Michael Coyne, deputy director for Performance & Resources, NWS Southern Region Headquarters (Photo: Ron Trumbla, SRH)
(March 7, 2011) - Meteorologist Michael Coyne has rejoined the National Weather Service Southern Region Headquarters team as the new Deputy Director for Performance and Resources. He replaces Mac McLaughlin who retired in January.
In his new position, Coyne will be responsible for strategic planning and operations encompassing the region’s meteorological, hydrological and climatological services, professional development, human resources and financial and technology management.
"The responsibilities that come with this position can be truly daunting," said Bill Proenza, regional director of the National Weather Service Southern Region. "But I have every confidence in Mike Coyne's ability to handle the many challenges he will face.
He has a wide range of weather experience, technical expertise, organizational and leadership skills that will serve the region well."
Coyne launched his National Weather Service career as a Student Trainee Meteorologist at the forecast office in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1993.
He was promoted to Meteorologist Intern in 1996 and Forecaster in 1998. In 2002, he was promoted to Performance and Evaluation Meteorologist at Southern Region Headquarters.
Three years later, he was selected as Meteorologist-in-Charge of the forecast office in Huntsville, Ala. Leveraging strong collaborative relationships with the emergency management community, the University of Alabama-Huntsville and NASA, the forecast office earned numerous accolades. Under Coyne's leadership, the office received four Department of Commerce Bronze Medals and back-to-back National Weather Association Operational Achievement Awards.
During his 17 years with the National Weather Service, Coyne has developed extensive hands on experience with a host of severe weather events including tropical storms, hurricanes, thunderstorms, tornadoes and flooding. He also served as the webmaster for Corpus Christi and was an innovative leader in developing software applications in support of the agency's operational needs.
He designed and constructed the first forecast page to provide comprehensive inland, marine and travel forecasts in a printable format; and he developed the first forecast office website to provide warnings, advisories and tropical weather information for personal digital assistants.
In addition to the Huntsville office team awards, Coyne is the recipient of numerous individual local and regional awards as well as two Department of Commerce Silver and three Bronze Awards, two NOAA Administrator Awards and a national Isaac Cline Award.
He holds a bachelor's degree (1995) and a master's degree (2001) in Meteorology from Texas A & M University.
He is also a member of the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association.
