Mr. Richard Halverson

Richard Halverson is the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Unit Chief for Outreach & Training at the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center). In this role, he manages and directs the IPR Center's efforts to partner with federal, state, local and international law enforcement and industry in combating Intellectual Property (IP) theft. During his 20 year career as a HSI Special Agent, Mr. Halverson has held various positions in Corpus Christi and Houston, Texas; London, UK; and Washington D.C. Mr. Halverson has been involved in IP theft investigations for the last fifteen years. Mr. Halverson earned a B.A. in General Business Administration from Michigan State University in 1991

Mr. Conrad Wong

Conrad Wong serves as Consul and Intellectual Property Rights Officer, representing the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), in Guangzhou, China. He is attached to the United States Consulate General, Guangzhou. The Guangzhou Consular District includes Fujian and Guangdong Provinces, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Hainan Island.

He has 18 years of experience in intellectual property matters. In 1993, he joined the PTO as a Trademark Examining Attorney, later becoming a Senior Attorney. Later, he joined the PTO's Office of Policy and External Affairs, specializing in programs aimed at building effective intellectual property protection and enforcement around the world, particularly in China.

In 2003, he left the PTO to serve as Director of Government and Public Affairs for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), the leading trade association in the U.S. for the automotive and truck aftermarket parts industry, continuing his work in intellectual property with SEMA members. He later engaged in his own private practice, specializing in trademark prosecution, licensing, and opposition matters.

In August 2006, he re-joined the PTO. In November 2007, he began his assignment as the PTO's Guangzhou-based Intellectual Property Rights Officer. His assignment will end in September 2012.

Conrad is a native of Palo Alto, California. He is a graduate of The Choate School, The Johns Hopkins University, and Georgetown University Law Center. He is fluent in Cantonese Chinese, and is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland.

Conrad and Ann, his wife, are members of the City of Alexandria, Virginia Pipes and Drums, where she is a bagpiper and he is a tenor drummer. Conrad is also an avid automotive enthusiast. They reside in Arlington, Virginia

Mr. Albert Ho

Mr. Ho is the Head of the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau (IPIB) of the Customs and Excise Department in Hong Kong, and is holding the rank of Senior Superintendent of Customs & Excise. He joined the Customs in 1985 and since then, he has worked in various aspects of Customs enforcement and management, including taxation frauds and intellectual property theft. The IPIB is the sole enforcement agency in Hong Kong responsible for combating intellectual property crimes. It comprises about 250 officers in the fight against copyright piracy and trade mark counterfeiting.

He has a keen interest in crime reduction and fraud prevention both professionally and academically. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, USA. He holds a bachelor and master degree in laws, and two other master degrees, one in criminology and the other in technology management. He also holds a Master of Studies degree in applied criminology and police management granted by the Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, UK. He is a barrister of the Middle Temple of England and Wales, and the High Court of Hong Kong.