Speakers
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
JUNE 20

Benjamine “Carry” Huffman
Acting Deputy Commissioner
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
JUNE 21

Ben Hammersley
Principal
Hammersley Futures
JUNE 21

Alan F. Estevez
Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security
JUNE 21

Carl W. Bentzel
Commissioner ,
Federal Maritime Commission
Member
$950
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Non-Member
$1250
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Government
$200
………………………………………………………………………………………………
For group rates, contact us for pricing information.
Conference Schedule
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Registration
- 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm Opening & Toast Sponsored by Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
- 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Welcome Reception Sponsored by Roanoke Insurance Group
- 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Karaoke Sponsored by Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
- 7:00 am – 6:00 pm Registration
- 7:00 am – 8:00 am Continental Breakfast
- 8:00 am – 8:15 am Welcome Remarks & AAEI Business Meeting
- 8:15 am – 9:30 am General: Washington Insiders (In Conjunction with the Women in International Trade)
Moderator: Orisia Gammell, WIIT and SAP
Speakers: Vanessa Sciarra, American Clean Power Association; Lisa Schroter, The Dow Chemical Company; Kelly Ann Shaw, Hogan Lovells; Yuri Unno, Toyota Motor North America
Let’s explore “behind the scenes” of how trade policy is developed in Washington. Your one-stop resource to learn and be prepared for what is to come in 2023 and 2024. - 9:30 am – 10:30 am General: Forced Labor
Moderator: Jessica Libby, KPMG LLP
Speakers: Michael Taylor, King & Spalding; Eric Choy, CBP (Invited); Amy Albano, Grainger
Forced labor compliance and enforcement is evolving. Are you ready? Learn what Forced Labor risks exists and how to create corporate compliance programs to mitigate these risks. - 10:30am – 11:00 am Coffee Break
- 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Breakout 1: Corporate Compliance Professionals – Raising Your Profile
Moderator: Matt Varner, Artizia
Speakers: Cynthia Whittenburg, NCBFAA; Cindy DeLeon; DeLeon Trade LLC; Cynthia Allen, FedEx; Jason Kenner, Sandler Travis & Rosenberg P.A.
New Customs Broker Regulations are here. What does that mean for your corporate compliance program? Compliance professionals will examine what these changes mean for in-house and traditional brokers. - 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Breakout 2: Export 201 – Challenges for Export Specialists
Moderator: Phillip Poland, LimNexus LLP
Speakers: Tom Cook, BlueTiger International; Dennis Krepp, Caterpillar, Karen Wyman, Teledyneflir
Export regulations are changing rapidly. Are you up to speed on the new challenges for export specialists? Examine how new export regulations are changing the way companies are remaining compliant. - 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Transition Break
- 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Premier Keynote Luncheon
Featuring Benjamine C. Huffman, Acting Deputy Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) - 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm Transition Break
- 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Breakout 3: Drawback 2023: Where Are We Now?
Moderator: Michael Cerny, Charter Brokerage
Speakers: Dave Corn, Comstock & Theakston, Inc.; Brandon, Morris, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Thomas J. Kendrick, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Now that drawback has settled into the post-CEE norm, we will examine the possibility of making drawback business processes more efficient. - 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Breakout 4: Congressional Perspective on the Future of Trade Policy
Moderator: Myles Getlan, Cassidy Levy Kent LLP
Speakers: Alexander Whittaker, U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee; Jacob Parker, U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on China
Congress sets U.S. trade negotiating objectives, enacts trade laws and oversees executive trade functions. Hear from congressional trade staff on how Congress will be pursuing trade and customs policy in the 118th Congress. (Note: This panel is off-the-record) - 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Breakout 5: 21st Century Ports
Moderator: Evelyn Suarez, The Suarez Firm
Speakers: Joe Kramek, World Shipping Council; Cary Davis, American Association of Port Authorities; Cathie Vick, Port of Virginia
Trade and the growing trend toward globalization has made the world’s largest ports critical infrastructure. Discover how those ports are leveraging technology and public-private partnerships to support the growing demands of exporters and importers. - 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Breakout 6: Progressive Filing & Integrating E-Manifest with Export Modernization
Moderator: Elizabeth Merritt, A.N. Deringer
Speakers: David Garcia, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Gerry Horner, U.S. Census Bureau
Can providing trade data earlier improve trade facilitation? Export professionals examine how progressive AES filing and e-manifest may or may not guarantee to the government that exporters are carrying compliant goods. - 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm Coffee Break
- 4:30 pm -5:30 pm General Session: Government Update on Sanctions and Export Controls
Moderator: Doug Jacobson, Jacobson Burton Kelley PLLC
Speakers: Matt Borman, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS); Erik Grossman, U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
The US, in close coordination with many other countries, has imposed numerous sanctions and export controls on Russia and its allies. These sanctions and export controls have created many compliance challenges for businesses. Hear the latest information on US sanctions and export controls policies and enforcement directly from senior officials at BIS and OFAC. (Note: This panel is off-the-record) - 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Networking Reception Sponsored by Flexport Customs LLP
- 7:00 am – 12:00 pm Registration
- 7:00 am – 8:00 am Continental Breakfast
- 8:00 am – 9:00 am Executive Keynote: How Technology could Reshape How We Trade?
Keynote Speaker: Ben Hammersley, International Strategic Forecaster - 9:00 am -9:30 am Coffee Break
- 9:30 am – 10:30 am Breakout 7: 21st Century Customs Update
Moderator: Colleen Clarke, Roanoke Insurance Group
Speakers: Caroline Dale, Flexport Customs LLC; Steve Story, Apex Logistics; J.D. Gonzalez, J.D. Gonzalez L.C.B.; CBP (invited)
What is the appropriate blueprint for the management of trade and borders and the role of Customs? This panel will discuss the next steps of the regulatory and legislative process. - 9:30 am – 10:30 am Breakout 8: Export Controls on China
Moderator: Charles Capito, Morrison Foerster LLP
Speakers: James Min, LimNexus LLP; Kim Strosnider, Covington: April Snyder-Bolden, IBM
Learn the scope of export controls on China and how these rules could impact corporate compliance and your supply chain decisions. - 10:30 am -11:30 am Breakout 9: Future of the BIEC and 1-USG
Moderator: Kari Finch, General Mills
Speakers: Michael Mullen, Express Association of America (EAA); Tom Gould, Flexport Customs LLC
The Border Interagency Executive Council was created in 2014 to streamline the export and import process for America’s businesses. Almost 10 years later, how close are we to a one-government release? This panel will explore how far we have come and what’s next for 1-USG. - 10:30 am -11:30 am Breakout 10: Technologies’ Impact on Reasonable Care
Moderator: Julie Parks, Raytheon Technologies
Speakers: Todd Smith, KYG Trade; Mukesh Mahajan, ArchLynk; CBP (invited)
The trade community is increasingly considering new methods of automation that rely on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. This panel will explore how these technologies may allow the trade to benefit, reducing costs and adding simplification. - 11:30 am – 12:00 pm Transition Break
- 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Strategic Keynote Luncheon
Featuring Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan F. Estevez - 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm Coffee Break
- 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Breakout 11: Navigating Regulated Imports in the Complex PGA Environment
Moderator: Beth Lomax, Lomax Associates
Speakers: Heidi Woods, Medtronic; John Verbeten, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Matthew Rhoades, U.S. Department and Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
How do you navigate the spaghetti bowl of participating government agencies at the border? Importers and government agency representatives will explore how best to keep up to speed with multiple agency requirements and requests. - 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Breakout 12: Supply Chain Strategies
Moderator: Laura Rabinowitz, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Speakers: Jerry Cook, Hanesbrands; Rich DiNucci, Venable LLP; Brett Tipple, FloraTrace
Forced labor and green lane compliance are putting new attention on supply chains. What should a good supply chain strategy include? What kinds of compliance tools are worth investing in? - 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Transition Break
- 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm General Session: Diplomatic Update (In partnership with The Washington Diplomat)
Moderator: Victor Shiblie, The Washington Diplomat
Many Washington diplomats are the highest official envoys representing a state. In their unique role, they engage in foreign relations with the U.S. government. Hear from diplomats representing key partners to the U.S. and U.S. businesses and learn how trade is impacting their country. - 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm General Session: Federal Maritime Commission Regulatory Update
Moderator: Vince Iacopella, Alba Wheels Up International
Speaker: Commissioner Carl W. Bentzel, Federal Maritime Commission
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 broke new ground in creating a mechanism to seek greater transparency at the port. Learn how the Federal Maritime Commission is working to implement the new law, and what additional changes could be coming to help improve port congestion and business practices. - 5:00 pm – 5:15 pm Closing Remarks
- 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM AAEI Board of Governor’s Meeting
- 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Benchmarking Session – Importing /Exporting
- 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM AAEI Drawback Committee Meeting
- 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM AAEI Healthcare Industries Committee Meeting
Sponsors & Exhibitors
Sponsorships & Booths are going fast! Reserve your space now.
Hotel Information
Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel
999 Ninth Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Block reservation rates of $309/night (+taxes & fees) are available until June 2nd, 2023.
