For nearly 35 years, Steve Hoveln played a key role in shaping many of Hunter Industries’ products that contractors rely on every day. From how a nozzle slides into the company’s PGP Ultra Rotor to the self-contained valve bonnet screws and pressure regulating features in rotor bodies, his focus was always on how easily contractors could use products in the field.
“Everything he worked on when developing a new product or making product improvements always went back to, how contractors use it in the field,” said Kelsey Jacquard, CID, CLIA, the company’s Senior Category Manager of Mechanical Irrigation Products, Landscape Division.
He began his career in the field working for an irrigation contractor in 1978 before moving into distribution, which eventually led to the manufacturing side of the business. And he drew on those experiences to help direct new product development, improvement and general manufacturing processes as well, according to Jacquard.
“He drilled the importance of customer experience and listening to their feedback into the rest of us,” she said.
His contributions to the industry—not just in product innovation—but in his mentorship, dedication to education and generosity in helping others succeed created a ripple effect that impacted many within the industry. His contributions to advancing the irrigation profession earned the industry’s highest recognition, the Irrigation Association 2026 Industry Achievement Award.
“Steve would probably tell you there are others more deserving of this award, but it is a fitting tribute to a lifelong career dedicated to the irrigation industry and helping the people within it,” Jacquard said.
Although he has been honored posthumously, his influence on the industry remains visible today and for years to come.
A contractor-first mindset
Throughout his career, Hoveln approached product development from the contractor’s perspective, asking how every design decision would affect installation, maintenance and serviceability in the field. That philosophy shaped even the seemingly small details like the nozzles in the PGP Ultra Rotor. He championed features like the flat front, directionally keyed design to make installation easier.
“Something as small as that makes a really big difference when you’re in the field nozzling up a bunch of rotors,” Jacquard said.
His customer-focused approach extended to valves as well where he made captive bonnet bolts a standard feature. That eliminated the possibility of dropping screws in the dirt or grass during service repairs. He also championed moving the pressure regulators into the PGP and I-20 body instead of the riser, making maintenance and repairs as easy as swapping out the riser instead of replacing an entire head, according to Jacquard.
“He was really good at taking those ideas and implementing them where he saw gaps,” she added.
A life of service to others
Colleagues, contractors and industry professionals remember him as a generous teacher who was always willing to pick up the phone, sketch out a hydraulic design on paper, or sit through a class he probably could have taught himself. Perhaps even more importantly, he eagerly and freely shared his knowledge. He mentored countless individuals, many of whom have gone on to become leaders in the field.
“He was somebody with almost 40 years’ experience and was still willing to learn,” she said. “He always told all of us that we shouldn’t shy away from learning, new technologies or from sharing our knowledge in support of others.”
Outside of work, Hoveln was known for his generosity and humanitarian efforts. He was a founding member of the Sleep in Heavenly Peace North County San Diego chapter, organizing bed-building events with his wife, Marie, who is still involved. Every Thanksgiving week, while others celebrated the holiday at home or with family, he joined a church group traveling to Mexico to build homes.
“He always did things for other people, and it was never about himself,” Jacquard said. “It was always about the customer, colleague, someone in need, pretty much anyone but him. It’s nice to take this time to honor that.”
Hoveln was just three months shy of his 35th anniversary with Hunter Industries when he passed, and the company still feels his absence, Jacquard said. The products he helped shape, the people he mentored and the countless contractors who benefit from his insistence on practicality and education are all part of his legacy to the industry.
