Thomas Wanke was a monumental figure in fluid power, active for more than 50 years and influencing generations of fluid power engineers through his work at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, its Fluid Power Institute, and with the National Fluid Power Association. To honor his memory, and to help ensure that his positive impact on fluid power education continues to be felt, the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation has been asked to administer the Thomas Wanke Legacy Fund, a dedicated funding mechanism that will support fluid power scholarships and education activities at universities throughout the United States.

In the wake of Wanke’s passing, his widow, Ann, set-up a temporary structure to collect donations in his name. His many friends, former students, and colleagues responded, with more than $10,000 donated so far. With a transfer of those donations to the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization, those donations can now be recognized as fully tax deductible. Additional donations can be made directly to the NFPA Foundation, and NFPA will be matching all donations received, up to a maximum of $25,000, to help establish and provide essential base funding for this new Legacy Fund.

To make your contribution, visit nfpafoundation.org.

Through a series of annual awards from this fund, the NFPA Foundation will be able to increase both the number of students studying fluid power, and also the quality of fluid power education in our nation’s universities — two goals clearly aligned with and ennobled by Wanke’s life and legacy.

Please contact NFPA President and CEO, Eric Lanke, at elanke@nfpa.com or (414) 778-3351 with any questions.

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