Basham to remain CBP chief through spring

 Ralph Basham has decided to postpone retirement for several months and stay on the job as commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the request of Gov. Janet Napolitano, who President-elect Obama has designated to be secretary of homeland security. 

 Napolitano, according to multiple agency and trade industry sources with knowledge of the situation, asked Basham to stay through the end of May to help with the transition to a new administration, the sources said.

   Basham, the former Secret Service chief, who has led CBP for nearly 30 months, said six weeks ago that he planned to leave the agency before the end of the Bush administration's term on Jan. 20 and hand over responsibility to deputy commissioner Jayson Ahern until a new commissioner is in place. The decision to continue as commissioner involved heavy family negotiations because Basham's wife, by his own account, has wanted to begin traveling and setting up their retirement home, especially after retiring from the Secret Service and then being tapped by President Bush to helm CBP.

   During his 30-year law enforcement career, Basham has also served as director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and chief of staff of the fledgling Transportation Security Administration.

   Basham told CBP headquarters staff about his intentions at a meeting last week, according to sources who did not want to be identified because any official announcement must come from the Obama administration, probably after Napolitano's confirmation. The change is consistent with the fact that Basham never notified his staff of a date certain for when he planned to leave the agency.

      The Obama transition team made a similar personnel move when it asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates to remain in his post for an undetermined period in the next administration. Both men were appointed by a Republican president but are considered non-ideological officials who have strong track records.

   An Obama transition office spokesperson did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Source: American Shipper