Trade Advisory Group Members Named
(Tuesday, March 05, 2013) Washington

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today the membership of the 13th Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection, better known as COAC. This 20-member council advises the secretaries of the U. S. Departments of Homeland Security and Treasury on the commercial operations of CBP and related DHS and Treasury functions. “The expertise COAC provides enhances CBP efforts to secure and facilitate trade,” said Deputy Commissioner David V. Aguilar. “Our collaboration is critical to ensure the efficient flow of commerce and, therefore, the economic vitality of the nation.” The 13th term COAC members are:

David Berry, Swift Transportation Corporation, Phoenix, Ariz.
Leman Chip Bown, Jr., FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage, Buffalo, N.Y.
Scott Boyer, Kraft Foods Group, Inc., Madison Wis.
Scott Childers, The Walt Disney Company, Kissimmee, Fla.
Mary Ann Comstock, UPS Supply Chain Solutions, Sweet Grass, Mont.
Jeffrey Coppersmith, Coppersmith Global Logistics, Inc., El Segundo, Calif.
William Earle, National Association of Beverage Importers, Washington, D.C.
Matthew Fass, Maritime Products International, Newport News, Va.
William Ferguson, NYK Line (North America) Inc., Secaucus, N.J.
Brandon Fried, Airforwarders Association, Washington, D.C.
Carol Hallett, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C.
Suzanne Hoeger, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Ill.
Vincent Iacopella, Janell Group of Los Angeles, Inglewood, Calif.
Karen M. Kenney, Liberty International, Inc., Pawtucket, R.I.
Kathleen Neal, Regal-Beloit Corporation, El Paso, Texas
Julie Ann Parks, Raytheon Company, Plano, Texas
James Phillips, General Motors LLC, Detroit, Mich.
Elizabeth Shaver, Airlines for America, Washington, D.C.
Edward Ted Sherman, Target Corporation, Brooklyn Park, Minn.
George Weise, Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services, Washington, D.C.

During the 13th term, the COAC may consider such issues as: global supply chain security and facilitation, CBP modernization and automation, air cargo security, customs broker regulations, trade enforcement, U.S. government approach to trade and safety of imports, agriculture inspection, and protection of intellectual property rights.