Baron Weather Founder and CEO Robert “Bob” Baron was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame in a celebration on October 7 at The Haven in Birmingham, AL.Bob told of the unique business environment across the state from the heart and said, “Alabama gave me an interesting career doing the things I love and saving lives.” Looking back, he also shared a piece of wisdom passed down to him from his father, who said you should surround yourself with experts who can give you good advice. In closing, Bob offered, “On behalf of my family, friends, and staff, I accept this great honor; this one’s for you.”
Bob is a University of Tennessee graduate who has enjoyed an extensive and successful weather career in broadcasting and founding Baron Services, a weather solutions company.
After a tornado devastated Huntsville in 1989, Bob founded Baron to develop better tornado detection technology that would save lives. “Baron owes its success to the great group of employees we’ve assembled,” Bob said. “Their hard work and innovation have paved the way for developing a wide array of weather innovations that save lives.” Over 30 years, its suite of products has expanded to include radar, critical weather intelligence, storm tracking, weather displays, and alerting technology.
Continuing his legacy of dedication and innovation in weather, Bob started the Baron Critical Weather Institute in 2018; a non-profit organization focused on researching how weather impacts the transportation industry. The Institute is implementing a statewide weather observation network that provides real-time data to improve people's safety in Alabama.
Before founding Baron, Bob was a recognizable figure across the state thanks to a long and prominent career in broadcasting. He spent much of the '60s and '70s working in radio, then in 1978, Bob ventured into television when he took a Chief Meteorologist position in Huntsville. The people of north Alabama welcomed Bob into their homes as their trusted weatherman with his well-known slogan “weather in motion” until 1996, when Bob left television to focus on Baron full-time.
Bob is an active member of the Huntsville community. He has served terms on the board of directors for the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce, the Huntsville Better Business Bureau, and Biztech, a local business incubator. Bob has also made many generous donations to local organizations and charities, including Burritt on the Mountain, Huntsville Botanical Gardens, Kids to Love, Boys and Girls Club of North Alabama, Huntsville Community Foundation, and many more.
