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KCOW 70 Photo of the Week: Handshake Deal

As we get closer to February 15th, the exact date of KCOW’s 70th anniversary, we’ll be sharing photos of important moments in the station’s history.  KCOW was originated by a group of Alliance businessmen–the Sandhills Broadcasting Corporation by name.  In 1966, KLOE Inc., based out of Hays, Kansas purchased the station from the local investors.  This photo captures the historic moment the agreement was made, a handshake deal over lunch at the Drake Hotel.

At the time of this photo, Bob Schmidt  held a management role at KLOE Inc.  Bob eventually purchased the company outright, and in 1998 he began the process of selling the company back to its employees.  The company (now known as Eagle Communications) is owned 100% by its employees, who receive stock certificates each year as a long-term retirement plan.

Bob Schmidt passed away in 2017, but his generosity to Eagle employee-owners will never be forgotten.

 

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