Mark Munger
General ManagerMark Munger first began listening to public radio as a child in the back of his Mom's VW Vanagon, falling in love with the stories on Morning Edition and Prairie Home Companion and the laughter of Click and Clack on Car Talk. Through KWIT, he was introduced to the great orchestras and jazz artists, the sounds of folk and blues, and the eclectic expressions of humanity. This American Life and Radiolab arrived in his formative college years and made him want nothing more than to be a part of the public radio world.
But even away from the airwaves, the power of storytelling was inescapbale. His grandfather was the great broadcaster Herb Plambeck. With Herb, a microphone and recorder were always at hand. Every holiday was documented, and every trip required an interview. As Mark got older, he also got to experience the process of writing and editing beside Herb who banged out stories on his Smith-Corona Coronet Electric, scissors and rubber glue ready at hand. Going to the Iowa State Fair with Herb was like going to Yankee Stadium with Mickey Mantle. His love of Iowa and its farmers, and his commitment to telling the stories of the people, were returned to him a thousandfold.
Mark first worked in radio in Chicago, hustling from station to station doing whatever he was allowed. He produced shows at WGN-FM, a blog for WBEZ (for the amazing Amy Krouse Rosenthal), and audio for WMVP-FM, amongst other places and duties. When former KWIT-KOJI manager Gretchen Gondek called to ask if he'd be interested in returning to Sioux City and the station he grew up with, he jumped. Since then, he has been lucky enough to become the station's General Manager, to work with many fabulous colleagues, and to be a part of the community he loves.
As a part of Siouxland Public Media, Mark has helped to create many programs and projects that bring him a sense of joy and gratitude: Ode, a live storytelling project (with Ally Karsyn); The Exchange, SPM's first newsmagazine (with Mary Hartnett and, later, Sheila Brummer); Music for Pollock; Facing a Changed World (with Ron Johns); News for All, a news service in five languages during the pandemic (with many, many others); and, SPM PM, an eclectic music program (with Steve Smith, Caitie Schooley, and Cynthia Donovan). His leadership has emphasized local news and storytelling. He has also guided the station to modernize its equipment and facilities. Through it all, he has felt as though he's gotten to live his dream and often thinks back to those times with Herb. He's pretty sure he would be proud... but he always was an easy grandfather to please.
Phone: 712.317.3419
Email: mmunger@kwit.org
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At a rehearsal for Sioux City’s Sound and Style fashion show, Mark Munger meets the people bringing local designers’ work to life. First-time and returning models share what draws them to the runway, from cultural expression and family connections to the confidence of feeling fully themselves. The show is presented by the Sioux City Conservatory of Music at the Abu Bekr Shrine Temple. -
[Note: This interview was made for listening. Transcripts are generated using a combination of speech recognition software and human transcribers, and may contain errors. Please check the corresponding audio before quoting in print.]Following her reelection, Iowa State Senator Catelin Drey joins Mark Munger to discuss the personal connections behind political participation. Drey reflects on a demanding year that included cancer treatment and campaigning, and explains why voters’ experiences cannot be reduced to economic statistics or advertising messages. Their conversation explores political accountability, the influence of money, and concerns about proposed data centers, including environmental impacts, data security and local control. Drey emphasizes listening, finding common ground and staying engaged after election day. -
Democratic margins improved across all 13 groups between 2022 and 2025; election-day movement between 2025 and 2026 was mixed. -
Charts showing how voting in Northwest Iowa counties has trended since 2012. -
The Ruralists celebrate their new album, Letting Go, with a live edition of SPM PM from the Back Back at the Fruited Plain in Sioux Center. Mark Munger joins Luke Hawley and Laremy De Vries for a song-by-song conversation about growing older, questioning beliefs, practicing forgiveness and making a life with the people around you. Along the way, they share stories of the family, friends and neighbors whose voices and instruments helped shape the record and the community that makes their music possible. -
In this Manager’s Special, Mark Munger visits Dr. Jeff Peterson to discuss the lasting effects of a September shooting that left three people dead in Peterson’s Sioux City neighborhood. Peterson remembers Amanda, a neighbor who helped bring residents together through Oktoberfest on Douglas, and describes efforts to help her leave an abusive relationship. He reflects on the grief, guilt, counseling costs and loss of safety that followed the violence. Their conversation explores gaps in support systems, firearm safety and the challenge of finding common ground on prevention. -
Jeanette Hopkins remembers her late husband, educator, author and activist Bruce Hopkins, in a conversation with Mark Munger. Bruce died September 18, 2026, after living with Alzheimer’s for more than a decade. Through stories of his rural childhood, love of forests, poetry and handwritten notes, Jeanette reflects on their shared life and the compassion she found in caregiving. Even as Bruce’s memory faded, she says, their connection endured through gratitude, tenderness and love. -
Western Iowa Tech Community College’s TRIO Talent Search program has secured a new five-year grant, bringing relief after uncertainty about its future. Director Kathy Lehmann joins Mark Munger to discuss new federal priorities emphasizing career and technical education, digital credentials and workforce preparation—and how the program will continue supporting low-income and first-generation students pursuing college. -
Mark Munger remembers Lupe Carrillo Torres, who died October 17, 2026, by revisiting a 2024 recording in her kitchen at La Fogata. With her daughter Mayra Aguilar translating, Lupe shared her tamale recipe and memories of learning to cook alongside her mother at age seven. -
The Omaha Tribe celebrated a new water treatment facility near Macy, Nebraska, following more than a decade of planning and work. It replaces a troubled system that sometimes left residents without running water for weeks. Mark Munger reports on the opening ceremony and speaks with tribal operations chief Calvin Harlan about water’s sacred role in Omaha life, the promise of dependable service and his concerns about passing traditional teachings to younger generations.
