Tommy L. Berry
Tommy L. Berry is a recognized industry leader, with extensive experience in a wide variety of international trade, foreign-trade zone, and customs issues. Mr. Berry’s experience focuses on trade and customs compliance and risk management, foreign-trade zones, duty savings opportunities, industrial park master planning, global supply chain management and solutions, and inventory control systems integration.
Mr. Berry is the President, CEO, and Founder of PointTrade Services, Inc. ("PTSI"). PointTrade Services, Inc. is an international trade consulting firm consisting of two divisions - PointTrade Services Consulting and PTSI Managed Services.
Through the consulting group, Mr. Berry oversees the provision of innovative solutions for trade and customs matters with a special emphasis on FTZs, compliance, prior disclosures, global supply chain strategies, process implementation, systems integration and training/seminars.
Through PTSI Managed Services, one of the largest practices of its kind in the industry, Mr. Berry oversees provision of FTZ operator and administrator managed services for the day-to-day operations of FTZ projects with 23 million square feet of activated manufacturing and distribution space in seven states with an estimated $15.6 billion in total FTZ transactions.
For more than 26 years Mr. Berry has served in executive management positions including Assistant Port Director, FTZ Manager, Sr. Vice President with a major law and consulting firm, and Managing Director and National Practice Leader in one of the Big 4 accounting firms, and now as President, CEO and Founder of PointTrade Services, Inc. In each of these positions, Mr. Berry has successfully interfaced with C-Class executive management level decision makers to market and deliver numerous international trade projects.
Relevant Experience
Mr. Berry is involved in all facets of international trade matters, advising companies in such diverse areas as import operations, import/export compliance audits and risk management, foreign-trade zones, first sale for exports, C-TPAT, NAFTA and other trade related programs, AD/CVD offset claims, global supply chain matters, systems management, integration of import operations, and import sensitive products. He has over 30 years of international trade experience. He has participated in projects for both the public and private sectors. He has developed strategic business plans and strategic marketing plans for public entities, air and sea ports, and led regional, state and federal grass roots efforts to successfully reverse steel restrictions on behalf of clients.
Mr. Berry’s industrial park master planning experience includes preparation and analysis of future planned expansion of industrial activities, with direct involvement in the management of two industrial parks in addition to a foreign-trade zone. He was involved in the greenfield selection for the largest industrial park in Bay County, Florida and has also worked on industrial parks in numerous successful FTZ projects in various locations around the country. Mr. Berry’s economic development efforts helped attract more than $110 million in capital investment.
Mr. Berry is also well known for his experience and expertise with foreign-trade zones. His experience with foreign-trade zones extends to more than 250 different sites.
He is an industry expert, experienced with foreign-trade zone operations, grantee and operator organizational structures, all types of zone applications, Alternative Site Framework (ASF) applications and services, feasibility analyses, marketing, public hearings, public support, congressional support, activation, warehouse management systems, inventory control methods and recordkeeping, automated inventory control systems and solutions, tariffs, procedure manuals, training and seminars, compliance audits, risk management and compliance solutions, strategic planning, annual reports, and reconciliation issues. Mr. Berry has been successful in assisting zone operators and users enhance compliance of their zone projects and implementing operational efficiencies. His innovative solutions have benefited zone users as well as Customs processes.
Mr. Berry’s experience includes representation of such diverse industries as automobiles and auto parts, aircraft and marine engines, steel, silicone, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, oil, textiles, apparel and footwear, watches and jewelry, large retail distribution, consumer products, computer chips, outdoor power products, agricultural equipment, electronic/industrial machinery and components, air/seaports, and general warehousing and distribution.
For more than a decade, Mr. Berry served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (“NAFTZ”), including a two-year term as the Association’s President. His work in the NAFTZ involved extensive consultations with foreign-trade zones throughout the nation, as well as representation of the industry during one of the most substantial revisions to the Foreign-Trade Zone regulations in 50 years. The NAFTZ recognized his contribution by awarding him an Honorary Life Membership in October 1995.
Over the years, Mr. Berry has been a leader in providing information management system services. As an extension of his experience, Mr. Berry was instrumental in the development and design of the first commercially available FTZ inventory control software program. He has assisted in over 110 software installations for FTZ users, working closely with the major software providers in the FTZ industry. Mr. Berry’s experience also includes project management in the modification of existing systems and integration of FTZ software. His direct experience affords sound advice as to the strengths and weaknesses of software systems and the providers and allows him to bring best practices and procedures for FTZ systems to clients.
His experience in the maritime industry relates to logistics and rate analyses, terminal tariffs, handling methods, port development and other related issues.
Additional Background Information
Mr. Berry previously served as Chairman of the Florida International Trade and Investment Council, having been appointed by Lawton Chiles, former Governor of Florida for his expertise in international trade and foreign-trade zones.
Mr. Berry began his international trade career in the maritime industry in positions as Operations and Traffic Manager, Steamship Agent, Stevedoring and Freight Forwarder, Assistant Port Director and Foreign-Trade Zone Manager.
He has also served as Sr. Vice President of a major law and consulting firm and Managing Director/National Practice Leader in the national trade and customs practice of one of the Big 4 accounting firms.
