NWS Meteorologist Named FEA Employee of the Year

WFO Little Rock Warning Coordination Meteorologist poses with FEA Employee of theYear Award (Photo: John Lewis, WFO Little Rock)

(June 23, 2006) - John Robinson, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service forecast office in Little Rock, Ark., has been selected as the recipient of the Federal Executive Association's (FEA) 2006 Arkansas Federal Employee of the Year Award in the Scientific & Medical category. Robinson is being recognized for his proactive approach to adding value to Hazardous Weather Outlooks for federal, state and local emergency managers.

Robinson combines the outlooks from his office's County Warning Area (CWA), as well as surrounding CWAs, tailors them to support a wide range of emergency management requirements and e-mails them to an estimated 300,000 computers. The value added outlooks are well received throughout the region. In fact, Governor Mike Huckabee and Arkansas State Police Director Steve Dozier routinely read Robinson's messages.

The FEA is an organization participating in the Federal Executive Board (FEB) program, established by President John F. Kennedy, to improve coordination among Federal activities and programs outside Washington. Over 80 percent of all Federal employees do not work in the national capital area. Federal officials outside Washington are the principal contact of the Federal Government with the citizens of this country.

There are currently 28 FEBs located in cities that are major centers of Federal activity. In cities where FEBs do not exist, Federal Executive Associations serve with similar purposes and objectives. Robinson also serves on the FEA's Weather Watch Committee, giving advice on when federal offices should open late or be closed altogether during winter storms.