JACK T. AMPUJA
President – Supply Chain Optimizers, Buffalo N.Y. & Toronto, Canada
Executive Director – Niagara University Center for Supply Chain Excellence at Lewiston N.Y.

Jack writes articles for trade journals and is a regular speaker on supply chain issues and trends making over 50 hours of presentations annually to management groups. He has spoken in Canada, Belgium and on behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development at the first logistics conference ever held in Ghana, Africa.

Jack is President of the Western New York Roundtable of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and co-chairs the Logistics Council for the Buffalo Niagara Partnership [Chamber of Commerce]. He serves on the board of directors for Continental 1 [Toronto to Miami Trade Corridor] and the advisory board of TSE Global Logistics of Atlanta and Kong & Allan Consulting of Shanghai. He is a member of the editorial advisory board for Supply Chain Management Review. In conjunction with his consulting and educational efforts Jack serves on the Business School Dean’s Advisory Council at the University of Massachusetts.

Jack has a B.S. degree in business administration from the University of Massachusetts, a year of post graduate study in transportation at Northeastern University (Boston), and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Connecticut.

BOB ARMSTRONG
Bob Armstrong, C.I.T.P, is President of Supply Chain & Logistics Association Canada (SCL). Bob has over 35 years of experience in the fields of Global Supply Chain, International Trade, Cross Border Logistics and Customs Regulations and procedures.

Bob Armstrong also served as President and CEO for the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters Inc. for nine years and as President of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada (AIAMC) for nine years.

Bob Armstrong is a well known national and international speaker, author, and expert on issues related to International Trade, Cross-Border Logistics, the Global Supply Chain, and Customs and Security issues. Bob is very active on the Board of Directors for six different industry associations such as FITT, IECanada, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (Chair, Borders, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee), and HKCBA. Bob also serves on the Advisory Committee to the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority.

In May 2005, Mr. Armstrong was awarded the prestigious McMillan Binch Mendelsohn Canadian Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Canada and to Canada’s advancement in International Trade.

DIANE ASHLINE
Supervisory Entry Specialist Diane Ashline began her career with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency at the Port of Champlain 26 years ago. In August 1984 she was hired to work in the Entry Division as a Customs Technician. In 1992 the U.S. Customs Service created the Business Service Center in the Entry Division creating the Entry Specialist position. Diane was an Entry Specialist for 12 years and for the past 6 years she has been working as a Supervisory Entry Specialist.

When Diane was an Entry Specialist, she took advantage of numerous details that were offered to work with the CBP Officers and Import Specialist. Through these details she was able to obtain valuable knowledge concerning the release process and the classification, value and NAFTA procedures. For the past couple of years, Diane has been extremely active with the implementation of the ACE Entry Summary, Accounts, and Revenue deployment. 

In the Entry Division, Diane is responsible for the oversight of the entry summary filing, collection and deposit of duties owed, processing refunds and bills, and carrier bond applications. She oversees the review of U.S. Goods Returned, Temporary Importation Bonds, and Government entries. She is also responsible for broker licensing, broker compliance, and coordinating the broker exam.       

DR. ANJALI AWASTHI
Dr. Anjali Awasthi is an Assistant Professor at Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering (CIISE), Concordia University, Montreal. She received a Ph.D. in industrial engineering and automation from INRIA Rocquencourt & University of Metz, France. Prior to Concordia, Dr. Awasthi worked at University of British Columbia where she was involved in several projects on industrial applications of operations research. At University of Laval, she worked on wood supply chains and at INRIA and EIGSI in France; she was involved in two European projects aimed at improving urban mobility in cities and on cybernetic transportation systems. Dr. Awasthi has several years of industry and research experience in areas of automated transportation, city logistics and applied operations research. Her areas of research are modeling and simulation, data analysis, city logistics, supply chain management and sustainable transportation. She is the author of several journal and conference papers on these topics.

MARK BARIE
Mark Barie has served as a Consultant to hundreds of Canadian companies. Crossborder Development Corporation, the firm which he founded in 1981, has assisted CEO’s and top managers who wished to expand their companies into the U.S. 

Previous clients include Wajax, La Groupe Videotron, Aldo Shoes, the Canadian National Railroad, Bombardier Transportation, Siemens, Global Knowledge Networks, Shaw Communications and the Bombardier group of companies.

Mr. Barie is fully conversant with U.S. immigration law, industrial real estate, and a wide variety of cross border business transactions.

He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and earned a Masters of Science Degree in Administration from St. Michael’s College in Vermont. He is a past Chairman of the Clinton County Planning Board, a past Chairman of the Clinton County Blue Ribbon Panel on Economic Diversification, and a former Member of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council (Gubernatorial Appointment) and a past President of the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Barie is also a member of the Adjunct Faculty, at SUNY Plattsburgh, (SUNY Excellence in Teaching Award) and has served as Host, Featured Speaker, or Panelist at more than two hundred workshops, seminars, trade shows, and business organization meetings throughout the Northeast, and Canada. Topics include U.S. work visas and green cards, strategic planning for rural economic development agencies, economic development marketing in Canada, the use of tax-exempt financing, how to do business in the U.S., and economic development in upstate New York. He has also been a featured speaker at several U.S. and Canadian Consulate functions in both countries.

TOM BECHARD
Supervisory Import Specialist Tom Bechard, Customs and Border Protection, Champlain, N.Y.
Tom Bechard graduated Saint Michael’s College with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Tom began his customs career as a customs inspector in 1987.  He has served as an instructor at the Customs Service Academy and as a Senior Inspector and training officer at the Port of Champlain. He was responsible for teaching customs’ policies and procedures to new customs officers and military customs procedures to the Security Police at the Plattsburgh Air Force Base.

Tom became an import specialist in 1999. His commodity assignments have included; plants, animals, food, plastics, rubber, explosives, machinery, electronics, telecommunication equipment, motor vehicles, trains, aircraft, musical instruments, firearms, ammunition, toys, games, and sports equipment.  Tom supervises the commodity team responsible for administering the importation of plants, animals, food, plastics, rubber, explosives, firearms and ammunition, serves as the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism point of contact at the port, and manages the port’s commercial outreach program.

THADDEUS M. BINGEL
For the past decade, Mr. Thad Bingel has served in positions of responsibility in both the Executive Branch and Congress. During this period Mr. Bingel has developed key relationships with high level officials, attained an intimate understanding of the political process in Washington, D.C., and amassed a wealth of knowledge, both administrative and operational, in the field of border protection and homeland security.

From May, 2005 until March, 2009, Mr. Bingel served as a senior leader in U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), the component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responsible for securing the nation's borders. During his tenure this unified border agency grew to more than 50,000 employees with an annual budget of $11 billion. At CBP, Mr. Bingel attained the position of Chief of Staff for the Commissioner in the fall of 2007 and served through the transition period into the Obama Administration. In this capacity, Mr. Bingel was the second ranking political appointee at the agency and served as part of the executive leadership team and as a principal advisor to Commissioner Ralph W. Basham assisting in the day to day operations and management of the agency as well as overseeing the agency's interactions with the White House, DHS headquarters, Congress, state and local governments and the press. Before serving as Chief of Staff, Mr. Bingel served as Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Congressional Affairs where he managed all of CBP’s day to day relations with the United States Senate and House of Representatives at a time of unprecedented congressional interest in border security and immigration.

Prior to his appointment to CBP, Mr. Bingel served as Majority Counsel for the full House Judiciary Committee during the 108th and 109th Congresses. His duties included preparing for Full Committee hearings and managing a broad spectrum of legislation from subcommittee through passage into law.

Before joining the House Judiciary Committee, Mr. Bingel served in the 107th Congress as counsel and policy analyst for then Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX), where he was responsible for technology, telecomm, energy, environment, resources, and other issues for the House Majority Leader's office, including providing assistance to the special legislative committee headed by the Majority Leader which created DHS. Previously, Mr. Bingel served as Legislative Director and Legislative Assistant to two Members of Congress.

Mr. Bingel received his law degree from Georgetown University and his bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross.

A.J. BROHINSKY
Arthur J. (A.J.) Brohinsky is a Director with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co's KKR Capstone team. KKR Capstone is a team of Operating Executives focused on strengthening operations in KKR's portfolio companies. He was previously with SmartOps Corporation, a manufacturing and supply chain solutions provider, as Executive Vice President. Prior to SmartOps, he was a consultant at McKinsey & Company focused on operational improvement across a range of manufacturing and service industries. Prior to McKinsey, Mr. Brohinsky worked in project, risk, and operations management roles for Shell Oil Company. Mr. Brohinsky holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with distinction from Cornell University and an M.B.A with honors from Harvard Business School.

MICHELLE BUNBURY
Currently the Manager of the Trade Management Services group with UPS Supply Chain Solutions in Ottawa, Ontario, Michelle leads the team that delivers solutions for importers and exporters who want to be responsible global traders. Michelle is also an integral member of a project team that manages the Customs Self Assessment (CSA) initiative in Canada assisting importers align their internal business processes to interface with Customs in gaining approval to this innovative and challenging initiative. Michelle has been successful in assisting five large Canadian importers gain approval to the CSA part II application process and continues to work with several other importers to achieve this goal.  

Michelle’s 21 years of experience and acquired knowledge has rendered her a subject matter expert in a variety of Customs initiatives including; Customs Self Assessment (CSA), Advance Commercial Information (ACI), Customs Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), Partners in Protection (PIP) and other Customs regulatory affairs. Her skills have been utilized to complete process improvement projects for importers/exporters in order to minimize their risk of customs penalties while maximizing the use of customs initiatives. 

Michelle has been chosen to speak at many internal/external seminars, providing training and logistics business expertise.  She also serves as an advisor to many of North America’s importers and exporters. In addition, she facilitates online (technical) seminars on Canadian trade. Staying current on customs new initiatives and changes, Michelle is a member of the Canadian Society of Customs Brokers (CSCB), Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters (IE Canada), the Canadian Couriers and Logistics Association (CCLA), the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) and the American Association of Importers and Exporters (AAEI) Michelle is also the Eastern Ontario Regional Director of the Women in Logistics.  She is increasingly being asked to lecture around North America and has spoken in several cities including Toronto, Cleveland, Seattle, San Francisco, Calgary, Montreal, and Ottawa.

On the Canadian side of the border, Michelle has attained the Customs Certified Specialist designation (CCS) with the Canadian Society of Customs Brokers (CSCB) and has had her professional status with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) since 1992.  On the U.S. side of the border Michelle recently attained her U.S. Customs Certified Specialist (CCS) designation in the Inaugural Class of 2006 with the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America,(NCBFAA).

HERB CARPENTER
Herb Carpenter is founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Northeast Group, a family-owned distribution, printing and mailing company serving an international customer base from its headquarters in Plattsburgh, New York.  

Prior to founding The Northeast Group, Carpenter served for 22 years on the Plattsburgh Police Department, retiring as its Chief of Police. He currently serves as a director of Arrow Financial Corp, Glens Falls National Bank and CVPH Medical Center.

Mr. Carpenter holds a B.S. Degree in Biology and an M.S. Degree in Education from  SUNY Plattsburgh where he is currently a lecturer in the Business & Supply Chain Management Department.

ROBERT DECAMP
Renowned for his expertise in U.S. Customs regulations and procedures, Robert (Bob) DeCamp is an active educator of audiences involved in international trade. With years of hands-on experience working for nationally known Customs brokerage and logistics firms, Robert DeCamp offers a refreshingly straightforward look at the complex labyrinth of Customs regulations. During the past several years, Bob has had the opportunity to present topical Customs issues to audiences in the U.S. and Canada including members of the National Association of Manufacturers, Quebec Manufacturers & Exporters, as well as other regional trade groups.

Bob is a frequent lecturer and has specialized in teaching both publicly and privately in selected international matters including tariff classification under the Harmonized Coding System, Customs valuation, NAFTA and most recently international compliance strategies including assessments and supply chain security. He has authored numerous publications including United States Trade Process and Compliance Initiatives in the 21st Century and A Manager's Guide to Commercial Goods Certification Under NAFTA, along with serving as a regular contributing author to the U.S. Custom House Guide.

Since becoming licensed as a U.S. Customs Broker in 1976, Bob has held a variety of strategic corporate positions including Vice President of Operations, Regulatory Affairs, and also served as President of a trade consulting service. In 1999, Bob joined the A.N. Deringer, Inc. team as Director of Regulatory Affairs and Consulting. In addition to leading the Deringer Logistics Consulting Group, he is a member of the Advisory Council of the School of Business and Economics at the State University of New York.  In December of 2008, Bob was appointed by the secretaries of the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Treasury to sit on the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection (COAC). The committee advises the secretaries on the commercial operations of Customs and Border Protection.

Over the past quarter century, Bob has played an active role in numerous trade associations, as well as being a charter member of Customs ACE Committee. He was also a member of the Exporters Certificate of Origin development team under the Canada/U.S. FTA, and a Senior Lobbyist for the de minimis provision under NAFTA. Bob DeCamp earned a B.S. in International Business (Summa cum laude), and an M.A. in Administration from the State University of New York.

MICHAEL FLAHERTY, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner
Canadian Consulate General Buffalo
Mr. Flaherty took up his position in Buffalo in August 2006. As Canada’s Senior Trade Commissioner he is responsible for the delivery of the commercial programming of the Consulate General in Central and Upstate N.Y., Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The Consulate’s commercial program focuses on trade and investment development, as well as science and technology linkages.

Prior to his posting in Buffalo, Mr. Flaherty was the Consul and Trade Commissioner at the Canadian Consulate General in Atlanta where he managed the investment & corporate relations program for the Southeast U.S.

Michael joined in the Department of Industry in 1990 and held several senior positions with Canada’s Investment Promotion Agency, Industry Canada’s Small Business Secretariat and the Office of the Chief Information Officer. 

Prior to joining Industry Canada, Michael spent 6 years on parliament Hill in Ottawa as a political assistant to a Member of Parliament, the Minister of State for Small Business, the Minister of Agriculture, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of Canada.

Michael received a B.A. from the University of Western Ontario 1984, is married, and has two children. 

FERGUS GROUNDWATER
Fergus Groundwater is currently the Program Lead for Export Development Canada’s (EDC) Global Trade Management Centre of Innovation (GTM CoI). In this role, he leads an internal consulting and R&D team which focuses on Global Trade and Supply Chain Management. The GTM CoI develops supply chain-focused market intelligence and relationships and leverages its expertise to support EDC’s strategic business development activities.  The group also provides supply chain leadership and support to Canadian companies by fostering and facilitating the adoption innovative, supply chain practices and technologies.

Mr. Groundwater has authored reports on the supply chain dynamics in different Canadian markets and spoken extensively at industry conferences. He is actively engaged in promoting the development of supply chain finance in Canada. Mr. Groundwater joined EDC in 2006 from the private sector where he was Vice-President, Procurement for a mid-market, manufacturer of large industrial materials handling systems. There he was responsible for the company’s procurement activities and spearheaded foreign sourcing and supply chain enhancement/integration initiatives. Over the past ten years, he has held senior management roles in SMEs and has been an active user of EDC solutions. Mr. Groundwater’s early career is rounded out with experiences as a CFO for an information technology firm, as a commercial lender with a top five global bank and as a consultant with a major international strategy consultancy. His diverse industry experience includes: financial services; heavy manufacturing; forestry products, and information technology. Mr. Groundwater obtained a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance & Entrepreneurship) from McGill University. He is a Certified Management Accountant. EDC is Canada’s export credit agency, offering innovative commercial solutions to help Canadian exporters and investors expand their international business. EDC’s knowledge and partnerships are used by more than 8,400 Canadian companies and their global customers in up to 200 markets worldwide each year. EDC is financially self-sustaining, a recognized leader in financial reporting and economic analysis, and has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for nine consecutive years.

DAVID C. JACOBSON, U.S. Ambassador to Canada
David C. Jacobson was sworn in at the State Department in Washington, D.C. as U.S. Ambassador to Canada on September 25, 2009, and presented his credentials to the Governor General of Canada on October 2, 2009. Most recently, Ambassador Jacobson served as Special Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel. Before serving in the White House, he spent 30 years gaining expertise in the areas of complex commercial, class action, securities, insurance and business litigation as a partner at the law firm Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal LLP. While working as a partner at Sonnenschein, Ambassador Jacobson also founded AtomWorks, an organization to bring together corporate, civic and academic leaders in order to foster nanotechnology in the Midwest. He also served as a member of CEOs for Cities, a national bipartisan alliance of 75 mayors, corporate executives, university presidents and nonprofit leaders organized to advance the economic competitiveness of cities. Ambassador Jacobson received a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and was the Administrative Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal. He received his B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.

DENNIS KIRA
Dennis Kira received his Ph.D. in management sciences from UBC. His research interests are in eLearning including: Cognition, Affective, Conative and Learning. He has published articles in such topics as Decision Making Under Uncertainty, Human Computer Interaction and Usability, Data Mining and Neural Networks, Financial Modeling, Optimization Models and Forecasting. He has published in various scientific journals. His current interest is in the relationship between learning and student attitude.

CLAUDE LAMARRE
As SCIN Chief Executive Officer, Claude Lamarre has a background of over 25 years in the Canadian banking industry.  During this period, he successfully designed strategies and international trade operation financing schemes both here and abroad. His recognized expertise is focused on innovative ideas applied to international trade. In addition, he has a solid experience in training small and medium-size companies as well as large corporations in the manufacturing and service sectors.

He is a graduate (1978) from the Institute of Canadian Bankers and holds a diploma (2005) in organization management from Université Laval. From 1996 to 2005, he was member of the Board and treasurer of the Agri-Food Export Group, Québec-Canada. Since 2005, he is a training class lecturer for managers attending Université Laval’s program in international trade. He also joined in 2009 “Quebec Federation Chambers of Commerce (FCCQ)” as special advisor for their Quebec New York and Quebec New England Trade Corridors.

ANN M. LEDUC
As a Manager of Release, Classification and Compliance at FedEx Trade Networks, Inc., a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation based in Memphis, Tenn., Ann Leduc is responsible for managing release, classification and compliance for the Eastern Canadian Border Region of the Company. This region includes border locations from Alexandria Bay, N.Y. to Calais, Maine.  Ms. Leduc works in the Champlain, N.Y. office.  FedEx Trade Networks is one of North America’s largest-volume customs entry filers and a leading provider of global cargo distribution, trade advisory services, and value-added logistics solutions.

Ms. Leduc has been with FedEx Trade Networks for 14 years, and she has worked for more than 30 years in the area of customs brokerage on the northern border between the U.S. and Canada. Prior to joining FedEx, Ms. Leduc held the position of Post Entry Coordinator and Textile Team Lead at another brokerage firm in Champlain, N.Y.

In her management positions at FedEx Trade Networks, Ms. Leduc has been responsible for Technical Services and Entry Assembly, as well as serving customers in the textile trade and managing specific national accounts in the electronics and steel industries. Her current primary responsibilities include a focus on compliance for both importers and FedEx Trade Networks, managing the remote location filing process for truck and rail shipments, and providing assistance and support to the Company’s regional account executives for new and existing U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Participating Government Agencies (PGA) regulations.

Ms. Leduc is past treasurer of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, and she is a current member of the Board of Directors at the Champlain Children’s Learning Center, a United Way Agency and not-for-profit educational and child care center located in Rouses Point, N.Y.

Ms. Leduc obtained a Customs Broker License in 1984, and she has been a Certified Customs Specialist since 2006.

Ms. Leduc and her family reside in Champlain, N.Y.

DON LUTHER
Don Luther founded 19CFR Trade Consulting in 2003 after eight years with the U.S. Customs Service and three years with a national law firm. Don has a wealth of expertise in all areas of international trade compliance. He served with the U.S. Customs Service from 1992 to 2000 as an Import Specialist in his home town of Seattle, and then as a program officer at Customs Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He is best known for his work in customs modernization efforts at headquarters, including the ACS Reconciliation Prototype. From 2000 to 2003, Don practiced as an attorney and trade specialist in the Customs and Trade division of a national law firm. He is a licensed customs broker and an attorney admitted to the State Bar of California.

AMY MAGNUS
Amy Magnus, a licensed Customs Broker, is District Manager for A.N. Deringer in Champlain, NY. Ms. Magnus is the Secretary of the National Customs and Freight Forwards Association, and a member of the Customs Committee for the NCBFAA.  She is the President of the Northern Border Brokers Association and serves on the Northern Border Broker’s Association Customs Committee.

Ms. Magnus is an ACE Trade Ambassador, a member of a special advisory group working directly with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Trade Support Network in the development of CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).
Formerly, Ms. Magnus was the Vice President of Trans-Border Customs Service, subsequently purchased by UPS. Prior to becoming a broker, Ms. Magnus worked for the United States Customs Service for eighteen years in many senior level positions.

When she left Customs, she was the Trade Compliance Manager in Champlain New York Area Service Port.  Ms. Magnus’ responsibilities included supervision of all trade-related personnel and functions in the Champlain Area Service Port. During her Customs career, Ms. Magnus worked with various Customs Headquarters Offices in Washington, D.C. to draft and implement new policies and procedures as they related to NAFTA, Compliance Measurement, The Customs Modernization Act, Enforcement, and other Trade Sensitive Issues. Prior to her position as Trade Manager, Ms. Magnus was the Fines, Penalties, and Forfeiture Officer for over five years, and in her early years with U.S. Customs, she served as an Inspector and an Import Specialist.

Ms. Magnus is a graduate of the University of Vermont with a B.A. degree and a professional post graduate teaching degree.

BRIAN D. NEUREUTHER
Brian D. Neureuther is an Associate Professor of Supply Chain and Operations Management at the State University of New York, College at Plattsburgh. He received his Ph.D. in Production and Operations Management from Texas Tech University, his M.B.A. degree from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, with a concentration in management science and his B.A. in mathematics from the State University of New York, College at Geneseo. 

His research interests include supply chain management, supply chain disruption, information technology in supply chains, simulation for production planning and control, and quality control. He has published over 30 peer reviewed journal articles and his work has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Integrated Design and Process Science, the International Journal of Production Economics, IEEE Transactions on Semiconductor Manufacturing, Production Planning and Control, the International Journal of Information Systems in the Service Sector, the Quality Management Journal, the International Journal of Information Systems and Supply Chain Management, and the Journal of Marketing Channels.  He has been guest editor of the Journal of Marketing Channels and is on the editorial advisory board of the International Journal of Information Systems and Supply Management and the Journal of Marketing Channels. He has presented at over 32 international and national conferences on topic ranging from teaching pedagogy to managing supply chain risk and has consulted with companies such as Rider University, Neoteric Hovercraft, EDI Telecommunications, Southwestern Wire Cloth, and the Cleveland County Chamber of Commerce (North Carolina).

He is a member of the Production and Operations Management Society, the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science, and APICS, the Society of Operations Management (where he has served as Chapter President and has earned the prestigious Certified Supply Chain Professional designation).

JAMES PHILLIPS
James Phillips, distinguished businessman and speaker, holds degrees in Accounting, MBA in Corporate Management and Honorary Doctor of Commercial Science.

President & CEO, 1992 to present, CAN/AM BORDER TRADE ALLIANCE (Can/Am BTA). The Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance, formed in 1992, is a transcontinental, bi-national, broad based organization with participation from all 27 states (Washington to Maine including Alaska) on or near the U.S./Canada Border and the Canadian Provinces. The combined network involves over 60,000 companies and organizations in their individual memberships. Can/Am BTA participants include members from border trade, border crossing and transportation segments including producers, shippers, brokers, mode transportation providers, bridge and tunnel operators, chambers of commerce, business and trade corridor associations and economic development and government agencies. The CAN/AM BTA’s major focus areas are Trade, Transportation, Border Management and Visitation.

There are a number of effective, cooperative, major multi-jurisdictional trade corridor initiatives connecting U.S./Canada. Can/Am BTA members are key participants in each.

Mr. Phillips is past President of General Abrasive, where he served as Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President, Vice President of Finance, and Vice President in charge of Operations of the Canadian Subsidiary, General Abrasive (Canada) Limited. Prior to his employment at General Abrasive, he was Chief Financial Officer of the Pigments Division of the American Cyanamid Company.

He was appointed by the Senate Majority and the Governor to the New York State Superfund Management Board. He was elected to the Marquis “Who’s Who in American Business in the East” ;  “Who’s Who in Finance and Industry”  and  “Who’s Who in America”. He has appeared on television and radio in various formats as a spokesperson for business and community.
   
Mr. Phillips has received a number of awards in recognition for his successful leadership in business and was awarded the prestigious Dresser Gold Medal for the most innovative and creative contribution to technology for his patented Furnace Plant Design. He was presented with the Business Council of New York State award by the Governor.

TERESA POLINO
Terry is a partner in Thompson Coburn LLP’s  Transportation and International Commerce group.  Her practice focuses on import compliance, the various import preference programs, valuation issues, country of origin marking and labeling issues, and supply chain security requirements. She works with clients ranging from small producers to large multinationals regarding the import requirements of both the United States and other countries.

Terry represents U.S. producers and importers, as well as foreign manufacturers and exporters, before various regulatory agencies and committees, including Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Federal Trade Commission, Fish and Wildlife, and the Committee for the Implementation of the Textile Agreements, on both administrative and enforcement matters; before the International Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce in unfair trade actions, such as countervailing and antidumping duty cases; and before the Court of International Trade and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in both customs and unfair trade matters.

Earlier in her career, Terry served as senior attorney in the General Counsel's Office at the U.S. Department of the Treasury where she concentrated on customs and international trade matters. She began her career in the Office of Regulations and Rulings of the U.S. Customs Service (CBP's predecessor agency) and also served as an attorney-advisor in the Office of the Chief Counsel, U.S. Customs Service.

Terry obtained her B.A. in Economics from S.U.N.Y. at Plattsburgh, N.Y. and her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.  She is active in a number of international trade associations, including the American Association of Exporters and Importers (currently serving on its Leadership Council and as co-chair of its Membership Committee) and the International Compliance Professionals Association.  She has served on the Board of Directors of the Customs and International Trade Bar Association and is currently a co-vice chair of the Customs Committee of the American Bar Association.

COLIN READ
Colin Read is a professor of Economics and Finance and former dean of the School of Business and Economics at SUNY College at Plattsburgh, and a columnist for the Plattsburgh New York Press Republican newspaper. He has a Ph.D. in Economics, J.D. in Law, M.B.A., Master's of Taxation, B.Sc. in Physics, and has taught economics and finance for 25 years. Colin's recent books include "The Fear Factor", "Global Financial Meltdown: How We Can Avoid the Next Economic Crisis", and a book on international taxation. He has written dozens of papers on market failure, volatility, and housing markets, writes a monthly column in a business trade journal, and appears monthly on a local PBS television show to discuss the regional and national economy.  He has worked as a research associate at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies and served the Ministry of Finance in Indonesia under contract from the Harvard Institute for International Development. His consulting company can be found on the Internet at www.economicinsights.com

MIKE SAWYER
ISLO Ulric (Mike) Sawyer has worked for the United States Department of Agriculture for 34 years. Mike started in 1976 as a Poultry Inspector in Belfast, Maine. In 1981 Mike accepted a position as a Red Meat Inspector in Nampa, Idaho. He was promoted to an Import Inspector in Swanton, Vermont in 1984. He is presently an Import Surveillance Liaison Officer (ISLO) in Swanton, Vermont since 2004.

JOEL K. SIMON
Joel K. Simon, managing senior partner of Simon, Gluck and Kane, New York, N.Y., draws his Customs and International Trade Law expertise from more than thirty years in the field, beginning with his tenure as a law clerk for the Chief Judge of the United States Court of International Trade. He received a Juris Doctor degree from St. John’s University in 1968. Mr. Simon is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of International Trade, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Mr. Simon has testified on numerous occasions before the Trade Policy Staff Committee (“TPSC”) with respect to retaliatory trade actions contemplated by the U.S. Trade Representative, as well as before Congressional committees with regard to governmental legislation and policy. He has represented clients before Binational Panels convened under the Canadian and North American Free Trade Agreements, including the first proceeding wherein a decision of the U.S. Department of Commerce was contested under the NAFTA dispute resolution procedures.

He has served as Vice Chairman of the GSP Committee of The American Association of Exporters and Importers, and was the leader of a U.S.-China Trade Group Mission to China where he met with high-level officials to discuss trade issues, including China’s Most Favored Nation status. Mr. Simon lectures on Customs matters for trade organizations and universities.

Mr. Simon is a member of the American, New York State, and Customs and International Trade Bar Associations, has lectured at various annual meetings on the International Trade Bar Association, and is Editor of Committee 20 newsletter.

KAREN STILES
Supervisory CBP Officer Karen Stiles, Customs and Border Protection,  Champlain, N.Y.
Karen Stiles is a graduate of the State University of Plattsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Administration and Leadership. She  worked for the Department of Defense at Plattsburgh AFB in various jobs for 10 years and joined the U.S. Customs Service as an Import Specialist in 1989. From 1992-2001 she worked for the U.S. Customs Service as an Inspector and Senior Inspector. She transferred to St. Albans in the capacity of B.R.A.S.S. (Border Release Advanced Screening and Selectivity) Specialist and later became a Supervisory CBP Officer in the Free and Secure Trade Office. She transferred back to the Port of Champlain in December 2005 where she has been assigned as Supervisor in the Cargo Processing Center.

As Supervisory CBPO in the Cargo Processing Center, she is responsible for the oversight of all elements of Cargo importation to include the Automated Commercial Environment (A.C.E.) system, interaction with other government agencies and coordination with customshouse filers and various members of the trade.

NAVNEET VIDYARTHI
Navneet Vidyarthi is an Assistant Professor of Operations Management in the Department of Decision Sciences and Management Information System in the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Management Sciences from the University of Waterloo, an M.A.Sc. degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of Windsor, and a B.Tech. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology, India. His research interests can be broadly categorized as strategic design and tactical planning in logistics and supply chain management with methodological interests in large-scale optimization, simulation-based optimization, and meta-heuristics. His recent work deals with the modeling and analysis of congestion and risk pooling and the integration of production, inventory, and distribution strategies in supply chain network design. His works has appeared in Transportation Science, IIE Transactions, International Journal of Production Research and Managerial Auditing Journal. He has won several awards including the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Post Doctoral Fellowship (PDF) and NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS). He is a member of the Canadian Operational Research Society (CORS), Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) and the Waterloo Management of Integrated Manufacturing Systems (WATMIMS) research center.

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