Walter Weaver was selected Nov. 29 as the new port director for the Port of Progreso.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations, Laredo Field Office officials announced the selection at a change of command ceremony held at the Donna North High School Auditorium, in Donna, Texas.
“I am grateful to Mr. Weaver for all the things he has done for the agency and the Port of Progreso,” David P. Higgerson, Laredo Field Office director of field operations, said. “As a longtime resident of the Rio Grande Valley, he is definitely a perfect fit for Progreso, and I am confident he will continue to build coalitions furthering the growth of local trade as he continues to serve the community.”
Carlos Rodriguez, the outgoing port director and currently the Southern Operations Command (SOC) director, said Weaver was driven and prepared to assume the leadership role bestowed upon him.
“I am exceptionally humbled I was selected as the port director for this extraordinary port,” Weaver said. “I am thankful for the opportunity to lead a close-knit, hard-working team in Progreso and I am excited to continue working with the community and local stakeholders of Donna, Progreso, Harlingen and Weslaco to further the economic growth in the Rio Grande Valley.”
Weaver began his career with the United States Border Patrol as a Border Patrol Agent in Sierra Blanca, Texas in 1988. Three years later he moved on to become an Inspector with the former U.S. Customs Service in Progreso.
During his tenure at the Port of Progreso, he was promoted to supervisor in the passenger and mission support environments and then to chief CBP officer assigned to trade operations and, most recently, to assistant port director overseeing passenger and mission support operations.
Authorities said the Port of Progreso annually processes 3.7 million travelers, more than 1.2 million passenger vehicles, more than 50,000 inbound commercial vehicles, and more than $300 million in international trade.