---
title: Odell Riley
description: 'Age: 54 Hometown: Monroe, La. Cause: Teaching personal finance to colleagues, congregants, and kids One of six kids raised by a single father, Riley learned…'
authors:
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    covers:
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    former_staff: true
published: '2014-10-21T20:57:00.000Z'
modified: '2014-10-21T20:57:00.000Z'
section: Personal Finance
tags:
  - centurylink
  - Financial Education
  - financial literacy
  - Monroe La.
  - Odell Riley
  - pastor
  - Personal Finance
canonical: https://money.com/collection-post/odell-riley-2/
type: Article
source: structured-blocks
---

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![Odell Riley](https://img.money.com/2014/11/141111_her_riley.jpg?quality=85&w=1012&h=569&crop=1)

![Odell Riley](https://img.money.com/2014/11/141111_her_riley.jpg?w=279)

### Age: 54  
Hometown: Monroe, La.  
Cause: Teaching personal finance to colleagues, congregants, and kids

One of six kids raised by a single father, Riley learned about finances working at a grocery store from age 13 to 24. Now a pastor—and an executive at the telecom firm CenturyLink—Riley teaches congregants and colleagues about money up to five hours a week. His Thursday night Bible study class branches out into topics such as insurance and investing. At work he prods new hires to open a 401(k). And in 2013 he helped start a program that places volunteers in elementary schools to read children books promoting financial literacy.

### Says Riley:

> *I have couples do a budget before I marry them. If one's a saver and one's a spender, I show them that their differences are an asset."*

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