Neil Laverne Frank (born September 11, 1931) is an American meteorologist and former director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Florida. He was instrumental in advancing both the scientific and informational aspects of hurricane forecasting. He retired in 2008 as Chief Meteorologist at KHOU-TV in Houston. He is the grandfather of Christian singer Forrest Frank. [4][5][6][7][8]
Neil L. Frank | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 11, 1931[1] Kansas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Doctorate in Meteorology from Florida State University |
| Alma mater | Florida State University Southwestern College |
| Occupation(s) | Former director of the National Hurricane Center, Former Chief Meteorologist at KHOU-TV in Houston. |
| Spouse | Velma Frank[2] |
| Children | Pamela (Pam) Frank, Deborah (Debbie) Frank, Ronald (Ron) Frank[3] |
| Relatives | Forrest Frank |
Early history and family
editFrank grew up in Wellington, Kansas, and attended nearby Southwestern College. After receiving his bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1953 followed by military training in weather forecasting, he moved on to Florida State University, where he earned his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in meteorology. He served as a meteorologist in the Air Force at Homestead Air Force Base in Homestead, Florida as well.
NHC career
editPrior to his graduate studies in meteorology, Frank served in the United States Air Force where he received training as a weather officer. In 1961, he began working as a forecaster for the National Hurricane Center. He was appointed director of the Center in 1974. While director, Dr. Frank also served as chairman of the International Hurricane Committee, which coordinates hurricane warnings across North America. He also participated in meteorological experiments conducted off the African coast. In 1987, he was called to testify as an expert witness before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. As of 2018[update] Frank is the longest serving director of the NHC.
As NHC director, Frank was in the news frequently when hurricanes threatened, appearing in numerous interviews with then-CBS news anchor Dan Rather,[9] whose early career included coverage of several hurricanes.[10]
During Hurricane Allen in 1980, Frank used an amateur radio station to communicate directly with the Brownsville Weather Center in Texas after it had lost all of its conventional communications links. The only remaining communications link between the Hurricane Center and Brownsville was the amateur radio station on battery power. NHC and Brownsville discussed the strange behavior of the eye of Hurricane Allen while it stalled just off the Texas Coast for almost 2 hours.[11]
Broadcasting career
editIn June 1987, Frank retired from the National Hurricane Center and joined Houston's CBS affiliate, KHOU-TV.[12] He was already well known to the Houston public from his reports as Director of the National Hurricane Center, particularly those during Hurricane Alicia, which came ashore near Houston in 1983. Frank was the chief meteorologist for the television station for over 20 years and received numerous awards. In December 2007, Frank announced that he would retire from broadcasting at KHOU-TV the following year. On Monday, May 19, 2008, Frank announced on the 10 PM news that he would retire at the end of May.[13] He would continue to provide the station with special weather projects and hurricane coverage.
Global Warming
editFrank is a signatory to An Evangelical Declaration on Global Warming,[14] which claims that "Earth and its ecosystems – created by God's intelligent design and infinite power and sustained by His faithful providence – are robust, resilient, self-regulating, and self-correcting."[15]
Professional memberships and awards
edit- Elected to council, American Meteorological Society, 1989-1992 term.
- First place in the 1989 Texas Press Awards, Best weathercast.
- 2004 recipient of the Belo William H. Seay Award.
References
edit- ^ Who's who in frontiers of science ... - Marquis Who's Who, Inc - Google Books. Marquis Who's Who. 1985. ISBN 9780837957029. Retrieved 10 December 2011 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Doctor Frank and Mister Jesus". YouTube. 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Doctor Frank and Mister Jesus". YouTube. 9 November 2014.
- ^ "KHOU-TV profile of Dr. Frank". khou.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007.
- ^ "USA Talent meteorologist informational listing". tvjobs.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2007.
- ^ "Florida State University weathercasting course website". met.fsu.edu/orgs/wxcast. Archived from the original on 1 September 2006. Retrieved 7 August 2007.
- ^ "Topeka Capital-Journal article about Frank". cjonline.com. 2004. Retrieved 7 August 2007.
- ^ "Story on award recognition". prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 7 August 2007.
- ^ "Rather In The Eye Of The Storm". CBS News. 7 March 2005. Archived from the original on 6 December 2006.
- ^ Archived 25 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ W4EHW 1980 Dr. Frank & WD4JNS
- ^ "Neil Frank Takes Post in Houston". Gainesville Sun. Associated Press. 21 February 1987. p. 11A. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ "After 20 years on KHOU-TV, chief meteorologist Dr. Neil Frank to retire". khou.com.[dead link]
- ^ "Prominent Signers of An Evangelical Declaration on Global Warming". Cornwall Alliance. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ^ An Evangelical Declaration on Global Warming Archived 2013-04-25 at the Wayback Machine "We believe Earth and its ecosystems – created by God's intelligent design and infinite power and sustained by His faithful providence – are robust, resilient, self-regulating, and self-correcting, admirably suited for human flourishing, and displaying His glory."