Webinar: NAFTZ Member Benefits

Description

The NAFTZ Membership webinars were started in response to the questions NAFTZ received on the variety of perks of joining the NAFTZ Team.  Welcome you joining us to learn from association insiders in how best to take advantage of all NAFTZ has to offer new and veteran members.  

This session will cover the latest programs NAFTZ has to offer such as discount bond rates, advocacy efforts, educational credentials and more.

Featured Speakers: Tanna Zingula-Johnson, EY, Courtney Stiers, FTI Consulting Inc., Wanda Sample, Avalon Risk Management, Denise Yanez, City of Phoenix, Melissa Irmen and Kristine Wells, NAFTZ, will explore the best strategies to maximize your NAFTZ experience & how best to access FTZ resources.

Speaker Bios:

Tanna Zingula is Chair of NAFTZ Membership Committee and Sr. Mgr. with EY.

Tanna Zingula-Johnson is a Global Trade specialist and member of Ernst & Young LLP’s Global Trade practice, where she addresses client needs as they pertain to international trade. Tanna has extensive experience in bonded facilities including bonded warehouses and the foreign-trade zones space with over 10 years including both distribution and manufacturing activities. Tanna also has a background in related issues, prior disclosures, activation and designation activities, and analysis related to a variety of import matters, including first-sale, PGA’s, classification, tariff engineering, and customs valuation for US imports.

Tanna has been involved in setting up best practices for companies around the foreign-trade zone operation as well as creating/updating global trade import and conducting Customs audits. She has experience in project management for US and global-based projects.

Tanna assists clients with compliance focused reviews of their import operations as well as provides guidance on the customs regulations. Tanna has conducted both internal and external presentations and training sessions on foreign trade zone management, zone administration, inbonds, and first sale.

Tanna holds a Master of Business Administration degree from National American University along with her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Tanna has been a Licensed Customs Broker since 2015 and has held memberships with the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (NAFTZ) as well as the International Compliance Professionals Association (ICPA) and the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA). She is currently the Chair on one committee while staying active on two other committees with the NAFTZ organization and completed her certification as an Accredited Zone Specialist (AZS) in 2022. 

Courtney Stiers is an international trade professional with experience in areas of Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ), general U.S. Customs compliance, and operational management. She has worked with a multitude of industries to expand and strengthen their overall global compliance programs.

Ms. Stiers understands the importance of well-integrated compliance program. She has experience integrating the implementation of a FTZ into a client’s current operations while strengthen their overall global compliance program. She also has vast experience with obtaining the required approvals from governing authorities as it relates to FTZ Board approvals, U.S. Customs activation, complex production authority requests, and general FTZ consulting.

Ms. Stiers is an advocate for members of the FTZ community through the National Association of Foreign Trade Zones (NAFTZ). She currently holds an active role within the association as a committee chair to support members and provide resources to expand their networks and overall FTZ expertise. She has been part of the association since 2016 participating in different committees and FTZ advocacy groups. Furthermore, Ms. Stiers is an Accredited Zone Specialist with NAFTZ.

In addition to FTZ expertise, Ms. Stiers has experience in assisting in the establishment of different auditing programs as it relates to global compliance solutions. Drawing on different areas of her career, she has created holistic and customized compliance audit programs for her clients based on their needs. These audit programs have a focus on Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program, the Importer Self-Assessment (ISA) program, and the FTZ program.

Prior to FTI Consulting, Ms. Stiers managed a Zone as a Grantee where she brought awareness to the impact of FTZs on the local economy and curated specialized marketing tools for the program, implemented and administrated a FTZ for global consumer electronics distribution company, and most recently as part of the trade advisory group, with a focus in FTZ, for a Global 500 company.

Denise Yanez is an Economic Development Program Manager in the Community and Economic Development Department focusing on business attraction and is the Foreign-Trade Zone Administrator for the City of Phoenix FTZ No. 75, which services three large counties. Denise has worked with the FTZ program for more than 15 years and currently manages contracts for 26 FTZ operators.

Denise has worked for the City of Phoenix for over 25 years in various departments with experience in economic development, redevelopment, residential real estate, property management, property maintenance and zoning enforcement, and small business development. She has a B.S. in General Business from Arizona State University, is an Accredited Zone Specialist by the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (NAFTZ), serves on the NAFTZ Board of Directors, and is a member of the NAFTZ Grantee and Membership Committees.

Wanda Sample is Regional Vice President for Avalon Risk Management’s New York office. She joined Avalon in August of 2002 and has more than 30 years of experience in the customs broker and freight forwarder arenas. Wanda began her career at Avalon as Marketing Manager and was later promoted to Director of Trade Relations to manage Avalon’s trade affairs and relationships with key industry organizations including the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) and Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA). Prior to joining Avalon, Wanda worked for 17 years at F.W. Myers & Co., a national customs broker and freight forwarder. As Risk Coordinator for F.W. Myers, Wanda handled surety bonds, cargo insurance, professional liability, property and casualty, and other corporate insurance products. Additionally, she conducted compliance audits at various regional offices throughout the United States. Wanda is actively involved in the trade community and serves on the Board of the Air & Expeditor Motor Carriers Association (AEMCA), Long Island Import Export Association (LIIEA), and The Semantics. She serves on the membership committee of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (NAFTZ) and is a member of JFK Brokers Association and NYNJFFFBA. Wanda obtained her MBA from Clarkson University.

Also special guests: joining us:

NAFTZ Senior Manager of Communications & Member Services Kristine Wells

NAFTZ Director of Advocacy & Strategic relations: Melissa Irmen