Busters Sports Bar and Grill
1325 Madison Avenue Mankato, MN 56001
Chili Fest 2009 will be held on
Saturday, November 21st
From 11am to 4 pm
2009 ChiliFest Celebrity Judges
Nicole co-anchors the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts on KEYC-TV, first joining KEYC in March of 2006.
Nicole has held positions of reporter, anchor, and fill-in weather personality. In June of 2007 Nicole helped launch KEYC’s sister station Fox Mankato. After anchoring the Fox Mankato News at Nine for a year and a half, Nicole was asked to rejoin KEYC-CBS in another change of pace for the station, bringing back a two anchor format for the primetime shows.
Bukata Hayes - Exec. Director, Greater Mankato Diversity CouncilThe most important thing about Bukata Hayes is that he is the son of Dia Damani Courtney and Karen Hayes, husband to Lisa and father to Damani, Jalen, and Zavier. In addition to this, Bukata has served as the Executive Director of the Greater Mankato Diversity Council since September, 2006. Prior to this role, he served as the Coordinator of the Multi Ethnic Center at Bethany Lutheran College here in Mankato, the first-ever position of its kind at the college. Bukata received his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota and is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Sociology from Minnesota State University, Mankato. He has membership and/or is on the board of numerous community organizations
Brad Steele - Hot 96.7 KDOG On-Air PersonalityBrad has been working at 96.7 KDOG for over 3 years hosting the Brad and Sarah Morning After, and has served as Promotions Director for KDOG's parent company, Radio Mankato. Since coming back to KDOG, Brad has taken a new role at Radio Mankato as On Line Services Director. Born in St. Louis Missouri, Brad grew up with 2 older sisters. Brad spent most of his life in Orlando, Florida working at WFTV Television Station. He then decided that he wanted to seek out a career in entertaining people and the only business that would accept him was radio. Brad has worked in Newton, Iowa (Energy 106.7) and in Sioux Falls (Hot 104.7).
Carol Molnau - Lt. Governor of MinnesotaPrior to her election as lieutenant governor in 2002, and re-election in 2006, Carol Molnau served ten years and five terms as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives representing portions of Carver, Sibley, Scott and Le Sueur counties. She served as an Assistant Majority Leader of the House Republican Caucus and as Chair of the House Transportation Finance Committee. She also was a member of several important House committees: Capital Investment, Rules and Legislative Administration, Transportation and Ways and Means.
Molnau was born and raised on a farm in Carver County. She attended Waconia public schools and the University of Minnesota. Carol and her husband Steve have been farm owner/operators since they were married in 1971, growing corn and soybeans in Carver, Nicollet, Renville and Sibley counties. Prior to her legislative service, Molnau was a leader in a variety of areas. She served on the Chaska City Council and has been an active business, school, church, 4-H and American Legion Auxiliary volunteer. She formerly served on the boards of the Minnesota Extension Service and the Minnesota Rural Futures. She and her husband have been active in the Minnesota Farm Bureau, Minnesota Corn Growers Association and Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.
Judge Bradley Walker
Eric Malone - River Hills Mall Security
Past ChiliFest Celebrity Judges
- Jennifer Hudspeth
(Miss Minnesota '07 and KEYC-TV personality)
- Pete Steiner
(News Director KTOE Radio - AM 1420)
- Mark Piepho
(Owner - Piepho moving and Blue Earth County Commissioner)
- Kevin Burns
(CCO ISJ Mayo Health)
- Robb Murray
(Reporter - Mankato Free Press)
