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Acting Commissioner Awarded for Partnership

Release Date
Fri, 05/19/2017

Acting Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan was presented the Larry Neushotz Memorial DHL Partnership Award May 11 during the 2017 DHL Public Policy Forum at Washington, D.C.’s Newseum. The award recognizes an individual’s commitment not only to bring government and the trade community together, but to mutually work out solutions on issues that affect business. That unique process, as championed by the acting commissioner, is called “co-creation,” said Roger Libby, DHL’s executive vice president for corporate public policy.

He lauded Commissioner McAleenan for his “demonstration of open and honest communication and commitment to partnership to jointly solve safety and security challenges facing the U.S. and the global logistics industry.”

Kevin K. McAleenan accepts award from DHL representatives
Acting CBP Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan
accepts the Larry Neushotz Memorial DHL
Partnership Award during the 2017 DHL Public
Policy Forum. From left: Mike Parra, CEO,
DHL Express America; Kevin McAleenan,
Acting Commissioner of CBP; and Roger Libby,
executive vice president, corporate public policy,
DP DHL Americas. Photo by Glenn Fawcett

In accepting the honor, McAleenan spoke about trends and issues facing international trade. “There’s incredible growth in e-commerce,” he said, technology that increases efficiency while changing the way the world does business. “We also have to continue managing risk in the global supply chain.” McAleenan cited powerful opioids sold online, elephant ivory smuggling and intellectual property rights violations as examples.

He also promoted CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment, or ACE, which automates import and export procedures with digitized government forms and a “single window” to process all the requirements. The innovation simplifies and expedites moving goods through the supply chain by giving shippers one convenient system connecting all government agencies that regulate trade. “We know the impact of facilitation and that’s the core of our philosophy,” he said.

McAleenan said harmonization, co-creation and technology are the foundation of CBP’s alliance with the shipping and trade community. “The partnership we’ve built together serves as a model for other countries.”

Brenda B. Smith, the Office of Trade’s executive assistant commissioner, also represented CBP. She served on a panel that took questions during a discussion on customs, security and trade enforcement under the new administration. She was joined by Victoria Newhouse, deputy assistant administrator for TSA’s Office of Security Policy and Industry Engagement, and Virginia Brown, the director of trade and regulatory affairs at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

DHL, a leading international logistics and shipping company, sponsors the public policy forum. The annual event brings together top federal government leaders, members of Congress, think tanks and the trade community. This year’s forum drew more than 150 participants and spotlighted new trends in trade.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021