Ron Offutt '64

Attending Concordia allowed Offutt to keep a close eye on his family’s potato farm in Moorhead. Offutt juggled his commitments to academics, farming and football on his way to a degree in economics. Those days established deep roots for an ever-growing business career that has courageously weathered often-stormy economic challenges. As founder and chair of the R.D. Offutt Co., he oversees a nine-state farming enterprise covering 140,000 acres. His potato farm operation is the largest in the country. Offutt’s RDO Equipment Co. owns the largest network of John Deere construction and agricultural equipment dealerships in the world. The operation includes more than 75 locations in 10 states, as well as several partnerships in Russia, Ukraine and Australia. Offutt also has served on Concordia's Board of Regents, including several years as its chair. Offutt is among the many successful business alumni from Concordia, which has a tradition of preparing graduates to go places. Read more about some of our most successful alumni.