A former board chairman reminisces about his education, his time in the military, corporate leadership, and philanthropy.
P.E. MacAllister
Featured Leadership Topics
Influences and Impacts
“[E]verybody trusted [my father] including his customers, and they said if Mac tells you something, you could take it to the bank, period. That matter of character and integrity I think has a lot to do with whatever happens to you here.”
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Understand Leadership
“ I think you've got to know the rules and play by the rules.”
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Storytelling
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Storytelling
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Storytelling
“Shakespeare had a quotation that some men are born great, others achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. I had this dealership thrust upon me.”
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About P.E. MacAllister
Pershing E. MacAllister graduated from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in 1940. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, separating as a captain. MacAllister earned a reputation for leadership in business, philanthropy, and civic involvement.
MacAllister’s father founded MacAllister Machinery Company in Indianapolis in June 1945. MacAllister took over the company in 1950 and was officially named president in 1954. He held the title of chairman of the board of MacAllister Machinery Company in April 2009.
MacAllister spent a number of years as president of the Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board. He was a longtime president of the Indianapolis Opera and chaired the Fine Arts Society of Indianapolis. MacAllister served Caroll College in several capacities, including on the board of trustees. He was also a trustee of the Christian Theological Seminary.
MacAllister has endowed a chair in religious and Biblical studies and the MacAllister Fellowship at Carroll College. He co-endowed the MacAllister-Petticrew Chair of Old Testament Studies at Christian Theological Seminary. He established and largely supported the MacAllister Awards, which was the largest unrestricted vocal competition for opera singers in the United States.
MacAllister served as campaign treasurer for Richard Lugar’s two mayoral elections (1967 and 1971) and as campaign chair for William Hudnut’s mayoral elections (1976–91) and his campaign for Congress. In April 2009, the Indiana Historical Society honored MacAllister as an Indiana Living Legend.
Explore the complete oral history of P.E. MacAllisterBorn or Made?
“Both . . . I think you take a look at Bonaparte for example. You find somebody who is gifted because he didn’t get much teaching about what he did aside from the artillery in terms of his medical thing. Alexander of Macedon was given not only experience but the most effective military unit in the world to fight battles with in the phalanx so he had a lot going for him but where would it have gone with the average leader and the answer is probably no place. So there had to be a vision there too.”
