Robert Velez

Rob Velez has been living the Collingswood dream for almost two decades, and long before moving here in 2002, it was already his home away from home.

Rob’s father was a union ironworker, so his family moved wherever the large steel projects were: from Appalachia, to Philadelphia, to a tiny mining town in Minnesota, back east to the Jersey shore, and finally landing in nearby Lindenwold. Throughout this hectic period, Collingswood remained a constant–his family’s anchor. He visited often to spend time with relatives who lived here in the 70s and 80s. Coming to town for holidays and celebrations, he created lasting memories: enjoying water ice in the backyard by the tiki lights, catching fireflies in mason jars, and riding bicycles on the diagonal streets of Lawnside and Fern.

But as the 80s drew to an end, Collingswood’s sparkle had dimmed, and his relatives vacated to surrounding towns. Around this time, Rob was off to Parris Island after enlisting with the Marines. He’d eventually come to find himself dug-in under the blazing Arabian sun, receiving lessons in geopolitics and the importance of hydration. He finished his enlistment just as he earned Sergeant stripes and went on to use his G.I. Bill for IT training, which helped him land a tech consultant position with Lockheed Martin, working on classified systems and traveling extensively. He later shifted to higher ed and has worked at Temple University for over 20 years. Rob currently serves as the Director of Information Technology for the Lew Klein College of Media and Communication, leading a brilliant team that provides technology solutions serving the next generation of journalists, broadcasters, and communicators.

When he first began his career at Temple, Rob lived in nearby Philadelphia, but his childhood memories eventually pulled him across the river. He used a VA Loan to buy an old duplex on E. Knight, where he learned the never-ending joys of DIY home repair. The home was originally purchased as a rental investment, but he loved the neighborhood and became determined to stay. It was a fortuitous decision, as Collingswood not only recovered in the intervening years, but came back stronger than ever. Today that 2-unit property is the perfect home for his wife, Adriana, daughter, Karina, and widowed father, Fred.

Rob is dedicated to giving back to Collingswood what the town has provided to him: an opportunity for a full and wonderful life.