Embracing Grit with Jan Odegard

We had the privilege of connecting with Jan Odegard, the 2024 GRIT Lifetime Achievement Award winner, to delve into his profound insights on leadership and grit. This week, our conversation explores the remarkable career of Jan, the former Executive Director of ION, and his enduring impact on the energy sector.

What part of grit resonates with you most personally and professionally, and why? 

All parts of GRIT (Growth, Resilience, Innovation, and Talent) resonate with me and have been part of defining who I am. If I had to pick one, it would be TALENT. Working holistically on rebranding Houston as a technology hub was my WHY for wanting to get involved in building Houston's innovation ecosystem, specifically to help curtail the net export of locally educated/trained talent that Houston needs to not only drive the energy transition but also support our new diversified economy.

At ALLY, we believe role models are important. Who in your work and life have been role models of GRIT? Can you tell us who they are and what you learned from them?

• My parents (RIP): Growing up on a dairy farm on the west coast of Norway gave me firsthand experience in what it takes to be self-reliant and successful. I learned that nothing comes easily and that grit (as in the English word) was, and still is, a critical quality.

• My high-school math teacher: He ignited my love for mathematics through his infectious enthusiasm and passion for the subject. This inspired me to become an engineer, ultimately leading me to Texas and Houston.

• My PhD advisor (RIP): His passion, curiosity, humanity, and genuine care for not only the subject matter but for people left a profound impact. His recurring (and, at times, annoying) questions about my aspirations and goals for the future were instrumental in shaping my path.

The energy transition is the single most significant challenge of our lifetime. As a lifetime achievement award winner, if you look at the end of your career when you retire, what will you be most proud of in your quest for a lower carbon future? What does that look like for the industry? What does that look like for you? 

To have been a small part of helping lead Houston's transformation to be recognized as a technology hub would be an immense source of pride. Over the past decade, Houston has undergone a remarkable evolution, transitioning from a city predominantly known for its oil and gas industry to an emerging hub of technological innovation and entrepreneurship that is needed to be a leader in the energy transition.

Rapid Round / Getting to Know You 

Favorite Band or Song and why?

Band: Pink Floyd and song: Fly Me to the Moon

The cost of gasoline when you got your first car. 

 $0.65 pr US gallon (1986/87)

A person you would be keen to have dinner with (dead or alive) and why?

Ultimately, sharing a meal with Robin Williams would have been an unforgettable experience filled with laughter, insight, and a profound sense of connection that only he could have provided. His singular talent and joie de vivre (his boundless creativity and improvisational skill, his genuine curiosity and empathy, and his infectious enthusiasm for life) made him a remarkable individual, and the memory of such an encounter would be cherished.

Can you give us something about you that people wouldn’t know?

As part of my compulsory military service in Norway, I was a Corporal in the Norwegian Royal Guard.