see also: in October 2003:   Port of Otay Mesa Cargo Facility to Test Expanded Hours   Border Patrol Makes Two Significant Drug Seizures in New Mexico and Texas   CBP Officers Seize 3,149 Pounds of Marijuana at Otay Mesa   CBP Border Patrol Aid Local Law Enforcement Agencies With San Diego Wildfires   4th Annual Trade Symposium to be Held November 20 & 21   U.S. Customs and Border Protection to Open Vacancy for Officer Positions Nationwide ...more on cbp.gov:   Press Officers   CBP News Releases

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Washington, D.C. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert C. Bonner announced today the appointment of Keith Thomson as Director of the Office of Trade Relations (OTR). His business experience brings a wealth of knowledge to CBP. As the primary contact between industry and CBP, Thomson will be responsible for fostering a positive relationship with the trade community. He will also review concerns voiced by individuals or trade groups and make policy recommendations to resolve those concerns.

"Trade Relations is a critical component of CBP, as the volume of trade is ever-increasing. Although our primary mission is preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States, we must continue our mission of facilitating and expediting legitimate trade," said Commissioner Bonner. "In expanding our borders, development of the Automated Commercial Environment, and through programs like Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), keeping the lines of communication open to our trade community is vital." The Director of Trade Relations has the responsibility for providing a venue for formal and informal channels for exchanging information between CBP and the trade community and for policy review, planning and counsel to the Commissioner, the Department of Homeland Security officials to ensure quality service.

Thomson's previous position was as a principal of the Sterling Group and Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Consulting LLC. Prior to joining Sterling, Thomson was a senior executive with Fluor Corporation, most recently as President and CEO of Fluor Hanford Corporation. In that position he was responsible for providing nuclear and hazardous toxic waste clean-up services to the Department of Energy. From 1999 to 2001, Thomson was Fluor's responsible corporate officer for world-wide services to British Petroleum. Prior positions included President of Fluor's South Asia region, based in New Delhi, India, and President of Fluor Daniel's North Latin America Region based in Venezuela.

Thomson spent five years as a principal in Sterling Venture Management, a strategic management consulting organization, and subsidiary of the Sterling Group. Thomson also had twenty-two years of management responsibility with the Bechtel Group of Companies.

Before emigrating to the United States from England, Thomson served in the Royal Air Force for eight years. He completed his flying training in Canada and then served on B-57 (Canberra) squadrons in Aden (now Yemen) and as Aide-de-camp to the Air Marshal Commanding the Middle East theater, and in the UK. Thomson completed military service as an instructor at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell. He holds a Master of Business Administration Degree in Finance, Management and Marketing.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a new agency within the Department of Homeland Security that unifies U.S. Customs, Immigration and Agriculture Inspectors and the U.S. Border Patrol.