BGR Government Affairs hired Joshua Lamel, ex-Computer & Communications Industry Association, as vice president, to work on tax, trade and technology and effective March 3. Lamel also previously worked on the staff of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
Former assistant to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for the World Trade Organization Christopher Wilson recently rejoined the Office of the USTR and will soon take over as deputy chief of mission at the WTO, said a USTR spokeswoman. Director-General Roberto Azevêdo appointed former USTR deputy chief of mission David Shark as a WTO deputy in September (here), requiring Shark to vacate the USTR position. Wilson was senior director with C&M International before returning to USTR.
Jayson Ahern, formerly acting commissioner of CBP, was appointed to the advisory board of Decision Sciences International Corp., said the company in a Feb. 18 press release. Ahern is currently a principal with The Chertoff Group, consulting on security and supply chain issues.
Scott Lowden , previously Of Counsel with Braumiller Law Group, left the firm to work on his own, he said by email. Lowden will "continue practicing trade law now with my own clients, at my own pace and I’ll try to do more writing, probably for blogs and newsletters," he said. Additionally, he'll work to promote a recently published book on importing law fundamentals, he said.
FedEx Trade Networks named Jack Muhs president and CEO on Feb. 10, FedEx said. In that position, Muhs is responsible for the company’s air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage and e-commerce and international trade facilitation solutions. Muhs previously worked as a senior vice president of U.S. International Global Planning, Engineering and Trade Services at FedEx Express.
The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) Board of Directors elected Rick Muskat, owner of Deer Stags Concepts, as FDRA’s Vice Chairman and Ed Rosenfeld, CEO of Steve Madden, as FDRA’s Treasurer in a Feb. 4 vote. The board also elected President of RG Barry Corporation, Greg Tunney, to serve another term as FDRA chairman. The FDRA board elects leadership annually, said a spokesman.
Ciena has hired Laura Wallace, previously with Northrop Grumman, as import export compliance manager for North America, she said by email.
Matthew Thomas, previously a partner at Reed Smith, joined Blank Rome as a partner in the firm's Washington office, it said in a press release. Thomas will work in Blank Rome's Maritime, International Trade and Public Contracts group, it said.
The American Trucking Associations reorganized in an effort to make it "more nimble in responding to the challenges facing our industry," the ATA said in a press release. All of the ATA's functions will now fall within either National Advocacy, Communications and Public Affairs and Finance and Operations, with each area headed by an executive vice president (EVP), it said. Dave Osiecki, formerly senior vice president of advocacy and regulatory affairs will be ATA’s new EVP and chief of national advocacy, Jeff Mason, formerly senior vice president of image and communications will be the group’s EVP of communications and public affairs and Karla Hulett, formerly chief financial officer and senior vice president of finance and administration was named chief operating officer and EVP of finance and operations. “By bringing together the bulk of our revenue-producing units, including membership, marketing and finance, we can keep a better eye on ATA’s bottom line and make sure our financial resources are going where they are most needed,” said Hulett.
Sandler Travis added Tom Gould as senior director, customs and international trade, the law firm said in press release. Gould previously ran his own consulting practice in Los Angeles.