1998 | 1999

1998

Gold Medal • Ants Leetma, Gerald D. Bell, Ming Ji, Vernon E. Kousky, Arun Kumar, Robert E. Livezey, Edward A. O’Lenic, Richard J. Tinker, NWS: For issuing the first highly skilled, physically based climate forecasts for U.S. temperatures and rainfall based on El Nino for Winter 1997-98. • James S. Doherty, Phillip N. Weigant, NWS: For design, development, and deployment of the Emergency Managers Weather Information Network. • Walter Telesetsky, Douglas F. Hess, David B. Caldwell, Andris Karlsons, Gary Rice, Peter C. Lyden, NWS: For leadership excellence resulting in the successful deployment of 164 NEXRAD Doppler Weather Surveillance systems. • NWS Office, Melbourne, Florida: For providing early and precise severe weather warnings that saved many lives during the most devastating tornado outbreak in the history of Florida. • Thomas Karl, Sydney Levitus, Jonathan Overpeck, NESDIS: For professional excellence and world class scientific contributions which have advanced the understanding of the climate system and variability. • Thomas Wrublewski, Gustave J. Comeyne, Ronald J. Hooker, Gregory P. Johnson, Kathleen A. Kelly, Steven P. Pirkner, Cyril A. Settles, Howard J. Singer, Michael A. Suranno, Timothy J. Walsh, NESDIS: For management excellence resulting in the uncontested award of a potentially $900 million contract for the new GOES-N/O/P/Q spacecraft in only 156 days. • Nickalaus Thomas Pinkine, Andrew Dress, Michael Weinreb, Diane V. Robinson, Cheryl a. King, Richard G. Reynolds, NESDIS: For engineering performance in the recovery of the GOES-10 spacecraft in full capacity following its solar array failure. • Gregory K. Silber, Lindy S. Johnson, NMFS: For conservation of the Northern Right Whale through the development of a mandatory commercial vessel reporting and monitoring system in U.S. waters. • Dali G. Borden, Albert M. Samuels, Andrew R. Cohen, Richard A. Severtson, NMFS: For investigative excellence in the protection of the American public and stewardship of our Nation’s living marine resources.

Silver Medal • Kevin J. Schrab, NWS: For sustained record of accomplishments in improving forecasts through the use of satellite imagery. • Robert W. Collins, NWS: For an innovative approach to significantly increasing public severe weather awareness. • NWS Forecast Office, Portland, Maine; NWS Office, Burlington, Vermont: For exceptional public service and dedication to duty during the Winter Ice Storm of 1998. • NWS Forecast Office, Jackson, Kentucky: For exceptional leadership through team excellence in furthering DOC and NOAA diversity goals. • Linda V. Moodie, NESDIS: For creativity and leadership in achieving a negotiation breakthrough in securing U.S. Government real-time access to Indian satellite data. • John E. O’Reilly, NMFS: For creativity and innovation in the use of satellite oceanography for studying ocean productivity. • John F. Witzig, NMFS: For developing and managing a comples multistage scientific review of red snapper science and management in the Gulf of Mexico. • Carol-Ann Manen, Erik Zobrist, John Iliff, James Jeansonne, Robert E. Ransom, Joseph D’Felio, Jerry A. Britton, Cheryl Scannel, James Harold Hudson, NOS: For professional excellence in developing and implementing the Mona Island Coral Reef Restoration project. • OAR/Office of NOAA Corps Operations, Meteorological Applications and Assessment Divison, Aircraft Operations Center: For the extraordinary response to NOAA’s call to study and forecast the unusual weather associated with this past winter’s severe El Nino. • Rudolph J. Dominic, OFA: For outstanding leadership in the improvement of financial management.

1999

Gold Medal • Ward R. Seguin and William Joseph Carrigg, NWS; Dennis S. Walts, Carl S. Bullock, Darien L. Davis, Joseph S. Wakefield and Uwe Herbert Grote, FSL OAR: For design, development and integration of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System infrastructure software. • Ronald D. Zwickl, Susan R. Sahm, Viola J. Raben, Richard N. Grubb, Kent A. Doggett, Thomas R. Detman and William P. Barrett, SEC OAR : For design, development and implementation of the Real-Time Solar Wind System. Office of NOAA Corps Operations, the National Ocean Service and the Office of Public and Constituent Affairs: For locating John F. Kennedy, Jr's, aircraft in support of victim recovery, salvage and investigative efforts. • NOAA Ship Oregon II Office of NOAA Corps Operations : For heroic rescue efforts in saving three lives at sea off Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Feb. 28, 1998. • NWS Forecast Office, Norman, Okla.: For providing life saving weather warnings and other services during an outbreak of violent tornadoes on May 3, 1999. • Cdr. Grady H. Tuell, NOS: For radically advancing the accuracy and efficiency of shoreline mapping. • Roderick A. Scofield, NESDIS: For research in the use of satellite data to obtain estimates of heavy precipitation that are used in NOAA's critical flash flood forecasting program. • Isaac M. Held, OAR: For world leadership in the dynamics of climate and human-caused climate change. • Conrad V. Mahnken, NMFS: For pioneering research that led to scientific and technological breakthroughs in Pacific salmon enhancement, including salmon hatchery reform. • Larry G. Rutter, NMFS: For leadership and policy expertise which contributed to the successful agreement between the U.S. and Canada for new salmon fishery regimes.

Silver Medal • Lt. Cdr. Edward R. Cassano and Lt. Stephen F. Beckwith, NOS: For assisting in extinguishing an intense fire on the historic Santa Barbara, Calif., Stearns Wharf on Nov. 18, 1998. • Stanley W. Elswick, Anna Fiolek, Steven R. Quillen, Doria B. Grimes, Jean Redmond Conrad, Linda Pikula, Maureen Hazel Woods, Elaine V. Collins, Janice A. Beattie and Dorothy Lamar Anderson, NESDIS: For developing NOAALINC, the library and information network that provides desktop access to the publications of 28 NOAA libraries. • Robert O. Masters and D. Brent Smith, NESDIS: For teamwork in negotiating the landmark initial Joint Polar Orbiting Satellite System agreement. Peter J. Wilensky and David R. Sanders, NWS: For timely forecast and flash flood warnings alerting Zion National Park visitors of imminent danger on July 27, 1998. • Douglas L. Brown, David B. Enabnit, Lloyd C. Huff, Oren E. Stembel, Cdr. Steven R. Barnum and Lt. Edward J. Van Den Ameele, NOS: For leadership in gaining approval of raster nautical chart systems as acceptable under the International Convention on Safety of Life at Sea. • John C. Derber, Michael W. Chalfant, Ralph R. Ferraro, Jr., Mitchell D. Goldberg, Norman Charles Grody, Thomas Joseph Kleespies, Larry Max McMillin, Tsan Mo, Anthony L. Reale and David Q. Wark, NESDIS: For accelerating the use of advanced microwave sounding unit satellite observations to advance the nation's capability in weather prediction. • Dennis G. Milbert and Dru A. Smith, NOS: For scientific achievement in developing national high-resolution geoid model improvements. • Michael H. Schiewe and Robert S. Waples, NMFS: For innovative scientific leadership in advancing the implementation of the Endangered Species Act by introducing new science-based processes. • NOS Office of Response and Restoration, NWS Forecast Office, Portland, Oreg., and NMFS Northwest Region: For an innovative response to the M/V New Carissa oil spill near Coos Bay, Oreg., protecting human health and the environment of coastal Oregon. • NWS Forecast Offices, Memphis, Tenn., and Little Rock, Ark.: For accurate and timely weather warnings during the week of Jan. 17, 1999, which saved many lives during a record outbreak of severe weather. • WSR-88D Operational Support Facility, NWS: For developing the WSR-88D Doppler Weather Radar Hotline, which provides around-the-clock meteorological operations and maintenance support. • Stormscale Research and Applications Division, OAR: For developing an important prototype warning decision support system for weather forecasters, resulting in more timely and reliable warnings. • NWS Forecast Offices, Tulsa, Okla., and Wichita, Kan.: For providing critical services which enhanced public safety during a prolonged period of severe weather and flooding on May 3-4, 1999. • NWS Forecast Office, Sioux Falls, S.D.: For life saving work during a devastating tornado that virtually destroyed the entire community of Spencer, S.D., on May 30, 1999. • David J. Schwab, OAR: For contributions to advanced modeling and forecasting of water movements and other physical conditions on the Great Lakes. • Alan E. Strong, NESDIS: For contributions in the field of ocean remote sensing and improved understanding of the world oceans and their fragile ecosystems. • Sybil P. Seitzinger, NMFS: For original research on the biogeochemistry of nitrogen cycling in marine coastal waters around the globe. • Pamela M. Taylor, NESDIS: For preparing for the implementation of the product processing system for a new series of NOAA polar-orbiting environmental satellites. • Michael L. Grable, NMFS: For devising and implementing an innovative approach to reduce excess harvesting capacity in U.S. fisheries.