Mr. Kwas began his career in the federal government in 1965 as a Customs Inspector. Known for his intelligence and management skills, he served in many of the U.S. Customs Service’s senior level positions including: Assistant Commissioner of Information and Technology; Assistant Commissioner of Strategic Trade; Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Management; Senior Advisor for the Automated Commercial System; and Regional Commissioner for the Southeast and New York regions. In 1988, Mr. Kwas also served as the Acting Commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service.

He received many awards and honors during his distinguished tenure at Customs, including the Presidential Rank Awards for the Senior Executive Service in 1982 and 1987. In 1996 he received the Distinguished Executive Presidential Award. These awards are given for exceptional performance and can be earned only once in any five year period.

Born and raised in New York City, he received a Bachelors Degree in Mathematics in 1962 from the City College of New York prior to becoming an officer in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.

He was a huge sports fan and an avid reader, particularly of history.

Survivors include his wife Ivy; his son Rich and his daughter, Lucille Cirillo, who is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Public Affairs Liaison in New York, and their spouses, Julie Kwas and Jason Cirillo; as well as his grandson, Alexander.

"Ed Kwas was and is revered by former and current Customs and CBP employees," said U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Commissioner Jayson Ahern. "He was truly one of the Customs icons and will be missed by so many."

A memorial service was held at Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City, Md., on July 14.

CBP employees and others remember Edward Kwas fondly:

Linda Kane
CBP, Public Affairs Specialist

One day he was advising me about management and he said, "Management is pretty simple— it’s just about people and money and how you balance the two." Everyone who did staff work for him knew to "work it up the chain" and if you couldn’t get an answer to let him know. We all knew when he was thinking out loud because he would “flip” his tie up and down and pace the floor. Ed Kwas was brilliant, demanding, innovative, and, at times, very amusing. He had an incredible memory-- he never forgot even the tiniest detail.

Thomas Mattina
CBP Assistant Port Director
Tactical Operations Branch
Miami Service Port

Ed Kwas was a pragmatic visionary who could elaborate, in great detail, the inherent benefits to be realized by effecting change. Though some may now characterize this as "thinking out of the box," in Ed’s world – there was no box. He would preface strategy sessions with a rhetorical "What if," and then proceed to unveil a heretofore undefined process thereby challenging the norm, and those privileged to be a part of his dedicated Teams. I am honored to have served with him; forever thankful for his invaluable guidance; and eternally grateful for the career counsel and life-lessons he shared over the course of our thirty year friendship.

Janet Pence
CBP, Director
Communications, Training, Outcomes and Deployment
Cargo Systems Program Office

Ed Kwas will always be remembered as someone who made significant contributions to the U.S. Customs Service. Ed was a true visionary, strategic thinker, mentor and leader who challenged us to embrace change. Ed had a passion for the U.S. Customs Service - its people and its mission. He will be greatly missed and his legacy will live on through CBP’s future leaders.

Eugene Mach
Former Director, U.S. Customs Training Academy

Ed Kwas was a genuine leader, deservingly earning all of his many awards. He was a solid Customs officer with a great family. Most of all, he was my good friend. May he rest in peace.