LCC Alumni Association Announces Bandy as Award Recipient
Contact Bethany Kendrick, Director Public Relations
Labette Community College | (620) 820-1280
The Labette Community College Alumni Association announces the 13th Annual William & Allene Guthrie Van Meter Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award. The 2012 recipient of this prestigious award is Gary Bandy, of Joplin, MO. Bandy is a graduate of Labette Community College and is currently Chief Meteorologist for KSN TV.
Gary began his broadcasting career in 1973 at KLKC radio while still in high school in Parsons.
He worked at KLKC and in the Parsons Sun's Circulation Department off and on throughout the 1970's. Gary graduated from Labette Community College in 1975, then attended broadcasting classes at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.
In 1981, Gary relocated to Joplin to begin work at KKUZ radio. In 1988 he moved to television as a production coordinator at KODE TV. His morning show career started in 1993 as co-host of KODE's Good Morning Four States. Three years later he moved to KSNF TV and co-hosted their morning show, Hometown Today, from 1997 to 2002 when he was promoted to the position of main evening weather anchor.
Gary received his meteorology degree from Mississippi State University and has been KSN's Chief Meteorologist since 2003.
In his time in Joplin, he has served on the boards of the Southwest Missouri United Way and the Spiva Center for the Arts. He's also volunteered for many local and regional charity organizations including the American Cancer Society, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Hope 4 You Breast Cancer Foundation, the United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas, Special Olympics of Missouri, the Alzheimer's Association, Ascent Recovery Residences, The Boys and Girls Clubs, Children's Miracle Network, the Humane Society, the Joplin Association for the Blind, the Ozark Center for Autism, the Red Cross, the Ronald McDonald House and was a co-founder of KSN and KODE's "Helping Hands-Helping Others" campaign to provide food for Joplin's Souls Harbor and Pittsburg Kansas Wesley House.
Gary has been married to his wife, Doris, since 1986 and has one son, Coleman, in his Junior year in the Honor's Journalism program at the University of Missouri.
The Van Meter award will be presented at the 15th Annual Donor Appreciation Luncheon on Friday, November 9th. The award was named in memory of the Van Meters for their generous estate gift that funded renovation of Thiebaud Theatre at LCC. William was a 1929 graduate of the college and Allene taught romance languages at the college from 1929 to 1935. Previous Alumni who have received this award include; Dr. CJ Huff in 2011, Dr. Jerry Bouman in 2010, Dr. Sandra K. Willsie in 2009, and William “Pat” Haley in 2008. For a complete list of recipients or for more information on the William and Allene Guthrie Van Meter Outstanding Alumni Award, please contact Lindi Forbes, LCC Foundation and Alumni Director, at (620) 820-1212 or by e-mail at lindif@labette.edu.