Guy Roy Odom

GUY ROY ODOM died March 23, 2004, at M.D. Anderson Hospital. Born (April 14, 1931) and reared "outhouse poor" in Groveton, Texas, he went on to become a successful businessman, investor, writer and public speaker. At age 16 he joined the U.S. Navy and served aboard the USS Chilton, the last American warship to leave Nationalist China in 1949. After leaving the Navy in 1950, Odom worked as a bartender, East Texas dance-hall floor bouncer, dime-store manager and Brink's guard. He sold real estate before entering the homebuilding industry. He joined Norwood Homes in January 1961, became President, CEO and major shareholder in June 1967. He began a personnel selection and management development program, which he continued to improve over the years. In November 1971, he sold the company to U.S. Home Corp. From November 1971 through March 1973, he was Western Region President, U.S. Home, and Chairman and CEO, Texas Division. He wanted to expand operations, and left in March 1973 because of this disagreement. In March 1973 Odom founded, was the major shareholder, and Chairman and CEO of Homecraft Corp. In three years, and during a recession, he guided the firm to twentieth largest homebuilding company in the U.S. U.S. Home Corp. bought Homecraft in February 1977 and, at the same time, Guy Odom became CEO of U.S. Home. Newspapers described this as "the minnow that swallowed the whale." While at U.S. Home as Chairman and CEO, he continued to refine his personnel selection and management development program, which received national recognition. Fortune feature story December 4, 1978. Moved U.S. Home to the largest homebuilder in the U.S. and first American homebuilding firm to surpass $1 billion in revenues. Although the dollar volume has been surpassed, his record for number of homes built still stands. Builder of the Year 1980 by Professional Builder. Left U.S. Home in October 1984. The number of homebuilding firms existing today because of his influence in selection, training, management development and leadership are numerous. Many don't even know that they are off-shoots of first, second and third generation training in homebuilding companies that use the teachings of Guy Odom. Philanthropist, public speaker and writer. Cited in periodicals and books, in and out of homebuilding, for his selection process, management development program, leadership abilities and political understanding, among them: The Merchant Builders, Ned Eichler; Contemporary Business (a university text), Boone and Kurtz; The Classic Touch: Lessons in Leadership from Homer to Hemingway, Clemens and Mayer; How People Work: Psychological Approaches to Management Problems, Saul Gellerman. Author of Mothers, Leadership, and Success, also America's Man on Horseback: A Fable? that was published in Mexico as El nuevo conquistador de México: ¿Una fábula?. He shows us where we have been and where we are headed. Web site www.guyodom.com. Guy Odom was writing Bugscuffle, Texas about growing up in East Texas in the 1930s and 40s at the time he passed away. ...[Guy Odom] was one of America's unique natural resources who had the backbone to rethink problems and come up with new conceptions and new solutions..., Richard Lamm, Governor of Colorado 1975-1987; Director, Center for Public Policy and Contemporary Issues, University of Denver; April 2004. Preceded in death by Guy Roy Odom, Jr. Survived by wife Rita Odom; former wife Wanda Odom and daughter Karen Odom and husband Henrik Fagerstrom; adopted daughter Rayito Odom Stephens; sister Carole Odom Harvey; cousins and many relatives. Memorial service to celebrate his life: 1:00 PM, Saturday, April 17, United Baptist Church, Splendora, TX. Directions at www.unitedbc.org. Instead of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210. Please include "Guy Odom" on your memorial gift. Pace-Stancil Funeral Home 303 E. Crockett St. Cleveland, Texas 77327 281-592-2641