Sidney Aki was named the new Port Director for California's San Ysidro and Otay Mesa passenger ports of entry, CBP said. Aki, a career federal law enforcement officer, began his new role in San Diego on June 30.

Steptoe & Johnson hired Robert Rogers, previously an administrative law judge with the International Trade Commission, as senior counsel in the law firm's intellectual property department.

UTi Worldwide named Ditlev Blicher president-Asia Pacific, effective July 8. Blicher was most recently executive vice president-Group Operations for CEVA Logistics.

UPS named Rodney Adkins, IBM senior vice president-corporate strategy, to its board.

Trace Fukuhara will take over responsibilities as Assistant Port Director for Tactical Operations at the Area Port of Seattle, CBP's Seattle Field Office said in a trade information notice.

The Outdoor Industry Association named Rich Harper as trade policy advisor, the association said. Harper previously worked in the office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., as a legislative assistant for trade, foreign policy and defense.

The Port of Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved Al Moro as Acting Executive Director, replacing J. Christopher Lytle (see 13052416)., said the Port in a press release. The Port also said the Board of Harbor Commissioners elected Thomas Fields as board president for a one year term, starting July 1.

Mintz Levin hired Aarti Shah, previously a lawyer with the International Trade Commission Office of Unfair Import Investigations, as a member in the firm's Washington Intellectual Property practice.

ICE Director John Morton, announced his resignation June 17 in a memo to employees, according to news reports. Morton has been head of the agency since 2009, and said he plans to leave ICE in July to work at Capitol One Financial Corporation. ICE did not comment. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said President Obama should “move quickly” to fill the ICE vacancy and other high-level positions in the Department of Homeland Security, including CBP commissioner. The agency has lacked a confirmed commissioner for more than four years; a DHS official recently indicated a nomination could be on the horizon (see 13061213). “Without leadership, DHS operations, accountability and morale will continue to suffer, and the many dedicated individuals within the Department deserve better from this Administration,” McCaul said in a statement (here).

McGuireWoods added four international trade lawyers to its Brussels office, the law firm said in a press release. The firm hired Vassilis Akritidis, Yves Melin, Alessandro Nucara, and Yongqing Bao from Squire Sanders, said McGuireWoods.