A Hoosier S Journey

In September 1941, I was born in Terre Haute, Indiana. I completed elementary and secondary schools there and then in 1963 graduated with a bachelor of science degree from Indiana State College. After serving as a logistics officer for five years in the military, I worked for Ford Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan, and later for Indiana National Bank in Indianapolis, Indiana. In the 1970s, I earned master of business administration, master of science, and doctorate of philosophy degrees, and since the late 1970s, I have taught classes in economics, statistics, and business administration to undergraduate and graduate students at various American colleges and universities. Besides teaching, I have also authored articles and books about the business, economics, and operations of leagues and their franchises in professional team sports. For activities, I became a reader of Advanced Placement examinations, an investor, and a distance runner. Being a competitive and dedicated athlete, I played varsity baseball and basketball while in high school and college, and performed as an all-star catcher and pitcher in Little League and on championship teams in Babe Ruth and Connie Mack Leagues. At a baseball tryout camp for major league prospects held in Columbus, Ohio, I tried but unfortunately did not play well enough to sign a contract with a professional team. As a student, I usually earned good to excellent grades in many subjects and, in fact, was salutatorian of my class at Gerstmeyer High School. Then I graduated with an accounting degree at Indiana State College (now University), master's degrees at two universities, and a PhD in economics at Georgia State University. To achieve academically at these schools, I disciplined myself to attend lectures, complete all assignments, conscientiously study my notes and textbooks, and maximize scores on examinations and class projects. Indeed, my accomplishments as a student in high school and colleges and universities led to a career in higher education. Between the late 1970s and 2007, I was a teacher and author who taught several types of economics and business administration courses to undergraduate and graduate students at accredited schools in Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. In addition, I was a classroom instructor with the University of Maryland in Germany. The articles I wrote appeared in journals, magazines, and newspapers while my books analyzed the business, economics, finance, and operations of leagues and teams in professional baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, and soccer. Besides these experiences, I was a captain in the United States Air Force and stationed for one year in South Vietnam. Furthermore, I trained as a long-distance runner, won many age-group awards, and competed in five marathons, including races in Boston and New York City. After 35 years of fulltime teaching, I retired from Pfeiffer University in Charlotte, North Carolina. I currently live in Tega Cay, South Carolina.

At age 17, I went home from work and told my mother that I had received an appointment to study engineering at GMI. She said, “I didn’t know you wanted to be an engineer.” I said, “I do today!” I didn’t even know where GMI was located. On October 1, 1951, I entered Flint, Michigan to start my education with General Motors Institute. When Dad died, Mother was not employed. She said we were all going to stay together. The state would separate us if we couldn’t survive without Dad. I can still see her taking a knife and putting a slit in the top of that baking powder can, and we all contributed to it. We all put whatever we could earn in that can. During Mother’s last year, I would go over to see her, and she always wanted me to take something home. When I was checking her food supply, I found the baking powder can. I told her I would like to have it. She said there were a number of times she would look into it and see a dime, which meant she would have to be creative for supper. We never went hungry. She was one of my two most admired ladies. I married the other one. In March 1990, I flew into Moscow. All of the flights from out of the country came into Moscow in those days. After we landed, the intercom came on and asked for me. I remember this scared me. I wondered what was wrong. When I arrived in Tolyatti, two of my engineers met me and said, “Lets take a walk.” I thought this was strange since it was raining. They said you couldn’t talk in the rooms; they were bugged. They told about a session where they were planning the next phase of their work. The next morning the Russian engineers acted as if they had been in the meeting. Don Almquist has traveled the world doing business for GM. In this memoir starts with life on a small farm in Indiana, continues through his education and career at both Delco Remy and Delco Electronics Corporation. He talks of his personal life and career with stories from all over the world. He shares his beliefs on management and leadership and reflects on the last 90 years.

Indiana Revealed: A Journey to the Heart of the Hoosier State A trip to the heart of the Hoosier State is an invitation to an exciting journey of discovery through an often overlooked treasure in the heart of the United States. This book takes you deep into the fabric of Indiana, the so-called "Hoosier State", and reveals the many facets of this fascinating state. Your journey begins by exploring Indiana's roots, from the original Native Americans to the early European settlers. You'll understand the history and culture of this region and how they made Indiana what it is today. Indiana boasts stunning scenery that ranges from vast fields and forested hills to picturesque lakes and rivers. This book takes you on a journey through Indiana's natural beauty, including the awe-inspiring Lake Michigan, the Hoosier National Forest, and many state parks ideal for hiking and exploring. Likewise, you'll get to know Indiana's cities and towns, from the bustling cityscapes of Indianapolis and Fort Wayne to the charming small towns that characterize the Hoosier State. Indiana's diversity is also evident in its eclectic cultural scene, where you can experience art, music, festivals, and culinary delights. A trip to the heart of Hoosier State will take you to a deeper level as you immerse yourself in the state's stories and storytellers. You will understand the heritage of the Hoosiers and learn what makes these people stand out. Finally, this book offers an aerial perspective as you can see Indiana from above and enjoy the scenic beauty from a bird's eye view.

At age 17, I went home from work and told my mother that I had received an appointment to study engineering at GMI. She said, "I didn't know you wanted to be an engineer." I said, "I do today!" I didn't even know where GMI was located. On October 1, 1951, I entered Flint, Michigan to start my education with General Motors Institute. When Dad died, Mother was not employed. She said we were all going to stay together. The state would separate us if we couldn't survive without Dad. I can still see her taking a knife and putting a slit in the top of that baking powder can, and we all contributed to it. We all put whatever we could earn in that can. During Mother's last year, I would go over to see her, and she always wanted me to take something home. When I was checking her food supply, I found the baking powder can. I told her I would like to have it. She said there were a number of times she would look into it and see a dime, which meant she would have to be creative for supper. We never went hungry. She was one of my two most admired ladies. I married the other one. In March 1990, I flew into Moscow. All of the flights from out of the country came into Moscow in those days. After we landed, the intercom came on and asked for me. I remember this scared me. I wondered what was wrong. When I arrived in Tolyatti, two of my engineers met me and said, "Lets take a walk." I thought this was strange since it was raining. They said you couldn't talk in the rooms; they were bugged. They told about a session where they were planning the next phase of their work. The next morning the Russian engineers acted as if they had been in the meeting. Don Almquist has traveled the world doing business for GM. In this memoir starts with life on a small farm in Indiana, continues through his education and career at both Delco Remy and Delco Electronics Corporation. He talks of his personal life and career with stories from all over the world. He shares his beliefs on management and leadership and reflects on the last 90 years.

This expanded and updated second edition contains new stories, details, and images from behind the scenes of the beloved film Hoosiers. Inspired by the smallest school ever to win Indiana's one-class basketball tournament, Hoosiers interweaves themes of redemption and second chances, of family and small-town life, of having faith and living your dream. It's been called one of the most inspiring motion pictures of all time. But the story of the movie's creation is just as inspiring. The first-time filmmakers' goal was to create an entertaining, authentic, and emotionally resonant movie--within the confines of a small budget and a short schedule. In attempting to portray the intense devotion to basketball known as Hoosier Hysteria, the movie's creators took on an immense challenge. With the help and support of thousands of Indiana residents, both during and after production, the filmmakers saw Hoosiers succeed well beyond their expectations. This book takes you on the journey that was the making of Hoosiers, as experienced by the filmmakers, actors, crew members, and extras. The book concludes by examining why the movie still scores with audiences young and old so many years after its release.

This guidebook breaks down--state by state—every place a sports fan will want to visit. The book will be cross referenced by sports categories and teams, so the reader will have an easy time finding attractions in a particular state by location or team. Included here are everything from restaurants owned by sports celebrities (i.e. Elway’s in Denver or Yao Ming’s YAO Bar & Restaurant in Houston) to such newly minted sites as the National Soccer Hall of Fame Museum at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The latest trend--celebrity cruises with your favorite team—are also detailed, as are both birth places and grave sites of the stars, and such obscure museums as the Ted Williams Hitters’ Hall of Fame in St. Petersburg, Florida. Conferences and a calendar of other fan events round out this essential guide to all things sports.

A supplemental textbook for middle and high school students, Hoosiers and the American Story provides intimate views of individuals and places in Indiana set within themes from American history. During the frontier days when Americans battled with and exiled native peoples from the East, Indiana was on the leading edge of America’s westward expansion. As waves of immigrants swept across the Appalachians and eastern waterways, Indiana became established as both a crossroads and as a vital part of Middle America. Indiana’s stories illuminate the history of American agriculture, wars, industrialization, ethnic conflicts, technological improvements, political battles, transportation networks, economic shifts, social welfare initiatives, and more. In so doing, they elucidate large national issues so that students can relate personally to the ideas and events that comprise American history. At the same time, the stories shed light on what it means to be a Hoosier, today and in the past.