ABOUT US
Our History
Ahtanum Solutions is a small consulting company owned by Steve and Dianna Carpenter providing services primarily to family businesses.
Charles Carpenter established a homestead north of Ahtanum Creek in 1868 and shortly thereafter planted the first hops in the Yakima Valley which is known throughout the world as a leader in hop production. That name Ahtanum (Atanim in the Salish language of the Yakama people) means “water by the long hill” and Ahtanum Creek was the home of the summer encampment of the great chief of the Yakama people, Kamiakin. He established a cooperative working relationship with the Catholic priests who established the St. Joseph Mission in 1852. Together they worked to create the first irrigation canals in the area and what became to be known as “Kamiakin’s Garden”.
The Carpenter family benefited from their relationship with the Yakama people who lived to the south of the hop farm and helped to harvest the hop crop annually. This marked the beginning of a multi-generational friendship that exists today, six generations later, between the Yakama people and the Carpenter family.
This spirit of collaboration is the foundation for our small, boutique consulting company.
MEET STEVE
Owner, Ahtanum Solutions
My family planted the Yakima Valley’s first hops north of Ahtanum Creek in 1869 which also marked the beginning of a multi-generational friendship with the Yakama people. My passions are people, the planet and contributing to healthy communities. I believe success in life is dependent upon creating value for others and good leadership is dependent upon our ability to model our expectations through our actions.
STEVE'S BACKGROUND
Bio
Steve Carpenter retired as Chief Supply Chain Officer at Yakima Chief Hops, a global hop supplier headquartered in Yakima, Washington, USA. His family has been growing hops in the Yakima Valley since 1869 and he started his career as a hop grower after graduating from Washington State University in 1979. In 2008, he left the family farm to take a position as Chief Executive Officer at Yakima Chief. When Yakima Chief combined business operations with Hopunion in 2014 he was appointed Chief Operations Office and most recently CSCO.
While farming, he played a key role in creating and nurturing the concept of a grower-owned hop merchant and a grower-owned hop breeding company. During his career at Yakima Chief he was instrumental in designing supply chain systems to deliver quality, food safety and transparency. He has a passion for process, continuous improvement, and sustainability.
Work Experience
Yakima Chief Hops
2018-2022 Chief Supply Chain Officer
2016-2018 Interim Chief Executive Officer
2015-2016 Chief Operations Officer
2007-2014 Chief Executive Officer
Carpenter Farms/Carpenter Ranches
2004-2007 Managing Member
1986-2004 Secretary/Treasurer
Self-employed farmer
1973-1986
Board Experience
2021-2022 Astria Health Board of Directors
2012-2014 Sunnyside United/Unidos Board of Directors
2005-2012 Sunnyside School District Board of Directors
2003-2006 Sun Valley Baseball Board of Directors
2002-2003 Columbia Trust Bank Board of Trustees
2002-2005 Washington Ag Forestry Board of Trustees
1995-2007 Olympic Fruit Board of Directors
1996-2007 Yakima Chief Hops Board of Directors
Hobbies
- Grandchildren
- Baseball
- Golf
- Writing
Connect with Steve
FROM THE BLOG
Get The Latest
Remembering my father, Tom Carpenter, Jr.
My father passed on March 1 and as I sort through many of his files, notes, and other “stuff”, it is like taking a trip
Steve’s 2023 Spring Training Report for the Seattle Mariners
For those of you who have received my annual Seattle Mariner Spring Training Report, hopefully it is not an inconvenience to read it here on
About this Blog…
General I am recently retired but enjoy writing and decided to create this blog to share thoughts and experiences that others might find value in
CONTACT US
Let's Get In Touch
- steve@ahtanumsolutions.com
- (509) 830-3531
- Connect on LinkedIn
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527 Tomlinson Rd
Outlook, WA 98938