Nikki Montgomery

Twenty-five years, countless songs, more than a few questionable fashion choices, and probably enough candy corn to fill a small studio later, I’m still having fun behind the microphone at 95.5 WIFC—the longest continuously running Top 40 station in America.

My radio career started with a college internship at Midwest Communications, and what began as an internship turned into my radio home for the next 25 years. I always knew I wanted to be a news reporter. In fact, as a kid, I dreamed of working in television. Then I started working in radio and quickly realized I had found my place.

I worked as a news reporter and copywriter before making the move to full-time on-air in 2004. These days, I get to do what I love most: connect with people. I love the listeners, I love the community, and I love working alongside some of my best friends every day. I’d describe my on-air personality as fun, relatable, and probably just a little bit goofy—because radio should be fun!

A lot has changed in 25 years. Technology has completely transformed the industry, and with AI and consolidation changing the radio landscape, local radio can sometimes feel a little less local. That’s one of the things I love most about WIFC—we live local. We know our community, we know our listeners, and our listeners have become part of our lives.

And they’ve certainly made their way into mine.

Over the years, listeners have brought me some pretty memorable gifts, including handmade sweaters with each of my daughters’ names on them. And then there was the time I mentioned on the air how much I love candy corn. A listener heard me and brought some to the station. I mean, this is exactly why I love radio.

One of my favorite radio memories goes all the way back to the Turin, Italy Olympics. My morning show partner and I had some fun on WIFC’s sister station and “sent” one of our most charismatic listeners to cover the Winter Olympics. He took his assignment very seriously—and delivered some of the funniest reports I’ve ever heard. It was completely ridiculous, completely entertaining, and exactly the kind of thing that makes live radio special.

When I’m not at the station, you’ll usually find me somewhere in the middle of whatever my kids are doing—which is…a lot. My husband and I build theater sets and rarely miss a show. We cheer from the sidelines at gymnastics meets and football games, support the dance competition team, sell flowers at dance recitals, watch marching band performances, and generally show up wherever our kids are. We also do our fair share of fundraising along the way.

When I do manage to find some free time, I love woodworking, making Cricut projects, and hat burning. I’m a creative at heart and always seem to have some project in progress. I also have a bit of ADHD, so I’m either completely all over the place or completely unplugged. There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground.

A few of my favorite things? Taylor Swift, seafood, coffee, wine, a good book, and pretty much any sport or activity my kids are involved in. I could also talk for an unreasonable amount of time about how brilliant I think Taylor Swift is. You’ve been warned.

And here’s a fun fact you probably wouldn’t guess: I learned to ride a motorcycle before I learned to ride a bicycle. Apparently, I like to do things a little differently.

After 25 years in radio, one of the things I appreciate most is the opportunity to be part of the Central Wisconsin community. This is a wonderful place to live—not only because there is so much to do and so many great people and businesses to support, but because when you want a little change of scenery, you’re always just a short drive from somewhere new to explore.

For me, radio has never just been about playing music or talking into a microphone. It’s about people. It’s about community. It’s about the conversations, the laughs, the unexpected stories, and the relationships that somehow develop between a person behind a microphone and someone listening on the other side.

And after 25 years, I’m pretty lucky to still get to do something I love with people I love, in a community I’m proud to call home.