Today I’m taking you on a trip down KVOE’s memory lane.
It starts in the mid-1980s when the McKernan family who had owned and operated KVOE for some 25 years suddenly sold their stations to a couple of guys named Dick.
Now jump forward 15 months when my KVOE Advertising Executive, Mike Law took me to lunch to inform me the Dick guys were dissatisfied with their Emporia purchase and wanted out.
Mike remembered that when McKernan’s sold the stations earlier he got admonished by me because had I’d known they were for sale they might have had a different owner.
Mike set up a meeting with the broker to educate me before approaching my dad who was also my business partner.
After meeting with the broker I convinced my dad to meet the owners – Dick Chapin and Dick Wagner.
Chapin was a broadcaster turned owner and the spokesman for the two. He lived in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Wagner lived in Houston where he was the General Manager for the Houston Astros. He was the investor.
Chapin showed up for our lunch meeting dressed like an Esquire model. A stunning green and yellow plaid sports coat with a starched white shirt, a perfect tie, and a neat straw hat. His shoes were woven thatched leather and he wore no socks. A revelation my dad announced rather loudly when he noticed.
Dick Wagner was dressed casually and was the perfect gentlemen. When I figured out he had been with baseball’s Big Red Machine from Cincinnati for 15 years during their heyday, buying radio stations became a secondary topic!!
Over time Dick Wagner shared many stories with me about Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and the legendary Pete Rose. In a word, he fascinated me. Unfortunately, his partner acted like his first name meaning he wasn’t much fun.
Some way, somehow in 1986 we acquired KVOE AM and FM. On advice from one of the previous owners we demoted our GM and hired an unknown guy he suggested. The new GM didn’t last long and we were lucky that young Lea Firestone was an employee and prepared to lead.
Most of you know the rest of our story. It’s been 36 wonderful years being Emporia’s radio stations with hopefully many more to follow.
I’m Steve Sauder
