The 11th BASC 2024 Global Conference, held on September 25 and 26 in Miami, concluded with great success, bringing together more than 450 business leaders, government representatives and international experts. These professionals discussed the importance of public-private partnerships in international trade, best practices, innovations and recognized strategies for global supply chain security.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Honor Guard provided the opening ceremony for the conference. The opening remarks for the conference were provided by Pete Flores, Deputy Commissioner of CBP; James Kohnstamm, Executive Director of Miami-Dade County Economic Development; Rolando Aedo, Chief Operating Officer of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau; Oscar Sanchez, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the World BASC Organization (WBO); and Erik Moncayo, International President of the WBO.
During the two-day Conference, experts shared their perspectives on critical issues such as collaboration between academia, government and the private sector to mitigate supply chain risks, the fight against transnational crime and forced labor, and the importance of human capital management in customs.
One of the highlights of the Global Conference was the recognition ceremony for more than 80 BASC companies in 11 member countries, which were showcased for being founding members of their respective chapter or for maintaining BASC certification for more than 20 years, demonstrating their commitment to the security of international trade.
Among the panelists were distinguished international visitors such as Vilma I. Arbaje, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade of the Dominican Republic; Velma Ricketts, Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaican Customs Agency; Soraya Valdivieso, Director of Customs of Panama; and Carlos Martínez Cevallos, Senior Advisor to the Director General of the National Customs Service of Ecuador (SENAE).
The delegation from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) played a key role in the Conference discussions.
- Diane J. Sabatino, Executive Assistant Commissioner for CBP’s Office of Field Operations (OFO)
- AnnMarie R. Highsmith, Executive Assistant Commissioner of CBP's Office of Trade
- Susan Thomas, Executive Director, Conveyance and Container Security Division, OFO, CBP
- Dina Amato, Director, Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Program
- James L. Collins, Assistant Commissioner, CBP’s Office of International Affairs (INA)
- Carlos Martel, Director, Miami Field Office, CBP’s Office of Field Operations (OFO)
- Pete Touhy, Director of the CTPAT Miami Field Office, CBP
- Robert Perez, former Deputy Commissioner of CBP and current CEO of P4 Partners LLC
- William Ferrara, former Executive Assistant Commissioner of CBP’s Office of Field Operations (OFO) and Co-Founder of Harbour Island Consulting LLC
- Brenda Smith, former Executive Assistant Commissioner of CBP's Office of International Trade and current Global Director of Government Outreach for Expeditors International.
- Cynthia Whittenburg, former Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner, CBP Office of Trade and current Executive Vice President of the Educational Institute (NEI) of the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, Inc (NCBFAA).
The Conference also showcased local experts in international trade such as Steven Carnovale, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), the Miami International Airport (MIA) and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.
The technology and innovation in trade operations and logistics was provided by representatives from multinational companies such as VMI Security and Protekto Americas. These participants shared key ideas for strengthening supply chain security strategies.
One of the most significant achievements of the Conference was the signing of two memorandums of understanding: the first with the International Association of Professional Customs Agents (ASAPRA) and the second with the Honduran Association of International Freight Forwarders (AHACI). These agreements strengthen cooperation in supply chain security and promote more streamlined and secure customs processes in the region.
The closing remarks for the conference were provided by the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Mr. Ian Saunders, who highlighted the importance of resilience in international trade and BASC's fundamental role in promoting a culture of security. Mr. Saunders emphasized that resilience is essential to address industry challenges, and encouraged support for small and medium-sized industry, a key element in strengthening sustainable practices at all levels. In his final message, the WBO Secretary General stressed that the success of global trade depends on a joint commitment to build a system that promotes integrity and sustainability.
Finally, Erik Moncayo, WBO International President and Suzanne Lemaitre, WBO Executive Director, expressed their gratitude for the successful completion of the 11th BASC Global Conference thanks to the teamwork of the 23 member chapters, and urged delegates from the more than 4,400 BASC secure companies and the international community to continue strengthening the bonds of cooperation.
Due to the overwhelming success of the conference, BASC has once again chosen Miami as the city that will continue to host delegates and attendees for the next BASC Global Conference 2026, reaffirming the commitment to continue working for a safer and more reliable international trade.
