The Fox 9 website has this to say about St. Louis Park native son Jeff Passolt:
A Minnesota native who grew up in St. Louis Park, “I remember when you could drive on the local freeway system and *not* get stuck in traffic.”
As a kid Jeff took part in just about every outdoor activity available, driven by the competitive edge that develops when you come from a household of six boys! “Somehow my parents managed to keep us out of trouble!”
Jeff attended St. Cloud State University, where he got his first taste of the other side of television in TV production classes. He also spent four years playing hockey for the Huskies and still ranks amongst the school’s all-time leading scorers. In addition, he was named a Brainerd Scholar as one of SCSU’s top student athletes.
Jeff’s career started with an internship at a Twin Cities station. In 1981, Jeff got his first job at WTCN-TV/ Channel 11 spending fourteen years covering Minnesota sports, becoming Sports Director in 1992. Jeff received several awards for his coverage of Minnesota sports from Associated Press to the Emmys.
In 1994, Jeff left the Twin Cities to become Sports Director at KMGH-TV in Denver. He was named Outstanding Sportscaster by the Colorado Ski Association and Associated Press Sportscaster of the Year in 1995.
In 2004, Jeff was named Outstanding Anchor and won an Emmy for this.
Having covered every major sporting event in the world, Jeff was looking for more and in 1996 he was persuaded to return to the Twin Cities by KMSP-TV. The transition to News Anchor has provided a new challenge and Jeff won an Emmy for Best News Anchor in 1997. Plus, as Jeff says, “My wife and two daughters like having Dad around more on the weekends.” Jeff spends a lot of time with local charities. He’s the Honorary Chairman for America’s Walk for Diabetes and the MS Walk. Jeff also serves on the Board of the University of Minnesota Diabetes Research Center and is an annual host of CMN Champions Telethon. Plus, he’s proud of the many years of work done raising money and awareness for local youth groups. And that station Jeff interned at right out of college? That station was KMSP. So, like Jeff says, “Don’t believe it when anybody tries to say you can’t, because you CAN come home again.”
Growing up in St. Louis Park, Jeff lived at 6810 W. 26th Street.
See an interview that Steve Hahn conducted with Jeff for his “Hockey in the Park” series.