About Me

Ryan Edward Rock is the president of Empire Ag and a general agricultural contractor based in Ankeny, Iowa. The transition into business ownership was a logical evolution for a young guy who always has dedicatedly served his country and his companies. Rock, a native of the Midwestern United States, has developed a life, a company, and a family close to his boyhood residence.

Current responsibilities

Ryan Edward Rock of Ankeny, Iowa, was able to strike out on his own after years spent working in the agricultural, industrial sector. He established Empire Ag to design and construct agricultural and industrial infrastructure. Rock works with what he characterizes as great corporate partners and top-tier field staff, recognizing that success is enhanced via collaboration. Together, they construct high-quality facilities around the United States for processing and storing the grain, feed, and flour used to feed the United States and the world.

Rock believes Empire Ag can give the greatest possible construction experience and enhance client happiness by lowering overhead costs and keeping a close eye on consumer preferences.

Career Record

Ryan Rock has held steady job throughout his whole life. His family rented a 160-acre farm from his grandmother when he was growing up, so he was exposed to the responsibilities of farm management and the requirements of an agricultural community at an early age. These were reinforced by active participation in the local 4-H club, and Rock also learned the value of dedication through his involvement in Boy Scouts, competitive sports, and his church.

He wanted to attend Iowa State University in Ames after joining the Army National Guard at age 17. The Army National Guard afforded him the chance to serve his nation and assist in supporting his undergraduate degree without incurring long-term debt.

Before being summoned to active duty with the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he maintained his commitment to this throughout college by serving as a resident assistant in a dorm at ISU in his junior year. Rock was deployed in February 2003 and ultimately spent 15 months in Iraq.

Post-deployment, Rock continued his interest in building and hands-on projects by working as a handyman in Ames while completing his final year of college. One job introduced him to the proprietor of Todd & Sargent, a local firm engaged in agricultural and industrial construction.

Rock began working for the company as an assistant superintendent at a Nevada, Iowa, ethanol facility under development. Upon completion of the project, he returned to the main office. He began working as a project estimator, a position he would retain for two years before transitioning to his actual passion, operations and project management. In this field, Rock could employ the whole spectrum of talents acquired from his military service, professional experience, and education. As a project manager, he was responsible for overseeing contractual projects from inception to completion, including design, engineering, commissioning, and punch listing.

A few years later, Rock was promoted to senior project manager and awarded company stock. The new duty increased the control of project managers, project engineers, and others. Then, he led the Purchasing Department and the Safety Department before being promoted to vice president. All of these talents culminated in Rock launching a business in the same field.

This allows the businessman to improve his client focus and devote more time to his family and the development of his Ankeny, Iowa, property into the ideal estate for his wife and children.

Academic heritage

As a high school student with an eye on the future, Rock devoted himself to taking as many college-credit-bearing classes as possible during high school. During his junior and senior years, he earned enough college credits to finish basic training for the Army in the autumn of 2000 and enroll in the spring semester at ISU.

Rock's battalion returned to Ames just in time for him to see his younger sister graduate from Iowa State University following his tour of duty in Iraq. He soon caught up and completed his degree in two semesters with a high course load of 18 credits per semester. In the spring of 2005, he got a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the institution.

Personal Hobbies and Interests

Ryan Edward Rock is devoted to his wife of more than a decade and their three daughters. The family resides on a four-acre lot in Ankeny, Iowa, and is constructing a new home to better suit their needs.

When Rock is not spending time with his family, he assists friends with building jobs, performing home improvement tasks, or working on his hobby cars.