MSEE, MBA, CLP | Intellectual Property Consultant, Carlisle IP Consulting 
Don Drinkwater is currently providing consultant services and mentoring after retiring from the Bose Corporation where he served as the Director of Licensing since 2004. At Bose he was responsible for licensed technologies used in Bose products as well as licensing out patents and technology to support Bose’s strategic direction. Don worked very closely with leading audio, consumer electronics, semiconductor, and contract manufacturers to implement strategic licensing arrangements. Don supported all Bose divisions which included Consumer, Professional Audio, Automotive and Manufacturing. Previous to Bose, Don directed licensing activities for 3Com Corporation. In that role Don developed multiple licensing programs based upon 3Com’s networking patent portfolio. In addition to generating a revenue stream, Don initiated a patent program that resulted in a $70M+ settlement for 3Com. At PWC, Don served as a director in a newly formed Intellectual Asset Management practice. Working closely with PWC’s Defense Analysis & Investigation and Corporate Value Consulting practices, Don evaluated multiple companies patent portfolios, including two major defense contractor’s to determine alternative commercial uses of their technologies to produce incremental revenue. At PWC, Don also worked on evaluating IP for companies in bankruptcy and helping companies assess the potential of licensing programs in multiple technologies. At Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), and later Compaq Computer, Don directed the licensing group to license patents and technology related to computer and networking technology. Earlier in Don’s career he achieved the level of principal engineer developing and managing groups to develop computer sub-assemblies at DEC.
Don served as an adjunct professor, teaching Micro Electronics at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell for 13 years. While there, Don received the Haskell Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Don’s experience with the Licensing Executive Society (LES) includes the trustee of Member Engagement for which he served for six years, the chair of the High Tech Sector for the period 2009 to 2010 and the chair of the Computer Hardware and Consumer Electronics committee. Don has published articles in les Nouvelles (the Journal of the Licensing Executive Society International) and IEEE publications as well as a speaker at several LES meeting Workshops. Don also took responsibility for the LESI IP Management Primer. Don is a receipting of the Frank Barnes Mentoring award which is awarded every year at the LES Annual meeting.
At Home, Don has served as the chairperson for the Carlisle, MA scouting program for the past ten years. Don also served as an assistant scout master where he took responsibility for scout advancement helping many scouts achieve the Eagle rank.
Don holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, a Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and a Master of Business Administration from Clark University. Don is a member of Eta Kappa Nu (the honor society of the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers “IEEE”). Don has also taken a number of Licensing and Negotiation courses including completing The Franklin Pierce Law Center’s Advanced Licensing Institute and The Harvard University Law School’s Negotiation Workshop. Don has negotiated hundreds of licensing agreements and is very familiar with the business terms of such agreements. Don has creatively solved many negotiation issues and was told by a major semiconductor company that he was able to receive a major concession because he was able to explain the technical and business reasons that the company he was working for needed the concession. Don is an inventor on multiple patents related to computer, networking, home automation, patent analysis and Bluetooth technologies.
