NOAA TO HOLD FIRST TAMPA BAY DAY TO BRING TOGETHER LOCAL OFFICES

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will bring together employees from its various offices in the Tampa Bay region on May 30 to help them learn about the work of their fellow NOAA employees. This first “Tampa Bay Day” is a result of an internal review conducted by NOAA in 2002, which recommended a process for better linkage, coordination and mutual understanding of the diverse NOAA elements in local geographic regions.

Retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, has called for the development of pilot coordination programs in Tampa Bay, San Francisco Bay, Seattle-Tacoma and Ann Arbor-Detroit. NOAA’s Tampa Bay Day is geared toward meeting the vision of regional coordination of the NOAA Tampa Bay offices.

NOAA Tampa Bay Day is a gathering of all regional NOAA employees at MacDill Air Force Base (home of the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center) for a day of orientation talks, tours of the NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft, and opportunities for NOAA employees and leaders to meet in an informal social setting. Starting with a brief discussion of the NOAA Tampa Bay regional concept, speakers will present overviews of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fishieries), NOAA National Weather Service and Aircraft Operations Center missions. They will cite areas where regional collaboration will improve personnel and fiscal effectiveness while enhancing general NOAA visibility in the Tampa Bay area. Once NOAA Tampa Bay regional activities are fully implemented, the mutual benefits for NOAA and Tampa Bay will be: providing a unified NOAA face to the public; improving responsiveness to constituent inquiries and concerns; creating routine opportunities to eliminate duplication of efforts across the local offices; strengthening regional projects through cross-line collaboration; and facilitating greater public access to NOAA’s services in Tampa Bay.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Media who wish to better acquaint themselves with the various components of NOAA are invited to attend. Please contact Lori Bast at (813) 828-3310, Ext. 3072, for details.

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