Precis: Have you ever paid demurrage for yourself or a client because of circumstances beyond your control? Whether it is due to extreme port congestion, inclement weather, labor unrest or unavailable chassis? Have your containers been held hostage until payment is made and there is no recourse to dispute? If so, you do not want to miss this panel.

Presentation by: Rebecca Fenneman, Director, CADRS

Introduced by: Edward D. Greenberg, Esq., NCBFAA Transportation Counsel; GKG Law, P.C.

Precis: As brokers and forwarders we oversee coordinating the movement of International freight at the request of our clients. Learn what would be the best use of the NCBFAA Shippers letters of Instructions to avoid any misunderstanding between yourself and the client you are representing.

Panelists: 

• Debbie Geiger, Compliance Manager, Cargo Partner Network

• Paulette Kolba, NCBFAA Transportation Committee; DSV Air & Sea Inc

Precis: An update on Federal Maritime issues and challenges facing our industry

Program Presentation by: Rebecca Dye, FMC Commissioner

Introduced by: Edward D. Greenberg, Esq., NCBFAA Transportation Counsel; GKG Law, P.C.

Precis: Many of our members have worked long and hard to build up a successful business, and our business involves many unknown traps. See how you can protect your asset by the use of a good E&O policy.  You can also learn what some good strategies are to protect your assets outside of the business with the proper corporate structure in your company. 

Panelists: 

• Laurie Arnold, JAS Forwarding USA Inc.
• Byron Countryman, Countryman & McDaniel
• Karen Rzeszutko, Roanoke Insurance Group Inc.

Moderator: Victoria Lane, Coppersmith Global Logistics

Precis: With the continued implementation of ACE people using the Reconciliation program are going to be subjected to changes in the reconciliation program.  Become familiar with the changes to the program as well as how to adept you company processes to comply with these changes.

Presentation by: George Tuttle III, Law Offices of George R. Tuttle, A.P.C.

Moderator: Eduardo Acosta, RL Jones Customhouse Brokers, Inc.

Precis:  All importers are affected by the changes in Forced Labor from TFTEA and on the N. Korean Labor sanctions that were separately passed.  Importers look to their brokers to help them through this challenge. This panel will help explain what CBP expects from importers and discuss the advice that brokers can give.

Presentation by: 

• Alan Klestadt, NCBFAA Customs Counsel; Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt, LLP
• Troy Riley, Executive Director, Commercial Targeting & Enforcement, OT, CBP

Moderator: Daniel Meylor, NCBFAA Customs Committee

Precis: One of the main security programs initiated after the events of 9/11 was the Customs and Trade partnership against terrorism program.  As time has gone on and the trade environment changes the CTPAT program is required to change, Cyber Security is a very important factor in today’s International trade arena.  See how DHS is adapting the CTPAT program to address new threats to the industry we participate in.

Presentation by:

• Jennifer Diaz, Diaz Trade Law, P.A.
• Thomas Cook , Blue Tiger International

Moderator: Jose D. Gonzalez, NCBFAA Board Member Area 8

Precis: Are you overwhelmed with confusing, competing or just plain wrong information the news and trade media about this new technology? This presentation is designed to help you sort out all of the information and gain an understanding of this exciting new technology. During this panel discussion, you will hear from industry and government experts about blockchain and how will this new technology will impact our industry. The panelists will present basic to intermediate accurate information about blockchain. What is blockchain and what is its potential impact on our industry?  What are the potential pitfalls of blockchain and how is blockchain different from cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum…)? CBP and DHS are working with COAC to build several use cases to examine how blockchain technology could be used lower supply chain risks, increase compliance and speed decisions. Is it time for your company to jump into the blockchain discussion? 

Panelists:

• Tom Gould, Senior Director, Customs and International Trade, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
• Dan Gardner, Trade Facilitators Inc.
• Will Sehestedt, Director of Government Affairs,  Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA)

Moderator:  Geoff Powell, NCBFAA President; C.H. Powell Co.

Precis: One of the main components of any Import transaction is the classification of the product, which determines duty rate as well as other government agency involvement. Learn best practices in this critical aspect of our business service. You will look into the proper use of the HTS, including the General Rules of Interpretation, Explanatory notes as well as the use of other tools such as the CBP Cross system, which guides us with decisions made on similar product.

Panelists:

• Linnea Deeds, Director Educational Services LCB, CUSECO, Braumiller Consulting Group LLC.
• Lawrence M. Friedman, Barnes, Richardson & Colburn, LLP

Moderator: Len James, NCBFAA Board of Directors, CFO John S. James Co

Precis: On July 24, 2017, CBP extended the pilot program for another year. The tag-team pilot program with CBP and TSA addresses air cargo security vulnerabilities and it is certain to become reality. We need to be prepared for submitting the data elements of 19 CFR 122.48.

Panelists:

• Elizabeth Merritt, Managing Director, Cargo Services, Airlines for America
• Dominique Tarpey, Section Chief, Global Supply Chain & EDD Initiatives, Office of Global Strategies Transportation Security Administration 

Moderator: Donna M. Mullins, NCBFAA Board of Directors; Mullins International Solutions  

Precis: The Port of Los Angeles has been actively meeting with stakeholders from all facets of the supply chain to design and implement a solution for port congestion. The initiative has roots in Commissioner Rebecca Dye’s Supply Chain Innovation study that concluded last year at the FMC. Her findings suggested that all the data necessary to optimize supply chain processes exists but is not always available to the right parties at the right time. It further concluded that big data could play a role in predictive analytics that would allow supply chain actors to make appointments or preposition equipment and labor ahead of cargo surges so the flow could be better handled. This panel will discuss the Port Optimizer program that was created as a result of this great collaboration across the supply chain.

Panelists:

• Mike DiBernardo, Deputy Executive Director, Marketing and Customer Relations, Port of Los Angeles
• John Ochs, Senior Director, APM Terminals

Moderator:  Richard J. Roche, NCBFAA Transportation Committee - Area 2, Mohawk Global Logistics

Précis: E-Commerce is a big part of international business and is your business growing along with it?  There are many questions on how CBP plans to deal with the growth and maintain the safety and security of these imported goods.  This panel will discuss how CBP is moving forward and help answer brokers’ questions on how we can be a part of the plans.

Panelists:

• Vince Iacopella, Executive Vice President Growth and Strategy, Alba Wheels Up International Inc.
• John Leonard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• Amy Magnus, NCBFAA Vice President, A. N. Deringer, Inc.
• Jim Swanson, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Moderator:  Mary Jo Muoio, NCBFAA Customs Committee; Geodis USA