Guest speakers in fields ranging from medicine to finance to hospitality will celebrate and inspire Cal Poly Pomona’s 2023 graduates.
During the Commencement ceremonies, slated for May 22 to 24, the university also present honorary doctorates to two prestigious alumni.
“Our alumni and corporate partners play a significant role in supporting and encouraging our students on their journey to success,” said Frances Teves, interim vice president for University Advancement. “The 2023 Commencement speakers reflect the dedication, determination and compassion of our Bronco community, qualities that have made us a nationally ranked university committed to equity, opportunity and economic mobility.”
Sean Yu
Guest Speaker and Honorary Doctorate Recipient, College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
Alumnus Sean Yu (’99, political science; management and human resources) will receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, in recognition of his service and philanthropic contributions to Cal Poly Pomona.
The Taiwan-born entrepreneur is the managing director and leader of The Sean Yu Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management in Pasadena. Yu’s success has resulted in him repeatedly being named a top financial advisor on lists by On Wall Street and Barron’s.
From 2016 to 2018, he served as a member of the board of directors’ investment committee for the Cal Poly Pomona Foundation. He transitioned to a similar role on the Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation board in 2018. He also has participated in Professor for a Day and served as a guest speaker on several occasions.
He has made $1 million in charitable contributions, mainly to the Department of Political Science. Yu has established endowments to benefit student travel, internships in human rights and justice organizations, creative activities in the political science department, and scholarships for underprivileged students. His gifts are designated in honor of his faculty mentors, Professors Emeriti Sid Silliman and David Speak.
Yu is particularly passionate about providing funds that enable students to participate in study abroad and travel programs — experiences he feels teach self-reliance and empathy,
“In society today, we never focus on other people. It’s all about ‘me, me, me,’” he said. “I don’t feel like I understand people enough. Throughout the years, I have realized it is so important. The more you can travel, the more you can understand other cultures.”
Learn more about Sean Yu’s career and philanthropic contributions to Cal Poly Pomona.
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Clark Rucker
Guest Speaker and Honorary Doctorate Recipient, College of Engineering
Alumnus Clark Rucker’s (’83, engineering technology) aerospace engineering career has spanned four decades and involved work on everything from B-2 aircraft to defense systems.
Rucker, a 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient and a 2019 College of Engineering Hall of Fame inductee, began his career working part-time as a test technician in the Standard Missile & Phalanx Weapon System programs at Pomona-based General Dynamics while he was still an undergraduate.
After obtaining his degree, he joined the Systems Engineering/Reliability team at Northrup Grumman, working on the B-2 aircraft program and later went to McDonnell Douglas/Boeing. He served as the director of Phantom Works Quality, Boeing Defense, Space and Security and retired after 33 years with the company.
Rucker has made significant contributions to Cal Poly Pomona. From 2019 to 2022, he was chair of the College of Engineering’s Dean’s Leadership Board. During his tenure, the board hosted seven virtual company tours, a four-part seminar series and an on-campus mentorship luncheon for hundreds of engineering students.
“When it comes to supporting CPP students and trying to help make things better not just for students, but faculty and staff as well, I am very passionate about it,” Rucker said. “Much of it came from my father who began his career as a military police officer in the Air Force, became a police detective for San Diego PD and was an artist his entire life. My dad touched a lot of people during his life and left a legacy when he passed 20 years ago. All that I am doing now is following in his footsteps.”
Read more about Rucker’s career achievements and contributions to the university.
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Geoffrey W.S. Okamoto
Guest speaker, College of Business Administration
Geoffrey W.S. Okamoto’s political expertise has put him on the world stage.
As the managing director of the Office of Government Affairs at Goldman Sachs, Okamoto (’08, computer information systems) leads the firm’s efforts on international public policy, coordinates work on cross-jurisdictional issues and engages with global policymakers. He also assists clients on matters involving economic, geopolitical and financial developments worldwide.
Prior to Goldman Sachs, Okamoto served as the first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), making him the agency’s No. 2 official. The alumnus managed relationships with G-7 and G-20 nations, as well as oversaw institutional strategy, lending policies, risk management, economic surveillance and the IMF’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Okamoto previously served as U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs and Acting Assistant Secretary for International Finance. Prior to joining the Treasury, he held prominent positions in the U.S. Senate, including majority staff director for the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection.
Okamoto is on the Dean’s Advisory Council for CPP’s College of Business Administration. He previously chaired the alumni board at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, where he earned his master’s degree.
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Richard Rodriguez
Guest Speaker, College of Science
For Dr. Richard Rodriguez, attending Stanford Medical School was a little intimidating at first.
However, those doubts dissipated when Rodriguez (’70, biology) saw his midterm grades and knew for certain he could be as successful as his peers. The Ontario native wanted to be a doctor since he was 9 but kept his dream to himself because he wasn’t sure he could achieve it coming from a working-class family.
Rodriguez credits Cal Poly Pomona for setting him up to succeed and inspiring his life-long love of learning. After graduation, he married his childhood sweetheart, Adele. They raised three children and have six grandchildren; one of them, Isabel Rodriguez, is following in her grandfather’s footsteps, majoring in biology at CPP.
After medical school, Rodriguez began working for Kaiser Permanente and rose to medical director for clinical services in Southern California. His career includes several high-ranking posts, including vice president of medical affairs for Molina Healthcare, senior vice president chief medical officer of TMC Healthcare, the largest hospital in Arizona, and chief medical officer of Carson Tahoe Health.
Over the years he has supported scholarships and special educational opportunities in the College of Science. Rodriguez is a member of the Dean’s Circle, a vital link to industry and the community.
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Yvonne Rentmeester
Guest speaker for the 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.
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.
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Wendy Rogers
Guest Speaker, College of Environmental Design
Wendy Rogers taps into her design talents and passions to help improve the environment and make the world a more equitable place.
Rogers (’88, architecture) serves as the chief executive officer of LPA Design Studios, an integrated design firm with six locations in California and Texas and more than 400 architects, engineers, landscape architects and interior and graphic designers setting new sustainability standards for high-performance projects.
The alumna, who was named CEO in 2017, has used her voice as a member of the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows to advocate for using informed design strategies to make energy performance and healthier environments core values on every project, regardless of size or budget.
In recent years, LPA has been the largest firm in the country to meet the American Institute of Architect’s (AIA) 2030 Commitment target for reducing fossil fuel use in projects.
In her leadership role, Rogers is responsible for developing an inclusive, transparent company culture that celebrates diversity and supports young talent. In 2021, LPA received the AIA California’s Firm Award, honoring the firm’s contributions to architecture, industry-leading work on energy performance and a culture of inclusivity.
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Sue Kaiser
Guest Speaker for College of Education and Integrative Studies
Sue Kaiser believes in the power of education to change lives and uplift communities.
The alumna (’84, master’s in education) is currently an educational consultant, an adjunct faculty member at Cal Poly Pomona and a lecturer at Cal State San Bernardino.
Since the start of her career as a kindergarten teacher in the Ontario-Montclair Unified School District, Kaiser has always carried her desire to provide the best possible education to her students. Over the years, she has demonstrated her passion and teaching expertise in various roles, including university lecturer, assistant superintendent, principal, and most importantly as a teacher.
Kaiser serves as adjunct faculty in the College of Education and Integrated Studies’ preliminary administrative services credential program. She provided input on the college’s Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, serving as the school district-level representative on the planning committee during the program’s creation.
CEIS recognized Kaiser’s contributions to education and the university with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014.
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Javier Cano
Guest speaker, The Collins College of Hospitality Management
The city of Los Angeles has become a more welcoming place to visit, thanks to the work of Javier Cano.
Cano is the area general manager for Marriott International’s Los Angeles properties, overseeing operations for nine hotels including The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, the W Hollywood and the Sheraton Grand, among others. He recently celebrated 42 years with Marriott International, with positions across the United States and Mexico.
In 2012, he received the “General Manager of the Year” award in recognition of his leadership at L.A. LIVE hotels and residences. He is an advocate for the ongoing renaissance of Downtown Los Angeles and Marriott’s key role in the burgeoning market. He was named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s prestigious LA500 list in 2018, honoring the most influential leaders of the city’s development.
As chair of the Los Angeles Tourism Marketing District, Cano oversees a $27 million fund to drive business to area hotels, spearheading programs such as the award-winning, “Everyone is Welcome,” campaign showcasing LA’s diversity and inclusion.
Cano is a member of many boards and committees, including the Collins College Board of Advisors, California Hotel & Lodging Association and Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, among others.
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