Leon Hayward New York Field Office

Leon Hayward is the Assistant Director, Trade and Cargo Security, in Customs & Border Protection’s (CBP) New York Field Office. He oversees all CBP activities related to the import and export of cargo through the New York/Newark Seaport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Newark-Liberty International Airport.

Mr. Hayward is also the Director of CBP’s Pharmaceutical, Health, and Chemical Center of Excellence and Expertise (CEE), one of the first two Centers the agency established to align CBP’s trade responsibilities with 21st Century business practices. The Center’s goals are to facilitate the flow of legitimate pharmaceutical trade, strengthen the agency’s enforcement efforts against the illicit import and export of pharmaceuticals, and rebuild agency knowledge of industry practices. Mr. Hayward has been involved in a number of high-level projects aimed at modernizing CBP’s trade operations. He first served as a member of the Trade Integrated Planning Coordination Cell, then led the agency’s Account Executive pilot program, before leading the Pharmaceutical CEE.

Prior to his arrival in New York in March 2006, Mr. Hayward spent 9 years at U.S. Customs, and then CBP, Headquarters, in Washington, DC. During that time, he held a variety of positions in the Offices of International Affairs and Field Operations. His last assignment at Headquarters was as the Director, Summary & Account Management, in the Office of Field Operations.

Mr. Hayward started his career as an Inspector with the U.S. Customs Service in 1991, in his native Montana, and subsequently served as an Import Generalist in the Port of Cincinnati, Ohio, before beginning his Headquarters service in 1997.  He lives in New Jersey with his wife Rosemarie, who is also a CBP employee.