Speakers

Amy Magnus

Director of Customs Affairs

A.N. Deringer, Inc.

Amy Magnus, a licensed Customs Broker, is the Director of Customs Affairs and Compliance at AN Deringer, Inc. She has been with A.N. Deringer for over 15 years. 

Amy is the Chairman of the Board for the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association. She serves on the 15th term of the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (COAC) and is the former President of the Northern Border Customs Brokers Association. Amy also serves as a CBP ACE Trade Ambassador for the Trade Support Network and is co-chair of the Entry Committee of the TSN.

Lenny Feldman

Senior Partner

Sandler, Travis, & Rosenberg, P.A.

Lenny Feldman, Esq. is a Senior Partner of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., where he serves on the Firm’s Operating Committee. Lenny also currently serves as Customs and General Counsel to the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA). He previously served as Co-Chair of the 15^th Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) and as Co-Chair of the 14^th COAC’s Trade Modernization Subcommittee. Lenny innovatively and effectively advises customs brokers, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and carriers to develop and adopt best practices and compliance programs in the import and export context and to efficiently resolve enforcement issues.

Robert Calvin

Associate

KPMG LLP

Robert Calvin (“RC”) is an Associate with KPMG LLP’s Trade & Customs practice located in Chicago, IL.  Robert has a wealth of experience in supply chain and trade, with a focus on tariff mitigation and duty recovery. RC is fascinated with LinkedIn’s power to influence, and the amazing network it fosters.  Alongside a national team of 200+ people, RC assists multinational clients with all aspects of US and global international trade including trade compliance, export control and sanctions, global trade automation, customs audits, US and global cost planning, foreign trade zones, tariff recovery, tariff planning, trade data analytics, and first sale for export implementation. 

Virginia Thompson

Senior Product Manager

Thomson Reuters

Virginia Thompson is a Senior Product Manager at Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of global trade management solutions. Ms. Thompson is responsible for advancing Import/Export solutions globally to ensure market and regulatory needs are met. Prior to joining the software industry, Ms. Thompson had over 20 years of experience managing the global transportation and trade compliance operations of a major U.S. retailer. Throughout her career, she has enjoyed identifying and implementing profitable ways to solve supply chain challenges while also maintaining the highest standards of customer service and compliance. She brings this experience to Thomson Reuters in order to ensure that solutions remain focused around bringing value to the importer/exporter.

Lenny Feldman, Esq.

Senior Partner

Sandler, Traivs, & Rosenberg, P.A.

Lenny Feldman, Esq. is a Senior Partner of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., where he serves on the Firm’s Operating Committee. Lenny also currently serves as Customs and General Counsel to the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA). He previously served as Co-Chair of the 15^th Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) and as Co-Chair of the 14^th COAC’s Trade Modernization Subcommittee. Lenny innovatively and effectively advises customs brokers, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and carriers to develop and adopt best practices and compliance programs in the import and export context and to efficiently resolve enforcement issues.

Mark Shacklette

Vice President, Global Customs and Trade Compliance

UPS

Mark Shacklette is Vice President, Global Customs and Trade Compliance for UPS Supply Chain Solutions. He directly oversees Customs Brokerage Compliance and Trade Compliance for the U.S. and works closely with the UPS global brokerage operations in the various regions.  His team oversees the U.S. Brokerage and Forwarding audits and also works with the global Customs and Brokerage audit program.  

Mark’s career at UPS began in 1987, and he has spent 32 of his 33 years with the Customs Brokerage function, starting in Louisville KY, followed by seven years in California, before transferring back to Louisville. During his career, he has spearheaded integration efforts with numerous acquisitions including Fritz, Menlo, the Miles Group, Zone Solutions and STTAS.  

Kelly Raia

Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Blue Tiger International

Kelly is a licensed customhouse broker and trade compliance specialist who has been working in the supply chain field for over thirty years. Kelly assists companies in managing their import and export trade activity, CTPAT security, and develop inhouse training programs.

Kelly is the Chief Operating Officer of Blue Tiger International and earned her bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from St. Joseph’s University.

Kelly is a specialist in both import and export operations, security, compliance, logistics, and supply chain management.

Aaron Tambrini

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

SAC Aaron Tambrini joined the Office of Export Enforcement (OEE) in January 2017 and was selected as the Chicago Field Office’s Special Agent in Charge (SAC) in July 2021 having served since April 2018 as the Assistant SAC.  Prior to joining OEE January 2017, SAC Tambrini served for over 13 years as a U.S. Department of State (DOS)-Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Special Agent (SA) and Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) in Chicago, Tunisia, Minneapolis, Mauritania, Madagascar, and Washington, DC.  SAC Tambrini manages a team in four Midwestern cities charged with conducting violations of export regulations related to dual use items originating in eleven states and throughout the world.

Jennifer Diaz

Attorney

Diaz Trade Law

Jennifer Diaz is a Chambers ranked, Board Certified international attorney, author, public speaker, and is considered a leading expert in International Trade Law by The Florida Bar. She is the founder of Diaz Trade Law, the most diverse customs and international trade law firm in South Florida. Established in 2016, the woman-led, multi-lingual law firm specializes in import and export transactions, compliance with U.S. federal government agencies laws and regulations, and enforcement mitigation.

Mrs. Diaz is an expert in working with the many Federal agencies that regulate trade, including the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). She handles issues relating to “pre-compliance” including ensuring compliance with federal government agencies prior to importation or exportation. She assists clients with intellectual property right (IPR) protection, including recordation with CBP of trademarks and copyrights registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Allen Gina

Co-Founder

CT Strategies

Mr. Allen Gina is the President and Co-Founder of CT Strategies which provides strategic services to clients seeking current and innovative insight into border management and supply chain challenges in the U.S. and around the world.

Prior to establishing CT Strategies, Mr. Gina served as Assistant Commissioner for International Trade at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). As Assistant Commissioner, Mr. Gina oversaw a workforce of over 1,000 employees and a budget of over $300 million and was responsible for leading the most extensive trade transformation initiative in CBP’s history.

Prior to serving as Assistant Commissioner for International Trade, Mr. Gina served as the Assistant Commissioner for International Affairs; (A) Assistant and Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Intelligence and Operations Coordination, and (A) Executive Director for the Joint Operations Directorate at CBP. Mr. Gina was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2004 as the Executive Director of the Container Security and Secure Freight Initiatives. Prior to entering the Senior Executive Service, Mr. Gina served as Customs Inspector, Supervisory Customs Inspector, Chief Customs Inspector, and Area Port Director, as well as the Director of various offices including: the Customs Industry Partnership Program, the Customs Outbound Program, and the Customs Office of Border Security.

Mark Isaacson

U.S. Customs Border and Protection

Mark Isaacson has been employed with the US Customs Services, now Customs and Border Protection for over 25 years.  Mr. Isaacson has served in many roles during his tenure to include being an Inspector/Officer at the Port of JFK International Airport, primarily with the Passenger Enforcement Rover Team/Narcotics Interdiction unit from 1998-2003 where he was awarded a Unit Citation Award from the Commissioner of the US Customs Service.  Mr. Isaacson also volunteered his time to participate in the recovery efforts in the immediate aftermath of the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11 and was honored along with others who responded in a pre-opening event of the 9/11 memorial, hosted by then Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani and NY State Governor George Pataki. Mr. Isaacson also served as a Senior Officer at the Pre-Clearance Port of Montreal, Canada from 2003-2005 where he was then promoted to Supply Chain Specialist for the CTPAT program at JFK International Airport. 

Richard Di Nucci

U.S. Customs Border and Protection

Mr. Di Nucci started his career in the United States Customs Service in 1989 in the Port of Baltimore, working in both Commercial Operations and Inspection and Control Divisions. In 1992 he transferred to U.S. Customs Headquarters Office of International Affairs where he served as a Program Manager overseeing Customs cooperative work with partner customs services at the Customs Cooperation Council (now the World Customs Organization) in Brussels.  Mr. Di Nucci worked on commercial cargo issues and customs enforcement matters in Brussels and was the original U.S. representative presenting the first draft of the revise Kyoto Convention on Customs Clearance Procedures.

Mr. Di Nucci returned to the field overseeing commercial compliance operations in the Mid-Atlantic region for the Customs Management Center in Baltimore, Maryland.  He returned to Headquarters in 2000 to verse commercial enforcement operations on the Southwest Border focusing on highly compliant operators in the maquiladora sector. In the aftermath of 9/11, Mr. Di Nucci was assigned to the original team that created the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program.  In addition to working on the first security criteria for C-TPAT partners, Mr. Di Nucci drafted and secured OPM approval of the original position description for the Supply Chain Specialist position that is the cornerstone of C-TPAT.

Tim N. Gildea

Founder

NU Borders

Prior to founding NU Borders LLC, Special Agent (Retired) Timothy N. Gildea worked for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and its predecessor agency U.S. Customs Service from 1983 to 2014. He has conducted numerous cross-border crime investigations and served on several forces including the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Transportation Task Force. From 2003 to 2009, Gildea served at the Assistant ICE Attaché, Toronto Office. He has also served as a Special Agent and Counter-Proliferation Investigations Program Manager in Boston, MA and Washington, DC, respectively,

Erik Smithweiss

Partner

GDLSK

Erik Smithweiss is a partner resident in the Los Angeles office. Mr. Smithweiss represents clients on issues before U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Commerce, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Food & Drug Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission and other agencies that regulate the international trade in goods. His practice involves import restrictions, rules of origin, preferential trade agreements, marking and labeling, valuation, tariff classification, antidumping and countervailing duty compliance, trademark and copyright protection, Fish & Wildlife restrictions, and similar matters. Mr. Smithweiss also assists clients with matters pending before customs administrations in other countries and at the World Customs Organization in Brussels.

Susan Kohn Ross

Partner

Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP (MSK)

Susan Kohn Ross is a Partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP (MSK), resident in the Los Angeles office. She chairs the Regulatory Practice, where she focuses on compliance whether dealing with Cybersecurity/Privacy, International Trade or COVID-19, and deals with the related regulatory, civil and criminal issues.

Regarding International Trade, Ms. Ross represents domestic and foreign companies, in both the administrative and commercial context, regarding the importation and exportation of goods before U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other federal and state courts and agencies which regulate the flow of goods, addressing a wide berth of related topics, along with regulatory investigations; international contracts; international litigation and alternative dispute resolution; Foreign Corrupt Practices Act compliance and other anti-corruption/anti-bribery regimes.

David Corn is Executive Vice President of Comstock and C.J. Holt, starting his drawback career in 2011. With years of experience in the market research field, he has a successful history with large commodity clients and has created, managed, and presented projects in consumer research, sales and statistical analysis, and marketplace dynamics. Mr. Corn has developed several drawback clients from first contact to final liquidation across a range of industries, including: agriculture, apparel, automotive, chemical, energy, machinery, and sports products. David is the vice chair for the NCBFAA’s Drawback Subcommittee and was appointed to the co-chair position of AAEI’s Drawback and Duty Deferral Committee in 2015.

Michael Cerny

Chief Legal Officer

Charter Brokerage, LLC

Michael Cerny is Chief Legal Officer for Charter Brokerage, LLC, a Berkshire Hathaway company providing full-service customs brokerage and specializing in duty drawback.  Charter files more duty drawback than any other company in the United States.  Mr. Cerny is an attorney with over 30 years of experience in customs and international trade matters, with extensive experience in duty drawback law and practice.  He is admitted to the U.S. Court of International Trade and is a member of the Customs & International Trade Bar Association, the American Bar Association Section of International Law & Practice, the New York State Bar Association, and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.  Mr. Cerny is a member of the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (“CBP”) Trade Support Network (“TSN”) and was selected by CBP to serve as a TSN Trade Ambassador as well as on its Trade Leadership Council. 

Robert Stein

Vice President of Customs & Trade Compliance

Mohawk Global Logistics

Robert Stein is Vice President of Customs & Trade Compliance for Mohawk Global Logistics. He has almost 30 years of experience in Customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and consulting. With a broad base of trade experience, Robert is an expert in import and export compliance, Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ), HTS classification, and NAFTA. As an FTZ consultant, he has guided companies through FTZ feasibility studies, savings analysis, implementation, training, activation, and computer systems integration. Robert is also an active speaker in the trade community, participating in many live and web-based events throughout the year. He is a licensed Customs broker, certified Customs specialist, NAFTZ Owner and User Committee member, NCBFAA Export Compliance subcommittee member, and area three representative on the NCBFAA Customs Committee.

Sandra Bell

Senior Counsel

DLA Piper

Sandra Bell represents clients on regulatory procedures relating to customs tariff and import issues including securing and responding to decisions on prospective and current import transactions, international trade policy and regulatory programs, and border security and trade enforcement programs.

Damon V. Pike

International Tax Principal; Customs & International Trade Services, JD, LCHB

BDO

Damon V. Pike leads the Customs and International Trade Services (CITS) group within the International Tax Services practice at BDO USA, LLP (fifth largest global tax, assurance, and advisory firm).  The goal of the CITS team is to provide end-to-end global consulting services for all aspects of import/export planning and compliance.  Mr. Pike has more than 32 years of experience helping multinational companies navigate the complex rules governing the cross-border movement of goods and services. He is especially known for his pioneering work in using transfer pricing income tax rules to support declared customs values, and was a keynote speaker in 2007 at the World Customs Organization summit on this topic.  Mr. Pike is also the co-author of “Customs Law” (the only law school textbook on this topic ever published in the U.S.) and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Emory University in Atlanta.  Prior to joining BDO in 2019, he spent 12 years running his own firm from 2006-2018, and also spent 13 years with a Big Four firm as the National Director of the firm’s customs consulting practice.

Anna Zajac

Senior Manager
BDO

Anna is a Senior Manager in BDO’s Customs and International Trade Services group within the firm’s International Tax Services. She has more than 20 years of experience managing and advising global trade compliance teams. She is an experienced industry professional that has helped clients in small, mid, and large markets effectively manage the financial and operational effects of change. She can provide strategic insights for import and export compliance management and effective practices for managing U.S. Customs & Border Protection, International Traffic in Arms (ITAR), and Export Administration Regulation (EAR) requirements.

Wendy Everett

Regional Manager of Customs Strategy for North America

Schaeffler Group USA

Wendy Everett began her career with Schaeffler Group USA 24 years ago, gaining unparalleled experience and success in the logistics, finance, and customs operation space, while also establishing herself as a respected customs professional. Wendy from its infancy founded Schaeffler’s customs operation department which now serves Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. along with establishing their current transfer pricing program.  Her current role is the Regional Manager of Customs Strategy for North America. Wendy is widely known for her vast knowledge of U.S. Customs policies and procedures. While her speaking engagements have taken her around the world, Wendy was born in Chicago but now makes her home in Fort Mill, South Carolina. She is the mother of a beautiful daughter Brittany. Outside of the office, Wendy enjoys reading, drag racing, and rescuing animals.

Keith Anderson

Senior Customs Specialist

Schaeffler Group USA

Keith Anderson has worked in the logistics industry for 13 years, gaining experience in logistics, export, and import, ITAR and strategic customs. As a seasoned Senior Customs Specialist at Schaeffler Group USA, he is passionate about improving internal processes and training as it relates to CTPAT, transfer pricing and free trade agreements. In addition to his duties in the strategic customs department, he is also involved in diversity and inclusion training within the community. Outside of the office, Keith enjoys reading, racquetball, and table tennis.