Ben Fisher

Your Rowan Favorites

Place to Eat: College Barbecue, Hendrix Barbecue
Outdoor Activity: Yadkin River
Event or Festival: ’Tis the Season Holiday Parade

Ben Fisher

Project Manager, Carrol Fisher Construction Co., Salisbury, NC

Native of Rowan County

Industry: Construction/Real Estate

Ben Fisher lived in four coastal cities in as many states, before returning to his native Rowan County. There are many things that drew him home.

First, he saw the potential for growth in Rowan County and as a builder and developer, he wanted to be part of it. “I saw it coming,” he says. He joined Carol Fisher Construction and is project engineer. “My grandfather, Carrol, started the business in 1957. My father, Luke, moved home and joined the business in 1984. My uncle, Danny, moved home and joined the business in 1987.” Ben is the third generation of Fishers involved in the family business and says he pretty much grew up in it.

Secondly, in addition to the opportunity as a builder, he saw the move home as a responsibility to help shape the way the city and county look. “We have the opportunity right now to determine what the county will look like,” Ben says. “I would rather be involved. It’s important that we grow in an appropriate direction. It’s important that people who come here appreciate what is here and take care of it.”

That takes him to his favorite outdoor space — the Yadkin River. Rowan County borders the Yadkin River and is in the enviable position of being “water rich.” Ben spends a lot of time kayaking, fishing, and hunting at game lands along the river. The river is especially attractive to him because of the development of the Yadkin Blue Water Trail, with Rowan County paddle access at the Bull Hole River Park in northwest Rowan, the South Yadkin River on U.S. 601 at the Davie County line, the Salisbury Pump Station on Hannah Ferry Road off Old Mocksville Road, and York Hill near Davidson County, as well as accesses in other counties that border the river. Then the river spills into High Rock Lake. Each section is a three- to four-hour adventure, easily done in a half day. 

A fourth advantage of his hometown is the affordable cost of living. As a member of the U.S. Coast Guard for eight years, he had lived in Norfolk, VA, Wilmington, NC, Charleston, SC, and Savannah, GA. Those places had extremely high costs of living, he says. “An affordable cost of living makes starting life a lot easier,” he adds. 

Ben left Rowan County for N.C. State University and describes his education as “a lengthy and non-traditional path.”

“My junior year I decided to leave NCSU and join the military. I felt called to enlist in the Coast Guard where I served as a coxswain, driving search and rescue boats. After the Coast Guard, I finish school at Cape Fear Community College, earning associate degrees in Construction Management and Sustainable Technologies. Those degrees taught me a great deal about green building techniques, energy efficiency, and sustainable urban planning. I was able to bring all this knowledge home and incorporate it into our family business.”

He came back to Rowan six years ago and became involved in Three Rivers Land Trust, the Rowan Museum, and the Salisbury-Rowan Home Builders Association. Community involvement makes Salisbury-Rowan unique, he says. “So many local citizens are involved in our community and choose to invest in our local cities and businesses. A person can really make an impact here. I enjoy serving on a variety of boards that benefit our historic buildings, conserve our natural resources and improve our construction industry.”

He chooses College Barbecue and Hendrix Barbecue as his favorite restaurants. “I like the uniqueness of both of those places,” he says. “No matter where you go in the world, you can’t find another Hendrix or College Barbecue. Those places give you a home-town feel. Barbecue is part of our culture.”

The ’Tis the Season holiday parade is his favorite event. “I took that tradition for granted,” he says. “I didn’t realize that every small town doesn’t do that. You can set your clock by it — the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It kicks off the holiday season and is almost a homecoming — students and families coming home.”

For newcomers to the area, he recommends a walk through downtown Salisbury. “Make a lap, have lunch, stop at museums, stop at a brewery, visit the shops — it’s the best way to introduce yourself to the culture, people, and history,” he says.

Ben thinks the county slogan, “Be an Original,” speaks to the choices Rowan citizens have made and continue to make. “Rowan County sets itself apart from our neighbors both geographically and culturally. We are located in the beautiful Yadkin Valley with lots of rivers, lakes, farmland, and woods to enjoy. We maintain a thriving historic downtown full of locally owned businesses and restaurants, and we maintain a tightly connected community where most everyone cares about the happiness and success of each other. In a state that is rapidly changing and growing, Rowan County has chosen to move forward without forgetting our history or losing our character.

“We are on the rise! We have the history, we have the beauty, we have the small-town charm and now our economy is on track for incredible growth and job creation!”

Your Rowan Favorites

Place to Eat: College Barbecue, Hendrix Barbecue
Outdoor Activity: Yadkin River
Event or Festival: ’Tis the Season Holiday Parade