Rob Szalay
Degree: Third
Member since: 2008
Hometown: Hudson, Ohio
A native of Ohio, Rob Szalay joined Council 12422 in 2010 after he and his family moved to Iowa and joined St. Francis of Assisi parish.
Prior to relocating to Iowa, Rob grew up in Hudson, Ohio, and attended The Ohio State University where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration and Human Resources. Rob was then commissioned in the United States Marines Corps and served as an officer for four years.
While living in Ohio, Rob was a member of a St. Hillary Catholic Church in Fairlawn that started a new Knights of Columbus Council. He was on the ground floor, so to speak, helping start a new council in 2008. When Rob participated in the First-Degree exemplification in his parish, he was among approximately 45 men who joined the Knights of Columbus.
“With it being a new council, there was a lot of excitement, and everyone came to the meetings,” Rob said.
When Rob and his wife Melissa moved to West Des Moines, they joined the parish and enrolled their two daughters (Megan and Allison) at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School. Rob chose to be a stay-at-home dad and helped raise his daughters while Melissa served the community as an orthopedic surgeon.
Both daughters graduated from Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines. Megan recently completed her undergraduate degree at Iowa State University and is enrolled as a pharmacy student at the University of Iowa. Allison attends Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peters, Minnesota, where she plays on the tennis team.
Council Leadership
Rob was eager to get involved in our council and has served in a variety of programs. Two notable areas are Habitat for Humanity and Wreaths Across America. Until just recently, Rob was our liaison between the local Habitat for Humanity organization and our council, organizing opportunities for our members to help volunteer.
At the annual Wreaths Across America program at the veterans cemetery near Van Meter, Rob played an instrumental role in gathering volunteers and supervising our council’s involvement. As a veteran, it’s an important event each December and honors our country’s veterans and their families.
“Being in the Knights of Columbus makes me accountable and gets me to Mass every week,” Rob said.
He also said listening to the popular Fr. Mike Schmitz “Bible in a Year” podcast has made a big difference in his faith formation.
Recently, Rob increased his leadership involvement in the council and is currently serving as our Deputy Grand Knight.
Supporting Catholic Education
Outside of the parish, Rob is a leader for the Catholic Tuition Organization (CTO), which helps provide funding for families to send their children to Catholic schools. Rob has been a board member of the organization since 2018.
Rob is also an outspoken supporter of the new education savings accounts (ESAs) that provide additional funding to families who choose to send their children to private schools, including Catholic schools in the Diocese of Des Moines.
We salute you, Rob, for your service to our country and our council.
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