1600 KGYM Program Director Scott Unash lives and breathes sports. Scott was born and reared in Cedar Rapids. He attended Kennedy High School, where he played baseball and golf, graduating in 1984. He moved on to the University of Iowa, receiving his degree in Broadcast Journalism in 1988. In 1989, he started work at KOUR Radio in Independence, Iowa, as a Disc Jockey and a member of the sports staff.
After two years, he was recruited by KCRG Radio in Cedar Rapids and worked there as the Sports Director through 2006 when the station was purchased by KZIA, Inc., and became KGYM 1600 ESPN. Scott was named the Sports and Program Director of the new station.
Scott has been the voice of high school athletics in the Cedar Rapids metro area since 1991. In addition, he has called local college contests, Hawkeye Downs racing and Cedar Rapids Kernels games over the length of his career.
Scott was the actual play-by-play radio announcer of the 1991 Norway High School baseball state finals featured in the movie "The Final Season." (KZIA co-worker Ric Swann played him in the movie because Scott looked too “young”.)
He has been honored many times over the years for his play-by-play abilities. The Iowa Broadcast News Association named Scott the state's top play-by-play announcer in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009.
Scott lives in Cedar Rapids with his wife Kristi and sons Ryan and Aaron.
1600 KGYM's Mark Dukes brings tremendous sports experience and perspective.
Mark was born in Cedar Rapids. He received his diploma from Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School in 1974 where he had participated in basketball, baseball and golf, as well as being editor of the Statesman student newspaper.
He was a four-year letterman on the golf team of Coe College in Cedar Rapids, which won the 1976 Midwest Conference title and participated in the NCAA Division III tournament in Springfield, Ohio.
Mark spent three months in 1976 as an intern at the Washington, D.C, Bureau of the Des Moines Register.
He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Coe in 1978.
While still in high school, he worked at the Cedar Rapids Gazette as a part-time employee on the sports desk. He was named to a full-time sportswriter position in 1978, became assistant sports editor in 1983, and served as sports editor from 1984-1998. During his Gazette career, he covered a variety of high school events, University of Iowa and Iowa State University Football and Basketball, NCAA Basketball and Wrestling Tournaments, six bowl games, the 1983 All-Star Baseball Game and two Baseball World Series.
Mark co-authored "Greatest Moments in Iowa Hawkeye Football History" with former Gazette sports editor Gus Schrader.
He owned and operated Muddy Waters in downtown Cedar Rapids from 1998 to 2003. He is currently manager of the Chrome Horse Saloon in Cedar Rapids.
Mark is the father of two grown children and grandfather of three.
1600 KGYM's Brent Staab - When asked to provide his biography, this is what he wrote:
"I never know what to say...or how to describe myself. I'm a Pisces. I like long romantic walks.... OK. Just kidding. I've lived in Cedar Rapids all my life. I went to Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School and received my diploma in 1996. I went to school at Kirkwood Community College and Mount Mercy College after that.
I'm not sure I have a favorite sport. I like all of them. I'm more of an event sorta guy. I love March Madness and the conference tournaments in basketball. Bowl games are always exciting. Who doesn't love two teams beating each other up for a trophy? Speaking of beating each other up, UFC ® [Ultimate Fighting Championship ® ] is becoming more and more appealing to me lately. Sorry boxing.
Baseball is a game within a game. How can one not enjoy that?
I stumbled upon radio about five years ago. It has always sort of appealed to me and people always said you have a great voice for radio. What does that mean? At least they didn't say I have a face for radio. I started working at KZIA Z102.9 part-time doing street team events and DJ-ing overnights on the weekends.
For those of you who think talking on the radio is easy, it is not. I quickly realized this and, luckily for me, I have had some excellent teachers and mentors here. One-sided interesting conversations by yourself are not always easy to have.
I love sports, always have. I am a long-time Cubs fan and love my Hawkeyes, win or lose.
I'm in charge of the morning drive on 1600 KGYM. I do the news, weather and sports updates during the 'Mike and Mike' program. During the afternoons I produce our afternoon show, 'The Gym Class,' with Scott Unash and Mark Dukes. Talking sports with these two is probably the highlight of my day. I love to play Devil's Advocate and try to get those two riled up on topics."
He usually succeeds.
When it comes to sports, 1600 KGYM's Eric Hanson is all in! He grew up across from a golf course, although he's a big duffer. Eric played football in high school and may have been the shortest lineman ever in the history of Washington Demon Football.
He loves watching Hawkeye football and following former Hawks in the NFL. Though a little nerdy, Eric did play in both the Hawkeye Marching Band and Hawkeye Pep Band. He says "it's pretty cool to play an instrument in front of tens of thousands raving fans!" Eric has also attended ESPN the Weekend 5 of the past 6 years at Walt Disney World.
General impressions: Mike and Mike are both taller in person and Colin Cowherd is kinda a nice guy.
Before moving to Cedar Rapids in 1992, 1600 KGYM's Scott Fisher began his career doing radio in Jackson, Michigan and Grand Junction Colorado. After finishing his degree in Business Management he now works as a Senior Recruiter / Account Manager for Y1 Solutions.
Scott was introduced to 1600 KGYM's Scott Unash in the fall of 2008, and was happy to hear that 1600 needed another part-time sports producer and on-air talent. He jumped at the chance to join the team and you can now hear him mostly at night and on the weekends doing news, weather and sports updates. He especially enjoys doing live updates from High School football games, and keeping tabs on the Kernels and Roughriders.
Outside of work responsibilities, he enjoys spending time with his family, watching Pro and College Football (of course you may not agree with his favorite teams), playing Golf and camping.
Garrett Knock is always watching sports, playing sports, or broadcasting sports here on 1600 KGYM. He was born in Cedar Rapids and Graduated from Benton Community High School in 2009. He ran Cross Country, particapted in Football, Baseball, and Soccer in High School.
Garrett is also a huge Iowa Hawkeyes fan and on Saturday's in the fall, if he isn't working, he is watching Hawkeye football
on the tube or he's at the game.
Garrett attends Kirkwood Community and is in his second year there. He is majoring in Communications and focusing mainly on the Sports Broadcasting aspect of it. He does play-by-play for Kirkwood Men's and Women's Basketball and Volleyball for Kirkwood Student Productions at Kirkwood.
He is looking to persure a career of sports broadcasting.
1600 KGYM Staff Meteorologist Greg Runyon—I know this will come as a surprise—is not an actual meteorologist! He has no formal weather training whatsoever, aside from a brief tour of the KCRG TV9 Weather Lab. There, he was able to successfully poke the remote control buttons and gesture at the screen, so he figured he was good to go. He has mastered the skill of looking out the window, then looking at a radar, and taking a good guess as to whether it’s going to rain or snow soon. Unfortunately, his guesses are often wrong.His real job here at Radio Bueno is a bit mercurial. He is in charge of knowing big words, like “mercurial,” but is often changing light bulbs or the paper towel roll in the men’s room. Does that mean he’s something of a genius janitor, like the kid in Good Will Hunting? Why no, it doesn’t, despite his Matt Damon-esque good looks. He also spends a great deal of time trying to get various pieces of computer equipment to work right. Oh, so he’s an I.T. guy? Uh, no; no training there either.
He basically exists to stir the pot here at 1600, make sure things are happening, and pester Scott Unash about White Sox affiliates weekend.
1600 KGYM 80’s Hair Band Expert & Mark Price Enthusiast Lady J thinks sports is all about former Cleveland Cavaliers Point Guard Mark Price. Ask to see her Mark Price candy bar sometime. No joke! You may hear her talk about Peyton Manning on occasion, but it’s only because she thinks he’s cute, and likes his commercials. 
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