Why Rob Cocks Chose Rec

By Rachel Williams and Birju Kadakia, Co-Founders of Rec Technologies

We’re excited to welcome Rob Cocks as Rec’s Head of Revenue.

Before joining Rec, Rob spent more than 15 years helping build and scale businesses at Google and Vimeo. Like many people outside the recreation industry, he didn’t know much about parks and recreation. What surprised him wasn’t the technology challenge, but how personal the category felt.

“When I started describing the opportunity at Rec to friends and family, nearly everyone had a story,” Rob said. “A summer camp that shaped their childhood. A swim lesson that gave their daughter confidence. A tennis court. A concert in the park. A community center. A class. A field. A place where their family found connection.”

That observation gets to the heart of why we’re building Rec. This is not abstract infrastructure. Recreation is the connective tissue of communities. When it works well, it creates belonging, opportunity and joy.

Recreation is one of the few parts of local government that touches nearly every person at some point in their lives. It’s the summer camp that becomes a lifelong memory, the concert in the park, the pottery class, the soccer field, and so much more. Yet, despite its importance, recreation has historically received only a fraction of the tech investment seen in other industries. 

This is beginning to change. Cities are investing in recreation infrastructure. Residents expect the same ease and convenience from their local recreation department that they get from the rest of their digital lives. Recreation professionals are looking for tools that help them spend less time on admin and more time serving their communities. 

Rob saw that opportunity immediately. 

“The best technology opportunities aren’t always where everyone is looking,” he said. “What impressed me about Rec was the combination of a massive underserved market, a mission that matters, and a team with the technical talent to fundamentally change how communities access recreation.”

For us, Rob’s arrival is about much more than adding an experienced leader. It’s another signal that recreation is becoming one of the most important technology categories hiding in plain sight.

We’re continuing to grow and invest in exceptional people across revenue marketing, sales leadership, business development, GTM operations, customer growth, engineering, and more. We’re looking for builders who are naturally curious, low ego, high-ownership, and energized by the opportunity to help define a category.

The opportunity ahead is significant. If we do our jobs well, the result isn’t just better software. It’s more community, more access, more participation, and more moments that bring people together.

Check out our open jobs here.

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