Mike Stevens, General Manager for Brian Carter Cellars

Michael Stevens, Managing Partner

Like every good wine, a solid business venture of this magnitude needs balance. To that end, Brian has teamed up with Mike Stevens to create Carter-Stevens, LLC. Mike is a Bellevue-based businessman with over twenty years experience in business and local government. Mike graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in Business Administration in 1981. Following college, Mike was a Business and Financial Analyst for Dun and Bradstreet. After traveling extensively through Europe, where he was first exposed to European styled wines, Mike returned to the U.W. to receive his MA in Public Administration in 1986. He also worked for the City of Kirkland’s finance department. Mike worked for the City of Walla Walla in a variety of advancing management positions, including Budget Analyst, Risk Manager, and Personnel Director. Within two years he was promoted to Director of Administrative Services. As the City’s CFO, Mike had a staff of seven direct reports and fiscal responsibility for an annual operating budget of nearly $30 million.

As luck would have it, Mike’s time in Walla Walla was during the area’s burgeoning winery development stage. This allowed Mike to experience, first-hand, some of Walla Walla’s pioneering wine efforts, like Leonetti, L’Ecole No 41, and Woodward Canyon before they became three of Washington state’s wine stars.

From 1990 to 1996 Mike successfully directed the master planning, marketing and sales of the Cle Elum River project, now called Suncadia. Since 1997, Mike has owned and operated his own successful real estate investment and land use consulting firm, serving both public and private clients. Mike’s five-year experience as project manager for this property provides him with a unique opportunity to evaluate resort development and leisure life style trends and factors. This experience will factor directly into the development of Brian Carte Cellars’ winery and tasting room facilities.

Mike has spent the past fifteen years developing his palate and passion for wine and his interest in the Washington wine industry. Through his considerable business and personal contacts, he has met with key players in the Washington State Wine Industry and he has spent hundreds of hours conducting wine industry and marketing research. For four years, Mike participated in nearly every aspect of the wine making process and has participated in numerous wine industry symposia, workshops and trade events. Mike has traveled extensively throughout the California, Oregon, and Washington wine regions. Many winemakers, winery owners and marketing representatives have willingly shared their experiences and insights into successful winery operations with him. Mike’s passion for wine is only exceeded by his obsession for superior customer service. Working to ensure that Brian Carter Cellars produces quality products, provides superior client services, and a unique wine tasting and buying experience along with managing the company’s finances are Mike’s primary roles in the winery’s operations.