It’s not the first patent obtained by a resident of Sanpete County, but it is the first time a local company has been instrumental in obtaining that patent. Milt Olsen, owner of Maintenance Technology Systems of Manti, is a senior vibration analyst, and his company collects vibration data for surface mining equipment in an effort to find machinery problems before they cause catastrophic failures. After coming up with an improved data collection system for his company, Olsen knew he needed to patent it. Steve Malone, also of Manti, is a registered patent agent and owner of Malone Intellectual Property Law, and he helped Olsen navigate the complicated process of obtaining the patent. A former patent office employee, Malone says he is happy to be able to help inventors navigate the intricate paperwork necessary to obtain a patent without leaving the county.

Malone and his wife, Jeanette, say they look forward to helping other local inventors protect their work.