Sunday Best

In one of the priciest real estate markets in the country, Greg Prugh runs a boutique, locally-owned brokerage in an industry increasingly dominated by national conglomerates.  The Jackson native has guided the firm through nearly $2 billion in real estate transactions over the past 20 years. Prugh discusses what it takes to stand out in Jackson's hyper-competitive brokerage landscape and why knowing the market (and the buyers and sellers in it) better than anyone else is his edge. Prugh shares his thoughts on Jackson's affordable housing crisis, his concerns about Jackson's future as growth and pressure on the valley intensify and why he remains optimistic there's still real opportunity for ambitious new brokers who are willing to put in the time to master the art of the deal.

About Mountain Moguls:

Angel investor, former public company CEO and Jackson resident Alex Alimanestianu introduces “Mountain Moguls,” a new KHOL interview radio show and podcast exploring the history, strategy and personality behind homegrown businesses in the Tetons.  Alimanestianu spotlights local entrepreneurs, founders and business owners, offering an unvarnished, inside view of the distinct challenges they face and the opportunities they pursue in this unique mountain town. The first five episodes feature deep-dive conversations with the leaders of Stio, Persephone, The Darwin Ranch, Prugh Real Estate and NoSo Patches.

They may be family, but when Oliver "Ollie" Klingenstein and his mother Kathy are working, it's strictly business. The duo runs Darwin Ranch, a historic and remote guest ranch tucked 25 miles in the Gros Ventre Wilderness. It’s a genuine digital detox, anchored by world-class food and wilderness with horseback riding, hiking and fishing. Ollie discusses. his counterintuitive path to growth: hosting fewer guests to deepen the experience, along with the ever-present risk of wildfire that comes with running a remote property in this landscape.

About Mountain Moguls:

Angel investor, former public company CEO and Jackson resident Alex Alimanestianu introduces “Mountain Moguls,” a new KHOL interview radio show and podcast exploring the history, strategy and personality behind homegrown businesses in the Tetons.  Alimanestianu spotlights local entrepreneurs, founders and business owners, offering an unvarnished, inside view of the distinct challenges they face and the opportunities they pursue in this unique mountain town. The first five episodes feature deep-dive conversations with the leaders of Stio, Persephone, The Darwin Ranch, Prugh Real Estate and NoSo Patches.

Kelli Jones's idea for NoSo Patches took shape in the tram line at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, where skiers kept asking about the homemade artsy repair patches on her gear. After realizing there was a business idea in selling her nylon fixes, she launched a crowdfunding campaign in 2016 that led to continual growth since – with her inventory now sold online and in thousands of stores around the country. Jones talks about her guiding philosophy of "people, planet, profit," and what responsible capitalism looks like in practice, from sustainable materials to the artists she partners with to design each patch. 

About Mountain Moguls: 

Angel investor, former public company CEO and Jackson resident Alex Alimanestianu introduces “Mountain Moguls,” a new KHOL interview radio show and podcast exploring the history, strategy and personality behind homegrown businesses in the Tetons.  Alimanestianu spotlights local entrepreneurs, founders and business owners, offering an unvarnished, inside view of the distinct challenges they face and the opportunities they pursue in this unique mountain town. The first five episodes feature deep-dive conversations with the leaders of Stio, Persephone, The Darwin Ranch, Prugh Real Estate and NoSo Patches.

Steve Sullivan knows what it takes to build an outdoor clothing brand from the ground up — he's done it twice. After selling his first company, Cloudveil, Sullivan applied everything he learned to launch Stio in 2011, a Jackson-based mountain lifestyle brand built on a direct-to-consumer model. It’s a bet against the crowded, wholesale-driven outdoor apparel industry that has paid off. In this conversation, Sullivan unpacks the white space he saw in the market, why authenticity as a homegrown Jackson company remains core to Stio's identity and how a distributed workforce has fueled the brand's growth. Sullivan also discusses Stio’s next steps, including international expansion, how the company is putting AI to work and the challenge of navigating tariff policy under the Trump administration. 

About Mountain Moguls:

Angel investor, former public company CEO and Jackson resident Alex Alimanestianu introduces “Mountain Moguls,” a new KHOL interview radio show and podcast exploring the history, strategy and personality behind homegrown businesses in the Tetons.  Alimanestianu spotlights local entrepreneurs, founders and business owners, offering an unvarnished, inside view of the distinct challenges they face and the opportunities they pursue in this unique mountain town. The first five episodes feature deep-dive conversations with the leaders of Stio, Persephone, The Darwin Ranch, Prugh Real Estate and NoSo Patches.

Husband-and-wife team Ali and Kevin Cohane opened Persephone Bakery in 2011, inspired by time spent in Paris, where Kevin trained in baking at Le Cordon Bleu and the couple fell in love with café culture. Since then, the business has grown into a beloved Jackson business with two Persephone cafés and Picnic, a sister concept. Ali and Kevin talk about what it takes to deliver a high level of hospitality in a place where labor is expensive and hard to find, and the ongoing challenge of housing their team, made even harder by recent shifts in immigration policy. The couple also discuss the elusive search for work-life balance, why taking care of their team has paid off, whether Jackson's rising costs mean a $15 muffin is somewhere on the horizon and the road ahead as Persephone celebrates its 15th anniversary.

About Mountain Moguls:

Angel investor, former public company CEO and Jackson resident Alex Alimanestianu introduces “Mountain Moguls,” a new KHOL interview radio show and podcast exploring the history, strategy and personality behind homegrown businesses in the Tetons.  Alimanestianu spotlights local entrepreneurs, founders and business owners, offering an unvarnished, inside view of the distinct challenges they face and the opportunities they pursue in this unique mountain town. The first five episodes feature deep-dive conversations with the leaders of Stio, Persephone, The Darwin Ranch, Prugh Real Estate and NoSo Patches.

This episode of Tales from the 10th features excerpts from the oral history of prominent Denver trial lawyer Hal Haddon, whose career shaped both criminal law and legal institutions in Colorado. Haddon recounts two remarkable cases from the early years of his career. The first, People v. Snead, challenged Colorado’s homicide statutes and led the Colorado Supreme Court to clarify the role of premeditation in first-degree murder law. The second case involved anti-Vietnam War activist Cameron Bishop, who was charged with a capital crime after a protest-related act of sabotage. Haddon describes the dramatic trial, the political context of the era, and the eventual reversal of Bishop’s conviction by the Tenth Circuit on due process grounds.

Beyond the courtroom, Haddon reflects on his role in shaping Colorado’s legal landscape, helping establish bipartisan judicial nominating commissions that diversified the federal bench and co-founding the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar to advocate for criminal justice reform. The episode offers a vivid look at how one lawyer’s work influenced the evolution of law, courts, and the defense bar in Colorado.

Two stories, one legacy. Judge Bobby R. Baldock recounts the behind-the-scenes effort that helped the Tenth Circuit reclaim and restore Denver’s historic courthouse, now named for Justice Byron White. Judge David Ebel then shares personal memories of the justice himself, reflecting on White’s humility, competitive spirit, and deep commitment to the law. Together, these conversations explore both the history of the building and the character of the man whose name it carries. 

This episode of Tales from the 10th features two memorable fireside conversations from the 10th Circuit Bench and Bar Conference.

The first tells of the remarkable story behind a 2010 appearance by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. After the death of her husband, renowned tax lawyer Martin Ginsburg, Justice Ginsburg traveled to Denver to deliver a speech he had prepared. In it, Marty recounts the story of Mortiz v. Commissioner, the case he and Ruth argued before the Tench Circuit that challenged a tax law discriminating against unmarried men caring for dependent parents. The victory helped launch Justice Ginsburg’s pioneering litigation strategy advancing gender equality under the Constitution. 

The second part features highlights from a 2022 fireside interview with Chief Justice John Roberts. Speaking with Tenth Circuit Judges, Roberts reflects on the role of the Supreme Court, the importance of collegiality among the justices, and the challenges of maintaining public confidence in the Court during a period of intense scrutiny. 

Together, these conversations offer a rare window into the people, stories, and institutional traditions that shape the Supreme Court and the broader federal judiciary.

In this episode of Tales from the 10th, we hear excerpts from the oral history of U.S. District Judge Richard P. Matsch, one of the most influential judges in the history of the Tenth Circuit. In conversation with former Bankruptcy Judge Bruce Campbell, Matsch reflects on key moments from his career. They discuss his early involvement in civil rights advocacy and a memorable meeting with Martin Luther King Jr., and landmark constitutional cases involving school desegregation, gender equality in athletics, religious freedom, and political speech.

He also discusses the challenges of presiding over highly charged cases, including the Oklahoma City bombing trial, emphasizing the importance of fairness, judicial independence, and maintaining public trust in the legal system. Through these reflections, Judge Matsch offers insight into the evolving role of the courts in addressing some of the most difficult social and constitutional questions of the last half-century.

In the debut episode of Tales from the 10th, hosts Leah Schwartz and Tina Howell introduce the podcast and the mission of the 10th Circuit Historical Society, sharing the stories, people, and pivotal moments that shaped the courts of the American West. They discuss the unique role of the Tenth Circuit, which serves Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming, and explain how the podcast will highlight the individuals and cases that define the circuit’s legal history.

The episode then features Senior U.S. District Judge Bruce S. Jenkins, who recounts the landmark case Allen v. United States. The case was brought by plaintiffs known as the “Downwinders,” residents who developed cancers and other illnesses after exposure to radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons testing in Nevada during the 1950s and 1960s. Judge Jenkins reflects on the enormous scale of the litigation, the scientific complexity of radiation exposure, and the human stories behind the case. Although his ruling in favor of the plaintiffs was later reversed on appeal, the case helped spark national attention and ultimately contributed to congressional compensation for thousands affected by nuclear testing.