Theron Odlaug is the School of Biological Sciences Alumni Achievement Award recipient
Theron “Ted” Odlaug (B.S. ’71, M.S. ’73) has made his career leading pharmaceutical research and development companies, most recently serving as the acting chief executive officer of Impopharma, based in Canada.
Prior to his current position, he led the German-based leon-nanodrugs GmbH that began operations in the U.S. as well as other drug companies across the country and around the globe. His leadership has helped bring life-saving drugs to market including Prograf, used to prevent organ transplant rejection.
“Before entering UMKC, I had never imagined I would be a pharmaceutical company executive and eventually a CEO and board member at a number of companies,” said Odlaug, who is now based in Illinois.
But because Odlaug has become a veteran worldwide industry leader, the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Biological Sciences is honoring him with its Alumni Achievement Award.
Odlaug initially intended to major in business when he arrived at UMKC his freshman year, but his mother suggested biology classes because his uncle, who he was named for, had been successful in the field as a professor and biology department head at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
“While I always looked up to my Uncle Ted, it was my adviser and mentor at UMKC who had the greatest influence,” Odlaug said of Robert Andersen, a biology professor at UMKC. “When I took his botany class during my first semester at UMKC, he made the subject come to life with his entertaining teaching style. He eventually became my adviser, and was the one who encouraged me to go on for a master’s and a Ph.D.”
Odlaug also met the woman who would become his wife, Pat Brennan, at UMKC. He was “checking out the new dorm arrivals” in the fall of his sophomore year. She asked him his name — Theron Edwin Louis Odlaug — and she laughed and thought it was made up. Now, they have three adult children.
“I tell my children and whoever will listen that there are five As and two Es of leadership that have helped me be a successful functional head and CEO,” he said. “They are authenticity, assessment, alignment, accountability, action, enthusiasm and emotional engagement. In order to be successful in working with people from other companies one has to try and learn their language, be open minded, flexible and patient.”Five Came Back movie download
Each year, the UMKC Alumni Association recognizes 16 alumni and one family with top honors. UMKC will honor Odlaug and other outstanding alumni at the 2017 Alumni Awards Luncheon April 20 at Swinney Recreation Center. The luncheon is one of the university’s largest events and proceeds support student scholarships. Last year’s luncheon attracted more than 500 attendees and garnered more than $120,000 in scholarship funds.
Click here for tickets or sponsorship information for the April 20, 2017, Alumni Awards Luncheon.
Click here for more information on the 2017 Alumni Awards recipients.