Quad Cities- IA/IL -- Two of the biggest names in weather in the Quad Cities announce a partnership that brings local favorite Terry Swails back to regular daily television and allows one of the most familiar people in the Quad Cities a chance to pursue his dream of running a weather website that services people in and around the Quad Cities.
In this partnership, Terry Swails will join Storm Team 8, the most experienced and accurate weather department in the Quad Cities. Terry will anchor the weather for News 8 at 6 Monday through Friday evenings, working under the direction of Chief Meteorologist James Zahara. James was recently appointed to the role after the retirement of Neil Kastor, another Quad Cities favorite.
"This partnership grew from a series of conversations I'd had over the last year with Terry," said WQAD-TV President and General Manager Larry Rosmilso. "Terry made it clear that he wanted to be with his family more, and that his passion for weather was leading him to become an entrepreneur and develop a weather service on the web. It soon became clear that joining the one station in town that has momentum and is investing in the future was the best place to use as a springboard for his business," Rosmilso added.
"The conversations with WQAD were so positive and appealing, I just knew it was a perfect fit for me," said Terry Swails, perhaps the most popular local television figure. "Nothing would please me more than to watch viewers make the switch to News 8," said Swails, a Quad Cities television veteran of 32 years. "I believe WQAD has positioned itself to be the leading news and weather authority in this television market and I want to be along for the ride. This will be an exciting challenge and I am grateful to the WQAD family for the opportunity and to the people of the Quad Cities for their unwavering support."
"This is the best of both worlds for both Terry and us," said Rosmilso. Terry gets back in front of the camera where viewers can see him each day like they want, and we can help him grow awareness for his new business, terryswails.com. It's the partnership you always want, a "win-win" where the biggest win is for the viewers that miss seeing him."
Swails will start his new role officially the week of July 6th with appearances on the air during coverage of the John Deere Golf Classic, in which WQAD-TV is the official host for the 28th consecutive year. His regular studio duties will begin the following week, in which he will preview his forecast during News 8 at 5 and then be the regular weather anchor on News 8 at 6. Swails will lend himself to an major weather coverage as James Zahara and News 8 ask of him, and the station will make a point of promoting the www.terryswails.com site and Terry's public appearances.
