When asked about her views on working with ACE, Lofgren says she understands that for some of the users on the other end of the phone line, ACE can be daunting, especially if they have never used a computer before. Lofgren is assisting these users in adapting to and becoming familiar with ACE through her current 30-day temporary duty position with the ACE Account Services Desk.

For Nancy Lofgren, adaptation is a necessity experienced firsthand through the devastation that Hurricane Katrina wrought on New Orleans, LA., and the CBP port facility where she was stationed, which taught Lofgren a lot about adapting to the new, the unfamiliar, and the unexpected. Due to the water damage at her stationed port, Lofgren was asked to transfer to a different CBP facility. CBP responded quickly to relocate displaced personnel. Within six weeks, Lofgren headed to her new assignment as an entry specialist in El Paso, Texas, where she could be as close as possible to each of her three grown children. She then realized that when her coworkers had said, “See you Monday,” on the Friday before the storm, they did not realize that they might not ever see each other again. With the help of CBP, Lofgren moved toward the next stage of her life. “I have worked in Entry for 27 years in one role or another and in various ports. I love what I do. Sometimes you just need to adapt,” says Lofgren.

Working at the ASD is a key part of Lofgren’s own adaptation to ACE and the new mandatory electronic truck manifest (e-Manifest) policy. She recognizes that every new program has a learning curve, and her experience in Virginia is allowing her to learn along with the CBP officers and the trade community. Through her new duties, Lofgren is seeing exactly what the ACE Secure Data Portal user sees, resulting in a new appreciation of the full breadth of ACE user capabilities. She has found that just as with any new software, ACE becomes easy to use once one understands how to navigate through it.

Using ACE has provided Lofgren with necessary training that she will take back to Texas to show her clients and her coworkers. Many former colleagues still keep in touch with Lofgren for advice on and help with technical questions and problems. Lofgren says she is always looking to learn what is new and glad to share what she learns. She is currently learning Spanish from her coworkers to better support her role in Texas.

“Change is inevitable,” says Lofgren. “The trick is to be open and adapt to it instead of resisting it. As they say in Texas, ‘Embrace the cactus – it only hurts for a little while.’ Regarding ACE, CBP is ensuring that we provide assistance throughout the entire transition period. The sooner a client familiarizes themselves with the program, the easier the transition to total usage will be.”