New Leadership at NOAA

Captain Steven R. Barnum, NOAA, has taken over the position of Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Coast Survey, an office that also carries the title of U.S. National Hydrographer. He relieves Captain Roger L. Parsons, NOAA, who recently retired after 31 years of service, the last three of which he served as Director of Coast Survey. Captain Barnum has served as an officer in the NOAA commissioned Corps since October 1980 and has more than 25 years of operational and managerial experience with a variety of programs throughout NOAA. He has served aboard four NOAA hydrographic survey vessels, including command tours aboard NOAA Ships Thomas Jefferson and Whiting. He conducted hydrographic survey operations along the Atlantic, Gulf and Alaskan coasts of the U.S. and served as the Navigation Manager for the northeast United States; Executive Director, NOAA Marine and Aircraft Operations; Chief , Electronic Engineering Branch and Chief, Computer Support branch for NOAA’s Commissioned Personnel Office. He most recently served as the Chief, Navigation Services Division.



In addition, Commander Gerd F. Glang, NOAA, has taken over as the Chief, Hydrographic Surveys Division succeeding Mr. W. Michael Gibson who served as Chief or Deputy Chief of the Division for the past seven years. Commander Glang has been in the NOAA Commissioned Corps for 17 years following 5 years in the U.S. Air Force and has served aboard three NOAA hydrographic survey vessels, most recently as Commanding Officer of the NOAA Ship Whiting. His survey experiences range from Alaska to Puerto Rico, and along the U.S. Atlantic coast. He has also served at the Chief of the Pacific Hydrographic Party; Chief of the Systems Support Branch of the Hydrographic Surveys Division; Navigation Manager of the northeast United States and most recently as Chief, Hydrographic Systems Technology Program in the Coast Survey Development Laboratory.