Central Texas Drought: Dire or Dwindling?
EWTG Monthly Luncheon
July 23, 2014 
Key Note Speaker:  Jim Spencer,
Meteorologist, KXAN News

Date: July 23, 2014 
Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM (program begins at noon, lunch is served at 11:45 AM)
Location: Austin Woman’s Club
              708 San Antonio
              Austin TX, 78701 

The July 23, 2014 EWTG Monthly Luncheon Meeting will feature Jim Spencer, a five time winner of the Texas Associated Press Best Weathercast Award.  Jim Spencer is a popular Austin weathercaster with KXAN news.  He will talk about what is happening with the Austin weather and the drought and shed some light on what it is like having a career in meteorology in Texas.

Make plans now to join us for a chance to meet and hear from one of the busiest weathercasters in this city, and perhaps state.

Please join EWTG Members and friends on July 23, 2104 as follows:

• The luncheon is held at the Austin Woman’s Club, 708 San Antonio Street.

• Networking begins at 11:30 a.m. and lunch will be served at 11:45 a.m.

• The program starts at noon and concludes at 1:00 p.m.

• The online cost is $20 for EWTG Members and $25 for guests. On-site registration is increased by $5. 

• Please note there is plenty of free parking.  While there is signage around the building about parking fees, the parking is FREE to EWTG during the luncheon time frame.

To register for the luncheon, click here. Registration will close at 12:00 pm on Sunday, July 20, 2014. 

A little more about the speaker:

Jim grew up in Lindsay, Oklahoma, in the heart of tornado alley, to which he credits his life-long fascination with weather.  After graduating with honors from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, Jim continued his Meteorology studies at Mississippi State University’s Broadcast Meteorology program.

He joined KXAN in November 1990 as the first weathercaster for Austin’s first hour-long morning newscast, News 36 Firstcast.  In 1993 he moved to the weeknight newscasts, where he can be seen today.

Jim’s coverage of the Jarrell, Cedar Park and Lake Travis area tornadoes on May 27, 1997 brought him international attention and much local praise.  His warnings were first on the air during that tragic tornado outbreak. 

In addition to his honors as the Texas Associated Press Best Weathercast Award, Jim has been voted Austin’s Best Weathercaster by readers of Austin Chronicle 12 times.  He has been named TV Personality of the Year by Austin’s American Women in Radio and Television Chapter four times.  Jim is also a past recipient of the National Weather Association’s Weathercaster of the Year award.

Jim does have interests other than weather.  He’s crazy about his nieces and nephews, and football officiating is another of Jim’s passions. He is a line judge and a member of the Texas Association of Sports Officials.  He has officiated NAIA and NCAA Division 2 and 3 college football, and has officiated high school football games since 1981.  His favorite officiating experiences include his 2006 state championship assignment, playoff games in the Astrodome, Alamodome, and Texas Stadium.  He has been a member of the chain crew for Big 12 Conference officials during UT home football games, and has officiated scrimmages for the University of Texas Longhorns and the Dallas Cowboys.

He is very involved in community and charitable organizations.  Jim co-hosted the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association for 20 years.  He has been a mentor in Austin’s Communities in Schools program and was named Langford Elementary School’s Mentor of the Year for the 2009-2010 school year.  He serves on the Community Advisory Board for the Helping Hand Home for Children, where he has also served as a “buddy” to abused and neglected children at the Home.  He serves on the Coming of Age senior volunteer program board, worked with the ARC of the Capital Area, an organization dedicated to helping area residents with developmental disabilities. Jim has also served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children of Travis County.  Jim speaks to hundreds of area school children each year about severe weather safety.

His professional affiliations include the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society.