According to the New York Times (quoted below) President-Elect Trump is expected to nominate a new Commerce Secretary and Deputy Commerce Secretary. This will then open the door to the next level appointments within Commerce Department; this includes the head of the Patent Office, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property.
The Next Director of the PTO: There is no word yet on who the new head of the Patent Office will be.
Regards,
Hal
From the New York Times today: “President-elect Donald J. Trump is expected to select as commerce secretary Wilbur Ross *** who became known as the ‘king of bankruptcy’ for buying, restructuring and selling off steel makers and other fading industrial companies ***.
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“In addition to Mr. Ross, *** Mr. Trump is likely to choose Todd Ricketts *** who is an owner of the Chicago Cubs *** to be the deputy commerce secretary[.]”