Kai Ryssdal

Host and Senior Editor

SHORT BIO

Kai is the host and senior editor of “Marketplace,” the most widely heard program on business and the economy — radio or television, commercial or public broadcasting — in the country. Kai speaks regularly with CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, startup entrepreneurs, small-business owners and everyday participants in the American and global economies. Before his career in broadcasting, Kai served in the United States Navy and United States Foreign Service. He’s a graduate of Emory University and Georgetown University. Kai lives in Los Angeles with his wife and four children.

Latest Stories (5,777)

Happy Birthday (cake), Mr. President

Nov 8, 2010
This final note today. You may have seen elsewhere in the news that today's the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy being elected President. Whic...

Creating art out of chaos in Haiti

Nov 5, 2010
Author Edwidge Danticat, a writer from Haiti now living in the U.S., talks with Kai Ryssdal about her new book "Create Dangerously," what it's like to make art out of a country in chaos, and what Haitian culture means to its people and economy.

Head to Kazakhstan, entrepreneurs

Nov 4, 2010
This final note today, following up on our story about the Human Development Index and how the U.S. is slipping. The World Bank came out with its...

An American pastime v. twinkle toes

Nov 2, 2010
This final note today, which to be honest, does kind of have me scratching my head and wondering about the American television-watching public....

SHOCKING: National Enquirer to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Nov 1, 2010
This final note today. Another icon of American journalism's going under. The publisher of the National Enquirer announced today it's going to file...

Continue on with those Halloween plans...

Oct 29, 2010
An observation of what didn't happen on Wall Street on the non-economic news of the day. Reports, confirmed this afternoon by the White House, say...

What is that around MLB players' necks?

Oct 28, 2010
This final note today, picking up on my earlier observation about the World Series. Am I the only guy who's been wondering what with those enormous...

A positive outlook on the future?

Oct 27, 2010
This final note today. I know the economic news has been a little bleak lately, housing and jobs and all that. And I apologize if we've been...

Jimmy Carter on deregulation, health care

Oct 27, 2010
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter talks with Kai Ryssdal about his new book, "White House Diary," whether he is partly to blame for the state of the economy because he started a drive for deregulation, his appointment of Paul Volcker to Federal Reserve Chairman, and his push for health care reform.

Cleveland pride as NBA season starts

Oct 26, 2010
This final note today, in observance of the start of the National Basketball Association season tonight....