If you listen to the radio in Kansas City, you’ve probably heard Kevin Moncke’s work. He is a senior account executive with Entercom Communications Corp., the radio broadcasting company, and he focuses on 98.9 FM The Rock and 96.5 FM The Buzz.

Moncke’s been in radio sales in Kansas City since 2006, and he does everything from maintaining current advertising business, to procuring new business, to voice acting in commercials.

And occasionally, he has to run through downtown in his underwear.

“That was actually a requirement!” Moncke says, laughing. Cupid’s Undie Run is a national fundraising event for the Children’s Tumor Foundation where participants don only their underwear for a chilly mile-long run in various cities on Valentine’s Day weekend.

The event raised almost $3 million for the charity this year.

Moncke also participates in fundraising for Operation Breakthrough through Media Mix Entertainment Inc.’s charity arm.

When he’s not raising money for charity, he’s working hard to make The Rock and The Buzz’s advertising as relevant as possible to our community. In fact, he says that’s what local radio is all about.

“The community aspect drives radio and our marketing — that’s why our listeners stick with us,” Moncke says. He points out that community involvement is a major benefit of local radio with on-air personalities, as opposed to streaming radio websites or stations that don’t use distinctive on-air talent. “That’s a key differentiation for Entercom. They realize locality becomes the whole reason why you matter, why people listen, why they feel a connection with the station.”

A good example of this is the Hope for the Holidays Campaign that runs on 98.9 The Rock, which helps listeners who cannot benefit from conventional charities.

“There isn’t a charity for the guy that gets less shifts and can’t buy presents for Christmas,” Moncke explains.

Listeners call in and donate to help people get back on their feet. “It isn’t us as a station that writes the check. It’s the community,” he says. “Some people put money aside throughout the year for it. It’s amazing.”

That sense of community also drives Moncke’s involvement in the Mid-America Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Moncke came out last August and was eager to become a part of the LGBT business community in Kansas City. “We’re moving the whole image forward. … That’s going to help the community at large.”

He has good things to say about the city itself as well. “I really do love Kansas City. I love living here. It’s a unique business environment. There are a lot of challenges, but at the same time, this is a place that values conversational talking and relationships more than a lot of big markets.”

When asked what advice he would have for those who would want to follow in his footsteps, he pauses thoughtfully before responding.

“You have to work on your craft to be better. A lot of it comes down to soaking up opportunities, because how much you put into them is how much you’ll get it out of it,” Moncke says. “If you really love what you do, and you believe in that in the long term, that focus is where people start to see excellence.”

Photographer: Landon Vonderschmidt

The Mid-America Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MAGLCC) is an organization that advocates, promotes and facilitates the success of the LGBT business community and its allies. Learn more at MAGLCC.org. 

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