see also: in September 2003:   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Nabs Three Sisters Smuggling Cocaine, Heroin   CBP Inspectors Make Another Record Heroin Seizure at El Paso Port   CBP Inspectors Seize $268,936 in Eagle Pass; Husband, Wife Arrested   CBP Inspectors Find Heroin in Teddy Bear   CBP Signs $500 Million Contract With Chenega Technology Services Corporation   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Dedicates New Office Space in Newark, New Jersey ...more on cbp.gov:   Press Officers   CBP News Releases   Locate a Port Of Entry - Air, Land, or Sea

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EL PASO, TX--U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announces the appointment of 78 Port Directors serving at major land, air and sea-based ports of entry across the United States. "These individuals selected represent a variety of backgrounds and will bring outstanding knowledge, experience and abilities to this important position," said Jayson Ahern, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, CBP. "Their background combined with their leadership skills will ensure that we continue to provide the broad range of expertise and experience of the workforce to the unified CBP mission."

In the following areas the CBP port directors were named:

Port Director	Port of Entry	State
John Prewit	Presidio	TX
Barry Miller	Fabens	TX
David Longoria	El Paso	TX
Gaudalupe Ramirez	Santa Teresa	NM
Norman Bebon	Columbus	NM
William Molaski	Douglas	AZ
Joe Lafata	Nogales	AZ
Ian Sang	Phoenix	AZ
Michael Freeman	San Luis	AZ
Margie Gutierrez	Brownsville	TX
Mike Perez	Del Rio	TX
John Salazar	Eagle Pass	TX
David Higgerson	Hidalgo	TX
Gene Garza	Laredo	TX
Noel Sanchez	Progreso	TX
Joseph Mongiello	Rio Grande City	TX
Cris Cantu	Roma	TX
Oscar Preciado	San Ysidro	CA
Joyce Henderson	Otay Mesa	CA
Bonnie Lemert	Calexico	CA
William Snyder	San Diego air/seaport	CA
Paul Henning	Tecate	CA
Daniel Holland	Anchorage	AK
Margaret Fearon	Blaine	WA
Paul Morris	Great Falls	MT
Mary Delaquis	Pembina	ND
Kathy Sarten	Seattle	WA
Barbara Lambus	Duluth	MN
Ronald Arrigoni	Oroville	WA
Henry Torgerson	International Falls	MN
Brent Beeter	Portal	ND
Steve Gilbert	Portland	OR
Kenneth Peck	Sumas	WA
Larry Overcast	Sweetgrass	MT
Harold Woodward	Houston	TX
Paul Rimmer	Dallas-Forth Worth	TX
Daniel Solis	San Antonio	TX

These port directors will manage the day-to-day operations at their respective ports of entry in all CBP disciplines, including enforcement of customs, immigration and agriculture laws. Prior to the March 1, 2003 formation of CBP under the Dept. of Homeland Security, the three legacy agencies (U.S. Customs Service, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service) each had separate port directors. These new port directors will oversee and implement a historic transition of their workforce from inspectors for the three legacy agencies to CBP Officers and Agriculture Specialists. New officers entering the academy now will be trained in all three disciplines: existing officers will receive cross-training. 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 Border Patrol.