Birmingham Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC) Ken Graham has been selected as the new Chief of the Southern Region's Systems Operations Division (SOD). He replaces Tom Grayson, who retired January 3. In his new position, Graham will be responsible for the operation, installation and maintenance of all operational observing and weather information systems in the Southern Region, as well as local and wide area administration networks and electronic mail.

Prior to joining the National Weather Service in 1994, Graham gained experience as a meteorologist, teacher and television forecaster. He began his NWS career as a meteorologist and forecaster at the Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in New Orleans. During a major flood event in 1995, he and his colleagues worked around the clock as flood waters literally rose around their station. Their life saving efforts won the office the Department of Commerce Bronze Medal.

He participated in the implementation of Louisiana's Emergency Alert System and played a key role in the development of the NOAA Weather Radio program for the Southern Region of the NWS. During Hurricane Georges in 1998, Graham served as the NWS liaison with the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness. A year later, (during Hurricane Bret) he served in the same capacity with the Texas Department of Emergency Management in Austin - frequently briefing emergency managers and Texas officials including President (then Governor) Bush.

Graham was appointed MIC of the Weather Forecast Office in Corpus Christi in July 2000. Under his leadership, the office reached new levels of cooperative interaction with state and local governments, emergency managers and the media. The office also strove to find innovative ways to use new technology to provide weather information to area residents. During his tenure, WFO Corpus Christi received a national Isaac M. Cline Award, four regional Cline Awards and four Southern Region Director Awards.

He also served as one of the originators and facilitators of a highly successful regional leadership program entitled BLAST (BUILDING LEADERS FOR A SOLID TOMORROW). "Graham offers a good mix of field experience, technical abilities and administrative skills to provide vital leadership for an outstanding SOD team," said Bill Proenza, director, National Weather Service Southern Region.

Graham received a bachelor's degree in Atmospheric Science at the University of Arizona in 1992. He earned a certification in Broadcast Meteorology (1994) and a master's degree in Geosience at Mississippi State University (1995). He is member of the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society.

He and his wife Laura have a three year old daughter (Lillian) and one year old twins (Kylee & Camille). They like to travel in their RV trailer with their dachshunds Oscar and Meyer.