NCBFAA Legislative Representative Addressing IFFCBANO’s 31st Annual Conference

Washington, DC: National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America, Inc. (NCBFAA) Legislative Representative Jonathan H. “Jon” Kent will address the Friday morning session of The International Freight Forwarders & Customs Brokers Association of New Orleans (IFFCBANO) Annual Conference at the Grand Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa, Point Clear, Alabama, May 28 - 31, 2009. In his presentation, Mr. Kent is expected to discuss, among other topics, the priorities of the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress; changes in Congressional committees and the administration; the 2009 trade agenda, including pending FTAs/new FTAs, preference program reform, food and consumer product safety update and trade enforcement.
        An experienced Congressional and federal lobbyist, Jon Kent specializes in trade, homeland security and customs legislation. In fact, almost all of the legislation in these areas passed in the last 15 years bears his imprint and that of Kent & O'Connor clients. Most recently, client concerns are addressed in the SAFE Ports and 9/11 bills passed by Congress.
        Coming from Capitol Hill, where he served as Chief of Staff to one Congressman and Appropriations Committee staff for another, Kent founded Kent & O'Connor, Incorporated, with Patrick O'Connor in 1979. Since then, Jon Kent has become the acknowledged private sector spokesperson for several companies and associations in the import-export business. As legislative representative for the NCBFAA, Mr. Kent has been closely involved in CBP’s and TSA’s regulatory and legislative agendas. An area of particular concern has been the evolution of the Administration’s post-9/11 approach to homeland security, where the association’s efforts have focused on keeping newly emerging policy in harmony with commercial trade. Presently, he represents NCBFAA as a member of the steering committee for the Joint Industry Group and as the Association’s spokesman before the Congress.
        Headquartered in Washington, DC, the NCBFAA represents nearly 800 member companies with 100,000 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.

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