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February 18, 2000
Bartelsto leaveKNUJPlans to move to Hutchinson,Willmar stationsBy FRITZ BUSCH Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- You can take Jim Bartels out of New Ulm, but you can't take New Ulm out of Jim Bartels. Bartels, station manager and an employee with Radio One for 25 years, surprised fellow workers Thursday with the news that he will be moving on to manage radio stations in Hutchinson and Willmar in six weeks. Bartels' fingerprints are all over KNUJ, which has grown to include a station in Mankato and satellite stations in Sleepy Eye and Springfield. A blue-collar manager in the truest sense of the word, he walked the walk and talked the talk with his people, doing just about every job in the small-market station. Despite being the boss, Bartels' broadcast schedule is as torrid as any broadcaster's, particularly at winter sport tournament time when he covers a marathon of athletic events -- the state high school wrestling championships. Bartels will begin working in Willmar and Hutchinson in April. The rest of his family won't leave town right away. His moving plans are indefinite. "I really take pride in being a full-blooded German, being in this town, putting on my lederhosen, playing my concertina and talking a little German up and down the street," said Bartels. Hutchinson has a lot of German blood, too. "I'll take some of that up there and apply it to whatever that community has for assets," he said. Bartels is very familiar with the Hutchinson area. He grew up in McLeod County, near Brownton. He recalled listening to KNUJ and Hutchinson radio station KDUZ as a youngster. Area radio listeners are familiar with Bartels' voice. He has covered just about every high school sport there is in the KNUJ listening area. Bartels' dramatic broadcasting moments include the Gaylord High School's win at the state football championship one day and the volleyball title the next, about two decades ago; New Ulm Cathedral's three successive state softball championships a few years ago; and New Ulm's 1978 trip to the American Legion Baseball World Series in Yakima, Wash. "It was a great team," Bartels said. "I'll forever remember when South Houston, Texas' home run off Doug Palmer won the game. I remember Dougie breaking down and crying right on the mound, as a lot of us were doing. I think, if New Ulm would have won the first game, we had the potential to win the World Series." Other highlights of the Bartels' era at KNUJ are putting two new FM stations on the air in New Ulm, Sleepy Eye and Springfield several years ago, and a move to new offices in 1987 on the second floor of the former Grand Hotel on North Minnesota Street. Prior to that, the studios were on one side of Third North Street, and the sales, administrative and office staff were in an office across the street. Bartels began his KNUJ job as third salesman under station manager Perry Galvin, who recently retired after 37 years at the station. Marj Frederickson will take over control of Radio One as its market manager. Bartels credits his success to a great, loyal staff. "Great people like Marj and Brian, have remained in key department head positions since I became station manager in 1986," said Bartels. Bartels' news came as a surprise to the station. "We were shocked," said Filzen. "We thought he would retire here. We've had great continuity here with many long-time employees. I've worked with Jim ever since I've been here."
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