Outgoing Director Max Mayfield says he’s enjoyed his 34 years at the National Hurricane Center…and that his replacement is the right man for the job.

Mayfield led the center for 7 years – including the record breaking 2004 and 2005 seasons which included now-famous names like Charley, Katrina and Wilma.

His replacement 62-year-old Bill Proenza has decades of experience in forecasting and hunting hurricanes.

Mayfield says he gave what he describes as his colleague and friend the same advice his predecessor gave him…

“I’ll tell him the same thing Bob Sheets told me when I asked him for any advice. He said keep the emergency management happy and keep the media happy and those are two things that I’ve really tried to do, and I’m sure that my successor will do a good job of that, too.”

Mayfield says good communication is the main ingredient in protecting people against hurricanes. And that advances in technology - not only in forecasting but in communication - have made keeping safe the more than 50 million people who live along the water from Texas to Maine an easier task.

Meanwhile experts are already predicting an active 2007 season.