Donze was involved in many businesses with his brothers including Donze Jewelry and Appliance; an insurance company; the Hilltop Dance Club and Hilltop Drive-In Theatre at Brewer; and the Donze Cut Rate Drug Store, where he initiated the only bus stop on the bus line between Cape Girardeau and St. Louis.
He continued his music interests while in college, playing trumpet with the Jack Stalcup Band. He organized a small band that played on the “Ile de France” cruise ships sailing from New York to France. (Years later he went on a cruise with his wife Betty and was stunned to discover he was back on board the Ile de France, now refurbished and renamed.)
He answered the call to serve his country and became a pilot with the U.S. Air Force during World War II. After the war, he picked up where he left off musically forming his own very successful band, the “Elmer Donze Orchestra.”
In 1947 he founded Radio Station KSGM-AM and added a sister station, KSGM 105.7 FM in 1967. KSGM AM transmitted its first broadcast on July 5, 1947 from nearby Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. KSGM was located at 1450 on the AM dial with a power output of 250 watts.
KSGM's pioneer broadcasting schedule included local news of interest to the Chester community, religious broadcasts from St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, sports from Chester High School and special programming from Menard State Prison.
Donze and KSGM's friendship with the Chester Community continued to grow and as early as 1954, KSGM established studios in the First Bank Building in downtown Chester.
Under Donze's guidance, in 1961, KSGM was relicensed to Chester. KSGM improved their dial position from 1450 to the familiar 980, and increased the power to 1,000 watts.
He not only managed the stations, but he did most of the engineer work on them as well, developing many innovations that were picked up by the industry. His media interests also included the print media, operating the Monitor Newspaper in Perryville.
Constantly on top of technology, in 1967 he began installing Multiplex Background Music in banks, stores, restaurants, and business places in both Missouri and Illinois.
Always one to have several irons in the fire at once, he installed the first cable television service in Ste. Genevieve preceding even St. Louis, all while managing the radio stations and background music business.
Elmer's son Elmo is now at the helm of Donze Communications.
