Neil Frank
Encyclopedia
Dr. Neil Frank, Ph.D. 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 as Chief Meteorologist at KHOU-TV
in Houston. Dr. Frank announced his retirement effective May 2008 during his May 19 evening broadcast segment.
, Kansas
, and attended nearby Southwestern College
, where he played basketball
, with hopes of becoming a coach. However, after receiving his bachelor's degree in chemistry
in 1953 and doing some military work, he moved on to Florida State University
, where he earned his Master's and Ph.D. degrees in meteorology.
Dr. Frank has been married over 50 years and has three grown children named Pamela DeRuiter, Debra Tucker, and Ron Frank. They have all married and Frank has ten grandchildren: Caryn, Lisa, and Davis DeRuiter, Dustin, Brandon, Jordan, and Alyssa Tucker, and Mitchell, Korinne, and Forrest Frank.
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 with other countries 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
. To date, Dr. Frank is the longest serving director of the NHC.
As NHC director, Dr. Frank was in the news frequently when hurricanes threatened, appearing in numerous interviews with then-CBS
news anchor Dan Rather
, whose early career included coverage of several hurricanes.
During Hurricane Allen
in 1980, Dr. Frank used an Amateur Radio Station to communicate directly to the Brownsville Weather Center in Texas after they had lost all of their conventional communications links. The only remaining communications link between the Hurricane Center and Brownsville was their amateur radio station on battery power and wire antenna. 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.
joined Houston's CBS
affiliate, KHOU-TV
. 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.
Dr. Frank was the chief meteorologist for the television station for over 20 years, receiving numerous awards and recognitions. In December 2007, Dr. Frank announced that he would retire the following year from broadcasting at KHOU-TV
. Frank announced on the 10 PM news on Monday, May 19, 2008 that he would retire at the end of May. He will continue to provide the station with special weather projects and hurricane coverage.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
meteorologist and former director of the National Hurricane Center
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
(NHC) in Florida. He was instrumental in advancing both the scientific and informational aspects of hurricane forecasting. He retired as Chief Meteorologist at KHOU-TV
KHOU-TV
KHOU is the CBS affiliate television station in Houston, Texas. Serving Greater Houston, it is owned by the Belo Corporation and broadcasts on digital and PSIP channel 11...
in Houston. Dr. Frank announced his retirement effective May 2008 during his May 19 evening broadcast segment.
Early history and family
Dr. Frank grew up in WellingtonWellington, Kansas
Wellington is a city in and the county seat of Sumner County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,172.-19th century:...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, and attended nearby Southwestern College
Southwestern College (Kansas)
Southwestern College is a four-year private college affiliated with the United Methodist Church located in Winfield, Kansas, United States. It was founded in 1885 and graduated its first class in 1889. In addition to its campus programs, it offers online programs.-Academics:The main campus is a...
, where he played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, with hopes of becoming a coach. However, after receiving his bachelor's degree in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
in 1953 and doing some military work, he moved on to Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, where he earned his Master's and Ph.D. degrees in meteorology.
Dr. Frank has been married over 50 years and has three grown children named Pamela DeRuiter, Debra Tucker, and Ron Frank. They have all married and Frank has ten grandchildren: Caryn, Lisa, and Davis DeRuiter, Dustin, Brandon, Jordan, and Alyssa Tucker, and Mitchell, Korinne, and Forrest Frank.
NHC career
Prior to his graduate studies in meteorology, Dr. Frank served in the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
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 with other countries 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
United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
The United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is a standing committee of the United States Senate in charge of all senate matters related to the following subjects:* Coast Guard* Coastal zone management* Communications...
. To date, Dr. Frank is the longest serving director of the NHC.
As NHC director, Dr. Frank was in the news frequently when hurricanes threatened, appearing in numerous interviews with then-CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
news anchor Dan Rather
Dan Rather
Daniel Irvin "Dan" Rather, Jr. is an American journalist and the former news anchor for the CBS Evening News. He is now managing editor and anchor of the television news magazine Dan Rather Reports on the cable channel HDNet. Rather was anchor of the CBS Evening News for 24 years, from March 9,...
, whose early career included coverage of several hurricanes.
During Hurricane Allen
Hurricane Allen
Hurricane Allen was the first and strongest hurricane of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season. It was one of the strongest hurricanes in recorded history, one of the few hurricanes to reach Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale on three separate occasions, and spent more time...
in 1980, Dr. Frank used an Amateur Radio Station to communicate directly to the Brownsville Weather Center in Texas after they had lost all of their conventional communications links. The only remaining communications link between the Hurricane Center and Brownsville was their amateur radio station on battery power and wire antenna. 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.
Broadcasting career
In June 1987, Dr. Frank retired from the National Hurricane Center andjoined Houston's CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate, KHOU-TV
KHOU-TV
KHOU is the CBS affiliate television station in Houston, Texas. Serving Greater Houston, it is owned by the Belo Corporation and broadcasts on digital and PSIP channel 11...
. He was already well-known to the Houston public from his reports as Director of the National Hurricane Center, particularly those during Hurricane Alicia
Hurricane Alicia
Hurricane Alicia was the costliest tropical cyclone in the Atlantic since Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Alicia was the third depression, the first tropical storm, and the only major hurricane of the 1983 Atlantic hurricane season...
, which came ashore near Houston in 1983.
Dr. Frank was the chief meteorologist for the television station for over 20 years, receiving numerous awards and recognitions. In December 2007, Dr. Frank announced that he would retire the following year from broadcasting at KHOU-TV
KHOU-TV
KHOU is the CBS affiliate television station in Houston, Texas. Serving Greater Houston, it is owned by the Belo Corporation and broadcasts on digital and PSIP channel 11...
. Frank announced on the 10 PM news on Monday, May 19, 2008 that he would retire at the end of May. He will continue to provide the station with special weather projects and hurricane coverage.
Professional memberships and awards
- Elected to council, American Meteorological SocietyAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
, 1989-1992 term. - First place in the 1989 Texas Press Awards, Best weathercast.
- 2004 recipient of the BeloBeloBelo Corp. is a Dallas-based media company that owns 20 commercial broadcasting television stations and two regional 24-hour cable news television channels. The company was previously known as A.H. Belo Corp. after one of the early owners of the company, Alfred Horatio Belo, now the name of the...
William H. Seay Award.