Missy at Midnight: Keeping the sounds coming with MPR

Jul 21, 2026

Memories often return to us from sounds. Missy Staples Thompson remembers both of her grandfathers through the sounds of opera. She remembers Saturday afternoons with them as each listened to the Metropolitan Opera on the radio. “I recall Texaco sponsored the program. I always heard music in their homes.”

Growing up in the Twin Cities, she recalls listening to Top 40 stations, including KDWB. “During my freshman year in college at the University of San Francisco, I had a couple of dates with a guy who was a radio disc jockey on KUSF- the campus radio station. I wanted to do that and had to get my FCC license to be a disc jockey. I was just 18, and there were all those fast-talking guys on air. Then FM radio began to come into the public eye, and women began to host on the air. Every week, the station would get huge boxes delivered from the recording companies with new songs and albums. I used to sit in the library with the librarians, putting the music away and pulling out stuff I wanted to hear. I’d select songs to play on my show. It was called Missy at Midnight. I just loved it.”

A semester in Malaysia (where she learned to speak Bahasa Malay) followed by work and more travels, led her to realize she might never finish college if she didn’t get back to it. She shopped around her transcript, and Macalester College said yes—we’re an international school. You fit right in.

“As a political science major, I needed an internship. St Paul’s mayor at the time, George Latimer, had just opened a housing information office and offered me a spot. It just clicked for me, and after graduation, I was offered a full-time position.

After a few years, Missy joined Nationwide Housing Corporation, a real estate development firm owned by Doug Head, who had served as Attorney General. “I recall driving throughout Minnesota, exploring small towns. If they had a water tower, it meant that they had municipal sewer and water, and that meant they were possible places that we could look at developing some affordable housing. It was fun to listen to the radio as I was driving around the state, and that meant listening to MPR.”

Missy continued her career working for several real estate development companies and founding her own consulting firm. She also served as director of Fannie Mae's Minnesota Community Business Center, where she oversaw the successful implementation of a seven-year $25 billion real estate investment plan and co-convened the Governor's Emerging Markets Homeownership Initiative designed to increase minority ownership in the state.

She also served as vice president at Greater Twin Cities United Way, where she recalibrated and repositioned United Way's early childhood education initiative to reflect changes within the Twin Cities funding and policy community.

Missy recently retired, but continues to be active in the community, serving on several Boards of Directors, including the Saint Paul Public Housing Agency and Macalester College. She and her husband, Gar Hargens, an architect, share a passion for MPR.

MPR has always been part of her life. She recalls, “We have a family cabin, and when our son James was young, we would spend our Saturday evenings listening to Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion followed by The Jazz Image with Leigh Kammon, so James grew up with wonderful monologues and jazz.”

Today, Missy listens to podcasts and news more than music, but is known to switch to both Classical and The Current in her car or at the lake.

“Listening to MPR brings back memories of my family. I am a firm believer in philanthropy and giving back to the community, but particularly giving back to places that make a broad difference. When I listen to MPR, I have the opportunity to go from music that delights to music that challenges me. I hear stories I would otherwise never hear. MPR is something that needs to be cherished. Particularly now.”

“Gar and I have made a significant gift to MPR’s campaign. Supporting Minnesota Public Radio is part of my DNA, and I would have it no other way. Plus, I still carry a little bit of that, college Missy at Midnight gene.”