Director, Southern Region
National Weather Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 

Bill Proenza is the Director of the National Weather Service’s Southern Region,

headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The NWS Southern Region encompasses approximately one-fourth 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 Southern Region provides around the clock weather warnings and forecasts for the protection of life and property and in support of the nation’s economic well-being. It is home to over 72 million residents and welcomes more than 150 million visitors annually. The Southern Region has the most active and severe weather in the world. Weather services for this area are provided in cooperation with the state and local emergency management community, law enforcement officials, the academic community and the media. National Weather Service products also support the aviation community, spaceflight activities, the marine industry, national security, fire weather, air quality and the private meteorological community. Proenza currently directs operations in this entire region, employing nearly 1,000 professionals located at 50 offices across the southern United States.

A meteorology graduate of Florida State University, Proenza has served over 30 years in the National Weather Service and has received numerous performance commendations and awards. He has held a diverse array of field and leadership positions and his meteorological experience ranges from forecasting and warning for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes to providing climate services. He has a unique familiarity with many types of weather from tropical, experienced during his “hurricane hunter” days, to intense winter weather, when he served in the Midwest United States. As a result of his experience and meteorological training, he is versed in climatology and its importance to the nation.

Proenza is an internationally recognized meteorologist. Fluent in Spanish, he has represented the U.S. Government in Columbia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador. He has made presentations on climate prediction, renewable wind and water resources, aviation weather services and weather services infrastructures. His weather knowledge spans more than three decades and his experience includes service with the following:

Proenza has been a longtime member of the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society. He has held appointments in both professional agencies and has been nationally recognized by these professional societies. In 2001, the American Meteorological Society recognized him with its prestigious Francis W. Reichelderfer Award for outstanding environmental services to the nation.

 The NWS Employees’ Organization also recognized Proenza nationally as the NWS Manager of 1998 for his collaborative leadership with their union.