SANTA TERESA, N.M. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Santa Teresa Port Director Ray Provencio was formally sworn into office this morning at a CBP change of command ceremony. Family, friends, colleagues and local dignitaries gathered as Mr. Provencio recited the oath of office during a ceremony at the War Eagles Museum at the Dona Ana County Airport.
“I am honored and humbled to be the Port Director of Santa Teresa. The Port of Santa Teresa has big plans which mirror the overarching goals of southern New Mexico and the surrounding area; positive growth and expansion,” said Ray Provencio, CBP Santa Teresa port director. “Additionally, I want to ensure we remain a contributor to our community and continue to expand our working relationship with stakeholders, while protecting the community, public and country from those that wish them harm.”
As the Santa Teresa Port Director, Mr. Provencio will direct operations and enforcement activities at the Santa Teresa port of entry as well as CBP operations at the Albuquerque international airport. He will oversee CBP employees at these locations including CBP officers, Agriculture Specialists, Canine Enforcement Officers, and other personnel working in other disciplines.
Mr. Provencio will work to ensure that the agency’s primary mission of preventing terrorists or weapons of terror from entering the United States is accomplished on a daily basis. Port Director Provencio is also responsible for all immigration issues related to the admission and exclusion of people applying for entry into the United States. She also is responsible for customs and agriculture inspections at the ports of entry to ensure that all goods and people entering the United States do so in accordance with our laws and regulations, while ensuring that they are facilitated in their processing to support the global market place and the international tourism industries.
Port Director Provencio began his career with the U.S. Customs Service in 1998. During his tenure with both the U.S. Customs Service and CBP, he has served in various high level positions and performed duties that require the ability to think strategically, provide pragmatic guidance, articulate the Agency’s vision, and manage national projects of significance to completion. He has served in the capacity of International Advisor and conducted security and threat assessments of foreign companies wishing to import goods into the U.S. via special programs that reward supply chain security. He has also served as a Course Developer and Instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Field Operations Academy in Glynco, GA, worked in Washington, D.C. for CBP Headquarters – with direct oversight of national policy, and was appointed by the Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations (OFO) as the only uniformed manager on the National Bargaining Team when negotiating a Collective Bargaining Agreement. While on the National Bargaining Team, he acted as the voice of the Assistant Commissioner, OFO; to include testifying before the Federal Service Impasses Panel, a presidential appointed panel that resolves labor disputes for the federal sector. He has held the rank of Supervisory CBP Officer, Chief CBP Officer, National Program Manager for labor related issues/national contract application, Watch Commander, and Chief of Staff. Additionally, and on a temporary basis, he has held the title of Chief of Staff to the Assistant Commissioner – OFO (Headquarters), Assistant Port Director, Area Port Director and Director (at the national level).
Ray Provencio is native to the Southwest Texas and Southern New Mexico region, attended the University of Texas at El Paso and is a 2010 graduate of the CBP Command Leadership Academy (CBPLA).
CBP in 2008 adopted formal change of command ceremonies as another way to unify the workforce and highlight the agency mission. Since its inception in March 2003, CBP has developed and implemented standards, policies and symbols to advance the internal and external recognition of the agency and to demonstrate the strides the agency has made as the guardians of the nation’s borders. The change of command ceremony is designed to meet those goals.