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Oceanair Seminars: Seminar Speakers

Rick Bridges is a Vice President of Roanoke Trade Insurance, Inc. located in their Boston, MA office. Rick is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island where he completed a Bachelor or Arts in Marine Affairs and went on the complete an Honors Degree in Maritime Business and Law at the University of Plymouth in England. Prior to joining Roanoke in 1998, Rick worked at Cigna Insurance in New York City. Rick is tribunalized with Lloyd's of London, holding full underwriting privileges on cargo insurance risks. Realizing shippers are more sophisticated and face more diverse demands than ever before, he specializes in providing customized insurance and surety solutions backed by major international insurance companies. He also works closely with many Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers to design programs that best suit their client's needs. Rick currently manages insurance and bond programs for various shippers associations and manufacturing groups. With over 70 years of experience, Roanoke Trade has established a reputation as a leader in managing the risks associated with the international trade and transportation industries.

William J. "Bill" Connolly is the Director of CHB and Customs Compliance for OCEANAIR, Inc. He has been a licensed Customs Broker since 1979 and a Certified Customs Specialist since 2006. Bill is a past president of both the Boston Customs Brokers Association and the Connecticut Customs Brokers Association. He has also worked in the past with the NCBFFA on national issues meeting with the former U.S. Customs Service, now known as CBP. Prior to joining OCEANAIR Bill spent 2 1/2 years working for an importer in various aspects. Because of this he knows first hand the problems that importers face today and can anticipate and appreciate the importer point of view.

Paul DiVecchio is the founder and managing partner of DiVecchio and Associates, and has over 35 years experience related to the area of export regulatory compliance. Prior to starting his own business in 1984, he worked for over 14 years in the high tech industry, including a two-year overseas assignment. DiVecchio has developed and conducted training programs for both US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Office of Export Enforcement (BIS). In addition to hosting both in-house and public seminars for exporters and the freight forwarding industry, DiVecchio is frequently interviewed by major industry publications, such as American Shipper, regarding export compliance issues.

Stephen J. Leahy is a principal in the Law Offices of Stephen J. Leahy, a firm specializing in customs, tariffs, and international trade matters. Prior to entering private practice in 1989, Mr. Leahy served with the U.S. Customs Service from 1975 to 1989, in a variety of positions including Import Specialist, Drawback Specialist, and Automated Commercial System (ACS) Specialist with responsibility for the implementation of Customs Automated Commercial System in the northeast region. Mr. Leahy served on the U.S. Customs task force for the implementation of the U.S./Canada Free Trade Agreement. Mr. Leahy received the Vice President's Hammer Award for his work in developing and implementing the current drawback regulations. In addition, Mr. Leahy is a Licensed Customs Broker and is a Certified Customs Specialist of the National Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association.

Richard Somers is a Senior Customs Compliance and Drawback Specialist with OCEANAIR Inc. He offers 34 years combined experience in both government and import brokerage, in the areas of Customs regulatory compliance, drawback services, and import consulting. Richard is a licensed Customs Broker and Certified Customs Specialist. He is an active member in various import trade associations, including the Boston Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Association (BCBFFA) and the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade (CONECT).

Joseph Wyson is Executive Vice President of OCEANAIR, Inc. in Revere , Massachusetts. His primary responsibilities include managing OCEANAIR's major international and domestic sales accounts as well as developing agent relationships worldwide. He is one of the three co-founders of OCEANAIR, which was established in 1983 and has grown to become one of New England's largest privately owned transportation companies, with revenues of $50 million and over 100 employees. Mr. Wyson is a graduate of Massachusetts Maritime Academy, holds a bachelor of science in Marine Transportation, and is a licensed Customs Broker.