Wally Christensen

Inducted 2009

One of southwestern Minnesota’s premier broadcasters, Wally Christensen went from high school to Brown Institute where he earned his broadcasting diploma and first class radio engineer’s license.  He began his radio career at KYNT in Yankton, South Dakota, in 1965.  But he soon returned to his native southwestern Minnesota to take the morning announcer job at KLOH in Pipestone, where he was known as “Wally West,” and also to begin his career in radio sales. 

In 1972 he became general manager of KLOH, was named Ingstad Corporation Radio Group’s Manager of the Year in 1973, and in 1976 purchased KLOH AM and FM.  He formed Christensen Broadcast Group in 1980 as a consulting business to help radio stations in the Upper Midwest survive difficult economic times.  In 1990 Christensen Broadcast Group purchased KVRA and KVRF in Vermillion, South Dakota, and turned them into profitable stations.  Wally founded KJOE FM in Slayton, Minnesota, in 1993, and still owns KLOH AM and KISD FM.  Though he now leaves the day-to-day broadcasting operations to his sons, Collin and Carmen, he is still active in radio and in the community.