Lesley Couch

Principal

As the company’s principal, Lesley Couch, Foreign-Trade Zone Consultant embraces a professional, client-centric approach. As a seasoned FTZ consultant with more than twenty years of experience in the industry, she now assists foreign-trade zones of all sizes across the country. Lesley Couch has a developed a broad knowledge base that provides her with a distinctly unique skill set unparalleled in the field of FTZ consulting.

As an FTZ consultant, Lesley has partnered with a wide range of distribution and manufacturing clients as well as several grantees across the country. Lesley’s experience is unique in that she has previous experience on both the operator side and the FTZ software side of the industry.

 

A Trusted FTZ Consultant with a Diverse Background

After developing an expertise across multiple dimensions of foreign-trade zone compliance, Lesley is now able to serve as a trusted advisor, mentor, and partner to those entering the FTZ community. She recognizes that for many compliance professionals, FTZ is still an unknown aspect of foreign trade compliance, and she has guided her clients through successful implementations with the patience and understanding of someone who was once in their same situation.

22 Years Unparalleled Experience 

  • Operational Experience
  • Software Implementation Experience
  • Consulting Experience
Before assisting clients as an FTZ Consultant, Lesley served as the Product Manager and Implementation Manager for the FTZ module with the industry’s leading software provider. In that role, Lesley oversaw the implementation of FTZ software for manufacturing and distribution companies of all sizes across multiple industries that utilize the FTZ program, including apparel/footwear, pharmaceutical, electronics, consumer goods, and automotive.

Prior to that, she first established her career in foreign-trade zone compliance with ten years of “hands-on” experience as an FTZ Manager running two different zones for large electronics manufacturers in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee. As an FTZ Manager, she was responsible for the international logistics for all imported freight and all areas of customs compliance. Some of these areas included: FTZ administration, classification, NAFTA qualification, marking and valuation.

Involved in the FTZ Community. Inspired by Great FTZ Experiences.

To stay fresh and aware of changes and best practices in foreign trade, Lesley plays a key role in a number of well-respected associations and alliances across the industry. Lesley is a member of the International Compliance Professionals Association (ICPA) and a member of the Organization for Women in International Trade (OWIT). Lesley became a Licensed Customs Broker in 1998.

Inspired at a young age by how products get from point A to point B in the world, Lesley majored in Logistics & Transportation at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville. There her professors instilled the importance of the one thing that sets the best service providers apart from their competitors – delivering an exceptional experience to every customer every day. Taking this to heart, she merged her passion for offering clients great experiences with the knowledge gained from her formal education and real world experience.