If you would like to receive occasional emails (“Flashes”) with speeches, policy statements and press releases relating to the transatlantic relationship in areas of interest to you, please sign up by going to the following link on the U.S. Mission to the EU’s website: http://useu.usmission.gov/form/signup.asp (example: Flash: Sec. Rice Visiting Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria; Cheney’s European Travel; Iran)


 

BIOGRAPHY
Wright
P.T. Wright, Acting Deputy Director, US VISIT Program
P.T. Wright is acting deputy director of the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program, the most innovative and integrated biometrics-based immigration and border management program in the world. Operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), US VISIT is part of a continuum of biometrics-based security measures that begins overseas and across our land borders and continues through arrival in and departure from the United States.

In his previous position as director of mission operations, Mr. Wright provided important executive leadership in accomplishing operational mission objectives for US-VISIT, which led to the successful deployment at all U.S. air, sea and land ports of entry. He serves as the U.S. team leader on the U.S.-Mexico Bi-National Technical Working Group for US-VISIT and the U.S.-Canadian Bi-National Technical Working Group for US-VISIT Implementation.

He has held key positions in customs and border protection management in Washington, D.C.; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; El Paso, Texas; and Nogales, Arizona. Mr. Wright has a long history of outstanding leadership. He has served DHS and the Department of the Treasury with distinction, and has held a number of key positions since beginning his career with the former U.S. Customs Service on August 30, 1973.

Mr. Wright has been recognized with the prestigious Presidential Rank Award for his extraordinary contributions to our nation's welfare and security over the course of a U.S. border management career spanning more than thirty-three years. This award is the highest honor in the civil service and is given to a small number of Federal senior executives who have made significant accomplishments throughout their careers to improve service to U.S. citizens with innovative, community solutions and hard work. Other notable awards that he has received include the National Narcotics Officers Association Customs Award and the European Commission-Sanctions Ambassador’s Peace Recognition Award.

He has participated in a wide range of senior federal management development programs, including the Federal Executive Institute as well as being a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Business – Customs Leadership Institute.

Mr. Wright was born in Floresville, Texas, and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Texas State University. He and his wife, Bambi, currently reside in Alexandria, VA. They have one adult daughter, Carrie, who is married and lives with her family in Fort Worth, TX. In January of 2007, Carrie gave birth to Preston Thomas Brown, which extends the family to six generations of Texans!