SALISBURY — Walser Technology Group has been in business for 20 years and to honor that watershed accomplishment, WTG organized a celebration gathering on Oct. 17. WTG staff, members of the Rowan Chamber of Commerce, the United Way and Downtown Salisbury Inc. all convened at the South Main Street office to take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, enjoy some barbecue and listen to live music.

WTG manages other businesses’ IT services and a myriad of other offerings. Founder Brad Walser was born and raised in Salisbury, but he didn’t see himself settling down here when he was a kid.

“I would’ve told you growing up I’m going to get far away from Salisbury and go to a bigger city,” Walser said.

After attending Appalachian State and working in Raleigh and Charlotte, Walser came back to Salisbury to start a family. In 2003, WTG was formed.

“I started Walser Technology Group 20 years ago, started doing consulting in the world of energy and energy regulation. Over the years, grown Walser Technology Group to what it is today,” Walser said.

When it dawned on him that WTG had been around for 20 years, Walser wanted to not just highlight the company for this occasion, but all of the people who have been involved with them during their two decades of existence.

“We thought it would be a great time to celebrate 20 years of business, that is a milestone that was hard to believe when I was first starting the business. Now that we’re 20 years in, we thought it’s a great opportunity to appreciate our clients who are very supportive of us, to get all of our staff members out, and to be part of this community. We love supporting the communities that support us,” Walser said.

Suzanne Jones is Walser’s mother and she can trace WTG’s beginnings to when she bought her son a computer and how that put him on his path towards success.

“I was recently divorced, money was very, very tight, but I think I spent maybe my last $5,000 that I had saved up for him to get a computer in college and that started it. Right after that he was so into it, it was amazing,” Jones said.

After that, the rest is history.

Jones says Walser gets his entrepreneurial spirit from his grandfather, who was also a business owner in Salisbury.

“I’m very, very proud of him, of course. He’s worked very hard,” Jones said. “He has that same work ethic. The work ethic that you don’t go home until it’s done, you get there early, and get things done. I think he’s done a great job with all his employees. There are very few young folks these days that have that, what I call, ‘old-fashioned work ethic.'”

Walser is grateful to have been in business this long and is looking forward to what the future holds for him and WTG.

“I hope we are still here as a flourishing technology company, although I’m sure in 20 years technology is going to look a lot different than it does today,” Walser said.