Contact: barbara reilly @ (202) 466-0222                            For Immediate Release
Geoffrey C. Powell @ (410) 609-2580
Thomas Mathers @ (202) 466-0222

 New NCBFAA President Visits With Headquarters Staff

Washington, DC: The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, Inc. (NCBFAA) staff recently sat down with newly elected President Geoffrey C. Powell to discuss his plans for the future. President Powell was elected at the April 6 NCBFAA Annual Meeting during its 40th Annual Conference in Summerlin, NV.

A Towson resident who works in Linthicum, MD, Mr. Powell is President of C.H. Powell Company, established by his grandfather in 1919. C.H. Powell Company is an International Logistics Provider, Freight Forwarder and Customs Broker headquartered in Boston, MA, with 18 offices throughout the United States.

Asked about his initial activities, President Powell cited his participation in the upcoming “World Conference of the International Federation of Customs Brokers Association” May 13-17 in Seoul, Korea as part of a panel, “Defining the Ultimate Customs Broker.”

“Our presentations will center on how customs brokers conduct business in different parts of the world,” he noted, “with emphasis on their relationship with regulatory authorities, clients, and employees as well as other customs brokers and supply chain partners.” During his term, President Powell looks forward to similar outreach initiatives with other groups

Among the issues facing him, he has concerns on the import and export side of the ledger. With the November 2015 scheduled end of the Automated Commercial System (ACS), the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) migration has assumed major importance for the members.

“CBP’s ACE drop dates are on schedule which means all members must be using it by November 2015 if they want to stay in business,” he said. “That’s why we are working with our Affiliate Association partners to initiate local outreach efforts in their areas to ensure that both their members and the software vendors serving them are ready for ACE.”

As a member of the President's Export Council Subcommittee on Export Administration (PECSEA), President Powell is also focused on Export Control Reform. “As NCBFAA President, I will work with our members to ensure they are aware of the implications of this government license transformation and to educate the exporting community,” he said.

As part of his involvement with the Export Mapping Working Group for the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Broker Protection (COAC), President Powell will engage with government agencies on strategies to facilitate export activity to further President Obama’s National Export Initiative. “The NCBFAA will work to help increase exports in a couple of ways,” he said. “The NCBFAA Educational Institute (NEI) will play an active role in this effort through export relatededucational initiatives while the NCBFAA works with the Department of Commerce to familiarize novice exporters with the commercial value of this activity.”

During his term, President Powell will encourage a new generation of leaders for the Association and will work diligently to convince potential members of the value of the Association’s work on their behalf. “We have to redouble our efforts at membership recruitment,” he said. “It is up to us to convince potential members of the benefit of joining the Association and to help them understand what the Association does for them.”

Formerly NCBFAA Vice President, Mr. Powell replaced Darrell Sekin from Colleyville, TX, who became NCBFAA Chairman. After graduating from Georgetown University in 1983 with a B.A. in economics, Mr. Powell went to work in sales for C.H. Powell Company. Mr. Powell received his Customs Brokers license in 1989, shortly after re-locating to Baltimore from the Boston office. He was elected NCBFAA Treasurer in April 2006 and held that position until April 2012 when he was elected NCBFAA Vice President. Mr. Powell is a past President of the Baltimore Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association. In 2001, he formed, and is the previous Chairman of, the Affiliated President’s Network, a group that comprises all the presidents of 28 local Broker Associations throughout the country. He is a member of the Propeller Club of the United States, the Traffic Club of Baltimore, the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America.

In January 2007, Mr. Powell was appointed to serve on the Departmental Advisory Committee on the Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and Related Functions (COAC), and in January 2009 was reappointed to another two year term. In March 2013, Mr. Powell was asked by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to participate on an Export Mapping Working Group for COAC, on which he is currently serving. In August, 2013, Mr. Powell was appointed to the President’s Export Council, Subcommittee on Export Administration, who advises and reports to the Secretary of Commerce on matters pertinent to the Export Administration Act, the Export Administration Regulations, and related statutes and regulations.

Mr. Powell resides in Baltimore with his wife and three sons.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, the NCBFAA represents more than 970 member companies with 110,000 employees in international trade - the nation's leading freight forwarders, customs brokers, ocean transportation intermediaries (OTIs), NVOCCs and air cargo agents, serving more than 250,000 importers and exporters. Established in 1897 in New York, NCBFAA is the effective national voice of the industry. Through its various committees, counsel and representatives, the Association maintains a close watch over legislative and regulatory issues that affect its members. It keeps them informed of these and other related issues through its weekly Monday Morning eBriefing, and various meetings and conferences throughout the year.