Alumni Feature

View of the south face of Everest, taken by Stenderup during his ascent of Lhotse, the fourth tallest mountain in the world, just 47 hours after summiting Everest.

At 10:45 a.m. on May 21, Cal Poly alumnus John Stenderup (Agricultural Business, ’08) walked onto the summit of Mt. Everest – making him one of less than 5,000 people worldwide to ever do so.

Buddhist prayer flags flying over Lobuche Pass
on the trek to Everest basecamp.

Stenderup and his father, Kent Stenderup, enjoy
their first glimpse of Everest together.

John Stenderup (at right) and longtime friend and climbing
partner, Geoff Schellens, kneel on the summit of Everest.

The journey that got him to that point is one of perseverance and a loveof adventure.Stenderup, 31, born of agricultural roots that date back nearly a century, knew at a young age growing up in the small city of Arvin, California, that Cal Poly was his college of choice. “I grew up on a family farm that has been around for 90 years,” said Stenderup. “I was immersed in agriculture and at my high school Cal Poly was one of those schools — it was a lot of kids’ big goal to go there.”

His interest in business, economics and trade, wedded to his roots in agriculture, led Stenderup to pursue a degree in agribusiness. For him, agriculture was an essential part of the community that he cherished from his youth. “People in the agricultural industry are a different group of people because of how close-knit they all are,” he said. “Relationships are paramount and Cal Poly honors that and the age of technology that we are in.”

He boldly calls Cal Poly the greatest university in the world. “It truly is a bigtime university with a small univer-sity feel,” he said. “While there I was constantly engaged with faculty and industry representatives and I have kept those connections to this day. There is an incredible sense of unity that comes with attending Cal Poly.” Today, he serves on Cal Poly’s Agribusiness Advisory Board and is a frequent guest lecturer.

Right out of college he landed a job at C.H. Robinson, a global logistics company that specializes in the transportation, procurement and technological services of the produce industry. Today he works as a strategic sales associate for the fresh produce division, coordinating globally with companies to deliver fresh produce and perishable commodities using an optimized supply chain.

In his free time, Stenderup is an avid ice climber and mountaineer – a passion born of long hikes that he started to do with his dad in his early 20s.

The only constant in this world is change and no matter how much planning you do, especially in agriculture, the one thing you can count on is that it is not going to  go as planned.

— John Stenderup

“Perseverance is at the forefront of produce, agriculture, climbing, family and all of my relationships,” said Stenderup. “It is unparalleled in each of them. The only constant in this world is change and no matter how much planning you do, especially in agricul-ture, the one thing you can count on is that it is not going to go as planned.”

For years he and his father talked about Mt. Everest until two years ago when they committed to planning the trip. His dad would escort his  son on the eight-day, 38-mile hike to the basecamp and Stenderup would keep climbing.

Stenderup admits that balancing six months of intense training leading up to the climb and a full-time job was difficult at times. “It takes a great deal of planning and drive,” he said. “More importantly it takes a strong team around you at work that supports you in journeys such as this one.”

“My entire climbing career has  happened here at C.H. Robinson.  My co-workers have had the chance to live it with me – it is not just about me being able to achieve this, it  takes surrounding yourself with the right people and allowing them to experience it with you too.”

He chronicled the journey on his blog johnstenderup.com.

The lessons that he learned during the two-month trek up Mt. Everest, and the challenges and triumphs that occurred, will forever stay with him. 

“This journey made me a better friend, a better family member, and a better employee,” said Stenderup. “Life is about teamwork and trust.  We are all better as a team.” 

 

Read John’s firsthand account of his journey to Everest in the current issue of Cal Poly Magazine.