Yvonne Rentmeester

Yvonne Rentmeester
Guest Speaker, Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture

Over the course of her career, Yvonne Rentmeester (’95, agricultural business management), has poured herself into making sure fruits and vegetables are handled and delivered in a safe, timely manner despite weather, transportation, supplier and the occasional pest issues. 

She currently serves as director of quality assurance at Sprouts Farmers Market, leading the Produce Quality Control program and Quality Control teams. This position develops quality control strategies, policy, procedure and initiatives for Sprouts Farmers Market.

Previously, she spent 23 years at Dole Fresh Fruit Co, North America Division where she served as manager of both the Quality Assurance and Technical Services departments. Her career also includes serving as quality assurance manager at Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. As their quality assurance manager, Rentmeester played a pivotal role, providing dignified, equitable and consistent access to nutritious food, creating a foundation for community health.  

Rentmeester, who serves on the Cal Poly Pomona Alumni Association Board of Directors, got an early glimpse of what the university had to offer as a young girl hanging out on campus with her father, Professor Emeritus Gregory J. Partida (’65, agriculture biology), who taught on campus for 40 years and was farm manager of the university orchards on campus and at Pine Tree Ranch in Santa Paula for 23 years.