|
Customs & Border Protection in the San Diego Area
Speaker:
Pete Flores, Assistant
Director, Trade U.S. Customs and Border Protection
San Diego Field Office
The
mission for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drastically
changed with the horrific attacks on our country in
2001, but the need to maintain a growing economy through
legitimate trade and travel still continues. The flow
of commercial traffic continues to increase, especially
on the U.S/Mexican border, and we need to be able
to facilitate this trade while still enforcing our
laws and regulations. How can we do this? The answer
is partnership- a partnership between CBP and the
trade community. CBP programs such as the Container
Security Initiative, Customs- Trade Partnership Against
Terrorism, Free and Secure Trade and E-manifest are
helping establish this partnership and keep international
trade alive and well. Now is the time to work together
and learn how these new programs are changing the
face of international trade.
Speaker
Biography:
 Mr.
Pete Flores is the Assistant Director for Trade Operations
in the San Diego Field Office for Customs and Border
Protection. The San Diego Field Office’s areas
of responsibility include the ports of Otay Mesa,
San Ysidro, Port of San Diego, Tecate, Calexico and
Andrade.
Mr.
Flores joined the U.S. Customs in 1988 and worked
the next 8 years as an Inspector in Calexico with
various assignments in the cargo, passenger, enforcement
and administrative environments. In 1996, he transferred
to the Pre-Clearance Station of Freeport, Bahamas
and while there he initiated a Passenger Analysis
Unit for air and sea passengers departing the Bahamas
to the United States. In 2002, he was promoted to
Headquarters Program Manager in Trade Enforcement
and Facilitation (TEF) responsible for various programs
involving Truck, Rail and Vessel. From 2004 until
July 2006, he acted as the Chief of the Manifest and
Conveyance Branch, which included oversight of a broad
spectrum of trade programs in the Air, Rail, Vessel
and Truck modes of transportation.
Mr.
Flores lead the development and implementation of
the Vessel 24 Hour Rule and Trade Act of 2002 requirements.
These initiatives are vital to CBP ability to accomplish
their twin goals of improving security and facilitating
the flow of legitimate trade and travel. The CBP Homeland
Strategy to secure and facilitate cargo moving to
the United States is a layered defense approach built
upon interrelated initiatives—the 24-Hour and
Trade Act rules; Automated Targeting System, the use
of Non-Intrusive Inspection equipment and Radiation
Portal Monitors; the Container Security Initiative
(CSI); and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
(C-TPAT) initiative. These complementary layers enhance
border security, and protect our nation. Please join
us for this enlightening presentation!
|
