Your Chance to Meet Some of CBP's TOP Officials



Have you met CBP's Chief Operating Officer, Thomas Winkowski (pictured left)? How about the Director of Field Operations in Miami, Vernon Foret? Or, CBP's Senior Advisor for Private Sector Engagement, Maria Luisa O’Connell?

Start thinking of what questions you have for CBP, because you'll have the chance to meet them this month.

Assistant Commissioner Al Gina recently shared his thoughts on CBP's Priority Trade Initiatives with NCBFAA. See them here. The seven hot topics are:

1. Role of the Broker;
2. ACE,The agency’s automated cargo processing system;
3. The Centers of Excellence and Expertise,
4. Simplified Entry-Air Cargo Advanced Screening,
5. Trusted trade partnerships;
6. Trade intelligence, and
7. One U.S. Government at the Border.

Here's your chance to ask questions about CBP's progress with implementation of its priorities. I for one want to hear CBP's progress in ensuring the Centers of Excellence are yielding a more uniform decision making process for CBP at all ports of entry.

You are invited to attend a round table discussion on U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) trade transformation initiatives. This meeting will provide a great opportunity to have an open discussion with Chief Operating Officer, Thomas Winkowski; Director of Field Operations (Miami) Vernon Foret; and Senior Advisor for Private Sector Engagement, Maria Luisa O’Connell. There will be two meetings held at different times, on October 24, 2012, but will contain the same information.
Due to limited seating, CBP requests that only ONE representative from each company sign up for one of the meetings. Your choices are:

• Wednesday, October 24, 2012 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the Cargo Clearance Center (CCC), Conference Room 264, 6601 NW 25th Street, Miami, FL 33122. Since space is limited, online registration is required. Click here to register for this time slot. RSVP's must be in by close of business October 18, 2012.
• Wednesday, October 24, 2012 from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. at the Cargo Clearance Center (CCC), Conference Room 264, 6601 NW 25th Street, Miami, FL 33122. Click here to register for this time slot.

You will receive a confirmation email with further details regarding the meeting. If for some reason you need to cancel your registration, please click here.

In addition, if you have specific questions you would like addressed during the meeting, please forward them to Phyllis Ratliff: Phyllis.Ratliff@dhs.gov no later than October 18th. Please limit your response to two (2) questions.

What are your questions? See you there?