Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of WashPro USA, Robert J. Renteria Jr. came from humble beginnings. Underneath the professional exterior lies a man who faced great adversity yet was able to earn a world-class reputation in the coin laundry industry. Robert’s journey from an impoverished East L.A. barrio to the helm of his own successful company is truly remarkable.


Robert suffered his first major setback at three years old when his drug and alcohol addicted father abandoned the family. Then three years later, Robert recovered from a life-threatening head injury from an amusement park ride.

In his young teens, the family relocated to Hacienda Heights, California, and Robert concluded that getting involved with gangs was his only lifeline. He dropped out of school and went from one dead-end job to another, trying to put food on the table. Upon learning his estranged father had died and visiting the half-way house on skid-row where he spent his final years, Robert resolved to start making better choices in his life.

During a seven-year stint in the U.S. Army, Robert accumulated desirable skills, traveled the world and learned the true meaning of honor. He returned to the humble East L.A. barrio but quickly realized it held no future.

With only $200 in his pocket, Robert took his Grandfather’s advice to get out and moved to Chicago where he talked his way into a job at a laundry management and sales company. There he was promoted and soon generated more revenue than any other salesman. His efforts to advance further, however, were met with resistance, so he decided to make his mark elsewhere.

Eventually, Robert was hired by an East Coast corporation and given control of the Midwest sales division—and ultimately national and international distribution. He surpassed every challenge but longed to strike out on his own. After dedicating more than a decade to building other laundry companies, Robert knew it was time to build his own empire. He took a giant leap of faith and quit his job.

Today, Robert is affectionately known as the “Wash Pro.” An accomplished sales, marketing, construction and operations professional, he has developed longstanding relationships and garnered numerous industry awards. He has helped customers develop over 500 successful coin laundries nationally and abroad and remains actively involved in the planning, design, construction and financing of his clients’ businesses.

Robert somehow found time to author several articles for The Journal of Coin Laundry/Dry Cleaning and American Coin Op Magazine. An active member of the Coin Laundry Association (CLA), he served on the Chicago CLA Board of Directors. Robert was nominated to the National Coin Laundry Board of Directors and most recently served as the Chairman and President of the IPSO USA Distribution Council for three consecutive years. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and a Breast Cancer Angels sponsor. Robert has spoken at national coin laundry trade shows and was named in the 2006 Manchester Who’s Who Among Business Professionals. Robert devotes his spare time to empowering young Latinos.