Orion church to host farm marketing seminar

    Mike McClellan, Mobile Weather Team, will be the featured speaker on Thursday, March 10, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Orion.  The evening will begin with a buffet dinner at 6:15 p.m., followed by an update from Gold Star FS grain merchandiser Mike Schaver.

    McClellan is the owner/president of Mobile Weather Team, Inc., a Washington, IL-based company specializing in on-site weather forecasting, advance storm warning, lightning prediction and detection, plus long-range ag weather forecasting.

    McClellan earned his Bachelor of Science degree in meteorology from Northern Illinois University in 1983. His first broadcast meteorology experience came at the cable-access station in Dekalb while he was attending NIU.            

    He has been the chief meteorologist at KTTC-TV in Rochester, Minn., WICS-TV in Springfield, WXII-TV in Winston-Salem, NC and at WMBD-TV, the CBS affiliate in Peoria. In 1995, he earned the award for Best Weathercast in the state of Illinois from the Illinois Broadcasters Association. As a broadcast meteorologist, McClellan holds the American Meteorological Society’s Seal of Approval and was the 2001 National chairman of the Board of Broadcast Meteorology of the American Meteorological Society.

    In 1991, McClellan combined his passion for both weather and golf by creating the Mobile Weather Team, which provided forecasts, lightning detection and prediction for the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Men’s European PGA Tour, Ladies European Tour, Asian Tour, China Tour, PGA Championship and the Masters. Mobile Weather Team meteorologists also provided weather coverage and consultation for various USGA and PGA of America golf events plus 24/7 coverage for 12 central Illinois radio stations and the Central Illinois Regional Airport. However, in February 2008, McClellan sold its North American golf operations to DTN/Meteterologix leaving the European PGA Tour and the rest of the world as its major clients.

    Today, the Mobile Weather Team continues to grow its forecasting division into other international golf markets, agriculture, energy and broadcast markets. Its latest venture is a newsletter called "WeatherView Online" which targets Midwest Agri-business.

    To make a reservation, call the Henry County Farm Bureau (309) 937-2411 or the Rock Island County Farm Bureau (309) 736-7432. 

    Additional speakers for the series will include:  June 16, 2011 - Dr. Steve Johnson, Iowa State University at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Orion.

    The Market Outlook Series is sponsored by the Henry and Rock Island County Farm Bureau Marketing Committees, Gold Star FS, Big River Resources, 1st Farm Credit Services, BankOrion, Patriot Renewable Fuels, Central Bank of Geneseo, Country Bank, and COUNTRY Financial Agents of Henry and Rock Island Counties.