LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Richard Pauza,

LAREDO, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection hosted a graduation ceremony for the second class of the CBP Field Operations Citizens Academy from the Laredo Port of Entry. In addition to issuing graduation certificates, CBP recognized two distinguished graduates with the Port Director’s Community Leadership Award.

 The 21 graduates represent a broad cross-section of the Laredo community from the health care, education, public health, law enforcement, international trade and restaurant franchise sectors among others.

 Their exposure to various aspects of CBP Field Operations during once a week, three-hour training sessions over an eight-week period gave them a more well-rounded understanding of the complexity of the job CBP performs at a variety of locations at the port of entry and the vast amount of laws CBP enforces on its own and on behalf of more than 40 agencies.

 The graduates received a hands-on training that gave them a first-person perspective on the various aspects of CBP passenger and commercial inspection operations, agriculture inspections, processing of violations of immigration law, customs law, intellectual property rights and laws governing consumer product safety. One of the more visceral and memorable experiences included firing live weapons on a shooting range under the tutelage of primary firearms instructors and participating in scenarios involving the use of baton and handcuffs to subdue and apprehend a non-compliant subject.

 CBP Field Operations Citizens’ Academy graduates include: 

1. Juan Jose “Oscar” Carrillo – Customs Broker
2. Keila Castillo – City of Laredo Health Department
3. Stephanie Ciechanowski – Chief Counsel Attorney
4. Maria Coronado – Kaplan College student
5. Rodolfo Delgado- Customs Broker
6. Kristin Dobski – Laredo Rotary Club member
7. Lisa Ezra – Chief Counsel Attorney
8. Veronica Garcia – Kaplan College Student Services Director
9. Sergio Garcia – Community citizen
10. Samuel Gonzalez – City of Laredo Health Department
11. Victor Gonzalez – Customs Broker/Attorney
12. Veronica Hernandez – Kaplan College Student
13. Michael Anthony Marasco – Laredo Rotary Club member/McDonald’s franchise owner
14. John McKeown – Customs Broker
15. Adam Buffet – Community Attorney
16. Laura Niño – Kaplan College Student Services Director
17. Rosanne Palacios – Director of Development, Mercy Ministries of Laredo
18. Teresa Rangel – Kaplan College student
19. Sarah Terry – Chief Counsel Attorney
20. Greg Zitkiewicz – Chief Counsel Attorney
21. Dawn Zitkiewicz – Community citizen

 Two of those graduates, John McKeown and Stephanie Ciechanowski, distinguished themselves with their excellent participation and going above and beyond in pursuit of the course objectives that they earned the Port Director’s Community Leadership Award.

 Port Director Sidney Aki thanked McKeown, Ciechanowski and all academy graduates for their dedication and participation during the eight-week course. Of note during this class the three most seasoned customs brokers had a combined total of 103 years of experience.

 “I would like to thank all the graduates of our second CBP Field Operations Citizens Academy for taking the time to learn from a first-hand perspective the variety of laws that CBP enforces to keep our communities and commerce safe,” Aki said. “In this class we had some of the longest-serving customs brokers in the city and their enthusiasm and inquisitiveness was contagious. We hope that today’s graduates can serve as CBP ambassadors, relating their unique knowledge and understanding to others who can learn from their experience.”