Meet Rob Olney, our VP of Sales

Whether it is at work, in his community or at home, Rob Olney strives to help people be their personal best. Rob currently leads Van Meter’s contractor business as Vice President of Sales and is based out of our Urbandale location. He joined Van Meter in 2011.

Rob is originally from Cedar Rapids and graduated from the University of Iowa in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Minor in Communications. Before coming to Van Meter, Rob and his family had several different moves for his career, all within the Midwest. As their kids got older, they made the decision to try and return to Iowa. That is when Rob joined Van Meter, which he was familiar with from his time in Cedar Rapids.

Rob joined Van Meter as regional vice president for the western business unit. He has enjoyed watching and managing the growth of the company since then. At the time, the west consisted of Des Moines, Carroll, Sioux City and Ottumwa. After he joined, Van Meter built a new branch in Carroll and Urbandale, and expanded to new locations in Omaha and Kansas City.

While the growth of the company is exciting, Rob’s favorite part of working at Van Meter is seeing the growth of his fellow employee-owners. He said, “I think the best part is our focus on people and getting them to be their absolute personal best. If I can play some sort of small role to help them achieve that, being associated with the growth of our people is really the most rewarding for me.”

Rob is also influential in his community. He has served on the American Lung Association Local Leadership Board since 2018. He said it is a good fit because it matches up with his personal beliefs on tobacco usage and Van Meter’s commitment to maintaining a tobacco-free environment.

That is not the only local board Rob belongs to. He will become a member of the Urbandale Chamber Board of Directors in 2022. He said it is a great opportunity to network with business leaders in the community, help local businesses navigate any challenges that arise and help them grow and be as successful as possible.

At home, Rob has a “Hawkeye Family.” His wife, Wendi, also attended the University of Iowa, and they have been married for 20 years. They have two children, Carly and Luke. Much of Rob’s time has been spent following his kids’ sports. His daughter participated in swimming and track, which he admits knowing nothing about, but he was there to cheer her on. His son loves baseball, and Rob has helped coach him.

When he has free time, Rob enjoys being outdoors. Depending on the time of year, hunting, fishing, golfing and skiing are some of his favorite activities. He also likes spending time with his two English Setters, Kinnick and Ivy.

When it comes to growing our business, giving back to his community and supporting his family, Rob has seamlessly handled all three tasks. That is why we are excited for what the future holds with Rob on our leadership team.