Carl A. Carlson
Year Inducted: 2007
Hu`ehu`e Ranch | Hawai'i
Carl is from Waikapu, Maui, where he would ride and work at the neighboring Eddie Rogers Ranch and feedlot as a youngster. He credits Eddie and the Rogers family with getting him into ranching and the Paniolo life, when he might have taken another career path.
As a young man Carl attended California Polytechnic University where he met his friend, Corky Bryan. After graduating, Carl went to work for C. Brewer & Co. in their Ag Trainee program and was sent to Kaua`i where he worked at Olokele Sugar Company. While there he met Joe Manini, who taught him leather working and saddle making. Brewer then sent him to Ka`u where he worked at Hawaiian Ranch Co. as a Cattle Supervisor. At that time the ranch had 17,000 head of cattle and mounted eleven cowboys five days a week. To Carl, it was great. He was always in the saddle, had a string of 8 horses and a lauhala cowboy hat he wishes he could get back again.
Carl began his nearly 20 year career at Hu`ehu`e Ranch in 1969 when he was offered the Ranch Manager job, perhaps before he was ready for such responsibility, he says, looking back today. But, he wisely built upon the legacy of efficient management started by Bull Johnston, and credits Monty Richards and Freddy Rice for inspiring him to take it to new levels of sustainability. Carl was promoted to General Manager and eventually became part owner of the ranch.
When it was sold in 1989, Carl purchased the livestock and continued to ranch until he became a Trustee of Parker Ranch in 1994. While there, the trustees successfully defended a will suit. That action preserved the intent of Richard Smart to provide charitable support in perpetuity to the community of Waimea through the creation of the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust.
Carl served 10 years at Parker Ranch and is now semi-retired. He says he feels fortunate to have worked with many of the true icons of the industry, but it can be said that he himself is one.