NHC Director Bill Proenza re-assig,Ed Rappaport new director

[MWatkins]

1. It’s totally fair and…in fact…a good idea to post related information from news sites. The original post is not stirring things up…it is reporting a fact.

2. Rapport makes sense…his biggest objection to the job was the off-season travel. It will be good to have him in charge until the end of the year…but he won’t stay unless his views on travel have significantly shifted.

I was a little peeved to see the NHC forecasters climb on Proenza’s lack of hurricane experience. No one with hurricane forecasting experience wanted the job…atleast not within NOAA.

MW

[Berwick Bay]

Miami 177 said this
This is the worst day in the history of the NHC. All my faith in them has been lost. And I will continue to 100% support Bill Proenza. No way in this world should he be ousted by the cries of employees.

I don't think there is any doubt that this is in fact the worst day in the history of the NHC. And until I am given concrete reasons worthy of his dismissal, I too will support Bill Proenza. I won't go as far as to say that "all my faith" has been lost. I still believe that the NHC's primary job of forecasting can continue in an effective way, but the upper level end, the public relations business end of the agency, has shown some deep flaws in my opinion. Remember, the action against Proenza began with his questioning of money priorities within NOAA. We're talking big contracts here, decided by people high within the govt. They don't seem to want any input from the actual forecasting end of the Weather Service, when it comes to making these big-money contract decisions. It is a sad day.

[Aquawind]

Good he gets to keep working and you can bet there will be more changes in months to come. Evidently things got pretty cozy at the NHC and you can bet there will be more changes so this doesn't happen again. IMO the Director should not be pushing politics in the public arena he is given. This guy really ticked off most everyone around him and he is out..as it should be. Time to stop the circus and move on.. The forecasters will do just fine without him.

[Decomdoug]

Story now on Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/ ... -headlines

[CourierPR]

When the fish begins to rot, it stinks at the head. With so many staff members risking their jobs by publicly voicing their dissatisfaction with Proenza's leadership, one is strongly inclined to believe the validity of their concerns.

Barry

[cycloneye]

http://us.cnn.com/2007/US/07/09/hurrica ... index.html

CNN

[Coredesat]

When the fish begins to rot, it stinks at the head. With so many staff members risking their jobs by publicly voicing their dissatisfaction with Proenza's leadership, one is strongly inclined to believe the validity of their concerns.

Barry

I agree. You can't really fault the staff; if they have legitimate complaints about the director, then they should be able to voice them. This is just an aftereffect of that. I think Rappaport will do a good job, but I agree that he won't stay since he objected to the job earlier on.

[tgenius]

I find it somewhat disturbing that with the lull in the hurricane season so far the biggest point to date has been the internal politics within the NHC & NOAA.. that's just bizarre on so many levels. Without the whole story (and what I think the media has been given are half-truths) its difficult to say one way or the other.. but in the end... the subordinates banded together and overthrew their leader.. if thats not a mutiny, I don't know what is!

[robbielyn]

our news channel said that Proenza refused to resign from the nhc and therefore be reassigned.

[Berwick Bay]

Tgenius, it doesn't look good at all, does it? You called it mutiny. I'll bet that at least some bit of personal relationship must have been established between the director and the forecasters. I would prefer the term "betrayal".

[Aquawind]

I think the coworker's took advantage of the situation he created going public against his bosses and his coworker's wishes. Those combined and he was doomed..

[Aquawind]

I would prefer the term "betrayal".

Evedently that's how Mr Avila felt and he said.. betrayed..

[Coredesat]

I would prefer the term "betrayal".

Evedently that's how Mr Avila felt and he said.. betrayed..

Yes, Dr. Avila said he felt betrayed by Proenza despite initially supporting him.

[Frank2]

While I hate to see anyone forceibly removed from their job, I think Ed Rappaport is a good person to fill in, at least until a permanent replacement is found.

Ironically, Ed mentioned last year that he did not want the position...

Incidentially, let us remember that Mr. Proenza has been temporarily reassigned - not fired, so, the outcome is still uncertain...

[tolakram]

This had to happen.

It's a professional environment where the employees in this case are the real heart and soul of the operation and the director is there to keep things focused, organized, and to publicly represent the center.

It's obvious Proenza failed on all counts.

[RattleMan]

Something that made me chuckle from that CBS article:

""I can confirm that he still works for NOAA", Feltgen said of Proenza, but he declined comment on weather Proenza is still working at the Hurricane Center or what his role in NOAA will be."

[Berwick Bay]

I know that we're just going to have to agree to disagree, but I don't see how anybody can support the forecasters in this situation. I know that some of you who post here have had management experience. I think that you would have to look real hard at an application from someone who took any part in the actions of the forecasters. And that is regardless of anything Proenza might have done. You would have to lool really, really, hard to justify their actions.

[southerngale]

Something that made me chuckle from that CBS article:

""I can confirm that he still works for NOAA", Feltgen said of Proenza, but he declined comment on weather Proenza is still working at the Hurricane Center or what his role in NOAA will be."

We know where Feltgen's mind really is.

[Wthrman13]

Well, whether or not Proenza's concerns were legitimate (they probably were in many respects), it's obvious that there have been many unintended consequences that have resulted in nothing short of a media and PR circus surrounding an agency that (in my opinion) really doesn't deserve it. The NHC has always (again, in my opinion) been outstanding at fulfilling their mission. I don't see that changing any time soon due to something like this, but unfortunately I'm afraid their public image may have suffered quite a bit.

[Decomdoug]

Speaking as a business owner and a long-time manager, office politics can be brutal and totally unfair, but they are a way of life today. I hear all too often quotes from the “reality” TV shows thrown around as office buzz words. “He is the weakest Link”… “Off the island” … Reality TV has made light of ruining people’s lives and careers for personal gain and enjoyment. Not a good trend for any of us.

Sorry, I will step down from my soap box now.