WFO Huntsville's Lary Burgett Receives National Isaac M. Cline Award
(L to R) Rep. Cramer's District Dir. Jim McCamy, Huntsville MIC Mike Coyne, Cline Award recipient Lary Burgett and NWS Southern Region Acting Director Steven Cooper (Photo: WFO Huntsville)
(July 24, 2007) -- Lary Burgett, observation program leader for the Weather Forecast Office in Huntsville, Ala., has been honored with the National Weather Service's prestigious Isaac M. Cline Award. Steven Cooper, acting director of the National Weather Service Southern Region, presented the award in a special ceremony at the Huntsville office.
Burgett was also honored by Congressman Bud Cramer. Noting the Cline Award is the highest honor the National Weather Service bestows on its employees, Congressman Cramer stood in the U.S. House of Representatives to read a tribute to Burgett. That tribute is now part of the Congressional Record.
The Isaac M. Cline Award honors individual and team employees for operational excellence in the delivery of products and services in support of the National Weather Service mission. Burgett was recognized for providing the office with critical administrative and management support while maintaining an extraordinary level of work in his other responsibilities.
"As Observation Program Leader, Burgett played a major role in modernizing the cooperative observer program throughout northern Alabama," said Cooper. "In his dual capacity as Huntsville's Safety Officer, he built and maintains an exemplary safety program. He also volunteered his services for several months -- when the office lost its Administrative Support Assistant to the U.S. Army."
Despite the challenges of learning new systems and procedures, he performed flawlessly in tracking important dates; ensuring that forecasters received grade increases in a timely fashion and handling incoming bills to make sure vendors were paid promptly. And he managed all of the extra work while remaining in a rotating shift, maintaining the highest possible level of performance in his regular duty areas.
Burgett spent long hours attending joint agency meetings -- working in collaboration with local, state and other federal officials. He has also taken an active leadership role in mentoring volunteers, Student Career Experience Program participants and providing training and instruction on public services at the office. His mentoring and leadership accelerated the learning process for all of the students involved.
U.S. Congressman's tribute for the Congressional Record.
