 John McDonald
John McDonald, long-time General Manager of Kearney's NRG Media radio stations and host of the popular Breakfast Flakes program died unexpectedly at his home Sunday morning, May 31, 2009. The 62-year-old McDonald had recently returned to his work and pastimes and was progressing in recovery after lung surgery.
Funeral services will be Thursday morning, June 4, 2009 at 11:00AM at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kearney with Horner-Lieske-Horner Mortuary in charge of arrangments. Memorials will be established at Holy Cross Luthern Church of Kearney, Good Samaritan Hospital ICU/PCU and in a UNK athletic scholarship through the University of Nebraska Foundation.
John came to KGFW radio in November 1968 as a part time disc jockey. Spending time in every department and moving up through the ranks, John became the General Manager of KGFW in April of 1974. His responsibilities increased when KQKY-FM (Hits 106) was put on the air 1979 and again in 1997 when KRNY-FM (Y-102) was added to the station cluster.
John served on many community and industry boards including as chairman of the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce, president of the Nebraska Broadcasters Association, serving two three year terms on the NBA Board of Directors, president and treasurer of the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, two terms as president of the Kearney Area Baseball Association and past president of Kearney High School Booster Club.
In August of 2000, John was inducted into the Nebraska Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
John leaves behind his wife Judy, sons Jeff and Jason and four grandsons.
 Dirk Christensen KGFW Program Director, Breakfast Flakes & Talk of the Town Host
Dirk Christensen is a Kearney native who joined the staff of KGFW as his first job out of high school and simply never left! "I've been lucky to have never been without a challenge" he says in looking back at his years of experience in broadcasting. "I have almost been able to build my positions around my interests and talents, always with an eye toward making our stations do what they do best." As announcer, Program Director and Operations Manager for KGFW and its sister stations in Kearney, he observes he's one of a "fortunate to few who have been able to write their own job description!" Today, Christensen anchors the KGFW Morning Report newscasts, is one of the members of the Breakfast Flakes and provides his views once in a while on the KGFW Talk of the Town program. His programming accomplishments include numerous top awards from the Associated Press and Nebraska Broadcasters Associations, the President's "C-Flag" award and the National Association of Broadcasters' Crystal Award for Excellence in Local Achievement.
 Alan BrechtBreakfast Flakes Host
Born and raised on a farm near Culbertson, Nebraska, I graduated from Culbertson High School in 1963, and graduated from Kearney State College in 1967 with a B.A. in Education. I was a manager of the KSC Loper Football Team (1963-1965). I started in broadcasting in 1964 in television, Channel 13 in Kearney. My interest in broadcasting started by hanging out at KBRL in McCook when I was in high school and later working with the college radio station. I moved on to radio from television in 1971. I am celebrating 41 years in broadcasting, 31 years in radio sales. I taught school for 7 years in Axtell, Neb.(1967-74). I've work at KRNY (Kearney), KUVR (Holdrege), KFOR (Lincoln), KSYZ (Grand Island) and I'm celebrating 21 years with KGFW, HITS 106 AND Y-102. I have been a part of a morning show in Kearney for 23 years starting in 1974...currently celebrating 16 years with the Breakfast Flakes. I'm married. My wife Karen and I have 3 sons, Kyle, Matthew and Nathan.
I remember driving the late Senator, then Governor Exon on an ocassion when he was visiting Kearney. I had 3 state patrolmen sitting in the back seat. I was a little nervous. I remember working with Jim McKay on ABC Wide World of Sports once during a taping of the swimming and diving championships in Lincoln. I was his message boy. I got his cold drinks and ran the camera cords. I remember using reel-to-reel tapes for commercials or reading them live. Those were the days when we disc jockeys played the Top 40 using 45 rpm records.
I've watched this industry grow and make many changes now being a part of 5 decades.
 Steve Altmaier
KGFW News Director, Talk of the Town Host
You know me, a "meat and potatoes" kind of guy. 1973 KHS Grad and a 1977 UNK grad with a broadcasting degree. Started work at KGFW in December of 1974. Fulltime in 1977, assumed sports director's post in 1981 until retirement from that spot in spring of 2005. Retired from sports and traveling to enjoy spending more time with my family and watching my son Jake's activities. Following UNK sports was a great experience, free all-expenses working trips all over the country. Have been active in baseball for years, as a coach and Little League and Legion Board member. Hope to see Yankee Stadium before it goes down for the new one in a few years. That's all.
 Dave Jenner
KGFW Sports Director
Sports Director Dave Jenner (better known as Lil Dave) has always had a passion for the game, be it basketball, baseball, football, hockey, volleyball, table tennis...you get the idea. He began his broadcast career with KGFW in 1991, as a board operator. His duties have increased through the years, eventually becoming an Associate News Director with the award winning KGFW news team. During his tenure in the newsroom, Jenner won over 15 Nebraska Associated Press Broadcast Awards, and is a former President of the Nebraska AP Broadcasters Board of Directors. His association with local sports began in 1994, when he became the "color" voice of UNK Football broadcasts. His sports broadcast career has included play-by-play of football, boys and girls basketball, and volleyball. The highlight of his career, meeting several sports legend, including home-run king Henry Aaron and Football/Actor/Activist Jim Brown. He enjoys playing video games, and Nascar. |
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