I’ve just returned from Las Vegas and the 2011 ERA D2C Convention held last week.  This show gave our inventors many positive experiences and networking opportunities!

As promised before I left, I want to announce the 2011 “Inventor of the Year.”

Leonard Mangalindan, of Tustin, California, for his invention, “Power Press™.”

The Power Press™ is a complete pushup training system that gives one a total upper body workout. It tones several different muscle groups by using a color-coded system on just one board. To use, an individual simply inserts the included hand grips into the corresponding color-coded spaces to work a specific muscle group. The invention helps to promote proper pushup form and position and is ideal for all different fitness levels.

Thirty-seven inventors from the InventHelp-INPEX^® New Product Showcase pitched their products to a panel of experts from the Direct Response Industry. As a prize, Leonard received two complimentary passes to the ERA Moxie Awards, held Thursday evening at the close of the show. I was excited to present Leonard with a trophy at the ceremony on behalf of InventHelp^® & INPEX^®, recognizing his achievement at being named “Inventor of the Year” by the expert panelists!

The other four inventors who got to see their products pitched on stage by professional pitchmen and women were:

Gary Hills, Holiday Light Saver

Michael McVan, BoxerBall

Kendra Rivers, Keep it Klose

Joe Watrach, Sleeve Links

Congratulations to Leonard, and to all of our inventors! It was a great week and we can’t wait for next year!

The INPEX® staff is busy preparing for INPEX® 2011, which is next week at the Monroeville Convention Center! We’ve been planning for this year’s show since last summer, and we’re very excited to kick it off!

If you are exhibiting at INPEX® and have any last minute questions about the show, please contact your account representative for information.

Livia Bebing – 1-888-544-6739, ext. 4113

Kimberly Behr – 1-888-544-6739, ext. 4115

Lenora Flenniken – 1-888-544-6739, ext .4117

Alan McDonough – 1-888-544-6739, ext. 4169

We look forward to seeing you next week!

Once again, INPEX® is teaming up with the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) to conduct a panel review on Thursday, June 16 at the INPEX® Show. Inventors will have the opportunity, if chosen by the panel, to be invited to the 2011 ERA D2C Convention!

The ERA is the only trade association that represents the global leaders of the direct-to-consumer marketplace – companies which use the power of direct response to sell goods and services on television, online and on radio. Their ERA D2C Convention, held annually in Las Vegas, is billed as the only trade show dedicated to direct response retail sales and product development on TV, radio and online.

In order to see if your invention qualifies to present to the ERA panel on Thursday, you’ll need to make sure to attend the INPEX® Inventor’s University™ seminar conducted by Jeff Meltzer Wednesday at 8 a.m. Please note: Attendance at this seminar is mandatory for anyone interested in the opportunity to present their product to the ERA. Jeff will discuss what makes a good product, how to find the right people to source it and which categories sell best on TV, in stores and in print both nationally and worldwide. He will also cover how to perfect the 90-second “elevator pitch,” and help to give inventors the knowledge that they need to move forward in the competitive Direct Response industry.

During the show hours on Wednesday, visit Jeff Meltzer and Michael Planit in the ERA booth on the show floor to discuss your product. They will pre-qualify the invention and decide whether it’s an appropriate product to present to the panel on Thursday, June 16. If the product is pre-qualified, the inventor will be given a time to present to the panel. On Thursday, the panel will decide during that inventor’s presentation and time slot if they will invite them to participate in the ERA D2C Convention in Las Vegas.

If you think your product would be a good fit to present to the ERA and haven’t yet purchased a booth, call 1-888-54-INPEX to speak to an account representative today. There are just a few booth spaces left!

Judging inventions is an important part of INPEX’s annual trade show because winning an INPEX® award can provide an inventor with credibility, notoriety and recognition for their invention. I’d like to introduce you to the Chairmen of our International Judging Committee for INPEX® 2011.

Patrick Raymond – Patrick’s leadership in the invention community has been recognized in national media and major industry events. He will be co-hosting an inventor-friendly TV show for a major cable channel. Initially, Patrick was reasonably content working on Madison Avenue as a VP of strategic planning for global consumer brands. But his decade-long career as an “adman” ended in 2005 … when a particularly clingy shower curtain turned him into an accidental inventor. Thus began his amazing journey as an independent inventor that saw his product sold in national retail stores and DRTV. In 2007, he started the Inventors Association of Manhattan, a non-profit with 600+ members today. He was also elected to the Board of the national United Inventors Association (UIA).

In 2008, he was elected to be Executive Director of the UIA. He produced a ground-breaking 10-part educational video entitled What Every Inventor Needs to Know with 15 of the country’s top experts. A national guest speaker and product judge, he led 11-judge panel in the Inventor’s Spotlight at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas in 2009 and 2010.

Patrick then invented the InventionScore™, a revolutionary diagnostic algorithm that pinpoints where an inventor stands, and how to improve for maximum negotiating power with investors and companies. A regular contributor to Inventors Digest magazine, Patrick was named Editor-at-Large in 2011. Patrick holds a BA in Mass Communications and an MBA. He lives in New York City.

Andrej Skrinjar – Hailing from Slovenia, Andrej had traveled to INPEX in 2000 as a delegate himself with other Slovenian inventors. From 1999-2002, Andrej was the leader of the Slovenian business innovation network, which was a group that evaluated inventions and innovations from Slovenia, Germany, Switzerland and the United States.

With 16 years of experience in management, he initiated and led several development programs in the business center of Novo Mesto in Slovenia. Additionally, he is highly skilled in the organizing of the production process, construction and total quality management. He has developed programs and support mechanisms for work processes as well as individuals. He is a mechanical engineer and holds two degrees, including a Master of Science and BA in economy and marketing.

Andrej is fluent in Croation, English, German and French.

Every invention at INPEX has the opportunity to be judged by a committee of judges. The judges will walk the show floor on Wednesday, evaluate the invention and talk to each inventor about his or her idea. Gold medals will be given in over 40 product categories at the International Awards Dinner and Ceremony on Friday, June 17, after the close of the show.

Don’t miss the opportunity to exhibit your invention, and get your invention judged at INPEX® 2011. Find out more about INPEX®, America’s largest invention trade show, held June 14-17, in Pittsburgh. Call 1-888-54-INPEX to speak to one of our account representatives to help reserve your booth today!

As INPEX® 2011 draws closer, I wanted to remind you of a few things regarding the changes to this year’s show.

In the past, we’ve always conducted the INPEX® Inventor’s University™ seminars each morning before the opening of the show floor. To better serve both the exhibitors and the business attendees, we’ve changed the format a bit this year. On Tuesday, June 14, exhibitors will be able to set up their booths, and can then attend an “inventor’s boot camp” of sorts starting at 12:30 p.m. Classes and seminars will run back-to-back all afternoon conveniently located in the Monroeville Convention Center.

After the informative afternoon sessions, we’ll hold a short exhibitor networking session at 6:00 p.m. with light refreshments. We’ll then launch into our last class of the evening, INPEX® 101. This seminar is where I will share my knowledge of exhibiting with INPEX® inventors, discuss how to get the most out of the “INPEX® experience” and fill inventors in on proper trade show etiquette. I’ll also cover the scheduled events planned for the show.

Then, INPEX’s sister company, Intromark Incorporated, will discuss a variety of topics including exhibiting, qualifying and following up with companies, as well as the basics to licensing before closing with a general question & answer session. Our Inventor’s University™ classes will finish this year with an 8:00 a.m. session Wednesday morning with Jeff Meltzer (mandatory if you would like the opportunity to present your product to the ERA panel,) followed by keynote speaker Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

We encourage inventors to arrive early to check in and set up their booths so they can take full advantage of these Tuesday afternoon classes and seminars. Classes include topics such as: creating a brand for your invention, getting publicity for your idea, licensing information, raising venture capital and perfecting your pitch.

Call your account executive at 1-888-54-INPEX with any questions!