Octoer 14, 2020
Hi everyone,
It has been a tough couple of weeks learning of the passing of two incredible colleagues. One of the unique characteristics of Coast Survey and one that I value most is that so many of our employees have worked here for decades and spend the majority of their careers calling Coast Survey their home. I had the honor of knowing both Rolland Gant and Ken Forster over the years, particularly while serving as division chief of the Marine Chart Division (MCD). Their contribution to our mission and presence within our office will always be remembered.
Rolland Gant retired from MCD in November 2019 after 43 years of service in the federal government, including a lifetime of support for NOAA. His career began in 1977 as a custodian at the Rockville location and he retired as a cartographic technician at MCD’s Nautical Data Branch (NDB). Rolland played a significant role within NDB in tackling the necessary tasks to keep the branch and division on pace. Rolland was involved in Blacks in Government, the Combined Federal Campaign, and served as a floor monitor for many years. Rolland worked with eight admirals, 12 captains, and one commander at the helm of Coast Survey. Rolland passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, October 4, following his battle with cancer.
Ken Forster started his career at NOAA in the early 1990s and served as the chief of MCD’s Product Branch B that included the region of southern North Carolina to Florida. Ken was also the face of the NOS/United States Power Squadrons (USPS) Cooperative Charting Program for 20 years. Ken represented the Office of Coast Survey at dozens of national, district, and local meetings. He helped establish procedures for Power Squadron members to submit chart corrections to MCD. Ken was instrumental in developing a web-based application which allowed USPS members to submit data directly to MCD, completely eliminating paper reporting. Thanks to Ken Forster and the Cooperative Charting Program, the accuracy of NOAA charts have been improved. Ken passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 10, following a long battle with cancer. Ken's service will be held on Saturday, October 17. Please see my recent all hands email for details.
Rear Admiral Shepard M. SmithDirector, Office of Coast Survey
11/11 Veterans Day
11/16 - 11/19 Second Session of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Assembly
11/18 GIS Day 2020
11/19 Fourth Meeting of the IHO Council
11/30 - 12/3 Meso American & Caribbean Sea Hydrographic Commission (MACHC) Meeting
Despite 2020 being an unusual year and not holding our usual activities, the OCS Diversity and Inclusion Committee and members of the Coast Survey staff worked on ways to enhance employee morale, inclusion, increase knowledge and understanding, and provide student opportunities with an eye on diversity. 2020 D&I Committee Highlights
In observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Office of Civil Rights invites you to attend “This is My Story,” a virtual presentation on October 15 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. (EDT).
2020 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey is LIVE. Federal employees - please check your email for your individual link to complete the survey. The results are reviewed and discussed by NOAA, NOS, and Coast Survey Leadership. Your voice matters!
Coast Survey Summer/Fall Diversity and Inclusion Training Sheet
