Cindy DeLeon
Founder & Managing Director
Former CBP Auditor & Assistant Field Director
cindy@deleontrade.com
+1 (281) 466-2026 (Office)
Houston, TX
Cindy is founder and Managing Director of Deleon Trade LLC. Cindy utilizes her audit experience to assist clients in strengthening internal control program to ensure U.S. Customs compliance and passing of focused assessments and customs audits. She works with clients to identify risks in import operations and develop compliance manuals and procedures. Cindy has prepared prior disclosure documentation and statistical samples using the same EZ-Quant software used by U.S. Customs, prepared transaction value reconciliations covering multiple types of value adjustments, prepared cost submissions and computed value reconciliations, and conducted comprehensive special trade program reviews in response to U.S. Customs inquiries. Her technical expertise of the U.S. Customs audit process has helped clients achieve favorable audit results.
Before forming Deleon Trade Cindy served as a Senior Auditor and Assistant Field Director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Regulatory Audit Division in Chicago for 12 years. While working at U.S. Customs she conducted and supervised multiple focused assessment audits, quick response audits, fraud investigations, free trade agreement reviews, drawback audits, NAFTA audits, and prior disclosure reviews of Fortune 500 and midsize companies. In addition, she designed and led the mentoring and recruiting programs for the Chicago field office and conducted advanced training sessions on technical audit issues and special trade program audits.
In addition, she has successfully completed multiple advanced Customs training courses including: Advanced Focused Assessments, Advanced Value, Quick Response Audits, Evaluating Internal Controls (a COSO/SOX based approach), Management Leadership, Advanced Fraud, and Advanced Statistical Sampling.
Education
- B.S., Accounting, DePaul University, 1994 with High Honors
Languages
- Spanish
Awards & Honors
- U.S. Customs Commissioner's Award
- National Audit Planning Award
- Automated Audit Documentation Award
- Various Audit-Specific Awards
Professional Memberships
- Houston Customhouse Brokers & Freight Forwarders (HCBFFA)
- National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association (NCBFAA)
- Foreign Trade Association (FTA)
- American Association of Exporters & Importers (AAEI)
Speaking Engagements
"Update on CBP UFLPA Enforcement and Advanced Compliance Strategies", Southern Border Conference, South Padre, September 2023
"Advanced Value - Come Test your Knowledge and Learn", Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, February 2023
"Prior Disclosures: Lessons, Case Studies, and Important Tips to Consider" with George Tuttle III, Tuttle Law Offices. Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, September 2021
"How to Prepare for a RASA, a Focused Assessment & Other CBP Audits from the Perspective of a Former CBP Auditor & Audit Supervisor", Los Angeles Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Association, April 2021
"USMCA - United States Mexico Canada Free Trade Agreement", Chicago Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association, August 2020
"What Brokers Need to Know About the USMCA", Los Angeles Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Association, August 2020
"How CBP Audits Value" with Kristin Simonson, Deleon Trade. Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, February 2020
"Trade Law Forum" with George Tuttle III, Tuttle Law, Adrienne Braumiller, Braumiller Law Group, Barbara Broussard, Sidley Austin, and Jay Acayan, Givens & Johnston. Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, February 2020
"New CBP Audit Types Including Forced Labor Audits" with Jay Acayan, Givens & Johnston and Kartapurkh Khalsa, National Oilwell Varco. Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, February 2020
"Trade Compliance Consulting", Women In Trade Podcast, August 2019
"First Sale for Export: Assess, Test, Monitor and Achieve" with Tony Saranchak, Deleon Trade. Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, February 2019
"Customs Audit Update: Lessons From The Audit Trenches" with Kristin Simonson, Deleon Trade, and John Metrich, Deleon Trade. Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, February, 2019
Session: "Intersection of Reasonable Care and Preventive Compliance in Customs Law", Georgetown Law International Trade Update, Washington, D.C., March 2018
"Preparing for CBP Audits & Audit Surveys", Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, September 2017
"Free Trade Agreements & HTS Chapter 98", Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, September 2017
"Regulatory Audit, Informed Compliance Letter and ISA Benefits" Panel, American Petroleum Institute International Trade and Customs Conference, Galveston, March 2017
Session: "Internal Controls", Import Compliance Boot Camp Series, Law Offices of George R. Tuttle, August 2016
Session: "Valuation", Import Compliance Boot Camp Series, Law Offices of George R. Tuttle, July 2016
"Developments in U.S. Customs Audits: Import Compliance Manuals, Components of Internal Controls, Risk Assessments & Post-Entry Audits", Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, February 2016
"What's in a Name? CBP's New 'Audit Survey Program'", Law Offices of George R. Tuttle, May 2015
"Post-Entry Audit Sytems", ICPA Conference, Nashville, September 2014
"NAFTA Rules of Origin & Certificates of Origin" with Scott Johnston, Givens & Johston PLLC. US-Mexico Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, February 2014
"US Customs Valuation & Reconciliation" with John Metrich, Deleon Trade LLC. US-Mexico Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, February 2014
"Dealing with US-Mexico Customs" with Jay Acayan, Givens & Johnston, PLLC, and Miriam Name, Cacheaux, Cavazos & Newton LLP. US-Mexico Customs Compliance Conference, Houston, February 2014
"ISA Panel" ICPA Conference, Dallas, September 2013
"NAFTA Verification" Laredo Brokers Association Seminar, April 2013
"What's New in the CBP Audit World?" Texas Brokers and Forwarders Conference, September 2012
"U.S. Customs Risk Assessment and Risk Management", Texas Brokers and Forwarders Conference, September 2011
"U.S. Customs Reconciliation", Houston Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association, February 2010
"U.S. Customs Audits", Texas Brokers and Forwarders Conference, September 2009
"U.S. Customs Focused Assessments", Journal of Commerce Live Webcast, September 2009
"U.S. Customs Focused Assessments", Houston Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association, July 2009
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