U.S. Customs appoints Thomson trade relations director

U.S. Customs appoints Thomson trade relations director    Keith Thomson has been named director of the Office of Trade Relations in the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.
   Thomson comes to Customs from Sterling Group, where he was a principal and chief executive officer of Sterling Consulting LLC. He takes over from Eula Walden, who has served as acting director since February. Andrew Manor, chief of staff to Commissioner Robert Bonner, held both positions until Bonner named him to head the transition team coordinating the merger of Customs and other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security.
   Prior to his tenure at Sterling, Thomson was president of Fluor Hanford Corp., which provides nuclear and toxic waste clean up services to the Department of Energy.
   The Office of Trade Relations conducts outreach to the import/export community to explain and receive feedback on policy decisions and administrative procedures that affect the industry.