Jay J. Trobec

Jay J. Trobec

During my six years as Commissioner of Professional Affairs, I interacted with boards and committees not only in my own commission but across other parts of the Society as well. The Society is healthy and vibrant, with many good people enthusiastically banding together to make us as strong as possible. But we also have challenges—and opportunities—to work on in coming years.

In order to remain strong, we have to spend our dollars as wisely as possible. We need to continue looking for efficiencies, to ensure membership renewals and conference attendances flourish. I have always believed that the many specialty conferences and the Annual Meeting are the lifeblood of the Society, when we come together in person to greet, share, and learn. Most longtime AMS members can tell a story about a conference conversation or presentation that led to something important in their careers. That’s why we have to do everything we can to make sure as many of us as possible have these opportunities to come together on a regular basis.

Another area that interests me greatly is expanding our outreach beyond the United States. Just as weather doesn’t stop at state lines, it doesn’t stop at international borders either. For many years I have attended and presented papers at meetings of the European Meteorological Society and the International Weather Forum in France (Forum International de La Météo et du Climat). These are great organizations, and they and similar international organizations hold AMS in high regard. There have been increasing efforts in recent years to use AMS as a bedrock to aid and assist international weather efforts, and I believe anything we can do through AMS to help these allied groups benefits us all.

It is an honor to stand as a candidate for the AMS Council, and I am grateful for the opportunity to do so.

Jay J. Trobec

Jay J. Trobec, Ph.D., CBM, CCM, is chief meteorologist for KELOLAND TV (CBS) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, appearing on prime time evening weathercasts and managing a staff of on-air meteorologists. He has been honored with awards for his work from the National Weather Association, the International Association of Broadcast Meteorology, the Associated Press, the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association, and the National Television Academy, Upper Midwest Chapter. Trobec also teaches meteorology and physical climatology at South Dakota State University, the institution from which he received a doctoral degree in atmospheric, environmental, and water resources in 2007. His other postgraduate degree is an M.S. in geoscience from Mississippi State University in 2002.

Trobec was the AMS Commissioner on Professional Affairs from 2010 to 2016, during which he oversaw the AMS Board of Broadcast Meteorology, Board of Certified Consulting Meteorologists, Board for Operational Government Meteorologists, Board for Private Sector Meteorologists, Board for Early Career Professionals, Board on Continuing Professional Development, and Board on Best Practices. Before becoming commissioner, he was a member of the Broadcast Board, and chaired the Station Scientist Committee. He currently serves on the Awards Nominations Committee. Trobec is an AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and AMS Certified Consulting Meteorologist. He was named a Fellow of the AMS in 2014.

Trobec has appeared in weather documentaries on Weather Channel, The Learning Channel (TLC), National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, Discovery Science Channel, and the History Channel. He wrote State of Extremes, a book about the weather of South Dakota. He is a longtime member of the National Weather Association, and has become actively involved with the European Meteorological Society and France’s Forum International de la Météo et du Climat.

In his spare time, Trobec plays soccer. He has refereed the sport in this country at levels ranging from youth to professional, and he has also officiated matches in England and Ireland.