AccuWeather founder, president and chairman Joel Myers has been selected as the 2016 Penn State Homecoming Grand Marshal.
The Homecoming executive committee announced the selection on Thursday afternoon. Myers will be featured in the Homecoming Parade on Oct. 7 and will be recognized at the Penn State Homecoming game against Maryland on Oct. 8. Penn State Homecoming is a student-run organization that annually celebrates university history and traditions.
“Each year Homecoming Executive Committee selects a Grand Marshal to represent Penn State Homecoming for that year. The Grand Marshal is an outstanding alumnus or alumna who has excelled in their career and field of study and has continued to show dedication to the future success of Penn State,” said Shannon McConnell, Homecoming Alumni Relations Director. ‘I’m extremely excited to work with and get to know such a notable alumnus who has given so much back to not only Penn State but Homecoming as well.’
Myers holds bacheleor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in meteorology from Penn State and was a faculty member in the department in 1981. He was a member of the Penn State Board of Trustees for more than 30 years and is now a trustee emeritus.
Founder of the nation’s largest commercial weather-forecasting service, Myers gave $2 million for the Penn State meteorology department’s Joel N. Myers Weather Center teaching facility. He also donated the Beaver Stadium weather vane — one of the largest in the world — as well as the interactive sundial at The Arboretum at Penn State, walk-in sundial at The Nittany Lion Inn. He also has awarded dozens of scholarships to meteorology and information technology students.
‘I received a terrific education at Penn State with great mentorship from faculty and graduate students. It is an honor to be chosen as Homecoming Grand Marshal, representing Penn State alumni who are transforming industries and peoples’ lives in many important ways around the world,’ said Myers, who was recently named a Distinguished Alumnus by the university.
AccuWeather’s global headquarters are located in State College and the company and reaches 1.5 billion people daily through various media. Myers, who founded the company in 1962, has been called one of the country’s greatest entrepreneurs by Entrepreneur Magazine.
‘We are excited to have Dr. Joel Myers represent Penn State Homecoming as our 2016 Grand Marshal. He has put so much passion into his field and it is clear that he is committed to giving back to Penn State,’ McConnell said. ‘Dr. Myers and AccuWeather are significant supporters of both the University and our organization through various scholarship, donations, and continued dedication to Penn State’s success.’
Editor’s note: Joel Myers is the father of Dan Myers, owner of StateCollege.com
