Zuniga named NCBFAA educational director

Zuniga named NCBFAA educational director    Federico ‘Kiko’ Zuniga, a past president and chairman of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America, will now join the organization’s full-time staff as its educational director.
   Zuniga played a key role in creating the NCBFAA Educational Institute, which offers certification courses, webinars and other types of educational outreach for members and non-members alike in an effort to increase professionalism in the broker industry.
   Zuniga, who will relocate to Washington, helped create the Area 8 region for the NCBFAA along the southern border where he worked at F.Zuniga Inc., the firm started by his father in Laredo, Texas. Fernando F. Zuniga died in January 2009.
   Federico remains a partner in the family business, but no longer works there, his brother, Fernando Zuniga III, said.
   Attempts to reach Federico for comment were unsuccessful.

Kiko

   After heading the Customs Committee and serving in other leadership roles, Zuniga became NCBFAA president in 2002 for four years. He served another four years as chairman.
   From 2008 to 2010 he was president of the International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations.
   Zuniga replaces Brian Barber, who was hired last summer as head of the Educational Institute when Cindy Allen left to become a top aide on trade matters for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Barber has returned to Willson International Inc. in Tonawanda, N.Y., to be general manager of regulatory compliance, NCBFAA spokesman Tom Mathers said.   
   Barbara Reilly is the NCBFAA’s executive vice president. ‘ Eric Kulisch