Operations Specialist Raquel Sepulveda Retires after 39 Years of Federal Service
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Apr 12, 2014, Comments Off
Courtesy Richard Pauza,
LAREDO, Texas – By their presence at a recent retirement luncheon, U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees past and present this week honored Operations Specialist Raquel Sepulveda for her combined total of 39 years of federal service. Ms. Sepulveda will be retiring from federal service on May 3, 2014.
“We applaud Raquel for her lifetime of federal service with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service, the former U.S. Customs Service and CBP,” said Nancy Becker, Assistant Director, Field Operations, Laredo Field Office, who also served as emcee for the event. “Her vast institutional knowledge of fines, penalties and forfeitures and seized property processes has developed the standard operating procedures for these functions and greatly helped the field office resolve these matters in an expeditious, equitable and just manner while enforcing and upholding the laws of the U.S.”
The luncheon, held at a local hotel, featured presentations and gifts by various sections of CBP and personal remembrances by coworkers and family members.
Raquel Sepulveda was born in Laredo to Luis and Dolores Sepulveda. She grew up with two brothers and two sisters: Luis (deceased), Gerardo (Jerry), Grace and Thelma. Raquel was educated by the Ursuline nuns at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parochial School and Martin High School.
Ms. Sepulveda has been with CBP for more than 30 years, and has 39 years combined government service. She began her government career in 1976 with then U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and transferred to the former U.S. Customs Service in 1981.
During her federal career she held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility for varying time periods, to include five years as a clerk stenographer, seven years as a miscellaneous documents examiner, nine years as a paralegal specialist, four years as a supervisory paralegal specialist, and 12 years as an operations specialist at the Laredo Field Office.
Ms. Sepulveda has been involved in training field inspectors and supervisors at the Laredo port of entry as well as other ports within the Laredo Field Office. She has also taken assignments to Task Force teams in Houston and Washington, D.C. for up to the three-week intervals.
In the Fines, Penalties & Forfeitures (FPF) department Ms. Sepulveda developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) currently utilized in FP&F and the seized property program.
As a supervisor in FP&F, Ms. Sepulveda had the knowledge, skills and abilities to effectively handle challenges and to achieve the goals and mission of CBP. She always provided clear direction, and led her staff by example. She always communicated effectively through frequent meetings, and was always there to coach and develop the staff in their needs. She promoted teamwork, and built strong working relationships with each of her staff members.
She was a supervisor who took an active, hands-on role in implementing and achieving action plans. She encouraged her staff members to volunteer for participation in the different projects. She served as a mentor in all her staff undertakings, and was always eager to provide guidance. As a mentor she improved individual performance and promoted personal confidence. She always provided advice, support, and feedback.
Through the years with CBP Ms. Sepulveda received numerous Special Act or Service Awards and Letters of Appreciation in recognition on the manner in which she performed her duties. In 2007, she was named CBP Woman of the Year.
Ms. Sepulveda was married to Constable Augustin (Tino) Juarez and is a mother of two children, i.e. Raquel Reynolds of Austin and Faustino (Tino) Lopez of Laredo. She is also grandmother of Marcella Tanner, 15; Krista Lopez, 10; and Nevan Lopez, 7.
Raquel began to pursue her formal education 32 years after receiving her high school diploma, and after both her children had received their degrees. She was a full-time employee and started with one class, but soon was taking up to four classes per semester. She earned her Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree at Laredo Community College in 1997, graduating Magna cum Laude, and earned her Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree with a major in Management at Texas A&M International University in 2000, graduating Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.34/4.0.
