December 2014
They trade under the name DVF (it’s a lot easier to fit on a sign), but make no mistake about it, Diane von Fürstenburg is a client Overton is proud to handle and we’re proud to congratulate on their forty years in business.
Launched in 1974, one of Diane’s initial creations, the knitted jersey wrap dress, is in the collection of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Diane von Fürstenburg wrap dress, image courtesy Costume Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Fast forward to today, and DVF is a global brand headquartered proudly here in New York with availability in more than seventy countries and at more than forty-five DVF stores. Her brand now encompasses clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories.
Overton is proud to be DVF’s Customs broker. We took out this ad in Women’s Wear Daily, a key industry trade publication, to congratulate them on the occasion. Whether for the trade to read in a daily or memorialized here on our site, congratulations to Diane and her team who have built this business over the past forty years. We wish you that many and more as you continue your great work.
Last week, there was a court ruling that was issued in a case that has far-reaching implications for individuals who serve on corporate boards or as corporate compliance officers in their companies.
The case, US vs. Trek Leather, investigated the issue of whether or not a member of Trek’s board (the President) could be held jointly liable with the company for a penalty.
Issued on September 16th, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed an earlier ruling, determining that the individual did cause the importation of undervalued merchandise and can be held liable for gross negligence.
You can read the decision here, but the early takeaway is that where individuals previously could have been shielded from a penalty and prosecution by Customs, that could be off the table if the individual was discovered to have played a material role in causing the violation.
It is an honor to serve as the Board member representing the JFK Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association before our industry’s trade association, the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America, or NCBFAA. As one of eighteen elected individuals from around the United States who serves with the four-person executive committee, we tackle the issues which face our industry ranging from technology to management to interacting with government agencies whose activities and practices are so varied across every port in the United States that there are never a shortage of issues to be addressed.
The board meets quarterly (January, April, June and September) and the September meeting is always immediately before their Government Affairs Conference.
Held annually in Washington, DC, this is the time when industry professionals from around the country descend on our nation’s Capitol to hear about, and hear from, the agencies who regulate us and the Congress who writes the laws that govern us and them. On Tuesday, we then disperse across Capitol Hill, visiting offices of Senators and Congressman to discuss and seek their support on the issues which are impacting our industry.
The time spent in Washington is valuable for two reasons. First, it allows me to connect with my peers from around the country to hear what is happening in their individual ports and help me understand locally what is impacting our customers. Second, it allows me to network on behalf of the JFK Association, as well as Overton, to stress the importance of free and open trade, border security and fairness from the many government agencies with whom we work.
Welcome everyone to the new overtonfreight.com website.
While Overton is proud to hold the first Customs broker license award by the Customs service back in the 1800’s, it doesn’t mean that we felt like we should keep a website that felt like it dated from that time much longer.
This new site will serve three primary purposes.
- We will use it to communicate news about happenings at Overton and issues which face the trade and impact you, our customers. As much as what we do transactionally is important, so is being your first source for information that can change the way you do business.
- We are proud to display it to importers, exporters and agents who are thinking of working with Overton in the future. We are a company with a tremendous history, loyal people and experience that is unmatched in our special areas of practice. This has to be conveyed and a confidence given to people that Overton & Co. is the best fit for them.
- The site will serve as a gateway to our clients who use our track and trace system to follow their cargo through Customs and as it moves around the world.
We welcome your feedback for things that you would like to see. We’ve made our most commonly-used forms available for download here. Finally, and most importantly, the Terms and Conditions under which we trade are here as well.
I look forward to hearing from you all now and into the future, and thank you once again for your business. It is a pleasure to serve each and every one of you.
