Honoring the creative achievements, primarily in the Chicago metropolitan area, for patent, copyright, or trademark protection.
The Creator of the Year Award honors significant creative contributions in one or more of the substantive areas protected by intellectual property law.
Achievements that could form the basis for a nomination include:
Patent Law
An invention or group of inventions having technological significance and an important social and economic impact, resulting in one or more U.S. patents.
Trademark Law
A powerful branding program that combines a strong trademark or service mark and a memorable advertising and marketing campaign.
Copyright Law
An important and original work of authorship, in the literary, musical, visual, dramatic or other arts.
Nominees include individuals and groups of individuals/corporations, and need not be the current owner of the corresponding intellectual property right.
Selections are made by IPLAC's Board of Managers upon recommendation of the Creative Achievement Award Committee.
Winners are honored at IPLAC’s Annual Meeting.
Past Winners
Recent past winners of the IPLAC Creative Achievement Award include:
2022 Creator of the Year
Felicia Ferrone
2021 Creator of the Year
Dr. Anita Mehta
2020 Creator of the Year
Leo Burnett Advertising Agency & Allstate Insurance Company
2019 Creator of the Year
Nick Holonyak, Jr., M.D.
2018 Creator of the Year
Dale N. Gerding, M.D.
2017 Creator of the Year
James McCambridge
2016 Creator of the Year
John Nix
2015 Creator of the Year
Lawrence M. Kaplan
2014 Creator of the Year
Douglas U. Mennie
2013 Creator of the Year
Gregory B. Olson Sc.D.
2012 Creator of the Year
Scott Turow
2011 Creator of the Year
Kraft Foods
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