Rob is a lifelong resident of Northern Minnesota, making his permanent home in International Falls. He has been married to his wife Joan for 38 years and they have three sons who all live in the state. Rob worked for 29 years in the Boise/PCA papermill, and was active in union activities for most of his career. These activities led to many trips to Washington D.C. and to St Paul advocating for workers and workplace issues.

In 2010, Rob started his public service career as a Koochiching County Commissioner, and in 2015, he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives where he served 4 terms. Most recently, Rob acted as Chair of the Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee. Rob enjoys hunting, fishing, golfing, and spending time in the outdoors with family and friends.