Beyond the Bud
Ryan Kenaga, Driving cannabis excellence at
River Valley Relief.
By Tricia Larson
Photography by Novo Studio
When you meet Ryan Kenaga, president of River Valley Relief, you quickly realize he’s not just a cannabis entrepreneur — he’s a man on a mission. With a passion for cannabis and a knack for innovation, he’s carved out a unique place in Arkansas’s competitive medical cannabis market. Kenaga’s journey is as winding as the rivers he loves to fish in, and his hands-on leadership has taken RVR from a local company to a standout brand committed to quality, community and care.
But Kenaga didn’t always envision himself in the cannabis world. His first dream? Designing skateboards and wakeboards — anything that screamed “outdoor sports.” Life, however, had other plans. After starting in design school, Kenaga pivoted to petroleum engineering, a move that, while unexpected, would prove serendipitous in his later cannabis career.
“In 2002, after school, I moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado,” Kenaga said. “While living in Colorado, I met some great individuals who had been growing for years and were planning to bring in investors and get ready to apply for a Colorado marijuana license.”
The realization that he could work at a legal grow facility and make a career out of it was all Kenaga needed to hear. “Say no more,” Kenaga said. “I’m all in.”
Rapid regulatory changes, new technologies and groundbreaking product innovations marked Kenaga’s time in Colorado. Using his petroleum engineering background, Kenaga became skilled in cannabis oil extraction, developing techniques to capture beneficial plant properties and create “beautiful terpene-rich cannabis extracts.”
This expertise led to a stint in the industry’s extraction equipment and manufacturing side, where he worked on a project creating the industry’s first fully automated hydrocarbon extraction system.
“I spent many days on the road and long hours at cannabis expos all over the country consulting, training, building labs and installing extraction equipment in cannabis facilities everywhere,” Kenaga said. It was during this time he began consulting with RVR.
Shortly after forming their partnership, the cultivator asked Kenaga to come on board full time, which Kenaga said was a blessing. “I got the opportunity to get off the road,” Kenaga said. “I get to do what I love every day and go home to my wife and kids every night. A true dream come true.”
These days, Kenaga’s travels have slowed, but his days remain packed. River Valley Relief has become a standout in Arkansas’s medical cannabis scene, and Kenaga’s hands-on approach is a big part of that.
River Valley Relief’s mission is simple yet profound: to empower people facing medical and mental health challenges through safe, high-quality cannabis products. They’re not the biggest player in Arkansas, but Kenaga makes it clear they’re determined to produce the best flowers in the state. He says River Valley Relief has implemented rigorous production methods and developed its in-house compliance program to ensure that “nothing but the best is produced and received by patients.”
Kenaga said River Valley Relief’s authentic approach sets them apart and makes them a leader. “We create the way, not follow,” he said.
The company’s focus on driving the market is evidenced by its partnership with Wana Brands, the largest gummy brand in the cannabis industry. “We wanted to bring Arkansas patients the opportunity to have a world-class gummy company in The Natural State,” Kenaga said.
“I get to do what I love every day and go home to my wife and kids every night. A true dream come true.”
Kenaga’s approach to the ever-evolving cannabis industry is all about staying ahead of the curve. He notes that patients and consumers are becoming more educated about cannabis. In turn, they are demanding new delivery methods and products.
That patients in Arkansas are becoming more savvy about cannabis is not by chance. River Valley Relief actively supports community-based education efforts that pair patients, physicians and advocates with the canna-curious public.
River Valley Relief’s commitment to Arkansans extends beyond extolling the virtues of cannabis. Kenaga says the company’s equity holders prioritize community giving, donating to the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, the Fort Smith Symphony, Fort Smith schools and local animal shelters. Kenaga said the company even donated time and covered expenses to repair youth baseball fields. River Valley Relief also serves as a revenue generator for the community. “We have created many well-paying jobs in Fort Smith and the surrounding area. These are solid positions with solid futures,” Kenaga said.
Kenaga is committed to his employees and says surrounding himself with a strong, hand-selected team helps him handle the stress and pressure of running a business in such a competitive and highly regulated industry.
“I hire and train individuals who I feel can help me navigate the complexities of this ever-changing industry and those who can help share the workload,” Kenaga said. “Building a solid team I can trust and rely on is crucial in this industry.”
What really drives Kenaga, though, is his desire to help patients. One of his most defining career moments in the cannabis industry was helping a young cancer patient during chemotherapy.
“The young patient’s parents and family came to us feeling defeated and hopeless with the care that their loved one was receiving and how harsh the traditional chemotherapy was on the young patient’s body,” Kenaga recalled. “They had done their own research, found out who we were and searched us out to find a method of incorporating cannabinoids in with their daughter’s treatment plan.”
Kenaga said they created a custom formulation to alleviate her pain and help her regain her appetite. “After eight months on the specific cannabis oil formulation, combined with her traditional treatment methods, she got to ring the bell and was cancer-free,” Kenaga said. “This experience solidified my beliefs in the power of cannabis plant medicine and reinforced my commitment to providing the highest quality alternative treatment options for those in need.”
