licensed with WSU tags such as this one being viewed by company
controller Bob Hill. Company owner and CEO George Fanhnestock,
a longtime WSU and alumni association supporter, became involved
with the Kansas License Plate Scholarship Program in 1999, the
first year it was established at WSU.
When motorists spot a Fahnestock Plumbing HVAC & Electric vehicle, they not only see the Wichita-based company’s logo, they see WuShock, too. That’s because the company’s fleet of 135 vehicles sport Kansas license plates that feature Wichita State’s unique mascot.
The “WuTags” are WSU’s version of university-ized plates offered through the Kansas License Plate Scholarship Program, which was established in the late 1990s as a visually fun way to help the state’s six Regents universities raise money for scholarships.
From the business perspective, the tag program serves a two-pronged purpose. “It’s a great way to support the university and the community,” says Fahnestock controller Bob Hill ’70.
The company, Hill adds, has received positive feedback from customers and others in the community for its use of
the tags. Although most of the business’ vehicles operate within a 25-mile radius of Wichita, about a dozen are in the Fort Riley, Kan., area — giving Fahnestock and WSU some wider exposure. Helping provide that wider exposure for Wichita State are all the other — to date, that’s 1,232 plus Fahnestock’s 135 — Kansas vehicles on the road with WSU plates.
To add your vehicle to the count, here’s how the program works: For a $35 annual royalty payment to the WSU Alumni Association, Kansans who own a passenger vehicle or light truck can get a Shocker tag. Except for a $5 administration fee, the money goes directly to student scholarships. There also is a one-time fee of $48.50 for the cost of making the plate. There’s no personalization of the plates and the tag numbers are issued at random.
Besides the fun of driving with WuShock and the meaningful assistance to scholarship funding, there’s another bonus for those taking part in the program: WuTaggers help those who might not otherwise have a job with gainful employment.
That’s because the tags are manufactured at Wichita’s Center Industries Corp., a nonprofit company whose workforce is comprised primarily of individuals with physical disabilities.
