John (Jack) J. Kelly, Jr., Brigadier General (USAF ret.) Deputy Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere

Brigadier General (USAF retired) John (Jack) J. Kelly, Jr. serves as the deputy undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He is responsible for the day-to-day management of NOAA’s domestic and international operations. In addition, General Kelly is the United States principal representative with the World Meteorology Organization (WMO) and is responsible for U.S. interactions with the WMO.

General Kelly has 39 years of experience in all facets of the weather field, including 21 years at the senior executive level in both government and private industry. He has broad experience in leading science-based service organizations, introducing change, and using and implementing technology and science.

General Kelly served as senior advisor on weather services for the Department of Commerce and conducted a bottom-up review of the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) operation, plus NOAA and NWS management, planning, and budget policies and processes. He was NOAA’s assistant administrator for the Weather Service from 1998 to January 2004.

In the private sector, General Kelly was director of Weather Systems for GTE Information Systems from 1994 to 1996. There he directed GTE's weather and aviation services business line and was responsible for client satisfaction and interface, strategic planning, business development and sales, profit and loss, and program management.

General Kelly retired from the Air Force in 1994 after serving for 31 years. His duties covered the entire spectrum of the weather field, from operational forecaster to chief scientist, to staff officer. He retired as director of Weather Headquarters, U.S. Air Force.

General Kelly holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Seton Hall University and a master's degree in public administration from Auburn University. He also completed leadership programs at the Air Force Command and Staff College and the Industrial College of Armed Forces. General Kelly is an American Meteorological Society Fellow and has received numerous U.S. and international awards.