TechHelp News

Honoring a Legacy of Innovation, Leadership, and Service

In honor of Steve Hatten, gifts to the Steve Hatten Memorial Fund will be matched up to $25,000 thanks to the generosity of Cory Brestler, Michael Sieler (Idaho Manufacturing Alliance Board Member), TechHelp and Boise State’s Colleges of Business and Engineering. With this match, your gift in memory of Steve Hatten goes twice as far, ensuring continued support for TechHelp’s mission.

Make a Gift:

If you’d like to honor Steve Hatten’s legacy, please consider contributing to the Steve Hatten Memorial Fund. Every gift—no matter the size—supports the next generation of Idaho’s innovators and makers.

Your support helps us reach this important milestone and ensures that Steve’s legacy continues to inspire and empower future students for generations to come. We invite colleagues, industry partners, and community members to join us in this meaningful tribute.

To give please visit: Steve Hatten TechHelp Memorial Fund

Steve Hatten dedicated over 25 years to TechHelp and Boise State University as a visionary leader, mentor, and champion of Idaho’s manufacturing community. As Executive Director of TechHelp, Steve built lasting partnerships across industry and academia, led the creation of the New Product Development Lab in Engineering, and helped inspire what would later become Studio Blu—a student-powered innovation space that continues to shape future leaders.

Steve passed away on July 30, 2025, leaving behind a legacy defined by passion for innovation, deep empathy, and unwavering commitment to students and Idaho’s manufacturers. He was known for mentoring young professionals, advancing the use of 3D printing long before it became mainstream, and fostering collaboration between colleges, businesses, and the broader community.

About the Fund:

The Steve Hatten Memorial Fund provides financial support to Boise State TechHelp students pursuing careers in:

• Business
• Supply Chain Management
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Engineering
• Design
• Food Processing
• Quality and Safety
• Wood Processing
• Electronics and Semiconducting
• Operational Excellence

If you knew Steve or have a story you’d like to share, we welcome your memories. Please email us at admin@techhelp.org or connect with us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/techhelp.

In Memoriam: Steve Hatten

It is with deep sadness that TechHelp announces the passing of Steve Hatten, who died on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. Steve was a cornerstone of our organization, dedicating more than two decades to advancing manufacturing excellence in Idaho.

Steve joined TechHelp in January 2000 as the New Product Development Lab Manager at Boise State University. His passion for engineering and innovation quickly set the tone for a new era at TechHelp. In 2010, he became TechHelp’s Executive Director—a role he held with distinction until his retirement in September 2024.

Before joining TechHelp, Steve spent 13 years at The Boeing Company, where he worked in the Wind Tunnel Model Design Group. He rose to become Lead Design Engineer for the Low-Speed Model Design team and contributed to major projects like the 737, tested at world-class facilities including the wind tunnel in Farnborough, England.

Steve brought that same mix of engineering rigor and grounded wisdom to TechHelp. Early in his tenure, he led the charge to purchase a cutting-edge 3D printer, making TechHelp the first organization in Idaho to offer 3D printing services to the public. With that single bold move, Steve laid the foundation for the New Product Development Lab, a space that trained and empowered engineering students while serving inventors, entrepreneurs, and businesses across the region.

His vision for the lab was more than technical—it was relational. Steve created a business model that paired students with real-world clients, giving young engineers ownership of projects and exposing them to the challenges and excitement of product development. He maintained an open-door policy, welcoming everyone from first-time inventors with napkin sketches to established CEOs. In Steve’s world, ideas were welcome, and learning was constant.

He embraced risk and experimentation with his trademark motto: “Fail Fast, Fail Cheap.” This approach helped clients learn quickly and spend wisely while guiding students to embrace failure as a step on the path to innovation.

Steve’s model of collaborative innovation garnered national attention. In 2015, President Barack Obama visited the lab and cited it in a national address as a model of how university-industry partnerships can fuel economic growth and workforce development.

As Executive Director, Steve led TechHelp with humility, humor, and a deep belief in people. He expanded the organization’s service offerings, championed partnerships across Idaho’s universities and industry sectors, and positioned TechHelp as a trusted partner to hundreds of manufacturers. Under his leadership, TechHelp grew from a university-affiliated initiative into a nationally recognized center of excellence.

Steve’s influence extended well beyond TechHelp. He represented Idaho on the national stage through the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) network, where he was a respected voice in shaping national strategy, advancing best practices, and strengthening the role of manufacturing in regional economies. In April 2023, he was one of only three leaders invited by the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) to help craft strategic policy for regional economic development, convening key stakeholders to drive long-term competitiveness across Idaho and beyond. He also took part in a trade mission led by the Office of the Governor for the State of Idaho, working to elevate the state’s manufacturing profile and global reach.

Steve had a rare ability to see potential—in people, in products, and in processes. He empowered others to think boldly, solve complex challenges, and embrace change. His calm, thoughtful leadership left an indelible mark on everyone who had the privilege to work with him.

Memories, condolences, and memorial details for Steve can be found here:
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/idahopress/name/steven-hatten-obituary?id=59103422

He will be deeply missed by colleagues, clients, and friends across Idaho and beyond.