The director of NOAA's National Weather Service has named long-time NOAA employee Jamison S. Hawkins as director of the Services Division in the NWS Office of Meteorology, to replace Richard Przywarty, who has moved on to become the weather service's Alaska regional director.

"Jamie's years with NOAA give him the experience and judgment to effectively fill this important position," said John J. Kelly, director of the National Weather Service. "Now that we have reached the pinnacle in our modernization of the weather service, improving operations and services will be of increasing importance. I am confident that Jamie will be a strong leader in the agency's drive to improve products and services in the new century."

Hawkins began his 21-year career with NOAA as a satellite meteorologist. Recently, he has been serving in NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, involved with meteorological, oceanographic and solar environment requirements analyses for future satellite systems. He was the co-developer of the real-time satellite image distribution service of the NOAA Coast Watch Program in 1989. He also received the 1993 NOAA Administrator's Award for leading the development of an innovative computer system to process satellite images for the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS), a high-tech interactive weather computer and communications system that allows NWS forecasters the ability to access and integrate information from other tools such as satellite imagery, Doppler radar data, automated weather observations and computer-generated numerical forecasts, to produce more timely and better forecasts.

"I feel as though I am returning to my first love - weather," said Hawkins, adding, "The Office of Meteorology brings together the people, the science, and the technology resources that will enable us to make the best weather service in the world even more responsive to our customers. I'm inspired by that goal."

The Office of Meteorology's Services Division manages the primary short-term weather forecast and warning products and services provided to the public and the media, and to the aviation, marine, and fire weather customer communities. The office oversees all the critical warning and forecast programs of the NWS regional offices, and works to advance and promote the short-term critical warning and forecast information needed to protect the safety of life and property and to enhance the national economy.

Hawkins and his wife, Nancy, live with their three children in Mount Vernon, Va. He spends his free time with his children, refereeing junior soccer and serving as announcer for local swim meets.