Essentials of U.S. Customs Imports and Exports: What Every BizAv Professional Should Know

Meet our Moderator:

Ed Kammerer, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig:  Ed Kammerer describes his practice as helping to improve the lives of busy people, saving them time by facilitating their access to aircraft. Ed advises the business aviation community on a wide range of transactions and issues. With over 40 years of experience, the majority of which is dedicated to aircraft and equipment acquisitions and finance, he represents major corporations, mid-sized companies, family offices, corporate executives, entrepreneurs and business owners, helping them to acquire, operate, finance and sell private aircraft.

Ed’s strategic approaches enable his clients to pursue their business aircraft ownership and operating objectives.

Ed and his team have been instrumental in devising secured aircraft loan products for a leading private bank and a major airframe manufacturer’s captive finance division as well as several private non- traditional lenders. Ed splits his time between Greenberg Traurig’s Boston, Providence and New York offices, 

In private practice for the last 20 years, Ed has previously served as in-house counsel for three leading equipment finance companies, including affiliates of two major banks and one leading insurance company. Ed had responsibility for the development of standard form documents and approved documentation of inbound and outbound syndicated secured financings.

Meet our Presenters:

Paula M. Connelly, Senior Member, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.: Paula Connelly is a Senior Member of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., located in the Boston area. She has over 25 years of experience in customs and international trade matters. She works with importers and exporters to address and resolve import and export compliance issues. 

Prior to joining ST&R, Ms. Connelly ran her own law firm specializing in customs and international trade matters. Earlier in her career she worked as a licensed customs broker for several brokerage companies in the Boston area. 

Ms. Connelly serves as legal counsel for the Boston Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association and President of the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade. She is a member of the AD/CV working group for U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee, the International Business Advisory Board at Massachusetts Maritime, and Women in World Trade New England. 

In addition, she lectures on numerous import and export-related topics for various trade organizations, including CONECT, the BCBFAA, the Massachusetts Export Center, and the Chafee Center for International Business at Bryant University. She also teaches a customs broker exam preparation course online. 

Tobias Kleitman, President, TVPX: Tobias Kleitman founded TVPX in 2002. TVPX has since brought together a team of experts who have earned a reputation for integrity, efficiency, confidentiality and security among aircraft owners and professionals worldwide. Each year, TVPX facilitates billions of dollars in 1031 exchanges and owner trusts and in 2018 has expanded services by establishing a licensed customs brokerage focusing on cross border aircraft transactions as well as incorporating TVPX Aviation Insurance Inc. to provide insurance brokerage services to clients.

Tobias is the Treasurer for The National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) and a member of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and is a licensed customs broker and a licensed insurance broker in 50 states.

Katie DeLuca, Partner, Harper Meyer:  Katie DeLuca is the chair of the aviation practice group and is a member of the maritime and yacht transaction practice groups. She concentrates her practice on aircraft and vessel transactions, with a primary focus on business and private aviation. She assists her clients with all aspects of their aviation transactions including, without limitation, the acquisition, sale, leasing and registration of new and used aircraft (including fractional share aircraft); related insurance, regulatory, federal and state tax planning issues (including potential  federal tax implications for non-U.S. taxpayers); and privacy considerations. She is routinely involved in complex planning and structuring of private/business ownership and operations of aircraft  to comply with applicable FAA and DOT requirements,  including but limited to compliance with FAR 91.501 and FAR 375.37,  while maximizing tax benefits. Her particular area of expertise is in connection with cross border aircraft transactions, where she regularly advises her clients regarding compliance with U.S export controls and economic sanctions, U.S. export clearance requirements, and customs import requirements. 

Katie is a member of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) where she serves on the Tax Committee and the National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) where she serves on the regulatory committee. She is also a member of the L2B aviation group, the International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA), and the International yacht Brokers association (IYBA). She has also served on aircraft industry working groups relating to, among other things,  aircraft exports and tariffs. Katie received her J.D. from the University of Florida and is a member of the Florida Bar.