see also: in May 2006 News Releases:   Seven Wanted Fugitives Apprehended by CBP Officers at Andrade Port of Entry   U.S. Customs and Border Protection 2006 Reporting Requirements for Private Boat Operators Arriving at Port of Entry in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana   CBP Officers in Calexico Seize More Drugs, 266 Pounds of Cocaine   CBP Border Patrol on Heightened State of Alert as Scorching Temperatures Hit South Texas   New Border Patrol Station Contract Awarded   CBP Border Patrol Agents Seize Hidden Loads of Narcotics   CBP Border Patrol Agents Seize More Than Half-Ton of Marijuana ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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New York – On May 17, 2006, the Federal Executive Board representing 52,000 federal employees in the metropolitan area today honored Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Area Director Camille Polimeni and CBP Officer Wing Chan for meritorious service. The ceremony was held at the historic Ellis Island National Monument.

Clifford Kirsch, Chairman of the Federal Executive Board praised the hard work and dedication of the forty-one federal employees honored not only for meritorious service, but for acts of heroism and extraordinary dedication to the public. “We need to remind America’s best and brightest that public service remains a noble calling and will provide its employees with greater rewards than monetary ones.”

Camille Polimeni has been a driving force in helping Customs & Border Protection to raise over $100,000 for the New York City Combined Federal Campaign. Ms. Polimeni has been the CBP Area Director for JFK International Airport since December of 2003. In this position, she manages over 1800 employees who process international passengers and cargo arriving into the United States. When asked about her time with CBP, Ms. Polimeni stated that her 26 years of service with U.S. Customs & Border Protection has been filled with daily reminders of why having a career with the federal government is more than just a career and that at the end of every day there is a special feeling of giving back not only to the agency’s community but to the greater community at large. “It’s a great honor to receive this recognition. I consider myself an enabler; I have a truly committed staff that are the real recipients of this recognition.”

CBP Officer Wing Chan was also honored at the ceremony for his distinguished government service. Officer Chan has been working for Customs & Border Protection for over 14 years and currently coordinates a variety of programs. Most notably, Officer Chan was called upon one evening in December of 2005 to translate for ICE Agents because no Chinese interpreters were available. Although it was after hours, Officer Chan did not hesitate to support Homeland Security’s mission. The result was the arrest of two individuals for violation of the international currency reporting requirements. Officer Chan stated, “I feel very honored to be the recipient of such a prestigious award…I must also thank my fellow colleagues who work diligently along side of me day in and day out…without this teamwork at the worksite, I would not have been able to accomplish the many tasks that have lead to receiving this award.”

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.