see also: in January 2007 News Releases:   Membership of Trade/Customs Advisory Committee Announced   CBP Border Patrol Launches Massive Search to Preserve Life   CBP Officers Make 22 Drug Busts at Calexico Ports During Busy Week   3,010 Pounds of Marijuana Seized at Nogales Port of Entry   CBP Border Patrol Makes a Record Drug Bust   Registration Underway for Third CBP Conference on ACE   CBP Officers Nab Mother/Daughter Cocaine Smugglers; Juveniles With Marijuana Loads Also Nabbed This Week ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Bellingham, Wash. – Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff recently named Mark Beaty of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to be the U.S. Federal Coordinator for the 2009 World Police and Fire Games, the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, 2010 Paralympics and related events in the State of Washington. Mr. Beaty, a Bellingham resident, heads the local CBP Air & Marine Branch.

As a Federal Coordinator, Mr. Beaty will be Secretary Chertoff’s primary federal point of contact for facilitating coordinated federal planning and support for the 2009 Games, the 2010 Olympics and related events. Federal Coordinators are responsible for coordination of federal incident management and security assistance activities across the spectrum of prevention, protection, response and recovery. As these events are primarily under the jurisdiction of provincial, state and local governments, the Federal Coordinator is responsible for coordination with state, local and private sector event planners and participating federal departments. Secretary Chertoff announced the appointment in a letter to Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Beaty is a senior CBP manager familiar with border issues and has been participating in the interagency security preparations directed by Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg for the state of Washington. Mr. Beaty began his career with the U.S. Customs Service in 1990 as a pilot at the Tucson Air Branch. He was the U.S. Customs Airspace Security Coordinator for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Upon graduation from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in 1977, Beaty received his commission and served in the U.S. Marine Corps until 1990. He flew in the Presidential Helicopter Squadron from 1983-1987.

After an inter-service transfer, Mr. Beaty flew with the 71st Special Operations Squadron and the 305th Combat Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., between 1991 and 2003. Beaty was activated for his last year, operating out of Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait. There, he served as director of operations as well as weapons and tactics officer and squadron commander. Beaty retired from the Air Force Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2003.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security responsible for the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.