The Agribusiness club had their first in-person meeting since quarantine on Tuesday, March 7. Club president Lindsay Nichols and California State University, Monterey Bay staff Scott Fausti and Sumadhur Shakya welcomed CEO of River Fresh Farms, Vince Ballesteros.
Ballesteros and his company specialize in year round produce, working with farmers around the world using a contract model. They provide produce for retail and food service customers.
Vince Ballesteros was born and raised in Salinas Valley and joined a company named River Ranch out of high school. There he progressed from floor duty to sales, working all jobs from forklift maintenance to cold calls.
“If a load of broccoli fell over, they didn’t have to tell me. I ran over and picked it up,” said Ballesteros, describing the work ethic that ensured his consistent promotions.
He moved on to become vice president of business development at Church Brothers Farms. This experience culminated in his current venture, River Fresh Farms.
Students had many questions for Ballesteros and ended up going over meeting time by 30 minutes. Discussion ranged from the merits of an educational background to ways to increase efficiency in business practice.