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Meteorologist Randy Ollis, who has been delivering weather forecasts for WISH-TV Channel 8 in Indianapolis for nearly 39 years, plans to retire at the end of August, he announced on Facebook.
Ollis, 67, made the announcement Saturday shortly after completing the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon with his daughter.
“Just as we crossed the finish line of the Mini-Marathon today, I’m about to cross the finish line of my broadcasting career at Channel 8,” he said on a video. “I’ve been there for over 38 years and I’m letting the toothpaste out of the tube here today—I am going to fully retire on Aug. 31. That will be my last day on the air at Channel 8 as I head into full retirement and ministry work with Child Evangelism Fellowship.”
Ollis delivered his weather forecast first thing every morning on WISH from 1984 until March 2021, when he took on a shorter schedule under a new 2-1/2-year contract with Circle City Broadcasting—parent company of WISH-TV and WNDY-TV Channel 23. He began delivering the forecast during the weekday news at 11 a.m. and appearing as a co-host on WISH-TV’s “Life.Style.Live!” at 10 a.m.
Ollis grew up in Elgin, Illinois, went to school at Northern Illinois University and worked in Wausau, Wisconsin, and Dayton, Ohio, before moving to Indianapolis.
He also has a podcast, “Finding Faith with Randy Ollis,” which is available from the All Indiana Podcast Network.
The announcement by Ollis comes just more than a month after another popular meteorologist at WISH, Stephanie Mead, announced she was leaving Indianapolis for a weather job at WJBK, a Fox affiliate in Detroit. Mead had been with WISH for six years.
Besides Ollis, the current WISH meteorologist roster consists of Marcus Bailey, Ashley Brown, Tara Hastings and Ryan Morse.
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Randy will be missed.
Congrats to a wonderful Hoosier!
WISH TV will not be the same without Randy. His personality and audience care is second to none. He and David bantering was always a highlight of the day. We hope those same vibes can continue with the others s WISH, as that’s what makes our relationship with any station the continuity of feeling part of their station. Drew Blair and others is another personality that brings the warm congenial TV interactions with an audience they can’t see. Thanks to quality in TV
WISH TV will not be the same without Randy. His personality and audience care is second to none. He and David bantering was always a highlight of the day. We hope those same vibes can continue with the others at WISH.
Randy will certainly be missed as he heads off to do more important things. He is a true gentleman, a fun to watch weather guy who was entertaining, and I appreciated that he was always open about his faith. Hopefully he will have more time to spend with family and doing work with CEF.