Loran Nordgren

Loran Nordgren is proud to say he was born and raised in Chicago. He attended Whitewater University before leaving to start his work in marketing and sales promotion. He was VP of marketing  at Rheem Manufacturing when in mid life he started his won marketing and advertising agency. During business trips to Trane Company in La Crosse, one of his clients, he came to value the topography of the driftless region so much that in 1976 he bought land in Westby. In 1995 he moved there, built a home but continued traveling for his advertising agency until he sold his business to the employees in 2003. He remains as an advertising consultant, not appreciating the term retired. He serves as emeritus board member for Elmhurst College after 15 years of active board membership.

In 2009 Loran placed 350 acres of his property in easement through the Mississippi Valley Conservancy.  He now works to educate his neighbors about the benefits of easements, hoping to increase the size of the easement from lands surrounding his property. He believes strongly in the need to preserve and restore farmlands, protecting large pieces of land from subdivision.

He owns and flies small airplanes. In 2010 he flew a rare air com plane over the Mayan ruins in Belize. He hopes to fly from his home in a similar one at 70 mph back to Belize in the near future. Besides flying, he is proud of his 5 children and 14 grandchildren who enjoy fly fishing the Bad Ax river which runs through Loran's property.