Welcome Rod Becker, campus groundskeeper

Originally from Cedar Rapids, Rod spent much of his career in restaurant management, beginning in food service at 16 and stepping into leadership by 20. Over the years, he worked with Heart of America restaurants, including Thunder Bay Grill and Iowa Machine Shed, and most recently served at Ruthie’s Steakhouse at Rhythm City Casino. More recently, he has taken on handyman projects, building and fixing with the same care he now brings to the St. Paul campus.

As campus groundskeeper, Rod Becker cares for St. Paul’s five-acre campus, helping ensure the grounds reflect the life and ministry happening here every day. From maintaining outdoor spaces to managing property needs and coordinating with volunteer groups, Rod’s work supports a welcoming environment for all who walk through the doors.

“I’ve only had a few jobs my whole life,” Rod said. “When you love what you do, you stay put. When I heard about the opportunity at St. Paul, it felt like the right place to bring together my experience and my love for this community.”

Rod values work where the impact is visible.

“I love being outdoors, and I like seeing the results,” he said. “In this kind of work, you can step back and see what you’ve done. It helps you grow, and it gives you a chance to, hopefully, make people happy. That’s the goal.”

Rod and his wife Kathy joined St. Paul in 2002. Kathy currently serves as assistant preschool director but has been with St. Paul Preschool for more than 25 years.

Outside of work, Rod enjoys gardening, woodworking, and cooking. He and Kathy have renovated eight homes together, combining creativity and craftsmanship. In the kitchen, Rod is known for his breakfasts (especially by his kids who both wrote an ode to his breakfasts in their senior capstone projects). His shining breakfast achievements are signature hashbrowns (crispy on the outside, soft on the inside) with eggs on top and from-scratch deep fried cinnamon rolls.