David Grant Elmore

David Gant Elmore, professionally known as "Dave" and affectionately known as "DaDa", went to be with our Lord and Savior on June 7, 2023. His wit, intellect, and boundless optimism were fully intact. Positive, patient, and persistent, his departure was sooner than any of his many friends and family hoped. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, stepfather, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. He had only two passions: business and family. Dave was born in Anderson, Indiana on July 11, 1934 to Helen Gant Elmore and Carroll Elmore. His parents believed in hard work and gave Dave his midwestern values. He worked in many jobs from an early age from counting worms at a sports supply store to delivering newspapers to scooping ice cream. Even as a young boy, his parents always asked what Dave thought about whatever they were discussing. This inspired him to learn how to think for himself and to confidently communicate his thoughts from an early age. Dave grew up in modest circumstances. His father was a house painter and renovator without a high school education, and his mother was a schoolteacher. The family moved 12 times and Dave attended 9 different schools before the 12th grade. His mother imbued Dave with the importance of education, and he took it to heart. He earned excellent grades, mostly to honor his parents. He graduated high school at age 17, earned his undergraduate degree in accounting and immediately followed with his law degree at Indiana University. While attending law school he was the Notes Editor of the Indiana Law Journal and obtained his CPA certificate. He was a member of the Zeta Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta, the fraternity of which he later became National President. He considered joining this fraternity as one of his most important decisions because of the competitive camaraderie he felt there. Dave's legacy at Indiana University includes endowing with his son, "DG," the Elmore Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic and serving on the IU Foundation Board. He also made sizeable contributions to Ball State University School of Education in honor of his mother. After law school, Dave joined the firm and became a partner at McBride, Baker, Wienke & Schlosser in Chicago, which is now Holland & Knight. This proved both formative and fortuitous. Not only would he include White Sox owner Charlie Comiskey as a client, but he also advised a public company known as Bankers United Holding Company which had both life insurance operations and a tour operating business. In 1968, Bankers United recruited Dave as its CEO. Dave at his core, however, was an entrepreneur. He left the public company world and went into business for himself. With little capital, but vast amounts of vision and determination, he built a business empire focused primarily on sports, tourism, real estate and life insurance industries. He was an early real estate developer in Vail, Colorado. He acquired hotels and travel companies in Hawaii. He was a pioneer in opening up tourism in the early 1980's into the Soviet Union and China. His travel companies took customers all over the world, including the U.S., Europe, Soviet Union, China and elsewhere. The holding company, First Family of Travel, at its peak served over 400 thousand tourists a year, and developed Olympic ticketing and hospitality operating systems that are still the backbone of the Olympic movement. His travel companies, coupled with his public service interests, led Dave to be named Chair of the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board by the White House under President Ronald Reagan. Particularly within the worlds of minor league professional sports Dave's impact was immense. His service on the Board of Trustees of Minor League Baseball and Executive Committee of the Pacific Coast League lasted decades. He was immensely respected for his insights, wisdom, loyalty, and commitment. Owners throughout Minor League Baseball sought his counsel and Dave never hesitated to make time for anyone. Dave ultimately created the Elmore Sports Group, a conglomerate of Minor League Baseball teams, professional hockey clubs, and concession operators. His entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to sports transformed communities and brought the joy of baseball fans of all ages across the country. Through these teams, he created opportunities for aspiring players, entertained countless fans, and contributed to the growth and development of Minor League Baseball. He was inducted into the Pacific Coast League and Texas League Halls of Fame and was recognized as King of Baseball in 2016. His passion for minor league sports was anchored in the spirit of community it fostered while being very affordable for families. Beyond his involvement in professional baseball, Dave's visionary leadership extended to other sports ventures. He had a passion for hockey, owning the Utah Grizzlies and the Idaho Falls Spud Kings. Dave along with his wife, Donna Tuttle, moved the Grizzlies from Denver to Utah, and aided West Valley City, Utah in the development of the Maverik Center, a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment arena which hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. This multi-purpose facility became a hub for sporting events, concerts, and community gatherings, providing an unforgettable experience for attendees and contributing to the local economy. DaDa, as he was known by his family, was the bedrock for a large, tight-knit family. He prioritized family and building relationships between family members. When they were young, he attended his children's sporting events and even some of his 12 grandchildren's sporting events. He would regularly check in with his children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren with a call demonstrating their importance to him and his deep interest in their lives. Despite being very busy, he was always engaged and available. His generosity extended to his immediate and extended family, and beyond. He contributed to many charitable, philanthropic, and educational organizations across the country. Beyond his beloved Indiana University, he was also a supporter of the charitable interests of his family members and was a significant contributor to St. John's Hospital, where his wife Donna served as Chair of the Board. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother. He is survived by his wife Donna Tuttle Elmore, his children, David Gant ("DG") Elmore, Jr. and his wife Gini, Heather Elmore Furniss and her husband Todd, Douglas Stanley Elmore and his wife Julie. Additionally, he is survived by Donna's two daughters, Tiffany Noel Tuttle and Alexandra Christina Tuttle and their husbands, Rick Lidinsky and Alex Hubbard, respectively. Dave is further survived by 12 grandchildren, 4 step-grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. Dave is also survived by his first wife, Gail Elmore, with whom he maintained a friendly relationship. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. John's Hospital or Indiana University, organizations which Dave and his family have passionately supported for many decades.