The WiSys award recognizes Universities of Wisconsin leaders, faculty, staff, students, and community partners who have played an integral role in building a culture of innovation in communities across Wisconsin.

Baxter, a patent attorney at Boyle Fredrickson in Milwaukee, has worked with WiSys since shortly after its founding in 2000. Since then, he has drafted and prosecuted nearly 300 patent applications for WiSys while providing guidance and education to inventors and Universities of Wisconsin faculty on WiSys, intellectual property (IP), and the process involved.

“It is a great honor to be recognized by WiSys and to have had the opportunity to work with it almost from its inception,” Baxter said. “I hope to continue to be part of the collective effort that goes into developing ideas from our Wisconsin universities.”

Baxter’s patent review work is not his only involvement with WiSys. He has served as a grant reviewer and review committee member for the Ignite Grant program and he has given various IP education presentations at Universities of Wisconsin campuses.

Boyle Fredrickson has also supported WiSys since Keith joined their firm in 2006. They have sponsored the annual WiSys SPARK Symposium since it began in 2008 and are also a regular sponsor of the WiSys Big Idea Tournament.

“Keith has been a trusted patent attorney and advisor to WiSys since our founding,” said WiSys President Arjun Sanga. “He has always gone the extra mile to educate and provide guidance to our inventors and support our innovation events and programs. He is a champion of WiSys and innovation throughout Wisconsin.”

Outside of work, Baxter is also an inventor, having invented various electronic musical instruments. He holds several patents, including one for an inflatable cheesehead hat. He has also written a science fiction novel.  

Baxter received his Innovation Champion award during the WiSys SPARK Symposium, which was held on the UW-Superior campus. To learn more about SPARK, read the recap here.