Floyd O. Rittenhouse, a historian and tireless story-teller, came to the presidency of Pacific Union College in 1963 from the leadership of Andrews University in Michigan. He arrived on campus to find a difficult situation, due in part to a failure of communication between some of the faculty, the board, and the outgoing administration. Taking charge with vigor, Rittenhouse applied himself to the advancement of the interests of the College on and off campus in his own articulate and very personal style.

President Rittenhouse's leadership years at P.U.C. can truly be characterized as "the building years," a time in which no less than seven major campus buildings were constructed and numerous other improvements were made. He greatly improved the College's relationship with the surrounding community though making himself available for speaking appointments throughout Napa County.

Possessed of a dry wit that quickly won friends, and an enthusiastic vision of a healthy educational future for P.U.C., Rittenhouse may well have been the most active and productive of all the 16 presidents of the College that had preceded him.