Frances Weller

Anchor
Wilmington, NC
Frances Weller

Frances Weller is a proud Wilmington native, award-winning journalist, and community advocate. She recently celebrated 40 years at WECT and is a leader of the most trusted news team in Southeastern North Carolina.

She began her journalism career at WECT not long after graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, joining the news team she grew up watching.

Despite winning countless professional awards as well as the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian award, Fran's greatest joy is her community involvement. Through her two passion projects, Fran’s Fans and Weller’s Wheels, she has kept the elderly cool each summer by gathering fan donations and she has made countless Christmases brighter for local children through her bike collection drive.

She's also the public relations chair for the Willie Stargell Celebrity Invitational, an annual event that raises money for local people living with kidney disease. Her twin sister, Margaret, was married to former Pittsburgh Pirates slugger and Hall of Fame member Willie Stargell who died from kidney failure in 2001.

Fran says she can't imagine life without WECT and has no plans of retiring.

Education
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Speech Communication
  • Affiliations
  • Heads up WECT's Advisory Board ; Board member of the Community Boys & Girls Club; Willie Stargell Foundation board which raises money for local people living with kidney disease
  • Awards
  • YWCA Woman of the Year in Achievement
  • North Carolina State Human Relations Achievement Award presented by the governor
  • Citizen of the Year, presented by Omega Psi Phi fraternity
  • Voted Best Newscaster by Encore Magazine readers 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
  • Order of the Long Leaf Pine