2009 NWA ANNUAL AWARDS

The National Weather Association 2009 Annual Awards were presented by President Mike Vescio at the October 21st Annual Awards Banquet. The banquet was held during the NWA's 34th Annual Meeting at the Sheraton Waterside Hotel & Suites in Norfolk, Virginia. Award Committee members for 2009 were:  Chairperson Daniel McCarthy, Fred Glass, Teresa Heisler, Bradford Herold, Alan Johnson, James Noel, Mike Roberts, Jennifer Rukavina, Douglas Schneider, and Keith Stellman.

Operational Achievement Individual Award is presented to a NWA member who has made a significant contribution to operational meteorology for an accurate/timely forecast for one or more significant weather events or for sustained superior performance.

Karl Silverman
National Weather Service
Spaceflight Meteorology Group
Houston, Texas


Distinction:For outstanding meteorological support to NASA and leadership within the Spaceflight Meteorology Group for the landing of the Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-116, in December 2007



NWA President Mike Vescio and Karl Silverman
Operational Achievement Group Award is presented to a group of two or more individuals for a significant contribution to operational meteorology.

Daniel Koch, Tabitha A. Clarke and John Lewis III
National Weather Service
Weather Forecast Office
Little Rock, Arkansas

Distinction: For fostering partnerships with Emergency Managers during the Super Tuesday Tornado Event by creating geospatial data sets depicting 3D representation of the 123 mile path across Arkansas for rescue and recovery operations

President Mike Vescio presenting the award to Tabitha Clarke
The Walter J. Bennett Public Service Award is presented to an individual or organization directly assisting the meteorological community in providing weather-related information to the public. Walter J. Bennett served the public in extraordinary ways for over 50 years; he was also the Meteorologist-in-Charge of the US Weather Bureau Office in Jacksonville, Florida in the 1940s and 50s.

Sparkle Anderson, Centerpoint Energy, Inc.
and
Jackie Miller, City of Houston
Houston, Texas

Distinction: For being key players from their respective organizations in putting together the 2009 Houston/Galveston Hurricane Workshop, providing key information to the citizens of Southeast Texas in preparation for the 2009 Hurricane Season



President Mike Vescio with Sparkle Anderson
Aviation Meteorology Award is presented to an individual or group to recognize significant contributions to aviation meteorology, such as impact of operational forecasts on aviation operations, and advances in aviation meteorology including research in detection and forecasting of aviation hazards.

Sally Pavlow Johnson
National Weather Service
Weather Forecast Office
Topeka, Kansas

Distinction:For the development of the Meteorologist Intern Terminal Aviation Forecast Writing Program designed to help Meteorologist Interns to become fluent in writing TAFs promoting positive forecast habits and improved aviation forecast skills



Sally Pavlow Johnson
Public Education Award is presented to an individual or organization providing significant contributions to increase the public's weather awareness.

The COMET Program
Boulder, Colorado

Distinction: For innovative and outstanding efforts over the past two decades to train and educate NWS Meteorologists, Broadcast Meteorologists, Emergency Managers and professionals in Academia, and in enhancing weather literacy and awareness of the general public

Elizabeth Page, Tim Spangler, NWA President Mike Vescio, and Wendy Abshire
NWA Broadcaster of the Year Award is presented to a NWA member Radio or Television weathercaster, or other member of the media, whose activities have significantly contributed to the development and presentation of weather information to the public service.

Bryan Karrick
KCCI-TV
Des Moines, Iowa



Distinction: For long term efforts in organizing extraordinary professional development activities and providing exemplary television weather broadcasts, demonstrating teamwork and collaboration with colleagues in the public, educational and private sectors of the NWA community

Dave Freeman (last year's recipient) presenting the  Broadcaster of the Year Award to Bryan Karrick with President Mike Vescio
Local Chapter of the Year Award recognizes an active NWA chapter significantly increasing the awareness of weather and the NWA in the chapter area.

Lyndon State College Student Chapter
Lyndonville, Vermont

Distinction:For outstanding initiatives, such as successful execution of a nationally recognized conference, development of exemplary mentorship and community outreach and significantly raising awareness of the impacts to weather and the NWA

Rachel Ducharme (left) and Tony McGee (right) of Lyndon State College accept the Local Chapter Award from President Mike Vescio
The Larry R. Johnson Special Award recognizes unique events or extraordinary accomplishments by an individual or group contributing to operational meteorology.

John Brent Wachter
National Weather Service
Weather Forecast Office
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Distinction: For exemplary service as an Incident Meteorologist on wildfires in New Mexico, the United States and Australia; and for leadership to advance national and international fire weather training and program development

Meteorologist-In-Charge Shawn Bennett presenting Brent Wachter with NWA Award
T. Theodore Fujita Research Achievement Award is presented to a NWA member whose research has made a significant contribution to operational meteorology.

Richard Grumm
National Weather Service
Weather Forecast Office
State College, Pennsylvania

Distinction: For long term accomplishments in the development on innovative analysis, display techniques, and forecast applications of information from ensemble prediction for operational weather forecasting

President Mike Vescio with Rich Grumm
NWA Member of the Year Award is presented to a NWA member who has made significant contributions to the organization over a period of time.

Dr. John R. Scala
Consultant & WGAL-TV Meteorologist
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Distinction: For vision, leadership, and enthusiasm while leading the 2009 strategic planning effort with the NWA leadership which developed a strategic roadmap for the NWA which will result in dynamically improved membership services for many years to come



President Mike Vescio with John Scala
J. Kevin Lavin Leadership Award recognizes those who exemplify the highest qualities of effective and honorable leadership which significantly strengthened an organization.

Dr. Joseph Schaefer
National Weather Service
Director, Storm Prediction Center
Norman, Oklahoma

Distinction: For providing leadership and guidance as Director of the NWS Storm Prediction Center as it expanded its forecast products out to eight days and introducing and expanding Fire Weather Outlooks out to six days. Also for serving the National Weather Association as President, Councilor, member of the Strategic Planning Committee, and presenting the latest research in severe weather forecasting and climatology

President Mike Vescio with Dr. Joseph Schaefer and Kevin Lavin
Special Award In Grateful Appreciation for Outstanding Service to the National Weather Association.

Cynthia A. Nelson
NWA Assistant Executive Director
Lakeville, New York

Distinction: For outstanding service from 2004 -2009 while serving as the first Assistant Executive Director of the National Weather Association. Most noteworthy accomplishment among many was the management of the Broadcaster Seal Program which resulted in raising it's stature to a very high level

Cynthia Nelson with NWA Executive Director Steve Harned


Also announced at the Annual Awards luncheon were:

- the Sol Hirsch NWA Education Fund Grants of $500 to ten teachers,
- the Annual Meteorological Satellite Applications Award Grant of $500 to Corey Walton of the University of Miami, and
- the Best Student Presentation Awards