(Aug. 30, 1918-Oct. 23, 2019). Pershing Edwin (P. E.) MacAllister was born in Greenbay, Wisconsin, to E. W. and Hilda MacAllister. He spent his childhood and adolescence in Wisconsin and chose to remain there for his college education. He attended Carroll University and graduated in 1940 with a focus on English and history. He would go on to support his alma mater by serving on its board for 52 years, 17 as chairman.
A year after graduating, MacAllister enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force. While in the military, he traveled the world, obtained the rank of captain, and met his future wife Violet Rebecca Cochran. In 1945, he married Violet, moved to Indiana, and started working at his father’s new company
MacAllister started his career at MacAllister Machinery Co. Inc. in the warehouse. Working his way up, he went on to run the company alongside his brother Dave by 1951. He was heavily invested in his company, running it for 30 years before passing it on to his son Chris in 1991. MacAllister, however, remained chairman, providing a total of 74 years of service.
Religion, politics, and civic activities were all just as important to MacAllister as his work. MacAllister was a Presbyterian, and he served many roles within his own church, Northminster Presbyterian Church, as well as beyond. In addition to giving sermons and writing on religious subjects, he served on the board of trustees at the Christian Theological Seminary, where he helped create the MacAllister-Petticrew Chair of Old Testament Studies.
MacAllister was no stranger to the political scene, having supported many candidates over his lifetime. He worked with in 1967, served as campaign chairman for multiple times, as well as for Bruce Melchert, former Indiana State Republican Party chairman and Indianapolis deputy mayor.
He also was a presidential elector in 1976, 1980, and 2000. He founded the Greater Indianapolis Republican Finance Committee and the Chairman’s Club. As Director of the Conference on Cities, he helped plan an international symposium on urban problems in collaboration with NATO, which was held in Indianapolis in May 1971.
Beyond politics, MacAllister served his community through his civic work. This included serving on several boards and committees: capital improvements board, Community Hospital Foundation, Board of Public Safety, corporate community council Board, Guardian Home Foundation Advisory Board, Indiana Inter-Religious Commission on Human Equality, Indianapolis Committee on Foreign Relations, Marion County Land Valuation Commission, American Council of Learned Societies, Board, and Indiana Bicentennial Commission. He also was a member of the president’s Advisory Committee on the Arts,
Music was also a love of MacAllister’s. He began and funded the , the nation’s largest non-restricted vocal competition for opera singers. He also served as president of and was a board member of the Indiana State Symphony Society. For 39 years, he supported and served as president of the Fine Arts Society, now known as , which produces classical music programming that airs on , the public radio station of the University of Indianapolis.
Recognition for his work came in the form of over 39 awards, including multiple Sagamore of the Wabash Awards as well as three honorary degrees (Indiana State University, , and Carroll College).
For 40 years, MacAllister hosted a live local Indianapolis cable television show entitled “Opinions.” He designated the topics to be discussed, interviewed people, toured local sites, and reported on local organizations and events. MacAllister continued working on the show up until a few months before his death.
Oral history clips courtesy of the Tobias Leadership Center at Indiana University.
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