Indiana Beverage has been a family-owned beer wholesaler for the past 86 years. The company is motivated to not only be a primary beer distributor in Northwest Indiana but also to provide a vital system to satisfy consumers. In order to provide this level of satisfaction, it takes team members who are deeply invested in the company to distribute products.
Sam Carlson, director of warehouse and delivery, is one of the most experienced staff members at Indiana Beverage. He comes into the workplace every day with a positive attitude and an eagerness to fulfill his responsibilities.
Carlson has been with Indiana Beverage since 1994. He attended Ball State University for a year before coming back to Valparaiso, where he has continued to build his family with his wife and two kids.
“I never imagined that I would be here for this long,” Carlson said. “I had a lot of fun at Ball State and had intentions to return. Once I started working here and making money, I grew interested in the business and enjoyed being around the people that I’ve worked with here. With all the support that Indiana Beverage provides me and my family, I knew that this was the place I wanted to be for the future.”
Another reason Carlson has enjoyed being in Valparaiso is the opportunity he has to showcase his musical abilities. He played in a band in college and continues to carry that passion forward to this day with unique opportunities.
“I’ve gotten into different bands over the years,” Carlson said. “It’s a creative outlet for me. I’ve been in a band with a couple of my co-workers here called Shotgun Elvis. We’ve done performances for about 10 years, and we’re still technically a band despite having not played together in a while. We got to play at the Metro in Chicago and the House of Blues. These are places I could only dream about performing at when I was younger, so it was an awesome opportunity.”
While Carlson has felt passionate for both music and product distribution, it was never his intention to pursue a career in either.
“When I was at Ball State, I went to get into secondary education at first,” Carlson said. “I got through a lot of the core classes but lost interest along the way. I went back to Purdue University Northwest and Indiana University Northwest for a little bit. I started having kids, and they became my priority at that point.”
Living in Northwest Indiana has provided Carlson with a calming presence that keeps everyone in his family happy. He’s very appreciative for the opportunity to work for Indiana Beverage and provide services for the local communities.
“It gives me a stronger sense of community being here,” Carlson said. “I have lived in Valparaiso for most of my life. As an employee at Indiana Beverage, I feel very tied to the community. I’m proud to work for this company, and I’m proud to be a Valparaiso resident. There’s nothing better than building relationships and interacting with the people that we service or the people we partner with. I’ve been here for 31 years and consider this place to be an extended family. The work culture is amazing. We have so many people here that want to promote and perpetuate the culture, which makes the job even more rewarding.”
The lesson that Carlson has learned the most from his tenure at Indiana Beverage is that you’ll only get whatever you put into your craft. Working hard to support his family has been the ultimate blessing for Carlson, and he’s thankful to have such an incredible team at Indiana Beverage who make every day a treat.
Outside of the workplace, Carlson spends a lot of time with his family. He enjoys watching movies, hiking, family vacation, going to dinner with friends, and taking his dogs for a walk when it’s warm out. Both of his kids are attending Indiana University, and he’s excited to see what the future holds for them once they graduate.
For more information on Indiana Beverage, you can visit its website.
