Alumni Profiles
Going Undercover For Truth
Four named to Hall of Fame
A gift from Liberia
Jon McLaughlin Climbs the Music Charts
Jumpin’ Johnny Wilson book to be released in February
Going Undercover For Truth
By Rachel Johnson
An old FBI joke is that if it’s not on paper, then it didn’t happen. Bob Hamer BA ’72, a former Marine and recently retired undercover FBI agent of 26 years, is working to get an important story of his own on paper. However, as Hamer himself admits, his story is a tough sell because it makes people uncomfortable.
However, after a few years of pitching, he has earned the attention of Center Street Press of Nashville, an imprint of Hachette/Warner (formerly of AOL Time Warner books) for a manuscript about his undercover work that began in 2001 in the North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA). Set for release in October 2008 The Last Undercover, is Hamer’s memoir of his three-year undercover assignment targeting pedophiles while reflecting on how other assignments prepared him for his most challenging case ever. “NAMBLA was the most paranoid organization I’ve ever encountered,” says Hamer. “It was frightening — I just assumed most of the wackos have been locked up.”
Approximately 6,000 men are members of NAMBLA’s mailing list. Despite intense scrutiny, Hamer was able to infiltrate the steering committee and inner circle of NAMBLA, eventually leading to eight convictions of top leaders. Since the arrests, Hamer has written a book, appeared on Oprah, and gained other media attention and written a screenplay about NAMBLA and his undercover experience.
Hamer has also taken his FBI experience to Hollywood, where he wrote stories for two TV shows and served as a technical advisor for two TV series, The Inside and Angela’s Eyes. He also assisted with Law and Order: SVU and Sleeper Cell. As a technical advisor, Hamer would show actors how to carry a gun, how to enter a room, how to clear a room, or how a SWAT team would behave in a certain situation.
“Most of [Hollywood] is extremely sensationalized; the accuracy isn’t in the overall case or the drama, but in the specific language or technique in the investigation,” he explains. “I had to understand the needs of Hollywood and the needs of maintaining an audience. It was up to them to accept or reject my ideas.”
Since his retirement a year ago, Hamer’s lifestyle has changed. He has continued his writing and trial work related to outstanding FBI cases. While his writing consumes most of his time, he is active in his Church of God congregation and works with its young adults. He tries to stay busy with writing and consulting, but retirement moves a bit slower than working undercover. As Hamer says, “I’ve been patted down, challenged, and had a gun put to my head with people saying they thought I was a cop — never was it ever discovered that I was an FBI agent.” To sum up his career, he says that he never regretted a single day of his service in the FBI.
Four named to Hall of Fame
By Justin Bates
Four former Anderson University athletes were inducted into the AU Athletic Hall of Fame during Homecoming weekend. The new inductees were Robert Adcock BS ’64, Miriam Garner-England BA ’82, Frank Runion BA ’90, and James Wehsollek BA ’58.
Adcock came to Anderson from Norwalk, Conn., in the fall of 1959 to play baseball and football for the Ravens. He was a four-year starter on both the baseball and football teams at Anderson, including starting both ways on the football team. In baseball, he was a three-time team MVP (1961-63) and a two-time All-Conference (1962-63) selection. In football, he was All-Conference after the 1962 season.
After college, Adcock was drafted by the Detroit Tigers and also played in the minor league systems of the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies. After his baseball career, he worked as a regional sales representative for more than 30 years at Shark and Bunker Remo Information Systems.
England came to Anderson in the fall of 1979 from Auburn Hills, Mich., to play basketball and run track and field for the Ravens. England earned four letters in both basketball and track and was named team MVP of the basketball team in 1981. She was also a three-time team captain in track (1979-81) and two-time captain in basketball (1980-81). She was named the Outstanding Senior Female Athlete in 1982.
England earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education with honors from Anderson University in 1982 and added her Master of Science in exercise science from Oakland University in 1991. After college, England taught at Oakland Christian School and has also coached softball, track, and basketball over the past 20 years. She has also done sports administration work at Wayne State University.
Runion came to Anderson University in the fall of 1986 from Marysville, Ohio, to run cross country and track for the Ravens. Over the next four years, Runion established himself as one of the best distance runners in school history. He earned four letters in both cross country and track and was a 10-time All-American as well as an Academic All-American and NCCAA Scholar Athlete. He was also a two-time All-Conference selection in both cross country and track. He earned All-American honors in track six times, including three in the indoor distance medley relay, twice in the 1,500, and once in the 5,000, where he set the school record with a time of 14:28.74. He was a four-time All-American in cross country, including two each in NAIA and NCCAA. He was also named the Outstanding Male Senior Athlete in 1990.
After earning his bachelor’s degree from AU in 1990, he has worked at St. Vincent, Wishard, and Clarion Health for the past 17 years. He also competed in the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon, finishing 16th.
Wehsollek came to Anderson from just down the road in Alexandria in the fall of 1954 to play football for the Ravens. Wehsollek was a two-way starter on the offensive and defensive line for the Ravens for three years from 1954-56. He is only one of two players in AU football history to be named team MVP three times (1954-56). He was also named to the Hoosier College Conference team after both the 1955-56 seasons. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Anderson University in 1958 and added his master’s degree in education from Ball State University in 1960 and his EDS in administration in 1968, also from Ball State. After college, he returned to Alexandria where he was a teacher, football coach, athletic director, principal, city court judge, and mayor for the next 40 years.
Along the way, he was the first coach to lead Alexandria to a football championship, was named conference Coach of the Year in 1959, and officiated high school basketball for more than 30 years, including the Hall of Fame and Indiana-Kentucky All-Star games. He was named the Roy Gardner Award winner as the outstanding official for 1984 and was president of the IHSAA Official’s Association. He also officiated several IHSAA state tournament games in both football and basketball.
A gift from Liberia
By Kim Walker
For many long-time Christians, “Jesus Loves the Little Children” is probably one of the earliest songs to be memorized and placed within one’s repertoire of praise songs. For Adam ’99 and Carrie (Windsor) Cannon BA ’99, the song represents much more than a memorized verse; it represents the living truth.
Adam and Carrie are the new parents of three adopted children from Africa: Abraham, 6; Alexa, 3; and Addison, 1. Their journey into the adoption process and the impact the adoption has had on their family has been proof positive that God cares about the smallest details of his children — right down to their names.
The Cannon’s story starts with disappointment but ends with unequivocal proof of God’s love for his children. For many years, the Cannons dreamed of having a family, but conception never followed. Carrie was informed she had only a two percent chance of conceiving, so they began fertility treatments to no avail. After three years of trying to conceive, they felt at peace with adoption. However, the adoption process wasn’t easy, either. Two attempts at adopting babies from the United States failed when, each time, the mother changed her mind at the last minute.
“It was crushing,” says Carrie. “We decided it was too much, and we needed to take a break for a while.”
But God had other plans.
One day shortly after, the Cannons were visiting another church and, unbeknownst to them, they were seated by a lady who had adopted five children from Korea. The couples struck up a conversation immediately and in the process, learned of Acres of Hope, a Liberian adoption agency. The Cannons registered with the agency, requesting approval for the adoption of two children. Having fantasized about their children’s names for some time, they already had two “A” names picked out.
When the application for adoption was completed, approved, and returned to them, a surprise was awaiting: The couple was approved for the adoption of three children, rather than two. (The agency keeps all siblings together.) Noticing the mistake, they were about to call, when an agency member phoned them with the news that they had a family of three ready for adoption.
“I know this sounds silly now,” Carrie says, “but I told her I couldn’t adopt three because I only had two ‘A’ names picked out.” The agent explained that the birth mother decided it would be best to give her eldest son up for adoption, as well, and Carrie couldn’t resist asking the child’s name.
“Abraham,” she says.
“I cried when I heard the name,” says Carrie. “It was such confirmation that God intended us to adopt these children.”
The Cannons felt so appreciative of the gifts they were receiving from Liberia that they decided to give a gift to Liberia in return.
“During the adoption process, God laid on my heart to give something back to Liberia. They were in civil war for so long, and it pretty much devastated the country,” explains Carrie. She discovered that Liberia has an 85 percent illiteracy rate. As a teacher, Carried decided to start a book drive for Liberia. “Our goal was 10,000 books. Since I worked in inner city schools, we all thought it would be a stretch to get 10,000 books,” she says. But the book drive collected 61,000 books to start the first library in Liberia called Library of Hope. In Liberia, they are building bookcases for the books and have raised $60,000 to construct the building.
Abraham, Alexa, and Addison have been home in northern Indiana since March, and they are, as proud mom says, “adjusting remarkably well.” The children’s English skills have improved, and while they recognize they have two “mamas and papas,” the oldest ones happily express their desire to stay in their new home — a home of safety and warmth that wasn’t provided them before.
While it is true the children are doing well, household appliances still remain a mildly amusing mystery.
“They love to flush the toilet,” laughs Carrie. “We were in Chick-Filet today, and Alexa kept flushing the toilet, and I thought, ‘only my family.’”
Today Abraham, Alexa, and Addison romp merrily around the Cannon household, playing house, flushing toilets, and one more thing: picking out an ‘A’ name for the newest Cannon-to-be. Yes, three months after the adoptions, Carrie learned she was pregnant.
The Cannons couldn’t be happier.
“God simply wanted us to adopt these children before we had our own,” she says of God’s timing for her family.
Recently, Carrie’s nephew was over and asked if the new baby would also be African. When she explained that the baby would look like her and her husband, the child said, “Oh, you’ll be like a tie-died family.”
Well, maybe not tied in dye, but tied in Jesus’ bond of love for all His children.
Jon McLaughlin Climbs the Music Charts
By Cara Miller
Just two years out of AU, singer/songwriter Jon McLaughlin BA ’05 has made it big in the highly competitive music industry, promoting his first album with Island Records, Indiana, touring with his band, and climbing his way to number one on the iTunes Pop Chart.
Last June, he appeared on the Today Show to sing his hit song, “Beautiful Disaster.” When Meredith Vieira asked him about his success, McLaughlin told her the experience has been surreal. “I have no idea how I got here,” he said.
Though he may be humbled and even surprised by his success, it was certainly not by accident. The Anderson native has been playing piano since early childhood and began writing his own music as a teenager. He came to Anderson University to continue his music and study the business side of becoming an artist.
“I feel like I grew up on AU’s campus,” he said. “My mom started working at AU around 1989, and I always loved hanging out on campus. Then my older brother and sister went to AU. So, when it came time for me to go to college, it just seemed right. I didn’t even apply to any other schools.”
It was at Anderson University that the foundation for McLaughlin’s music career was laid. He spent countless hours developing his debut album, Up Until Now, which released in 2003. He also became the first artist to sign on with the university’s new student-run record label, Orangehaus Records, which focused on booking venues, setting up media coverage, assuring payment, and preparing for concerts and artist signings.
“I spent most of my time at AU in a practice room, practicing and writing,” he said. “I just really loved my time in the music department.”
In spring 2003, McLaughlin received high praise when he performed in Nashville at the GMA (Gospel Music Association). Then in 2004, he released a self-titled album and began touring throughout the Midwest.
“Probably the most important way AU prepared me for what I’m doing now is in the relationships I developed there,” said McLaughlin. “I couldn’t do what I do now without these people. I also learned a great deal from the music department, from Dr. Frieling on the piano, and from Orangehaus Records. I was able to get an idea of how a label worked, and it prepared me for what to look out for once I came into the ‘real world.’”
After graduating, McLaughlin “hit the road,” and has been touring ever since, playing in venues such as Feeling Better Than Everfine in Cleveland; Waterfest in Oshkosh, Wisc.; Milwaukee Summerfest; and Lollapalooza in Chicago. In 2005, he signed on with Island Def Jam, the parent company of Island Records. Then in April of 2006, he married Amy Sebastian BA ’04. A year later, he released Indiana.
Most recently, McLaughlin has toured with headliners O.A.R., Sister Hazel, Cowboy Mouth, and Marc Broussard. He sang onscreen for the new Disney movie, Enchanted, which released in November, and his song “Beautiful Disaster” was featured in the 2007 movie Georgia Rule. He also opened for Kelly Clarkson’s My December Tour, which began in October. And despite his busy schedule, he made time to visit his alma mater, giving a special concert during the 2007 AU Homecoming on Oct. 13.
As his career continues to advance, McLaughlin plans to continue his music and enjoy the ride. “The near future will look pretty similar to the near past,” he said. “My wife and I, along with the guys in the band, will keep touring and making music for a while. I definitely do want to slow it down in a few years and start a family. But not quite yet!”
Jumpin’ Johnny Wilson book to be released in February
By Deborah Lilly
Author Dick Burdette knows Johnny Wilson BA ’56 was a great basketball player. He’s seen him play. As a senior at Anderson High School, Wilson led his team to the state tournament and was named Indiana Mr. Basketball. As a freshman and sophomore at Anderson University, he led the state in college scoring and was third in the nation. At a time when African-American men could only play professionally on two teams in the United States, Wilson became a Harlem Globe Trotter. But in his biography of Wilson — Jump, Johnny Jump! — Burdette wants his readers to know that as amazing as Wilson was on the court, it’s nothing compared to the man he became off the court.
Burdette is a former human-interest columnist for the Orlando, Fla., Sentinel and The Lexington Herald Leader. His work has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and an Ernie Pyle Award. His interest in Wilson stemmed from his interest in the Globe Trotters during their glory days in 1946-1963. “I wanted to find out what it was like to be a member of the Harlem Globe Trotters in the late 40s and early 50s at a time when things are totally different than they are now.” He wanted to know what it was like for 10 African-American men to travel around the country and the world entertaining mostly white audiences. From his research, Burdette took an interest in Wilson and began to focus on his life. Jump, Johnny Jump! chronicles Wilson’s life from his childhood in Anderson, Ind., to today as assistant basketball coach at Lockhaven State University in Pennsylvania. In his research, Burdette visited Wilson’s old neighborhood in Anderson, attended a game at the Anderson Wigwam, and toured the AU campus. He interviewed Wilson’s younger brother Gene and President Emeritus Dr. Robert Reardon, along with Wilson’s Globe Trotter teammates and some of the students he coached.
In the end, Burdette says, “I’m more impressed with Johnny Wilson as a man than as a basketball player because he has done so many good things for people. He is responsible for people becoming successful when other people had given up on them.”
Jump, Johnny Jump! comes out in February. Carl Erskine, a lifelong friend of Wilson, has written the book’s forward. Jump, Johnny Jump! will be on sale at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and through authorhouse.com. The 260-page book includes 10 pages of photographs and will retail for $18.95.
