Salem honored with Triad Business Journal Family Business Award
What does your business do or make? Salem Sports Events specializes in creating temporary immersive branded hospitality environments, custom interior and exterior builds, experiential marketing activations, and large format signage that elevate fan, guest, and VIP experiences at live events from PGA TOUR tournaments to Formula 1 races. Salem Design-Build is a one stop partner for permanent commercial and residential custom design-build construction and remodel projects, delivering one-of-a-kind interior and exterior environments for commercial, retail, and residential spaces.
Why selected: Salem Sports Events has more than tripled in size since 2019, growing to more than 120 employees across three Triad locations. A key component has been investment in infrastructure — Salem has expanded to three locations across the Triad, with facilities in Winston-Salem, High Point and Kernersville. Salem also expanded beyond its core event work by launching a commercial design-build vertical, which allows the company to apply its expertise to permanent spaces. Recent local projects include the Ziehl-Abegg showroom in Union Cross and Fleet Feet in Clemmons. In 2025, Salem organized a food drive with Second Harvest Food Bank, contributing nearly $50,000 in total donations. Salem also invests directly in local youth through hands-on initiatives like a bike build at Konnoak Middle School, providing 30 new bicycles to students, and has a long-standing relationship with the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Winston-Salem.
How many generations currently work in the business? Two
Tell us about your family's history in the business. I launched my career with the PGA Tour's Championship Management division following an internship with The Players Championship. Kim and I married two weeks after graduation from the University of Florida and moved to the Washington, D.C, area, where early exposure to tournament and sponsor experiences became the foundation for what Salem would become. When John Sullivan invited us to Winston-Salem to join the business he was building, neither of us imagined it would shape three decades of family life. From the start, Salem's culture has been defined by people showing up: Kim's father built trophy stands in his garage; siblings, in-laws and friends filled every role needed; and our daughters eventually joined the team. Today, our son contributes in field operations, and John's son Philip remains a valued part of the Salem family.
Who's the real boss? Ryan. He's our favorite child. (Don't tell the others.)
What's the most rewarding aspect of being family-owned? The business becomes about far more than just the work. For us, Salem has always been about people. relationships and creating something lasting together. Every decision we make impacts not only our family, but also the families of our employees and the clients who trust us year after year. Being family-owned allows us to stay personally connected to the company culture and the standards we believe in. We are able to lead with trust, accountability and a long-term mindset instead of focusing only on short-term results. That has helped us build a team that genuinely cares about each other and takes pride in what we create together. The most rewarding part is seeing how far Salem has come while still holding onto the values it was built on: hard work, integrity, innovation and treating people the right way.
What's the most challenging aspect? There is no handbook. Kim and I have been building a business while simultaneously learning how to grow as leaders, spouses, parents and owners. In an event-based industry, the work often follows you home seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.
What's your best advice for other family businesses? Remember why you started. As a business grows, it is easy to become consumed by results, numbers, and the pressure to keep building. Kim and I have learned that sustainable growth comes from staying connected to the process and not losing the passion that made you start in the first place. Relationships matter and trust is built slowly through consistency and transparency. Stay humble enough to keep learning. Seek mentors and surround yourself with people who challenge you, and be willing to adapt and evolve. Most importantly, be grateful for the relationships built along the way and for the family who supports you through the challenges and blessings of building something together.
What's your favorite family tradition and why? The Turkey Strutt 5K every Thanksgiving at LJVM. It reflects our belief that health is wealth and that everyone participates, including our youngest son, who has Down syndrome. It has never really been about winning. It is about showing up, doing hard things, contributing what you can and encouraging each other through both the uphill and downhill seasons of life. After the race, everyone heads home with an assigned role in preparing the meal because participation matters in our family, and no cooking session is complete without music and a kitchen dance party. Movement has become part of most of our family traditions. Our kids joke about the mandatory 6 a.m. vacation workouts, whether it is ocean swims, paddleboard competitions or park runs. We believe shared experiences, movement and laughter build stronger relationships over time.
Do you have a succession plan in place? Succession planning is an ongoing responsibility, not a one-time exercise. Since John Sullivan founded this business in his garage in 1984, we have been stewards of something larger than ourselves, and that shapes how we approach the future. Our succession plan evolves as the business evolves. We are consistently identifying and developing leaders from within who embody our core values. Any transition of ownership or leadership will be guided by the same principles of integrity, craftsmanship and community.
Something about your company that would surprise people: Most people picture a small local operation when they hear 'family business,' but Salem operates at a scale that stops even our own team members in their tracks. When one of our leaders visited his first job site, his reaction said it all: 'We're building entire houses on a golf course.' We take on projects of extraordinary volume and complexity, spanning not just regions but international borders. We don't just build structures, we build experiences at a scale most people never associate with a family-run company. And that contrast, between our close-knit culture and the sheer ambition of our work, is exactly what makes Salem who we are.