Within a single column I would like to identify whether four possible strings
exists and then list a corresponding number in the formula column.

In the past I have used something like this:

=IF(I2="MILLER",1)+IF(I2="DAVIS",2)+IF(I2="SMIT H",3)+IF(I2="WINTER",4)

And while this works, sort of... it is inelegant at best. Excel acutally
adds the numbers together or something and I end up with corresponding
numbers like, 10, 8, 6, and 4.

Further, I would like to search a long string for the word "DAVIS" and not
have to list the entire beginning of the string.