WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service recently announced it had selected Larry Curran as its chief information officer. Curran comes to the National Park Service from the U.S. Department of Commerce. There, he served as the director of the Telecommunication Operations Center for the National Weather Service under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Curran has a proven track record of managing and developing large, complex information systems and telecommunications products. He began his new position on Jan. 6, 2008.

As the National Park Service’s CIO, Curran and his staff manage the Service’s Information Technology and Telecommunications program. The program develops strategic IT plans for the Service and applies IT laws and policies. Curran will play a key role in providing a secure computing environment that meets the National Park Service’s current and future needs.

Prior to joining the National Park Service, Curran led the National Weather Service’s Telecommunication Operations Center, a seven-day-a-week, 24-hour-a-day operation delivering meteorological data critical to the nation’s safety. He directed the center’s telecommunications operations, which include collecting terrestrial and satellite observations, disseminating weather watches and warnings, and providing guidance from models for computer forecasts. As director, Curran also made changes to ensure those services remained effective and continued uninterrupted. His achievements included replacing obsolete mainframe technology and consolidating IT management and infrastructure with the National Weather Service. In the private sector, Curran managed significant hardware and software projects to develop core networking systems for both domestic and international carriers.

Curran is retired from the U.S. Navy, after serving his country as a pilot in Naval aircraft-carrier-based and overseas-flight operations. While in the Navy, he achieved the Department of Defense’s designation of Proven IT Subspecialist. He also completed shore-based assignments as the deputy director of IT Operations for the Navy Regional Data Automation Center and as automation officer with the Navy’s Defense Communications Agency. Curran earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of New Orleans and a master’s degree in computer systems management from the Naval Post Graduate School. He has been a Certified Information Systems Security Professional.

Curran resides in Bethesda, Md. with his wife, Judy. They have two grown children, Marisa and Allison. Curran is active with U.S. Masters Swimming as both coach and competitor.

For additional information, please contact David Barna, NPS, at (202) 208-6843 or Dory Milliken, NPS, at (202) 354-1978.