During the first season of the Wichita B52s professional indoor soccer team, Johnny Freedom asked me to go meet up with some guy who supposedly had big plans for a supporters group for the team. It turned out his name was Josh Kippenberger and he had even bigger dreams than that: he wanted to start a fan group that would support ALL levels of soccer in Wichita. I was "all in" from day one. Josh, myself, Johnny Freedom, and Anthony Villegas formed Futbol Wichita Live, which not only rallied support for soccer, but also produced original articles about the team and began an internet broadcast of the B52s games at Hartman Arena. At his own expense, Josh purchased all the equipment necessary to make that happen. He was the play-by-play man, with Johnny Freedom providing color commentary. On Wednesday nights, we would host a live podcast at The Monarch in Delano, talking about the latest happenings in the MASL and around Wichita’s college and professional soccer scene.
It was clear from the beginning that Josh is a passionate supporter of Wichita soccer. No, that’s imprecise...he is a passionate supporter of Wichita...AND a passionate supporter of soccer. Both he and Jaco General Contractor, where he serves as CEO, support both wholeheartedly. When Mike Romalis and I wrote Make This Town Big: The Story of Roy Turner and the Wichita Wings, Josh and Jaco stepped in to sponsor our book. And now, they’ve done so again, supporting the Wings documentary film at quadruple the level of their book sponsorship.
Since the demise of the B52s, Josh and Jaco have provided substantial support to FC Wichita, our city's outdoor soccer team. Josh has even loaned his voice and time to their broadcasting team, partnering with Johnny Freedom and MJ Productions to deliver a live YouTube broadcast of the home games. Furthermore, Josh invested his hard-earned dollars in FC Wichita, working to help make the organization bigger and better.
Meanwhile, Jaco is a prime player in the development of our city. The company was an important contractor on a project that has helped define the new spirit of Wichita: Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport. Jaco was selected to build three retail spaces inside this city’s new and improved transportation hub. Anyone who flies in and out of Wichita can now appreciate the quality product that Jaco can produce.
Beyond the airport, they have partnered with Freddy’s Frozen Custard to construct three stores for Wichita’s fastest growing franchise. Also, Jaco is working with Wichita’s HealthCore Clinic to build a new addition to their 21st and Grove headquarters, a project now in its final stages.
Nestled between the big and Little Arkansas Rivers, Botanica is a Wichita institution. Jaco is currently working to freshen up their facility on a pro bono basis. You could say that Jaco wants to be in the middle of Wichita’s 21st century renaissance, figuratively AND literally. They are in the midst of moving to downtown Wichita, just south of Intrust Arena, so they can be where the action is happening.
Nestled between the big and Little Arkansas Rivers, Botanica is a Wichita institution. Jaco is currently working to freshen up their facility on a pro bono basis. You could say that Jaco wants to be in the middle of Wichita’s 21st century renaissance, figuratively AND literally. They are in the midst of moving to downtown Wichita, just south of Intrust Arena, so they can be where the action is happening.
All the folks at the Wichita Wings documentary film are stoked that this city is where Josh and Jaco have decided to hang their hat!
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