Host: Lalo Solorzano, Andy Shiles

Trade compliance has changed dramatically, and this episode digs into why importers, exporters, executives, and compliance professionals can no longer treat it as a back-office task. Lalo Solorzano and Andy Shiles welcome Ashley Arnold, licensed customs broker, CCS, and founder of JEM Consulting, for a timely conversation on the evolving role of trade professionals in today’s regulatory environment.

Ashley explains how trade compliance now touches sourcing, finance, IT, logistics, purchasing, customer service, and executive strategy. With shifting tariffs, increased Customs scrutiny, ACE reporting, USMCA claims, duty mitigation opportunities, automation, and documentation challenges all demanding attention, the old “we’ve always done it this way” mindset is no longer enough.

The discussion highlights why companies need stronger internal collaboration, better systems, proactive monitoring, and more visibility into what Customs sees in real time. For executives, this episode is a reminder that compliance teams need resources, support, and a seat at the table. For trade professionals, it is a call to stay informed, ask questions, build relationships across departments, and keep pushing for smarter processes.

This episode focuses on the expanding role of trade compliance professionals and why companies must rethink how they support compliance, logistics, and supply chain teams.

Ashley Arnold explains that compliance work is no longer limited to classification, entry review, or post-entry audits. Today’s trade professionals are monitoring court cases, tariff updates, government notices, ACE reports, Customs requests, free trade agreement documentation, software workflows, and automation opportunities.

The conversation also emphasizes that compliance must be involved earlier in the business process. Purchasing, sourcing, finance, IT, logistics, and leadership all need to work together to prevent problems before shipments are delayed, costs increase, or Customs issues arise.

• Trade compliance now belongs in strategic planning, not just operations.

• Importers should have ACE access, run reports, and monitor Customs activity directly.

• USMCA, duty drawback, exclusions, tariff engineering, and free trade agreement claims require strong documentation and audit readiness.

• Automation and software can reduce manual work, but qualified trade professionals still need to review and validate decisions.

• Compliance teams must build relationships with IT, accounting, sourcing, logistics, purchasing, and customer service.

• Executives should ask whether their compliance teams have the tools, people, and cooperation they need.

• The phrase “we’ve always done it this way” is a warning sign in today’s trade environment.

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