ROGERS, AR, USA - The World Trade Center Arkansas hosted Brenda Smith, Executive Assistant Commissioner at the Office of Trade for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Thursday, July 20, 2017.

Ms. Smith held a round-table session with members of the business and trade community of Arkansas. Topics of discussion included cooperation between CBP and the trade community to facilitate both lawful and efficient trade and to discuss updates on key trade issues.

“Opportunities like the World Trade Center Arkansas event to discuss current issues and foster an exchange of ideas between CBP and the trade community are critical to helping promote the economic security and prosperity of the United States,” Smith said.

Other topics for discussion included issues faced by Arkansas companies when importing, enforcement of labeling and other ways to ensure the competitiveness of US companies.

The Office of Trade is an Office within U.S. Customs and Border Protection which is under the Department of Homeland Security. The mission of the Office of Trade is to protect the American public through the integrated enforcement of trade laws while promoting economic prosperity through a predictable and transparent business-to government experience.

Since joining the U.S. Customs Service in 1994, Ms. Smith has served in a variety of leadership roles overseeing trade and border enforcement issues. She was selected as the Executive Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Trade in the fall of 2014.

Previous to that Ms. Smith was the Executive Director for the ACE Business Office (now the Trade Transformation Office). Under her leadership, CBP has automated trade processes through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Single Window, which transmits the private sector’s import-export data to 47 partner government agencies, eliminating over 200 paper forms and streamlining trade processes.

The mission of the World Trade Center Arkansas is to grow trade and increase Arkansas exports by connecting Arkansas businesses to the world through international trade services. For more information and valuable updates, please follow the Center on Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to the World Trade Center Arkansas newsletter.