TenaVel Thomas Becomes First Virgin Islander to Win Prestigious Arthur S. Fleming Award

TenaVel Thomas, who holds a high-level managerial position in the U.S Customs and Border Protections Agency’s Port of New York/Newark, is the first Virgin Islander to receive the Arthur S. Fleming Award nearly eight decades after its establishment.  Every year, twelve federal employees are selected for the prestigious award that celebrates outstanding work in fields including applied science and engineering, leadership and management, clinical trials, and translational research. Ms. Thomas was nominated by CBP, her agency, for her leadership and management prowess.  Less than a year ago, Ms. Thomas was appointed to lead the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency’s oversight of the Port of New York/Newark. That CBP station is noted as including the busiest seaport on the eastern seaboard, as well as the fourth busiest airport in the United States. Having joined CBP in 2008, she quickly rose through the ranks, securing her managerial position while simultaneously defying gender norm...