Page 21 - Customs Today Winter1984-OCR

Senior Executives

Win Awards

By Brian Lee

Patrick O'Brien, Assistant Regional Commis
Cycle

following

Cus

During the 1982-1983 Performance sioner (Enforcement), New York. The desig
Appraisal
the
toms Senior Executives received bonus nation of law enforcement as a top priority
awards for the reasons given: program in Customs placed an inordinate
amount of pressure on Mr. O'Brien in his
Robert N. Battard, Regional Commissioner, region. He has provided the kind of
Southeast Region. Mr. Battard received his leadership needed to stem the flow of
Kathleen Bucholtz, a staff attorney in the Office of the award for effectively managing a Cus drugs entering the United States and carry
Regional Counsel in Chicago, receives an award from toms Region that is in the forefront in the out other vital Customs missions.
the Commissioner for her work in making Customs'
war on drug smuggling. He has been in
anti-fraud programs successful. William H. Russell, Office of the Comptroller,
strumental in the fulfillment of the
Headquarters. Mr. Russell was singled out
Customs mission in his region.
for initiating a cost-effective approach to
Peter J. Dispenzirie, Regional Commissioner, running the Office of the Comptroller
North Central Region. Mr. Dispenzirie was which has resulted in considerable sav
honored for his exemplary skills in man ings and increased productivity.
aging one of the more widely dispersed Robert P. Schaffer, Assistant Commissioner,
Customs Regions. He responded profes
Office of Commercial Operations, Head
sionally to Headquarters initiated pro quarters. Mr. Schaffer was cited for his
grams and showed imagination in solving management skills and outstanding lead
problems unique to his region. ership which resulted in many achieve
ments in support of the Customs Service
Donald F. Kelly, Regional Commissioner,
and Treasury Department mission. The
Southwest Region. Mr. Kelly's award was
way in which he responded to the de
given for his innovative and skilled lead mands of his job serve as a model for
ership. Because of it, the operation of his
managers to emulate.
region has been completely revolution
ized. His new direction has drawn na John P. Simpson, Director, Office of Regula
Senior Special Agent Thomas Gray, now assigned to
tional and international recognition for tions & Rulings, Headquarters. Mr. Simp
Headquarters, accepts an award for work he per the U.S. Customs Service. son was selected for providing the mana
formed while a Customs representative in Hong Kong
making successful textile investigations. Michael H. Lane, Deputy Assistant Com gerial expertise that resulted in the Office
of Regulations & Rulings becoming one
missioner, Office of Inspection & Control,
of the more effective organizations in the
Headquarters. Mr. Lane was cited for Customs Service. In addition, he pro
developing many new program initia vided leadership that manifested itself in
tives and performing his duties in an
needed deregulation, cost reduction and
exemplary fashion. His duties have been
made even more demanding because of program innovation.
the extremely tight budget and resource Brian Lee is Managing Editor of the Winter
restraints placed on the Customs Service. Issue of Customs Today.
"Thanks.1" That's the word retired former Assistant
Commissioner David C. Ellis is getting from Com
missioner von Raab. Mr. Ellis received a "Mr.
Customs'' award for his continuing post-retirement
interest in Customs. He has regularly served as a guest
speaker at the Customs Academy at the Federal Law
Robert Pisano, an attorney in the Office of Commer Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia.
cial Operations at Headquarters, is honored for his The award, presented to Mr. Ellis in the Commis
contributions in successfully concluding major steel sioner's office, reads, in part: "For your fine perform
fraud cases and other commercial fraud cases. Not ance in making effective and professional presentations
shown in these ceremony photographs, but honored, to Customs students regarding the mission, history,
were two other Customs employees, Hubbard Volenick and traditions of the U. S. Customs Service. '' Mr.
and Kenneth Wagner. Volenick, honored for his work Ellis had been Assistant Commissioner for Operations.
in international affairs, works at Headquarters.
Wagner, a Senior Special Agent in Miami, Fla., was
honored for developing and investigating many internal
affairs cases to help insure Customs' integrity.
CUSTOMS TODAY / WINTER 1984 19