FROM THE EDITOR 



A Fond Farewell 



Nc 



Jorth Carolina Sea Grant is best known for its 

 research, extension and communications projects that 

 address pressing coastal issues. 



But our program could not succeed without a strong 

 fiscal framework — and a keen budget officer. For the past 

 decade. Tammy Sumner Cox has been that point person for us. 



Tammy's title was a long one — assistant director 

 for finance and information systems — in order to try 

 to cover all the hats she wore. In addition to providing 

 budget and grants oversight, she also was our computer 

 guru and webmaster, handling technical issues while the 

 communications team handled content. 



But last fall, Tammy got an offer she apparently could not refuse. She 

 is now director of business and financial services for the North Carolina State 

 University Alumni Association. 



As transitions go, she didn't have to change her commute — the 

 new office is just about a half-dozen buildings away. And, she had a few 

 friendly faces in the new office — including Kathy Hart, former Sea Grant 

 communications director, and Jeannie Faris Norris, former Sea Grant senior 

 writer/editor. 



The Sea Grant staff, on the other hand, found ourselves realizing just 

 how often the phrase "Ask Tammy" had been uttered each day. Also, we will 

 miss Tammy's "cut-to-the-chase" approach to management and staff meetings 

 — and to life in general. 



Sea Grant Director Ron Hodson points to the leadership Tammy 

 provided as the program took on new opportunities and responded to evolving 

 compliance requirements at the university, state and federal levels. "We are a 

 better program because of her efforts," he says. 



In fact, in the past decade, Sea Grant's total annual budget nearly 

 doubled as we added the state-funded Fishery Resource Grant Program 



Tammy Sumner Cox 



and Blue Crab Research Program, and staff members and 

 researchers were successful in obtaining National Sea 

 Grant initiatives and other competitive grants. 



An Onslow County native, Tammy has seen the changes 

 in our coastal region firsthand — and could offer perspective 

 for us '"newcomers" whom have only been in North Carolina 

 a decade or two. 



Water quality specialist Barbara Doll, may have 

 summed up Tammy's trademark red hair and personality with 

 one word: Dynamite. 



On behalf of the staff, researchers and all who interact 

 with North Carolina Sea Grant, I wish Tammy the best in life. 



North Carolina Sea Grant staffers in our Manteo office were pleased 

 to participate in the Outer Banks Hotline "Festival of Trees" held in December. 



Sea Grant joined forces with the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke 

 Island, the N.C. Coastal Federation, and the University of North Carolina's 

 Coastal Studies Institute, as well as Earth Saver, Dennis Saver's green building 

 and construction company. 



Not only was the tree decorated with a coastal theme, including beach 

 treasures and fishing lures, but it also came with gifts, including a variety 

 of Sea Grant publications, as well as an aerial tour of the Outer Banks, and 

 consultations for native landscaping and building/retrofitting to conserve 

 energy and rainwater. 



On the night of the auction, the tree went for $1,500. "We were thrilled," 

 recalls Terri Kirby Hathaway, Sea Grant education specialist. "We were the 

 first tree of the evening to go for more than $ 1 ,000." 



About three dozen trees were auctioned through the course of the 

 evening. "It was a great community event," she says. 



Katie Mosher, Managing Editor 



IN THIS ISSUE 



Contributing Writers: 

 Kathleen Angione a Ann Green a Katie Mosher 

 Tasha Petty ° Ryan Reynolds ° Pam Smith 



Contributing Photographers: 

 MikeAlford n Kathleen Angione ° Joan Ernst ° John Ernst 

 Terry Facey □ John Gregory ° Michael Halminski ° NoelMcKechie 

 RayMidgett ° Brenda Monty ° Tasha Petty a Pam Smith 

 Paul Stephen ° Scott Taylor a Nancy White o Jane Wolff 



North Carolina's diverse coast offers countless interestingsubjects. 

 The large dots on the locator map indicate story settings in this issue — 

 includingOcracoke, Plymouth and Pamlico County. 



