initiative

The federal systems for hiring and procurement remain a challenge to carrying out the

daily work of our employees and launching any new initiatives. Our enterprise

services initiative to transform mission enabling services — HR, information

technology, financial management, and acquisition — offers the promise of substantial

improvement over our current systems so that we can hire and buy more effectively

and efficiently in order to fulfill our mission, We have already made enormous

progress: we have awarded a contract for human resources services, bringing in a

group of experts to tackle our hiring backlog; and we have implemented strategic

sourcing to better leverage our buying power across the Department, all while saving

millions of dollars.

Conclusion

I am proud of the team at the Department of Commerce and all of our

accomplishments that have advanced the President's priorities. The Department's

success stems from the tone and objectives President Obama set to generate broad-

based prosperity in America. As part of his commitment to economic growth, he

recognized that the Administration needed a stronger relationship with the business

community and that our private sector leaders needed to be involved in the

policymaking process. Our team has taken that vision seriously and has worked to

implement those economic priorities over the last eight years.

1 have come to believe that American businesses and the American taxpayer would be

much better served by a streamlined "Department of Business," similar to the

President's 2012 government reorganization proposal. A reorganized Department with

a unified strategic plan for trade negotiations and enforcement, economic

development, export financing, production of economic statistics and data, technology,

and other business-focused services would provide stronger customer service to

American businesses competing in a global economy.

Serving as the 38th Secretary of Commerce, has truly been one of the great honors of

my life. I want to thank President Obama for the opportunity he has given me, the trust

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Exit Memo: Department of Commerce I whitehouse,gov Page 20 of 20

he has put in our leadership, and the faith he has put in the 46,000 professionals at the

Department to execute his vision.

It has been my privilege to serve.

Read and download the memo as a PDF.

f

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Dobbs - Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity Page 1 of 5

DOBBS

ORIGIN: British

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Dobbs is a boy's name of British origin. Possibly Old English. Occupational

name having to do with painting, or "daubing".

POPULAR PAGESCheck out these popular pages to discover more baby boy and baby girl

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Dobbs name meaning, names similar to Dobbs and Dobbs name ranking Page 1 of 5

boy-names.net (/)

Dobbs name meaning

[ ra n° 2144 Dobbs

name meaning: Dobbs \d(ob)-bs\ as a boy's name. Possibly Old English.

Occupational name having to do with painting, or "daubing". May also be

related to Robert.

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A baby name that sounds like Dobbs is Tobias. Other similar baby names are

Hobbs, Dodds, Gibbs and Hobbes.

origin: 9 English

number of letters: 5. see al l 5-letter names (5-letter-names)

Find al l names that start with D (boy-'names-that-start-with-D')

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