Chastain Wealth Management amplifies student voices with $25,000 gift to UF Speech and Debate

Chastain Wealth Management amplifies student voices with $25,000 gift to UF Speech and Debate

By Lauren Barnett — December 16, 2024

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Larren Odom ’92 watched intently from the audience as students from the University of Florida’s Speech and Debate Society squared off in spirited, yet respectful debate. Competing against hundreds of peers from top collegiate debate programs, the students showcased a mix of logic, rhetoric, and adaptability skills at the 2024 International Public Debate Association National Tournament, hosted by Mississippi State University.

For Odom, witnessing the students compete was more than an academic exercise; it was the realization of a dream to advocate for free speech on a grand scale.

Earlier this year, Odom and his wife, Jennifer Odom ’93, ’96 (JD), made a $25,000 gift to the UF Speech and Debate team to support the development of young orators. The generous gift enables the team to attend one national event annually, alleviating financial burdens and breaking down barriers for the students.

“We wanted our gift to go to something we believed in. There’s a critical need in our country for civil discourse and a healthy exchange of ideas,” Odom said.

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The Odoms’ connection to UF runs deeper than financial support. Over thirty years ago, the pair first crossed paths at a Greek life event as students themselves. Today, two of their three children continue the family legacy as current undergraduates at UF.

For Larren, the essence of a liberal arts education lies in its ability to cultivate critical thinking and communication skills. His own journey began with a focus on political science and French language, and he has since reinvented himself many times.

“Liberal arts education is where you will best develop critical thinking,” he said. “Understanding other people’s points of view and being able to articulate agreement and disagreement in an efficacious way is a skill you can use no matter what career you choose.”

This philosophy has served Odom well. His first job after graduating was for two small daily newspapers in North Dakota and Ohio. The papers were small, but Odom remembers a commitment to objectivity.   He later transitioned to claims adjusting for insurance companies before moving into wealth management. Eight years ago, Odom decided to start his own firm, Chastain Wealth Management.

The Odoms now own and operate a family wealth practice specializing in clients with investable assets of at least $5 million, offering advice on everything from taxes to estate planning.

“A lot of our clients have really lived the American Dream in the sense that they have started from relatively humble means and built great businesses and great careers, using education and entrepreneurship,” he said. “Our mission is to help protect that American Dream they’ve built.”

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Odom had not been involved with UF for several decades but started considering his legacy and giving back to where it all started. He encourages others who want to give back, to donate to something specific. The key, he says, is to ensure that your gift promotes something you believe in.

“I really wanted to do something specific to promote free speech and the civil exchange of ideas, which I think is one of the main purposes of a university,” Odom said.

Ultimately, he said, it’s all about the students, who are already feeling the direct impact of the gift. It provides the Speech and Debate team with opportunities they might not have had otherwise, allowing them to compete on national stages, further develop their skills, and network with other leaders in competitive debate.

“Support from Chastain Wealth Management for the Speech and Debate Society has allowed this historic organization to continue taking our phenomenal students across the country to represent the values of free speech and intellectual curiosity through national competition,” said Amy Martinelli, director of UF forensics. “We are fortunate that Larren and Jennifer Odom recognize the need to maintain robust, vibrant, and civil debates about the important problems in our ever-changing world.”

Through their gift, the Odoms have created a legacy at UF, one that champions the values of free speech, intellectual curiosity, and respectful debate.

Support the Chastain Wealth Management Speech and Debate Travel Fund here.