Personnel changes in the Water Resources Division Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 14:38:44 GMT To: "E - All WRD Employees" From: "Robert M Hirsch, Chief Hydrologist, Reston, VA" (Robert M. Hirsch) Subject: Personnel changes in the Water Resources Division Cc: lvw@usbm.gov, "Gordon P Eaton, , Reston, VA" , "Bonnie McGregor, , Reston, VA" , "Barbara J Ryan, , Reston, VA" , "Robert M Hirsch, Chief Hydrologist, Reston, VA" , "P. Patrick Leahy, Chief Geologist, Reston, VA" , "Richard E Witmer, , Reston, VA" , "William F Gossman Jr., , Reston, VA" , "Linda D Stanley, , Reston, VA" , "Pamela R Malam, , Reston, VA" Dear Water Resources Division (WRD) Employee: As we emerge from a difficult last few months of 1995 and begin to turn our focus towards the new year, I would like to review with you some of the major changes in our Division leadership that have taken place in the last 6 months and that will take place at the first of the calendar year. Let me start with the names of new District Chiefs: James H. Barks, Rolla, Missouri Derrill J. Cowing, Boise, Idaho Robert E. Davis, Helena, Montana Virginia De Lima, Hartford, Connecticut Eric J. Evenson, Trenton, New Jersey James M. Gerhart, Towson, Maryland Kimball E. Goddard, Salt Lake City, Utah Rafael W. Rodriguez, San Juan, Puerto Rico Gerald L. Ryan, Raleigh, North Carolina Randolph B. See, Louisville, Kentucky Jess D. Weaver, Montgomery, Alabama In addition, we have several other new managers in other offices or programs. Robert W. Craig, Acting Chief, Yucca Mountain Project Branch Eugene C. Hayes, Chief, Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility Allen M. Lumb, Acting Chief, National Water Information System Wanda C. Meeks, Acting Regional Hydrologist, Southeastern Region Thomas H. Yorke, Chief, Office of Surface Water To all of these individuals, I offer my congratulations and best wishes for the new year. As you know, a large number of retirements are taking place on or about January 1, 1996. We will be saying farewell to many dedicated employees. I won't try to single out any of them for special recognition in this memorandum, rather I wish to express the thanks of the whole WRD to all of them for their many years of service. There are three vacancies for which I would like to announce those individuals who will serve in an acting capacity. They are: Regional Hydrologist, Central Region. With Jim Blakey's retirement I have asked Dave Lystrom, District Chief of the Colorado District to serve as Acting Regional Hydrologist. Dave brings a great deal of experience to the job. He has worked in the data program in the Oregon District, then as the manager of the National Urban Hydrology Program in the Office of Surface Water, as Chief of the Studies Section in the Colorado District for many years, and most recently as Colorado District Chief. Dave's understanding of the full range of WRD programs, his experience managing a large and complex District, and his proven track record in working with other USGS Divisions as well as other agencies make him well qualified to take on this important job in this time of rapid change. Dave will determine who will act in his place as Colorado District Chief. Assistant Chief Hydrologist for Water Information. With Jim Biesecker's retirement, we have asked Lewis Wade of the Bureau of Mines to assume this position. Lewis holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (specializing in structural engineering and fluid mechanics) and has been the Director of the Bureau of Mines Twin Cities Research Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The programs he has managed have focused particularly on environmental remediation and pollution prevention related to mining. Thus, his technical knowledge is highly related to the kind of work done in WRD. He has an outstanding reputation as a manager of technical programs and I am confident in his ability to take on the leadership of two very high priority issues for WRD: improving both report timeliness and effectiveness at outreach and product delivery. Over the next 3 months, he will be engaged in the orderly shutdown of the Twin Cities Research Center (almost all employees there will be separated on January 8, 1996) and he will begin to make a gradual transition to his new duties with the USGS. During the interim, I have asked Jack Fischer to assume the duties of Assistant Chief Hydrologist for Water Information in addition to his on-going responsibilities as Associate Chief Hydrologist. Lewis Wade's official reporting date has yet to be determined, but he will begin to participate in management activities in WRD in early January. Deputy Assistant Chief Hydrologist for Operations. Bruce Gilbert has retired after 22 years during which he provided oversight to a range of issues including: the Federal-State Cooperative Program, Data Collection and Analysis, emergency response, management of WRD Technical Support accounts, and (most recently) management of WRD shutdown issues. We have asked Dennis Sulam to accept a detail from the Northeast Region staff to take on Bruce's responsibilities on an acting basis. Dennis has been very effective in carrying out similar responsibilities at the regional level for the past 16 years. The Director and I regret the delays in filling some of the key management positions. This is a difficult time for making such personnel actions due to the widespread dislocations throughout the government. Both of us are mindful of the need to make permanent selections of highly qualified individuals for these and other vacant jobs. I know that the second shutdown has been difficult for all of us to understand. We are an organization dedicated to our work, dedicated to providing valued information to partners who pay for specific deliverables, and to the American people in general. The ongoing political battles over broad issues of taxation, entitlements, and budget deficits should not distract us from our mandate. Both the Administration and Congress continue to be supportive of us, as demonstrated by their continued actions to fund us at essentially constant levels while many longstanding Federal agencies and programs are undergoing severe budget reductions. Best wishes to you and your families for this holiday season. I look forward to working with you all in the New Year. Sincerely yours, Robert M. Hirsch ********************************************************** * Robert M. Hirsch Phone: 703/648-5215 * * Chief Hydrologist Fax: 703/648-5002 * * 409 National Center Internet: rhirsch@usgs.gov * * U.S. Geological Survey * * Reston, VA 22092 * **********************************************************