In April 2020, he was selected as Assistant Director Field Operations - Trade for the Laredo Field Office and ensures that all eight ports of entry process trade commercial transactions in a consistent and efficient manner. The Laredo Field Office processes the largest volume of commercial cargo along the U.S. – Mexico border.
Mr. Armando Taboada Jr. has over 37 years of federal government service and was introduced to the U.S Customs Service in 1986 as a U.S. Customs Explorer Volunteer with Explorer Post 1789 in Laredo, Texas. Mr. Taboada’s civil service career began with the U.S. Customs Service at the port of Laredo, Texas as a U.S. Customs Coop Inspector in January 1987 and ultimately as a U.S. Customs Inspector in August 1988.
In May 1992, he joined the Import Specialist section in Laredo, Texas. As an Import Specialist Team Leader assigned to the Import Special Enforcement Team, Mr. Taboada gained vital experience on trade compliance and enforcement programs and was promoted to Supervisory Import Specialist in May 2002 and assigned to the Import Specialist Enforcement Team alongside Homeland Security Investigations. He also served as Acting Assistant Port Director for Trade for the Port of Laredo, Texas in 2005.
In January 2006, he transitioned to the Laredo Field Office as an Operations Specialist assigned to Border Security Enforcement Programs and promoted to Supervisory Program Manager for Trade Programs in 2007. Overseeing all cargo operations within the Laredo Field, he is responsible for trade programs and policies that promote and protect Priority Trade Issues (Forced Labor, Antidumping & Countervailing Duties, Intellectual Property Rights, Import Safety, and Textiles and Trade Agreements) while ensuring that only safe and legitimate products enter the U.S. commerce.
In September 2016, Mr. Taboada was selected as the Director for the Machinery Center of Excellence and Expertise (CEE). As the CEE Director, he supervised a highly diverse staff of CBP professionals to include port managers, Supervisory Import Specialists, Supervisory Entry Specialists, Operation Specialists, and National Account Managers who are located across the nation in a virtual environment and are responsible for all post summary processes that involve major national accounts.
Mr. Taboada is a graduate of Laredo State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice in May 1988 and graduated Summa Cum Laude. While attending the Federal Law Enforcement Academy for U.S. Customs Service Inspector training in 1988, he received the Distinguished Graduate Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Award and graduated number one in his class. In 2013, 2016, and 2019, Mr. Taboada received the Commissioners Unit Citation Award for the development of the Essential Elements of Information for the Priority Intelligence Requirements, implementation of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Program, and Commissioner’s Annual Award.
