Bill Proenza, Director NWS Southern Region
Bill Proenza, Director
Bill Proenza is the Director of the National Weather Service (NWS) Southern Region, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The Southern Region encompasses approximately one quarter of the contiguous United States including Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The region is the most severe weather active area in the nation.
A meteorology graduate of Florida State University, Proenza began his career at the National Hurricane Center in Miami and as a flight meteorologist on "hurricane hunter" aircraft (1963-1967). During his lengthy career with the National Weather Service, he received numerous performance commendations and awards, including recognition from the NWS Employees' Organization as the NWS Manager of the Year for his collaborative leadership (1998) and as a recipient of the Kip Robinson Award (2007) for courageous leadership.
Proenza has held a diverse array of field and leadership positions throughout the United States. His experience in the southern, northern and eastern portions of the nation has afforded him a unique familiarity with many types of weather ranging from tropical to intense winter weather and severe local storms.
He also provided key leadership in the modernization of weather services as well as managing weather forecasting, severe weather warning and climate services. He was appointed Director of the NWS Southern Region in 1998 and held that position through 2006.
He served as Director of the National Hurricane Center from January through August of 2007. During that time, he received an award from the scientists at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory for his satellite and hurricane research advocacy for the nation's hurricane warning program. He resumed his position as Director of the NWS Southern Region in September of 2007.
Proenza is a long standing member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the National Weather Association, the International Association of Emergency Managers and the National Emergency Management Association. In 2001, the AMS recognized him with its prestigious Francis W. Reichelderfer Award for outstanding environmental services to the nation. Two years later, he was named a "Fellow of the AMS". In 2006, his peers elected him as a Counselor on the AMS leadership board.
Proenza is an internationally recognized meteorologist and has represented the U.S. Government across the Caribbean Basin. From 2006 through 2008, he led the United States Delegations to United Nations (UNESCO) annual meetings on tsunamis and the oceans. In 2007, Proenza served as chairman of the United Nation's World Meteorological Organization's Hurricane Committee, which supports 26 hurricane prone member nations in the Americas.
For more information, visit: www.srh.noaa.gov and click on Welcome from the Director.