Nov. 23, 2020 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Start at Grand Rapids Community College and go anywhere! Every former student has a story to tell about how GRCC – or Grand Rapids Junior College – gave them the education and opportunity to be successful. We’re sharing some of those stories, and want to hear yours!
George Lessens has been a fixture on West Michigan televisions for 40 years, a trusted voice telling us how to prepare for the day and keeping us safe as dangerous storms approach.
Lessens is WZZM 13 On Your Side’s chief meteorologist and became the region’s longest-tenured meteorologist in 2007. His story started at what was then Grand Rapids Junior College.
Lessens graduated from GRJC in 1977, majoring in Chemistry, before transferring to Penn State University and earning a degree in meteorology.
"GRJC was my logical choice for a quality and economical education,” he said. “All my credits transferred, and I saved thousands of dollars on out-of-state tuition at Penn State University.
Lessens said several professors had a huge influence on his life, Harold DeVries in physics, Sigurd Nelson in organic chemistry and Richard Chesnutt in mathematics.
“I look back at my career and know it had a good foundation because of Grand Rapids Junior College."
Lessens began his career at WZZM in 1980 as weekend meteorologist. He anchored weekday morning weathercasts from 1985 to 1991 before returning to the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. weekend newscasts.
The Lowell native has been passionate about weather ever since the 1965 Palm Sunday tornadoes hit West Michigan. He formed a weather club as a youth to scan the skies for storms and tornadoes.
Although he has never been an eyewitness to a tornado, Lessens has been inside the damage paths of many of these storms. Early on his 21st birthday, a small tornado touched down in Lowell. Lessens heard the storm coming and alerted his family members. This storm destroyed the Lowell Showboat, toppled a church steeple, and caused considerable damage to the surrounding community.
Lessens has been recognized and honored with many awards, including being named a GRCC Distinguished Alumnus in 2008.
The following year he was saluted with a Silver Circle Award given by the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences for 25-years or more of service. He is also a nine-time winner of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters’ Best Weathercast Award and a four-time recipient of the organization’s Merit Weathercast Award.
Lessens also has two Michigan Emmy Awards for Weather, winning in 2005 and 2009.