Spero to lead CBP on temporary basis
The Department of Homeland Security has named Deputy Commissioner Deborah J. Spero as acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection until a permanent replacement for Robert Bonner is named, CBP spokeswoman Suzanne Trevino confirmed.
Bonner announced his resignation in late September and his last day as head of the agency is Wednesday. Spero will take over at 12:01 a.m. Friday, following the Thanksgiving holiday.
Spero has served as the number two official at CBP since April 2004. Prior to that she led the transition team coordinating the merger of the former Customs Service, Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the Animal and Plant Inspection Service into a single agency within the DHS, while also serving as assistant commissioner for strategic trade. As head of strategic trade since October 2000, Spero was responsible for enforcing trade rules and the development of the Focused Assessment and Importer Self-Assessment audit processes.
Spero also served five years as assistant commissioner for human resources.