William Ferrara

About William Ferrara

As the President & Co-Founder of Harbour Island Consulting (HIC) and a former senior executive at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), I help bridge the gap between government and industry—transforming complex regulatory, operational, and enforcement challenges into strategic opportunities.Having a 33-year career at CBP, I led at the highest levels—serving as Executive Assistant Commissioner, overseeing personnel and a $7.2B budget. My teams were responsible for frontline operations across the nation’s ports of entry, integrating border security, trade facilitation, and national security priorities. I also led Operations Support as the Executive Assistant Commissioner, guiding CBP’s intelligence, international affairs, and scientific services missions. As Acting Attaché to the UK and Ireland, I advised DHS leadership on international policy, Brexit impacts, and transatlantic security partnerships.Now, I bring that institutional knowledge and global perspective to HIC—where we help clients succeed in the federal space by: Government Procurement Strategy – Competing for and winning CBP and federal contracts through smart positioning, strong proposals, and federal acquisition strategy Trade Compliance & Enforcement Response – Managing CBP penalties, mitigating risk, and navigating audits and regulatory challenges Industry-Government Integration – Helping companies align innovations with CBP priorities and connect with mission stakeholders Regulatory Navigation & Risk Advisory – Interpreting shifting CBP policies and enforcement trends to protect your business Leadership & Change Management – Coaching leaders, building teams, and improving operational effectiveness based on real-world agency experienceHIC supports a wide range of clients—technology firms, defense contractors, logistics providers, customs brokers, and legal teams—at the intersection of policy, security, and commerce. Our work directly supports efforts to strengthen supply chain security and ensure compliance across international trade operations.Let’s connect to explore how we can partner to achieve your goals in the federal and CBP environment.

Experience

1. Senior Executive Advisor

   Dignari

   Feb 2022 — Present

Education

• University of Rhode Island

  Economics

  1988

• Community College of Rhode Island

  Associate of Arts - AA, Business

  1987

• The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

  Executive Certification, Organizational Leadership

  2010