Neil Frank
Neil L. Frank | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 11, 1931[1] Kansas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | PhD. in Meteorology from Florida State University |
| Alma mater | Florida State University Southwestern College |
| Occupations |
|
| Spouse | Velma Frank[2] |
| Children | Pamela (Pam) Frank, Deborah (Debbie) Frank, Ronald (Ron) Frank[3] |
| Relatives | Forrest Frank (grandson) |
Neil Laverne Frank (born September 11, 1931) is an American meteorologist and the former director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in University Park, Florida. He was instrumental in advancing both the scientific and informational aspects of hurricane forecasting. He retired in 2008 as chief meteorologist at KHOU in Houston. He is the grandfather of Forrest Frank, well known in Christian music. [4][5][6][7][8]
Early history and family
[edit]Neil Frank grew up in Wellington, Kansas and attended nearby Southwestern College in Winfield. After receiving a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1953 and then military training in weather forecasting, he earned a masters and Ph.D. degrees in meteorology. at Florida State University in Tallahassee. He also was a meteorologist in the U.S. Air Force at Homestead Air Force Base in Homestead, Florida.
National Hurricane Center career
[edit]Frank served in the United States Air Force where he received training as a weather officer before being a graduate metereology student. In 1961, he began working as a forecaster for the NHC. He was appointed director of the center in 1974. While director, he also served as chairman of the International Hurricane Committee, which coordinates hurricane warnings across North America. He participated in meteorological experiments conducted off the coast of Africa. In 1987, Frank was called to testify as an expert witness before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. As of 2018[update] he is the longest serving director of the NHC.
As NHC director, Frank was in the news frequently and appeared in many interviews with 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 Brownsville, Texas after it lost all of its conventional communications links. The only remaining communications link between the Hurricane Center and Brownsville was the amateur radio station running 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 nearly two hours.[11]
Broadcasting career
[edit]In June 1987, Frank retired from the National Hurricane Center and joined Houston's CBS affiliate, KHOU.[12] He was well known to the Houston market from his reports as director of the National Hurricane Center, particularly from his work during Hurricane Alicia, which made landfall near Houston in 1983. Frank was the chief meteorologist for the television station for over 20 years receiving numerous awards. In December 2007, he announced that he would retire from broadcasting at KHOU-TV in 2008 and on May 19, 2008, Frank announced on the 10 pm broadcast that he was retiring at the end of May.[13] He continued to provide the station with coverage of special weather projects and hurricanes.
Global warming
[edit]Frank is a signatory to An Evangelical Declaration on Global Warming.[14] It 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, 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 copy". Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2007.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ 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."