I hope you accept this personal note in lieu of a traditional holiday card. As an expert procrastinator, it would be Valentine's Day before you would get something in the regular mail anyway.
I truly hope your Christmas season was filled with joy, blessings, and good health. I know social media can be overwhelming to keep track of these days, so I wanted to share a few of my adventures from 2022 on a more personal note.
Huntsville, AL rooftop
You might've seen that I took a new job! It's a little more behind-the-scenes with a company called Baron Weather. We are the second-largest weather radar and data provider in the world. I'm very happy with the slower pace and private atmosphere, especially during hurricane season. I still get to create weather content & forecast, but it's more business to business. And I have absolutely fallen in love with Huntsville!
It was perfect timing to take on a less stressful role, as I was recently challenged with a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis. I'm grateful to the doctors for catching it, especially before it spread any further. And I'm hoping to find a treatment plan that will work by spring so I can explore all the great hiking in the Appalachians!
And finally, the other big news from this year is I found a cute little kitten named Radar. He really enjoys tracking Stormy, and they have become best buds. They are my pride and joy, and hopefully will get to meet you someday!
Stormy & Radar
I pray (and BELIEVE) that the new year will bring new adventures, many blessings, and abundant happiness to you and your friends & family.
With love,
Jeff
Weather has been my passion since I was eight. Communicating it effectively is my life mission.
However, my faith is increasingly frail in people, companies, and governments reacting appropriately to extreme weather threats. Furthermore, I believe the misuse of technology could someday be a significant factor in something terrible.
There is much more to unpack on this at a later time.
"Mid-life crisis" is a bit strong. I would call this a strategic pivot to be part of a solution, rather than fight the problem.
I busted my butt to be “that TV guy” for the first 10 years of my career in Mid-Missouri at ABC17 and FOX22. It was certainly a dream come true. In 2011, I stepped off the traditional market-chasing ladder to build something new in the academic and public media environment.
Directing a team of meteorologists across two states, on more than 20 media stations, and through at least a dozen tropical storms or hurricanes was certainly the “pinch me I’m dreaming” kind of fulfillment. But after ten years in the public sector, it was time to take another risk. I believe the next piece to my life puzzle is equipping the front-line weather communicators with solutions that transcend platforms or methods.
However, a huge dilemma clouded my journey. No job title in the traditional marketplace appealed to me. Trust me - I mulled over many. So, my next step was to consider the intangible pillars, such as happiness, freedom, and culture. Suddenly, my short list got a lot shorter. Call it coincidence or fate – doesn’t matter – literally the day after this epiphany, a door was opened.
I now work for Baron Weather as a digital meteorologist, based in the beautiful “Rocket City” of Huntsville, Alabama.
We are a global company that provides superior weather solutions for critical decisions. We help industries such as insurance, aviation, and media respond to weather and climate threats confidently. My primary duty will be to produce content that validates our products and services in real-time or through case studies that highlight their efficacy and exclusivity.
There are only a couple weather data providers in the world that are truly reliable, understand machines can’t do everything, and free of red tape. Baron is one of them! And it’s a HUGE win that the people feel like family, you can still draw on someone’s whiteboard (without scheduling a meeting), and get invited to the Christmas party planning committee your first week.
Stormy, the most beautiful cat in the universe, and I are very happy in our new home. I can go hiking up a mountain just down the street, the city is booming with new transplants, and there are smart people everywhere! I also have a newfound appreciation for seasons. On so many levels.
I hope to share more about that “life mission” part real soon, and how my new employer is advancing that cause. And to those of you who appreciate my “Huffman Heads Up” weather updates – they won’t stop. In fact, they will only get better. Thank you for your trust and support, wherever my unorthodox career leads me.
It's time for liftoff to my next chapter!
