Matt and Laura Odland are both natives of Clarion. Laura moved with her family to Algona after her kindergarten year of school (her parents are Todd and Shelly Terhark). Matt went all the way through school locally. The twosome reconnected when Matt and his friend rode bikes on RAGBRAI when the week-long event had an overnight stay in Algona.
The Odlands are happy to be living and working in Clarion and find advantages to living in a rural setting. "We are close to everything," said Matt. "It's a quick stop to get to the store. We know people. When we walk, we know people. So we might stop to talk with them or people might just stop by."
Laura agrees. "We are centrally located. It's only an hour to get to Ames or Fort Dodge and an hour and a half to be in Des Moines."
So what brings them back to our area to work and live?
MATT
A 2013 Clarion-Goldfield graduate, Matt attended Iowa State University receiving an Ag Business degree in 2017 with a minor in Agronomy. He currently serves as a Key Account Specialist for Agri Gold seed sales. "I cover Wright and Hancock Counties," he said. "It is a direct sales position. My work might include seed deliveries, walking and scouting fields. Much of what I do is building customer relationships." He admits to learning from the farmers he sees as well as imparting things he might know or has learned.
His 'foot-in-door' with the Agri Gold came as he served three summers as an intern with the company while he was in college. "What I do is definitely rewarding," Matt said, working out of an office in the couple's home.
When he returned to Clarion in 2017, he began as a hired hand, farming with his dad and uncle (Dan and Uncle Dave). "The seed business allows me to get started farming," Matt said. "The first year I was helping with the farm operation. Now I run some of my own acres."
Spring is a busy season as he wears two hats: delivering seed and farming. "In the fall, some farmers don't like to be bothered looking ahead to another planting season," Matt said. "Others like my being available to ride in the combine with them."
Giving back to the community as a volunteer is part of Matt's 'to do' list. "I recently started serving on the Wright County Farm Bureau board and on the Congregational Church board of trustees, he said. In 2017-2018, he was a middle school wrestling coach and was CGD’s junior varsity baseball coach for the 2017 through 2019 seasons
LAURA
While Laura briefly attended school in Clarion, she finished her education at the Algona Schools, graduating in 2011. "I attended Upper Iowa and graduated from there in 2015 in Elementary Education.
When it came time to find a job, Laura had three schools as possible places to teach. "I was offered a job here to teach second grade, which was what I wanted to do," she said. She continues to teach second grade.
"For me, second grade is the perfect age," Laura said. "The students are independent with a strong desire to learn."
She is part of the TLC committee (Teacher Leadership & Compensation). "We work to incorporate new ideas of technology into the school," Laura said. "I serve with Cara Odland. I work on ideas for students in kindergarten through second grade. Cara works with strategies for students in third through fifth grade. "
Laura serves as junior varsity volleyball coach, another position she enjoys. She and Matt were married in June 2018 and are expecting their first child in March.
