provided by: Steven A. Root, CCM, AWCIA President
On 12 Jan 2009, during its 20th membership meeting (at the 89th AMS Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona) the Commercial Weather Services Association (CWSA) changed its name to the American Weather and Climate Industry Association (AWCIA).
The change recognizes the entire American Weather Industry; the emerging, related Climate Industry; and the unique place these companies play as the only private sector producer of information, services and systems related to weather and climate. The change occurred in a new environment of collaboration between the organization, its member companies, and NOAA and recognizes the additional need to develop similar relationships, technologies and services related to climate change issues.
“This action reflects the conviction of the membership of the America’s Weather and Climate Industry Association that an emerging critical issue facing both scientists and the public today is understanding and dealing with climate change” — Steven Root, President and CEO of WeatherBank Inc.
“Today we reached new heights of collaboration between America’s Weather Industry and NOAA, thanks in large part to the leadership of the National Weather Service, especially Jack Hayes, and the recently retired head of NOAA, ADM Conrad Lautenbacher. This was clearly visible at the Town Hall Meeting Jack Hayes and I shared today at AMS. NOAA and NWS now recognize the broad nature of the weather industry and the important emerging climate mission, and that helped to support a change in name. The American public will now also better understand the roles of companies in the weather and climate industry.” — Barry Myers, CEO of AccuWeather Inc.
America’s Weather and Climate Industry Association (AWCIA) is the trade association for businesses related to weather and climate issues. Its members collect, interpret and disseminate weather and climate information to weather-sensitive businesses as well as the general public, and build systems, software, instrumentation.
