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Mike Wankum (American Meteorologist)
Mike Wankum is an American broadcast meteorologist whose television career encompassed 46 years in weather forecasting, including approximately 35 years in the Boston, Massachusetts media market. His professional trajectory began in Iowa in 1980 and concluded with a formal retirement on June 30, 2026.
Born in Iowa and raised on a family farm near Merrill in northwest Iowa, Wankum developed an early familiarity with severe weather systems common to the American Midwest. He completed a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa, and pursued graduate studies in Atmospheric Science at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Creighton’s location within Tornado Alley provided direct field exposure to severe convective weather systems during his academic years. Wankum also earned the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) designation from the American Meteorological Society.
His broadcast career began at KTIV-TV in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1980, where he joined as a weekend weather reporter at approximately age 19 and advanced to the position of Chief Meteorologist. He held that role through 1990. In 1990, Wankum relocated to Richmond, Virginia, to serve as Chief Meteorologist at WTVR-TV, a position he held through 1993. During his Richmond tenure, he earned one regional Emmy Award.
In July 1993, Mike Wankum established his presence in the Boston television market as Chief Meteorologist at WLVI-TV Channel 56, a role he held for 13 years through December 2006. His WLVI tenure produced eight regional Emmy Awards and three Associated Press awards for Best Weathercast. In December 2006, Wankum joined WCVB-TV Channel 5, the ABC affiliate in Boston, as weeknight meteorologist for StormTeam 5. At WCVB, his responsibilities included anchoring weather forecasts across the 4 PM, 5 PM, 6 PM, 7 PM, and 11 PM newscasts Monday through Friday, as well as The 10 O’Clock News on MeTV Boston.
Mike Wankum accumulated 17 regional Boston/New England Emmy Awards across his full career, in addition to six Associated Press–Massachusetts and Rhode Island awards and three Massachusetts Broadcasters Association awards. In 2017, The Washington Post named him among seven notable meteorologists in the United States. He also received a First Place Massachusetts Broadcasters Association Sound Bites award in 2018 for his weekly “Cutting Edge” technology segment at WCVB.
On June 24, 2026, WCVB President and General Manager Andrew Vrees formally announced Wankum’s retirement. His final on-air broadcast took place on June 30, 2026, marking the conclusion of a career that made him the longest-serving broadcast meteorologist in Boston market history.
| Full Name | Mike Wankum |
| Date of Birth | Approximately 1959–1960 (exact date not publicly confirmed) |
| Place of Birth | Iowa, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Broadcast Meteorologist, Television Weather Anchor |
| Known Employer | WCVB-TV Channel 5, Boston, Massachusetts (December 2006 – June 2026) |
| Education | B.A. in Journalism, Briar Cliff University, Sioux City, Iowa; Graduate studies in Atmospheric Science, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska |
| Certification | Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) — American Meteorological Society |
| Career Start | KTIV-TV, Sioux City, Iowa — Weekend Weather Reporter, 1980 |
| Career End | June 30, 2026 — Retirement from WCVB-TV Channel 5, Boston |
| Total Career Span | Approximately 46 years in television; approximately 35 years in the Boston market |
| Notable Role | Weeknight Meteorologist, StormTeam 5 — WCVB-TV Channel 5, Boston (2006–2026) |
| Previous Stations | KTIV-TV Sioux City (1980–1990); WTVR-TV Richmond, Virginia (1990–1993); WLVI-TV Channel 56 Boston (1993–2006) |
| Marital Status | Married to Clair Geissler Wankum (August 14, 1982 — date noted in biographical sources; not confirmed by primary record) |
| Children | Three — Benjamin (Ben), Anna, Tess |
| Grandchildren | Four — Thomas (born approximately early 2022), Aurora Tegan Green (born February 2, 2023), and two others not publicly named |
| Awards | 17 regional Boston/New England Emmy Awards; 6 Associated Press–Massachusetts and Rhode Island awards; 3 Massachusetts Broadcasters Association awards; MBA Sound Bites First Place (2018) |
| Estimated Net Worth | Approximately $1 million USD (estimated; not officially confirmed) |
| Estimated Salary | Estimated $100,000+ annually (not officially confirmed) |
| Residence | Scituate, Massachusetts (South Shore) |
| Hobby | Licensed amateur motorcycle road racer; competed at New Hampshire Motor Speedway |
| Notable Recognition | Washington Post — listed among seven notable meteorologists in the United States (2017) |
Who is Mike Wankum?
Mike Wankum is a retired American broadcast meteorologist whose television career spanned 46 years, including 35 years in the Boston market. He held the role of weeknight meteorologist at WCVB-TV Channel 5 from December 2006 through June 30, 2026, and earned recognition as the longest-serving broadcast meteorologist in Boston history, with 17 regional Emmy Awards.
Early Life and Education
Mike Wankum was born in Iowa, United States, with his birth year falling in the range of 1959 to 1960 based on available biographical records; no exact calendar date has been confirmed in any public document. He grew up on a family farm located near the town of Merrill in northwest Iowa, a rural agricultural community where farming operations formed the foundation of daily life.
The geographic and environmental conditions of northwest Iowa placed weather at the center of practical necessity for farming families in that region. The area falls within a corridor of the American Midwest that receives regular exposure to severe convective storms, tornado activity, and winter blizzard conditions. Mike Wankum upbringing on that land brought him into direct contact with those atmospheric events from childhood onward, establishing a concrete, observable basis for his eventual focus on meteorology.
His parents have not been identified by name in any verified public record. His mother appeared in references Wankum made in public statements during his later career years, in the context of visits to the family farm in Merrill. No information regarding siblings has been disclosed in any confirmed biographical source.
Educational Journey
Mike Wankum enrolled at Briar Cliff University, located in Sioux City, Iowa, where he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. His time at Briar Cliff University also marked the point at which he met Clair Geissler, who became his wife. The two shared the same university during their undergraduate years.
Following his undergraduate education, Wankum pursued graduate-level studies in Atmospheric Science at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Creighton University sits geographically within the region commonly referred to as Tornado Alley, a stretch of the central United States that produces a high concentration of tornado events annually. That location gave Wankum direct field access to active tornado systems during his graduate years, and he participated in tornado chases as part of that period of study.
The graduate studies at Creighton did not result in a confirmed completed Master’s degree according to available records; Wankum’s official biography described his enrollment and coursework there without specifying degree conferral.
In addition to his university education, Mike Wankum earned the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) designation issued by the American Meteorological Society. This certification, awarded to broadcast professionals who meet defined standards in scientific accuracy and meteorological knowledge, formed part of his professional credentials throughout his television career.
Mike Wankum Career
Mike Wankum’s broadcast career began at KTIV-TV in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1980. He joined the station at approximately 19 years of age, taking on the role of weekend weather reporter. Over the decade that followed, he advanced through the station’s weather department and held the position of Chief Meteorologist at KTIV-TV by the time his tenure concluded in 1990.
The geographic conditions of the Sioux City region shaped the scope of his early forecasting work. Northwest Iowa sits within a zone of recurring severe weather activity, and Wankum tracked tornado systems and blizzard events across the Midwest throughout that ten-year period. In the early years of his KTIV tenure, weather forecasts were delivered in front of hand-drawn maps before computer-generated graphics became standard in broadcast meteorology. Beyond weather coverage, Mike Wankum hosted a segment titled “Wednesday’s Child” at the station and conducted thousands of school visits in Iowa focused on weather and science topics.
In 1990, Mike Wankum relocated to Richmond, Virginia, where he took up the role of Chief Meteorologist at WTVR-TV. His three years at WTVR, from 1990 through 1993, brought exposure to a different range of atmospheric systems — including hurricanes, coastal storm events, and Atlantic weather patterns that differed substantially from the Midwest conditions he had covered at KTIV. His work at WTVR-TV produced one regional Emmy Award before he transitioned out of the Richmond market.
Boston Career — WLVI-TV (1993–2006)
In July 1993, Mike Wankum entered the Boston, Massachusetts television market with his appointment as Chief Meteorologist at WLVI-TV Channel 56. He held that position for 13 consecutive years, through December 2006.
During his WLVI tenure, Wankum earned eight regional Emmy Awards along with three Associated Press awards for Best Weathercast. His broadcasting work in Boston extended beyond television during this period. He provided weather forecast segments for multiple Boston-area radio outlets, including WZLX at 100.7, WBCN at 104.1, WBUR at 90.9, and Kiss 108. He also supplied weather forecasts for the Boston Herald newspaper and the publication BostonNOW.
The WLVI chapter of his career concluded in December 2006, when Tribune Broadcasting completed the sale of WLVI-TV to Sunbeam Television. That ownership transition marked the end of his 13-year run at the station and preceded his move to a new broadcast home in the Boston market.
WCVB Channel 5 — StormTeam 5 (2006–2026)
In December 2006, Mike Wankum joined WCVB-TV, the ABC affiliate operating as Channel 5 in Boston, as the station’s weeknight meteorologist for StormTeam 5. His newscast responsibilities at WCVB encompassed the 4 PM, 5 PM, 6 PM, 7 PM, and 11 PM broadcasts from Monday through Friday, as well as The 10 O’Clock News on MeTV Boston.
His nearly two decades at WCVB-TV established him as the longest-serving broadcast meteorologist in the Boston market’s history. In addition to his nightly WCVB duties, Wankum contributed weather coverage to the weekend edition of ABC World News Tonight and to ESPN.
At WCVB, Wankum hosted a weekly segment titled “Cutting Edge,” which covered emerging businesses and technology developments in the Boston area. The segment drew recognition from the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association and contributed to his profile as a reporter who covered topics beyond standard weather forecasting.
Awards and Major Recognition
Across his full broadcast career, Mike Wankum accumulated 17 regional Boston/New England Emmy Awards, distributed across categories of weather coverage and technology reporting. His earlier Emmy total from the Richmond market added one award to the overall count, with the Boston-based awards comprising the remaining 16.
The Associated Press–Massachusetts and Rhode Island chapter recognized his weathercasting work with six awards for Best Weathercast. The Massachusetts Broadcasters Association presented him with three awards for Outstanding Weathercast. In 2018, the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association awarded his “Cutting Edge” segment a First Place Sound Bites award.
In 2017, The Washington Post included Wankum in a published list identifying seven notable meteorologists in the United States.
Retirement
On June 24, 2026, WCVB President and General Manager Andrew Vrees and News Director Margaret Cronan issued a formal announcement confirming Wankum’s retirement from the station. His final on-air broadcast took place on June 30, 2026.
In public statements connected to the announcement, Wankum referenced structural changes in the television broadcasting industry — specifically the movement of audiences away from traditional broadcast formats toward digital and mobile platforms — as factors in his decision to retire at that time.
Following his departure, Chief Meteorologist Cindy Fitzgibbon moved from the weekday morning and noon broadcast slots to take over the weeknight forecast position Wankum had held. Meteorologist Kelly Ann Cicalese transitioned from weekend mornings into the weekday morning and noon role that Fitzgibbon vacated.
Mike Wankum full career in television broadcasting spanned approximately 46 years, from his start at KTIV-TV in 1980 through his final broadcast on June 30, 2026. His time in the Boston market alone covered approximately 35 years, beginning with his WLVI-TV appointment in July 1993.
Net Worth and Salary
No verified salary figure for Mike Wankum has been disclosed in any public record, court document, or official financial filing. His compensation arrangements across his broadcast career remained private, consistent with standard practice among television news personnel at major-market stations.
A general industry context applies to his career tier. Weeknight meteorologists holding senior roles at major-market television stations in cities such as Boston typically drew annual compensation figures in the range of $100,000 or above, with exact amounts varying based on contract terms, tenure, and market size. Wankum’s broadcast career at WCVB-TV Channel 5 covered nearly two decades of weeknight anchor responsibilities across multiple daily newscasts, a volume of on-air output that falls within the senior category of major-market broadcast employment.
His income sources extended beyond his primary television role. Mike Wankum contributed weather segments to the weekend edition of ABC World News Tonight and provided weather coverage to ESPN, representing national broadcast activity beyond his local station contract. He also maintained a public speaking and educational lecture schedule at schools and universities in the Boston area, covering topics that included severe weather, climate science, and media. These engagements represented additional professional income streams separate from his station salary.
His compensation structure across his full career encompassed roles at four television stations — KTIV-TV in Sioux City from 1980 through 1990, WTVR-TV in Richmond from 1990 through 1993, WLVI-TV in Boston from July 1993 through December 2006, and WCVB-TV in Boston from December 2006 through June 2026 — totaling approximately 46 years of continuous broadcast employment.
Net Worth Estimate
Available biographical estimates place Mike Wankum’s net worth at approximately $1 million USD. No court-verified, audited, or officially disclosed net worth figure exists in the public record. The estimates that appear in biographical summaries are approximations derived from career duration, market-level compensation ranges, and publicly documented asset holdings.
The factors that inform these estimates include his tenure of approximately 46 years in television broadcasting, with approximately 35 of those years spent in the Boston media market — one of the larger television markets in the United States. His documented residential presence in Scituate, Massachusetts, a town located on the South Shore of Massachusetts, represents a confirmed real estate holding that contributes to asset calculations in independent biographical assessments.
Additional income factors considered in net worth estimates encompass his national broadcast contributions, his educational and public speaking engagements, and the full span of his contracted television employment across four decades. No specific property valuations, investment holdings, or financial account details have been confirmed through primary sources.
All net worth figures attributed to Mike Wankum in publicly available biographical material carry the status of estimates only and do not represent verified financial data.
Personal Life and Family
Mike Wankum married Clair Geissler on August 14, 1982. The two met during their undergraduate years at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa, where both attended at the same time. The August 14, 1982 date appears in biographical records but has not been confirmed through a primary public document such as a civil marriage registry. By the time Wankum’s broadcast career concluded on June 30, 2026, the marriage had spanned more than 40 years.
Clair Geissler Wankum has maintained a private profile throughout the duration of Wankum’s public career. Her name and connection to Wankum appeared in public records and biographical sources, but she did not pursue a public-facing professional identity during those years. In October 2025, she participated in the Head of the Charles Regatta, a rowing competition held annually on the Charles River in the Boston area. That participation was noted in biographical accounts of her activities.
Following Wankum’s retirement in June 2026, the couple’s first planned trip together was to Slovenia, a detail Wankum disclosed in a video statement connected to his retirement announcement.
Children
Mike Wankum is the father of three children: a son named Benjamin, and two daughters named Anna and Tess. Benjamin Wankum, referred to in family references as Ben, has not held a public profile. No professional or biographical details about him have been disclosed in verified sources.
Anna Wankum married Dustin Green, and the couple established a family of their own in Massachusetts. Anna’s transition into parenthood brought Wankum his first grandchildren, and references to her family appeared in public statements and biographical accounts connected to Wankum’s later career years at WCVB-TV.
Tess Wankum built a presence in the Boston-area culinary sector. Her association with Sofra Bakery, located in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, appeared in documented biographical accounts. Tess also participated in charitable fundraising activity, including involvement with Bakes for Breast Cancer, a fundraising initiative. These details were noted in biographical records connected to Wankum’s family profile.
Grandchildren
At the time of Mike Wankum retirement in June 2026, he had four grandchildren. The first of his grandchildren, a grandson named Thomas, was born in approximately early 2022. His granddaughter Aurora Tegan Green was born on February 2, 2023.
Mike Wankum introduced Aurora Tegan Green on-air at WCVB-TV following her birth, an event documented in accounts of his personal milestones during his tenure at the station. The remaining two grandchildren were referenced in Wankum’s retirement-period statements but were not individually named in confirmed public records.
Residence and Lifestyle
Wankum established his primary residence in Scituate, Massachusetts, a town on the South Shore of Massachusetts. His time in the Boston broadcast market from July 1993 onward corresponded with his residency on the South Shore, and Scituate remained his documented home base through the conclusion of his broadcast career in June 2026.
In addition to his Massachusetts residence, Wankum maintained a documented connection to his family’s farm in Merrill, Iowa, in northwest Iowa. He referenced returning to the Merrill farm in public statements made during his career, including in a recorded message delivered in 2024 marking the 70th anniversary of KTIV-TV, the Iowa station where his broadcast career began in 1980.
Outside of his broadcast work, Wankum held a license as an amateur motorcycle road racer. He competed at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, accumulating multiple podium finishes across his racing activity. He also held membership in the Fishtail Riding School, an organization through which he provided instruction to law enforcement motorcycle officers in high-speed riding techniques. Both the racing activity and the instructional role were documented in his official WCVB-TV biographical materials.
Community Involvement and Advocacy
Mike Wankum’s non-broadcast activities across his career encompassed a range of charitable, educational, and public service roles in both the Iowa and Boston markets. These activities ran parallel to his television work and extended across multiple decades of his professional life.
Chernobyl Children Project USA
Among his organizational roles, Wankum held the position of Chairman of the Chernobyl Children Project USA. This role placed him as the head of a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian assistance to children affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine.
His chairmanship of this organization was documented in his official broadcast biographical records and represented one of the more prominent non-television roles associated with his public profile. The Chernobyl subject matter also connected to his lecture activity, where nuclear disasters appeared among the documented topics he addressed at educational institutions.
Boston-Area Charitable Organizations
During his years in the Boston market, which began in July 1993 and concluded with his retirement on June 30, 2026, Wankum maintained documented involvement with multiple charitable organizations operating in the Boston area.
His affiliations included the Boy Scouts of America, Easter Seals, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He also maintained involvement with Tufts–New England Medical Center and the Floating Hospital for Children, both medical institutions with established charitable and community programs in the Boston area. In addition to these organizational affiliations, Wankum supported local animal shelters and nursing homes within the Boston metropolitan area. These involvements were documented across his official broadcast biographical materials during his tenure at both WLVI-TV and WCVB-TV Channel 5.
Educational Lecturing
Mike Wankum maintained an active schedule of science lectures at schools and universities in the Boston area throughout his broadcast career. His lecture topics spanned a range of subjects that included climate change, severe weather systems, nuclear disasters, media, and children’s issues. These in-person educational engagements took place at institutions across the region and were cited in his official WCVB-TV biographical profile as a documented ongoing activity during his time at the station.
His educational outreach extended back to his Iowa career years at KTIV-TV in Sioux City, where he conducted thousands of school visits focused on weather and science topics between 1980 and 1990. That early pattern of school engagement continued and expanded through his Boston market years.
Wednesday's Child — Iowa Career
During his decade at KTIV-TV in Sioux City, Iowa, from 1980 through 1990, Wankum hosted a segment titled “Wednesday’s Child.” This segment functioned as a platform connecting children in need of adoptive families with prospective families in the viewing audience.
The “Wednesday’s Child” format was a broadcast model used by television stations across the United States to facilitate awareness of children available for adoption through the foster care system. Wankum’s hosting of this segment during his Iowa career years represented a documented community service role predating his Boston market tenure.
Career Timeline
| 1980 – 1990 | KTIV-TV, Sioux City, Iowa — Joined as weekend weather reporter at approximately age 19; advanced to Chief Meteorologist |
| 1990 – 1993 | WTVR-TV, Richmond, Virginia — Chief Meteorologist; covered Atlantic storms and hurricanes; earned 1 regional Emmy Award |
| July 1993 – December 2006 | WLVI-TV Channel 56, Boston, Massachusetts — Chief Meteorologist; 13-year tenure; earned 8 Emmy Awards and 3 Associated Press awards |
| December 2006 – June 30, 2026 | WCVB-TV Channel 5, Boston, Massachusetts — Weeknight Meteorologist, StormTeam 5; anchored 4 PM, 5 PM, 6 PM, 7 PM, 11 PM newscasts and 10 O'Clock News on MeTV Boston |
| June 24, 2026 | Retirement announced by WCVB President Andrew Vrees and News Director Margaret Cronan |
| June 30, 2026 | Final on-air broadcast — conclusion of approximately 46-year television career |
Awards and Recognition
| Award | Category | Count / Year |
| Regional Boston/New England Emmy Awards | Weather Coverage and Technology Reporting | 17 total (career) |
| Associated Press–Massachusetts and Rhode Island Awards | Best Weathercast | 6 total (career) |
| Massachusetts Broadcasters Association (MBA) Awards | Outstanding Weathercast | 3 total (career) |
| MBA Sound Bites Award — First Place | "Cutting Edge" Technology Segment | 2018 |
| Washington Post — Notable Meteorologists List | Listed among seven notable meteorologists in the United States | 2017 |
FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Mike Wankum
Key questions answered about the Boston meteorologist, his career, family, and retirement
Born in Iowa and raised on a family farm near Merrill, his television career began at KTIV-TV in Sioux City in 1980 and spanned approximately 46 years across four stations in Iowa, Virginia, and Massachusetts. He earned recognition as the longest-serving broadcast meteorologist in the Boston market and accumulated 17 regional Boston/New England Emmy Awards across his career.
His retirement was formally announced on June 24, 2026, by WCVB President and General Manager Andrew Vrees. In public statements connected to the announcement, Wankum described his decision as a move toward a second chapter and referenced the industry's transition from traditional broadcast formats to phone-based and vertical video content as a factor in his timing.
No exact birth date has been confirmed in any verified public document. His birth year range is derived from biographical records and public statements made during his career. His birthplace was Iowa, United States, where he grew up on a family farm near Merrill in northwest Iowa.
The August 14, 1982 marriage date appears in biographical records but has not been confirmed through a primary civil document. Clair Geissler Wankum has maintained a private profile throughout Wankum's broadcast career. In October 2025, she participated in the Head of the Charles Regatta, a rowing competition held in the Boston area. Following Wankum's retirement in June 2026, the couple's first planned trip together was to Slovenia.
Benjamin maintains a private lifestyle with no disclosed public profile. Anna married Dustin Green and established a family of her own in Massachusetts. Tess built a presence in the Boston-area culinary sector, with a documented association with Sofra Bakery in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, and participated in charitable fundraising activity including Bakes for Breast Cancer.
His first grandchild, a grandson named Thomas, was born in approximately early 2022. His granddaughter Aurora Tegan Green was born on February 2, 2023, and Wankum introduced her on-air at WCVB-TV following her birth. The remaining two grandchildren were referenced in retirement-period statements but were not individually named in confirmed public records.
The estimate is derived from approximately 46 years of continuous broadcast employment across four television stations, his documented real estate presence in Scituate, Massachusetts, and income from national broadcast contributions including ABC World News Tonight and ESPN, as well as public speaking and educational lecture engagements throughout his Boston career years.
This range reflects standard industry benchmarks for personnel at his career level and market tier and does not represent a confirmed figure. His compensation structure across his career encompassed roles at KTIV-TV, WTVR-TV, WLVI-TV, and WCVB-TV over approximately 46 years.
Creighton University's location within Tornado Alley gave Wankum direct field access to severe weather systems during his graduate years, and he participated in tornado chases during that period. He also earned the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) designation from the American Meteorological Society, which formed part of his professional credentials throughout his television career.
One regional Emmy came from his tenure at WTVR-TV in Richmond, Virginia, between 1990 and 1993. Eight regional Emmys were earned during his 13 years as Chief Meteorologist at WLVI-TV in Boston from July 1993 through December 2006. The remaining awards accumulated during his nearly two decades at WCVB-TV Channel 5. He also received six Associated Press awards and three Massachusetts Broadcasters Association awards for weathercasting.
His residential presence in Scituate corresponded with his years in the Boston broadcast market, which began in July 1993. He also maintained a documented connection to his family's farm in Merrill, Iowa, returning there during his career years, as referenced in public statements including a recorded message he delivered in 2024.
Meteorologist Kelly Ann Cicalese transitioned from weekend mornings into Fitzgibbon's previous weekday morning and noon broadcast slot. The staffing changes at WCVB were announced on June 24, 2026, alongside Wankum's retirement announcement by station President and General Manager Andrew Vrees and News Director Margaret Cronan.
He was also a member of the Fishtail Riding School, through which he provided instruction to law enforcement motorcycle officers in high-speed riding techniques. Both the racing activity and the instructional role were documented in his official WCVB-TV biographical materials during his tenure at the station.
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