Our History

From humble beginnings, Fred Ode has grown his three businesses from the ground up — the true American dream. With the booming success of his businesses, Fred launched the Ode Family Foundation, his philanthropic passion.

Fred was teaching high school math when his passion for motivating others first began. He loved the connections he made with students — watching them grow and flourish.

In the mid-’70s, he took two separate years off to travel, exploring the U.S. and backpacking through Europe. Through these travel experiences, he set off to make his own way, converting the bucket seat of his car into a bed — and when he ran out of money, he worked in the oil fields in Odessa, Texas.

Always a hard worker, when he returned, Fred immediately focused on organically building a business over 35 years — from a single employee in 1985 to a company with a national name in the industry, a thriving sister company and a historic country club.

While he has been leading his three companies, he’s never forgotten his passion for encouraging and helping others. In 2018, Fred refocused on this passion and founded the Ode Family Foundation.

Now more than ever he is committed to helping people help themselves, removing obstacles to help them reach their educational and professional goals — so that one day they can help others too.