McDermott Will & Emery hired former USTR Assistant General Counsel Benjamin Kostrzewa to its international trade practice in Washington, said the law firm. Kostrzewa will advise clients on matters including World Trade Organization proceedings, import relief, export controls, customs, and market access, the firm said.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 9 named Ed Mortimer its executive director of transportation infrastructure, where he will oversee the crafting and implementation of the chamber’s transportation and infrastructure policy, and will represent the chamber on Capitol Hill, before the Obama administration, and other industry organizations, the chamber said (here). Mortimer comes to the chamber from construction firm AECOM, where he served as director of government relations.
Wiley Rein named Lori Sheetz as of counsel in the law firm's International Trade Practice, it said (here).
Juanita Duggan, CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association, will step down to lead the National Federation of Independent Business, the NFIB said (here). The AAFA is developing a "leadership transition plan" and Duggan will remain on the board of directors through the remainder of the year, said the AAFA (here). Duggan joined AAFA in June of 2014 (see 14060912).
The Information Technology Industry Council hired Ashley Friedman, previously policy adviser for international trade and investment to the Commerce Department deputy secretary, as director of Global Policy. Friedman will lead the group's work in Latin America and "engage on a range of trade and innovation issues," it said (here).
The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America named Ken Bargteil, who recently retired from Kuehne + Nagel (see 1510060056), as chancellor of the NCBFAA Educational Institute, the NCBFAA said (here).
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative appointed Bill Jackson, the current deputy assistant USTR for the Generalized System of Preferences, as acting assistant USTR for textiles, the National Council of Textile Organizations said on Oct. 30. USTR didn't respond for comment. Jackson's appointment follows the departure of former assistant USTR for textiles, Gail Strickler, earlier in October (see 1510130013).
Cindy Allen, formerly of DHL Global Forwarding and prior to that head of CBP’s ACE Business Office, opened a new consulting firm focused on assisting importers, exporters, customs brokers and software developers, she said in an email. The new company, named Trade Force Multiplier, will advise importers and exporters seeking to comply with the demands of partner government agencies and customs brokers seeking to automate and implement the Automated Commercial Environment. The firm will also offer a training and reference resource for desk-level employees at brokerages, importers, exporters and forwarders.
National Foreign Trade Council President Bill Reinsch will step down from that post in April 2016, the organization said on a Oct. 16 (here). "It is time for me to do something different," he said. "I don't know what that will be, but I look forward to finding out." The NFTC will begin a search for a new president, it said.
The U.S. Council for International Business hired Megan Giblin, formerly business operations manager in Hewlett-Packard's global trade department, as USCIB's director of customs and trade facilitation, the organization said (here) on Oct. 19.