Joel Myers
Joel Myers | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 3, 1939 |
| Alma mater | Pennsylvania State University |
| Occupation(s) | Meteorologist,Executive Chairman ofAccuWeather |
Joel N. Myersis an American businessman who is the founder and executive chairman ofAccuWeather,an American commercial weather service and media company.
Background[edit]
Myers is a native ofPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania.He founded AccuWeather inState College, Pennsylvania,in 1962. Myers was on the faculty ofPenn Statefrom 1964 until 1981 as instructor, lecturer, and assistant professor; he estimates that by the time he retired from teaching he had taught weather forecasting to approximately 17% of all practicingmeteorologistsin the United States.[1]Additionally, he was on the Pennsylvania State University board of trustees for 33 years, and continues as an Emeritus Trustee.[2]
Myers received theAmerican Meteorological Society’s 2018 Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Advancement of Applied Meteorology,[3]and the National Weather Association’s 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award,[4]in addition to numerous other accolades. He is a trustee of the board of directors for the Committee for Economic Development (CED), where he also is on the education subcommittee, and he is a Fellow of the Nantucket Project.[5]
In 2007, Myers appointed his younger brotherBarry Lee Myers,a business attorney, as AccuWeather's chief executive officer. The younger Myers was nominated by PresidentDonald Trumpto head theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationin October 2017.[6]Dr. Myers resumed his position as CEO in 2019 following his brother's departure from the company.[7]In June 2023, Myers stepped down as CEO to became executive chairman of the company.[8]
Political activities[edit]
Myers faced criticism in 2005 when he supported theNational Weather Service Duties Act of 2005,a bill introduced by U.S. SenatorRick Santorum(R-PA) that would have prohibited theNational Weather Servicefrom publishing weather data to the public when private-sector entities, such as AccuWeather, perform the same function commercially.[9]Myers has been a long-time large donor to theRepublican Party,its candidates, and to Santorum, a former home-state Senator.[10][11][12]
Controversies[edit]
TheOffice of Federal Contract Compliance Programscompiled a report by federal investigators that started after a complaint filed Sept. 6, 2016, alleging a “hostile work environment and termination based on sexual orientation and sex.” The investigators found rampant workplace sexual harassment and female employees receiving favors while having sexual relations with their supervisors, including an unnamed executive. The report found Accuweather “did not take reasonable action to prevent and remedy harassing conduct.” Joel Myers, who was president of Accuweather during the period covered by the agreement, signed a settlement where AccuWeather agrees to pay out $290,000 to at least 39 women, institute in-person training for managers to identify harassment, and send harassment complaints to a 3rd party till at least 2018.[13][14]
References[edit]
- ^"Penn State University - Board of Trustees".psu.edu.Archived fromthe originalon 5 September 2015.Retrieved1 June2015.
- ^this, Penn State Strategic Communications and Marketing in partnership with Penn State IT Penn State made."Penn State University".psu.edu.Retrieved2022-01-11.
- ^"Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Advance of Applied Meteorology".American Meteorological Society. 2020.RetrievedMay 7,2021.
- ^"2017 Award Winners".National Weather Association. 2018.RetrievedMay 7,2021.
- ^"Dr. Joel Myers".Committee for Economic Development. 2021.RetrievedMay 7,2021.
- ^Shepardson, David (October 12, 2017)."White House nominates AccuWeather CEO to head climate agency".Reuters.RetrievedOctober 12,2017.
- ^"Barry Lee Myers Steps Down from AccuWeather".PR Newswire. January 4, 2019.
- ^"AccuWeather names new CEO after founder Joel Myers steps down to become executive chairman".Centre Daily Times.The McClatchy Company. June 14, 2023.
- ^"Text of S.786".Library of Congress.Archived fromthe originalon 2014-12-13.Retrieved2009-02-02.
- ^He has also contributed generously to the Democratic party. In 2017, President Trump signed a bill that will improve weather forecasting and researching capabilities across the American weather enterprise. The bill, which received strong bipartisan support, is titled the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017, H.R. 353. It was passed in the House of Representatives in January and was approved by the Senate on March 29. The legislation authorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to prioritize research to improve weather data, modeling, computing, forecasting and warnings to better protect lives and property.[1]Hefling, Kimberly (2005-05-27)."Critics Question Timing of Santorum Bill".ABC News.Retrieved2009-02-02.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Masters, Jeff (2005-06-20)."Update on the National Weather Service Duties Act of 2005".Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog.Weather Underground.Retrieved2009-02-02.
- ^Noah, Timothy (2005-08-02)."Santorum's Mighty Wind".Slate.Retrieved2009-02-02.
- ^ Brice-Saddler, Michael (April 12, 2019)."Company led by Trump nominee was rife with harassment, including groping and kissing, report says".The Washington Post.Retrieved2021-08-23.
- ^ "Federal report finds 'pervasive' harassment at AccuWeather".AP News.April 13, 2019.Retrieved2021-08-23.