Longtime Rio Farms employee Tammy Navarro, Onion Division Accounting Director, is one of the few team members who can truly say they’ve witnessed three decades of Gills Onions and Rio Farms history. From our humble beginnings in a small three-bedroom home converted to an office amidst row crop fields to our current state-of-the-art facility utilizing the latest technology, Tammy has been a steadfast presence, ensuring our financial accuracy every step of the way.
We recently sat down with Tammy to reflect on how far Gills Onions and Rio Farms have come, her personal journey, and the incredible contributions she makes to our team each and every day here at Rio Farms.
The Rich History of Ventura County Agriculture
Agriculture has long been integral to Ventura County’s history, with generations of families involved in various capacities. As a Ventura County native, Tammy recalls driving with her family as a little girl, surrounded by the lush fields and orchards dotting the county. Her great-grandfather, a labor contractor supervisor, employed her father, and they often spoke about the industry. Her father’s role and the community’s deep agricultural roots inspired Tammy to envision herself working in the industry.
Tammy began her career in agriculture right after graduating high school in 1977. With a natural knack for numbers, she was hired by an area labor contractor, quickly taking on tasks such as payroll, accounts payable, and other essential business functions. After more than 10 years, the operation went out of business, leaving Tammy without a job. Determined, she turned to a hiring agency, which quickly recognized her extensive agricultural background. This led to a call from the Rio Farms office manager and her hiring in 1990.
A Woman of Many Talents
When Tammy started working straight out of high school, she never envisioned the career she has today. Throughout school, though, her natural gift for math was clear, leading her to this path despite having no formal training.
She recalls, “It was all hands-on; everything was done manually at the time. You learned from peg boards and ledgers, which is very different from sitting behind a computer today. The shift in technology was good. At my age, it was a little difficult, but I understand the aspect of farming, so it came easy to see if there was an error. The coding has always been easy for me because I know the operations from growing to harvesting.”
Technology has revolutionized the agricultural industry, and Tammy has embraced these changes head-on. She has learned to work with new programs and software, expanding her skills beyond what she ever imagined. “Most of what I do now, I never could have imagined I’d be doing, and a lot of it is things I’ve learned recently,” she explains. Tammy primarily began working with our crops grown in Oxnard, such as peppers and celery. Today, she focuses exclusively on onions, creating accounting reports for each grower and ensuring accurate cost analysis from the field to pack-out.
A Sense of Community
Tammy attributes much of her positive work experience to the leadership of Steve Gill. “Even if we’re hitting a bumpy road, Steve is never down. There’s always a positive, and I believe that translates to all of us. You don’t feel that negativity or stress. He always has a positive outlook,” she says. Steve’s optimistic attitude and supportive interaction with employees inspire Tammy to put her best foot forward in everything she does.
While Tammy enjoys the culture and community she has found at Rio Farms, her true pride and joy is her family, especially her husband and grandkids. Tammy is grateful to God for this family-owned and operated business and the opportunities she has had over the years.
At Rio Farms and Gills Onions, we take immense pride in having a team of incredibly talented individuals who have been with us since our early days. Their dedication and hard work have been instrumental in our growth and success, and we are grateful for their unwavering commitment to our family business. As we look to the future of what our business may look like, we remain confident that with such a dedicated team by our side, we will continue setting the bar for the highest quality products available for consumers.