R.I.P.: David Linder, MN Radio Station Owner

David Linder (bottom)

39-year-old David Linder,  a prominent figure in Minnesota's radio industry and a passionate skier who tragically lost his life this week in an avalanche in Alaska. 

He was the co-owner of Sub Arctic Media, a company that operates over 20 radio stations across Minnesota, including a significant cluster in Mankato under the Radio Mankato banner. Linder’s involvement in the radio business was a family legacy; he took over leadership following the death of his father, John Linder, in 2017. 

Under his stewardship, the company expanded, and he later brought on partners Lynn and Matt Ketelsen in 2019, scaling back his ownership while remaining a key stakeholder with a 50% share in Sub Arctic Media and interests in other Minnesota radio groups like Lakeland Media, Blooming Prairie Farm Radio, and City of Lakes Media.

On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, Linder was on a heli-skiing trip in the Chugach Mountains near Girdwood, Alaska, approximately 40 miles south of Anchorage. He was part of a guided group with Chugach Powder Guides, alongside two friends, Jeremy Leif, 38, of Minnesota, and Charles Eppard, 39, of Montana—all of whom had ties to Mankato, Minnesota. 

The group was caught in a massive avalanche around 3:30 p.m. local time, triggered in a backcountry area known for its steep, pristine slopes. The avalanche buried the three men under an estimated 40 to 100 feet of snow, despite their use of avalanche airbags designed to keep skiers on the surface. A fourth skier in the group survived and was rescued, but dangerous weather and ongoing avalanche risks prevented immediate recovery efforts.

Linder, who had been living in Miami, Florida, in recent years.