Is Hurricane Center Feud Really About Ink?

The Miami Herald ran an editorial today blasting the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association for its recent reprimand of the new head of the National Hurricane Center Bill Proenza. I like that the Herald is standing up for Proenza, who just so happens to be standing up for those of us living in hurricane alley. Click Here to read the Herald's take.

One area of contention is said to be marketing, which I read to mean that the NHC seems to get more ink than NOAA. The recent departure of Max Mayfield to a life of retirement bolstered by several lucrative consulting contracts makes me wonder if the big shots at NOAA might be a teeny bit jealous of their hurricane tracking cohorts who have regularly been rewarded with post-forecasting riches. Former NHC directors Neil Frank (the flat top guy who first embraced the media), Bob Sheets (the guy during Andrew) and now Mayfield have been able to turn a sometimes mundane government job into big bucks. I'd probably be jealous too.

As an aside, Julio and Jose met Proenza today at the Disaster Survival House media day where we are flacking for Personalized Power Systems (Proenza seen here with H.J. Frank of PPS).

--John

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