Customs Compliance Professional

Richard F. Stephan, LCB

Harrison Township, MI ***45

586-***-**** – *********@*******.***

Import/Export Compliance Specialist

Customs Analysis & Compliance Issue Resolution Process Improvement

Customs analyst and compliance manager with 20+ years’ experience in entry operations, compliance audit, and trade program qualification. Background in issue resolution and process improvement with clients and various government agencies. Successful at maintaining high compliance rates. Create and cultivate relationships with government agencies, colleagues, and industry members. Obtained CHB license in August 1989.

Business Development

Process Design/Re-Design

Business Consulting

Database Development

Coaching & Mentoring

New Business Development

Business/Technical Writing

Customer Service

Customs Regulations

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Magna Powertrain of America, Inc., Troy, MI 2015 to 2016

Customs Analyst

Qualified Magna products for various global free trade agreements to reduce the duty liabilities for both Magna plants and its customers. This was accomplished by utilizing ERP and GTM software as well as manually applying the specific rules of origin for the FTA.

Designed and developed the process, as well as the database used to support that process, to audit FTA qualification records for SOX compliance. This resulted in an average compliance rate of 96%.

Improved efficiency and productivity of Customs team through the standardization of operational processes through documentation of desk procedures and training of team members on the pertinent global free trade agreements utilized.

Buckland Global Trade Services, Inc., Port Huron, MI 2013 to 2015

Sr. Consultant, Customs Consulting Div.

Lead team in the daily customs compliance activities supporting a Fortune 500 client.

Designed and developed the process, as well as the database used to support that process to audit entries; reported and analyzed results from audit; made recommendations to the client. This resulted in continuation of the client’s participation in the ISA program.

Updated client’s C-TPAT security profile, allowing them to maintain their C-TPAT eligibility status with Customs and Border Protection.

DCS Freight Houston, Inc., Houston, TX 2012 to 2013

Import/Compliance Manager

Managing broker and empowered official for company.

Obtained CBP C-TPAT certification for the company through the creation the company’s security profile and development of Access database used to support the certification. CBP labeled some processes used as “best practice”.

Maintained 95% compliance rate on internal entry audit by developing and implementing import and compliance procedures while holding monthly compliance training sessions.

Nippon Express USA, Inc., Dulles, VA 2005 to 2012

Sr. Specialist, Customs Brokerage Operations

Managed all aspects of brokerage operations for the branch. This included entry filing, post entry filing, classification, ACH statement processing, duty liability quotations, determining import documentation requirements, and invoicing.

Developed a process to perform an internal import compliance audit, resulting in an average compliance rate of 95%.

Documented branch procedure manuals to support company’s ISO certification.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

Associates in Business Administration, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, NY

Computer Information Systems, Walsh College, Troy, MI

CERTIFICATION & MEMBERSHIP

Customs Broker License # 11621

Member of ICPA

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