Parkwood & Cavanaugh Ltd.
Closer to the Client, Sharper at the Border

So he built Parkwood around both.

Three decades later, that decision still defines how the second generation brokerage operates. Parkwood provides the customs expertise and support expected from a larger broker, while clients can pick up the phone and reach someone who understands their business. The firm’s motto captures the idea. “We treat you like family, and we take it personally.” More importantly, that closeness helps Parkwood make better customs decisions.

“It’s all people connecting with people. No automated attendants answer our calls, and no AI handles crucial points of contact. You reach a real person every single time. That level of consistency is why some of our clients have been with Parkwood for over 20 years,” says Cody Asselstine, chief financial and operations officer.

Every year, Cody and his sister, Christa Asselstine, Chief Administrative and Trade Compliance Officer, visit clients (new and old) in person, tour their warehouses and review the goods they import. They sit down with customers, discuss their products and ask what Parkwood could improve. Those visits often catch classification errors that remote correspondence would miss.

Specifications and use can change a motor, electronic component or manufactured part’s classification and duty impact. Seeing goods firsthand helps Parkwood confirm what a product is, classify it correctly and spot opportunities clients might miss.

That approach helped a client importing steel rods from China, further manufacturing them in Canada and shipping finished goods to the U.S. The client had failed to obtain a ruling recognizing enough transformation to change the goods’ origin.

Parkwood studied the process end to end, documenting product changes, labor, new use, cost and tariff movement. Its appeal secured a favorable origin determination, potentially saving the client millions.

Experience Stays Close to the Shipment

Parkwood’s team brings over 100 years of combined industry experience. Cody grew up in the business, answering phones and filing paperwork from age 10 before spending school breaks clearing shipments. He later studied Security and Customs, as well as International Business, while continuing to work at Parkwood. Christa followed a similar path from the company’s earliest years.

Kenwin Richards adds senior consultant expertise and long standing industry perspective as one of Canada’s oldest active customs license holders, with experience dating back to the 1960s. Licensed raters and experienced staff remain directly involved in shipments. Team members have worked with Parkwood for around a decade, many arriving with years of customs experience already behind them.

The team has seen customs move from handwritten packages, physical stamps and trips to ports and warehouses to EDI submissions and digital workflows. That history helps Parkwood recognize where technology improves the process and where human judgment still matters.

“A one line customs entry that may take about 45 minutes with a big corporate broker from start to finish can move through Parkwood in roughly 20 to 30 minutes, by simplifying the process,” adds Cody.

Technology After the Foundation

Parkwood’s next phase is AI, not a replacement for its people. Automation works best once classifications and compliance are correct. A 100-line shipment moves faster through AI, verified by an experienced employee. This mirrors Parkwood’s response to shifts in trade policy. When tariffs or regulations change, the team reviews the effect and offers guidance. Importers cannot predict the next change. They know who to call.

Technology changes how the work gets done. Regulations change what importers prepare for. Knowing the client, the product and owning the outcome remains harder to replace.