merrill piepkorn

Merrill Piepkorn, a Fargo native, has spent his life giving back to his community. He is a prominent figure in the policy areas of education, economic development, and environmental protection.

Piepkorn's educational journey began with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from Concordia College in 1981 before earning a Master of Arts in English from North Dakota State University in 1983. Piepkorn worked for Prairie Public Radio, hosting "Morning Edition" while he was a graduate student at North Dakota State University. In 1999, he co-created and began hosting the radio show "Here & Now". Piepkorn became the public address announcer for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks for the 1997 season. He stayed in the role through the 2006 season. Piepkorn co-founded a band called the Radio Stars in 2008. He created, hosted, and served as executive producer of "Dakota Air" on Prairie Public Radio, which debuted in 2010.

In 2016, he ran for North Dakota Senate on the Democratic ticket. He defeated the incumbent and still holds the seat today. On April 2, 2024, Piepkorn announced his bid for governor of North Dakota in the 2024 election and will be on the ballot this November.