AccuWeather said that Steven R. Smith has been named CEO, effective immediately.
Smith, who had been president, taking over for AccuWeather founder Dr. Joel Myers, who becomes executive chairman of the company.
The change is part of the company’s succession plan. Myers will remain involved in the business, focusing on high-level strategy, new product development, innovation and business development. Smith will oversee operations and focus on growth opportunities.
“Steve and I have been working in lockstep on this succession plan to ensure a smooth and effective transition. Now that the time has come, it is with great pleasure that I make his appointment official,” said Myers. “Steve has been by my side leading the growth and transformation of AccuWeather for over 25 years, and I am proud to say that the student has become the master. He has been instrumental in our success, and this new appointment reflects my full confidence in his leadership of this great company I founded over 60 years ago.”
Smith joined Accuweather as a forecasting intern in 1997 after wearing a B.S. in meteorology from Penn State.
“Carrying the mantel of such an authentic brand as AccuWeather is an awesome responsibility, and one that I embrace wholeheartedly. I am fortunate that I will continue to have Joel and the rest of our visionary leadership team by my side as we build upon our legacy of superior accuracy and write this exciting next chapter in AccuWeather’s history together,” said Smith.
“I look forward to collaborating with our extraordinary team of meteorologists and content, data, and digital experts to continue to break new ground in technology and AI to bring the very best weather insights to the public, our partners, and our clients across all AccuWeather platforms,” Smith said.
AccuWeather forecasts appear on digital signage, in 700 newspapers, are heard on over 400 radio stations, and viewed on 100 television stations. The AccuWeather Now streaming service is available to more than 200 million active users on many platforms, including Roku, Xumo, Red Box, LG, Amazon, and Freevee.
