KANSAS CITY, Mo. — At Sandy, Incorporated in Kansas City, when they’re not designing and manufacturing custom retail displays, they’re supporting Kansas men's basketball.
The famous Jayhawk can be found all over the company's office, especially now, as KU prepares for the 2022 Final Four in New Orleans.
"It’s one of the reasons I came to work, I found out Hal was the creator of the Kansas logo," Scott Weissenbach said.
Hal is Hal Sandy, founder of Sandy, Inc. in 1952, and six years prior to that, put pen to paper.
"He was a student at KU, and then in 1946, he created, as they call, it the smiling Jayhawk," Skip Jackson said.
KU’s first Jayhawk appeared in 1912, followed by three different Jayhawks in the 1920s. The "Angry Jayhawk" appeared in 1941 during World War II, and then Hal Sandy’s design in 1946.
"There was a contest to kind of redesign the Jayhawk," Jackson said. "He submitted it and I believe he won $50 for it."
50 dollars, and seven decades later, the smiling Jayhawk has been through one change - the KU font on its chest. “I am very pleased,” Hal said at the time, “this little guy is still working for the university.”
"He was a creative genius, I like to think we are still very creative, that’s what’s kept me here all these years," says Scott Claypool, who's worked at Sandy, Inc. for 38 years.
Hal Sandy died in 2017, but his is a proud company, with a proud staff.
"It’s pretty special, and since I’m a graduate of KU, I really enjoy it," Jackson said.
"That’s a testament to Hal to be honest with you, not a lot of businesses, small businesses can stand the test of time," Weissenbach said.
The company and logo by Hal Sandy are standing the test of time for Jayhawks here at home and beyond.
