Proenza out as NHC Chief.

[cobalt1999]

This story is starting to make a little more sense.

NOAA ousts Proenza as hurricane center chief
By MARTIN MERZER

National Hurricane Center Director Bill Proenza was placed on indefinite leave Monday by superiors who said his brief, turbulent reign threatened the hurricane center's ability to ``protect the American people.''

The action came amid an unprecedented and unseemly mutiny that left Proenza without significant support from his employees in South Florida or his bosses in Washington. His tenure at the center lasted only six months and was cut so short that it didn't include a single hurricane.

In an email to the center's staff, NOAA Administrator Conrad C. Lautenbacher Jr. named Ed Rappaport, the center's highly regarded deputy director since 2000, as acting director.

<snip>

The selection of Rappaport, a veteran forecaster before he became deputy director, is likely to prove popular with the shaken staff. Still, Rappaport, 49, faces several simultaneous challenges:
-He must find a way to bridge deep divisions and repair fractured morale at the center.
-He must restore public faith in the hurricane center and its forecasts.
-And, most importantly, he must focus the staff's attention on the tropics during a hurricane season that has been charitably mild so far but is expected to heat up soon.

<snip>


They worried that Proenza's statements were undermining public faith in their forecasts, which generally are remarkably accurate. Without that faith, they said, forecasts might be disregarded by the public, leading to needless loss of life or property.

They seethed quietly for months, finally erupting last week after NOAA -- at the request of several of Proenza's employees -- dispatched the team of five inspectors, including an attorney who specializes in personnel matters.

In addition, some staffers claimed that Proenza was tightly wound, difficult to work with and, at times, verbally abusive to some employees.

www.miamiherald.com/574/story/165551.html

[Edweird]

1. Ed Rappaport is ok by me. I've actually heard of him, not like Proenza

[cobalt1999]

3. I agree.

At first I thought the issue was between the Bush Administration and Proenza. Then the whole staff revolt happened and that let me scratching my head especially when you read quotes like this:

Senior forecaster Rick Knabb told Proenza by e-mail that Proenza had publicly misrepresented remarks made by Knabb during a private conversation this week, and ``I will no longer meet or talk with you in private.''

Out after only 6 months means you've got to be a pretty bad boss or have shitty people skills.

Rappaport seems to have the respect of the staff though.

[rurallib]

2. Will he get a medal of freedom?