Veteran weather reporter Brewer leaving WISH-TV for new gig

Ken Brewer, a meteorologist at WISH-TV Channel 8 for more than 17 years, is leaving the station this week for a job in the private sector.

Ken Brewer

Brewer’s last day at WISH will be Friday, the Indianapolis station reported Tuesday.

Brewer plans to join Baron Services Inc., a Huntsville, Alabama-based firm that provides weather-related radar equipment, software and data to clients that include TV and radio networks.

He'll be joining his former WISH-TV boss at Baron. Steve Bray, former news director and chief meteorologist, became Baron's director of broadcast meteorology after he left a 20-year career at WISH in 2015.

Brewer has been in charge of running the day-to-day operations of WISH’s weather team. Other than Randy Ollis, who has been at WISH since 1984, Brewer has been providing weather forecasts longer than anybody else at the station.

“It was a difficult decision to leave WISH-TV,” Brewer said in a story on wishtv.com. “I was offered a multi-year contract extension to stay, but at this stage of my life, I feel that if I want to try something new, now would be the time to do that. I have been doing TV weather for over 20 years, and I feel like I am ready for a new challenge.”

Scott Hainey, director of creative services at WISH, said a nationwide search is under way to replace Brewer. In the meantime, weekend weather reporter Marcus Bailey will cover Brewer’s evening broadcast duties.

“Ken has been a staple at WISH-TV forecasting Indiana weather for almost two decades,” said Randy Ingram, general manager of WISH-TV and MyINDY-TV, on wishtv.com. “His passion and personality will be greatly missed.”

Brewer, a Florida State University graduate, previously worked as a meteorologist for WCTV in Tallahassee, Florida, and for WFOR in Miami.

He is the husband of Wendy Brewer, founding partner of local law firm Jensen/Brewer LLC and a 2011 IBJ Forty Under 40 recipient.