180 | Business World Magazine |
April 2013
Long before the likes of Bing Crosby or Hoagy Carmichael crooned “Can’t Get Indiana off My
Mind,” folks from there were already known as “Hoosiers” and there’s no clear explanation as
to why. Some suggest the phrase came from the oft reply of “Who’s here?” when one knocked
upon a cabin door. Others say it springs from the English term “Hoozer” which colloquially
meant anything large. Yet, others say it comes from the Anglo-Saxon root word of “Hoo” which
translates to “hill” or “high-ground,” with Hoosiers meaning “people of the high ground.” In
any case, when manufacturers in aerospace, energy and other enterprise require engineered
metal components, particularly springs and valves, they too have Indiana well in mind and
come knocking at the door of a certain Hoosier who not only has a large reputation for quality,
but also occupies certain high ground in their service to industry.
