US Customs Taps California Official for New Textile and Apparel Chief
After more than six months without a permanent director, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has named John P. Leonard of San Francisco to become the next director of textile enforcement in Washington, D.C. Leonard replaces Janet Labuda, who retired at the end of 2010 after 30 years with U.S. Customs and Border Protection as the director of the textile enforcement and operations division.
Labuda was a fierce champion for textile enforcement and against illegal textile fraud.
Leonard, who currently is the San Francisco–area port director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, will take over the job on Oct. 3, confirmed Erlinda Byrd, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Currently, Leonard and his 900 staff members oversee CBP port operations for the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California, as well as activities in Nevada and Utah.
A 22-year veteran of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Leonard has served with the agency in a variety of assignments in Boston, Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, Va.
He has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Massachusetts and a graduate degree in international commerce and policy from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.
CBP has not issued a formal announcement yet about the new appointment, and Leonard was unavailable for comment because he is on paternity leave until Aug. 15.
The job that Leonard will assume in six weeks is one of the most important positions customs has governing textiles and apparel. Responsibilities include enforcement of textile and apparel quotas, stopping illegal textile transshipment activities, forging trade agreements for textiles, and designing operational policy development and implementation.—Deborah Belgum
