Harvey Leonard, WCVB's Chief Meteorologist, will be honored at the upcoming National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Boston/New England Chapter Emmy Awards with the prestigious Governors' Award.
The gala will take place on Saturday, June 4 at The Westin Copley Place, Boston.
The Governors' Award is given by the NATAS Boston/New England Chapter to individuals, organizations, or companies with ties to the region in recognition of achievements which do not fall within the structure of the Chapter's regular awards. Historically, the Board of Governors' Award is for truly outstanding and unique accomplishments or for achievements of some duration and durability. For this award, an Emmy® statuette is given. The previous recipient was Star Trek star Leonard Nimoy.
"We are very lucky to have someone as accomplished and passionate about weather as Harvey Leonard at the helm of WCVB's Storm Team 5 for nearly fifteen years now," said Bill Fine, WCVB President and General Manager. "Harvey has earned the admiration and respect of his colleagues and the Boston community, and his warmth and charm have long made him a favorite amongst viewers."
"Harvey has not only served the New England community for over forty years with an extremely high level of weather forecasting accuracy, but is very active in the community, and has served as a mentor and friend to numerous meteorologists who have gone on to launch very successful careers in their own right. All of us at WCVB congratulate Harvey on this incredible accomplishment," added Fine.
HARVEY LEONARD’S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Harvey Leonard is WCVB Channel 5's chief meteorologist. He has worked as a meteorologist in New England for over 40 years. Prior to joining WCVB in 2002, Leonard served as chief meteorologist for WHDH-TV from May 1977 to April 2002. He also served as chief meteorologist at WPRI-TV in Providence, RI. Leonard began his forecasting career as a meteorologist for Universal Weather Services, Inc, preparing forecasts for aviation and industry.
Widely regarded as one of Boston's top meteorologists, Leonard has received numerous awards throughout his luminous career. Among the highlights, he was recently voted "Best Weatherperson" for 2015 by Boston Magazine in the People's Choice category, making it the fifth time in his career the magazine's readership bestowed him this honor. He was also previously voted the Hub's "favorite forecaster" by the Improper Bostonian. In addition, Leonard earned four New England Emmy Awards for outstanding achievement in television weathercasting. In 2003, Leonard was recognized with the Silver Circle Award from NATSNE (National Academy of Arts and Sciences New England Chapter) for more than twenty-five years of broadcast excellence. Leonard is a Fellow of the American Meteorologist Society and was awarded their prestigious Outstanding Service Award by a Broadcast Meteorologist, which recognized and lauded his work on a national level. He is credited as the first meteorologist to correctly predict the impact and intensity of the Blizzard of '78.
An active member of the community, Leonard is involved in numerous local organizations including the Huntington's Disease Society of America, for which he participates in annual fundraisers to help find a cure while providing support and services for those living with the disease and their families. For several years, he lent his time and talent to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s event as co-master of ceremonies, and he has served as master of ceremonies for Boston Prostate Cancer Walk. Leonard has also lent his support to Boston Medical Center, the primary teaching affiliate for the Boston University School of Medicine. Additionally, he has been a speaker at educational seminars held by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Association and an avid supporter of the Blue Hill Weather Observatory. Leonard has also served as an honored guest speaker at Harvard Business School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Over the years, Leonard has visited and spoken to hundreds of school and adult groups. He has been a mentor to numerous aspiring meteorologists and today well over a dozen of his protégé serve as on-air meteorologists in markets across the country.
Leonard received a Bachelor of Science degree in meteorology from City College of New York and earned a Master of Science degree in meteorology from New York University, where he also served as an instructor in meteorology.
Leonard is an avid tennis player and enjoys hiking trails, particularly around Walden Pond and Woods Hole. He currently resides in Natick, MA, with his wife. They are the proud parents of two daughters and are grandparents to four beautiful grandchildren.
