BANGOR – A chief customs official in Seattle has been tapped to be the port director at Bangor International Airport.

John Nadeau, chief Customs and Border Protection officer in the Seattle offices of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, was named as BIA port director recently.

The appointment was good news for Airport Director Rebecca Hupp, who said Monday that the airport had been without a full-time director for three years. She said that during that time the customs and immigration organizations have undergone changes and the airport faces increased international traffic.

“It will be nice to have a permanent person in place to coordinate with on international flights,” Hupp said.

The importance of a permanent port director was not lost on U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, who is chairwoman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and who had pressed for an appointment.

Of Nadeau, Collins said in a prepared statement, “His work at Customs and Border Protection has given him a full understanding of the importance of homeland security responsibilities at the airport. As port director, he will also play a critical role in the successful execution of the airport’s daily operation.”

Hupp credited staff with working hard in the interim. “They really stepped up to the plate and did a good job,” she said.