Bill Proenza

[1] The Former NHC Director returned to the National Weather Service's Southern Region Headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas in late September 2007.

[1] He was fired four days after being interviewed for an article in The Washington Post about the cuts, which he claimed could limit radar use during critical weather events.

Jeff Masters, former NOAA meteorologist and operator of Weather Underground, said Proenza relied on an imperfect, unpublished study.

[8] The criticism snowballed, and in early July, he faced an open revolt as half of the center's employees signed a letter calling for Proenza's departure.

The letter concluded the center in Miami-Dade County needs to return its focus to storm prediction and "leave the political arena it now finds itself in.

At a joint congressional subcommittee hearing on July 19, Lautenbacher testified that he had not yet determined what final actions would be taken regarding Proenza and the National Hurricane Center.

In 2001, the American Meteorological Society recognized him with its prestigious Francis W. Reichelderfer Award for outstanding environmental services to the nation.