Small but Mighty: Winston-Salem Spotlight
Advanced Turf Solutions has 22 locations that proudly serve customers in 14 states. Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is the southernmost location in our family of facilities, and ATS has been proudly serving the Carolinas out of this warehouse since 2019.
The facility includes two buildings that total about 8,500 square feet, including office space. The warehouse is well-stocked with products for everything from golf courses to athletic fields to home lawns. And the team makes every effort to get products to customers as quickly as possible.
Small but mighty, the Winston-Salem team is made up of just two operations employees and three sales representatives. Everyone knows their roles and works hard to make each day a success. They have a culture of communication and positivity, making for an enjoyable work environment.
Because all of the staff had worked in the turf industry before joining ATS, they have a wealth of knowledge to share with each other and with customers. The team prides itself on offering the best practical solution to any problem that may arise.
After just less than three years in North Carolina, the Winston-Salem location has developed an excellent reputation among its clientele. Below, get to know the operations employees who keep the facility running at top-notch.
Jason Murphy
Facility Manager
Employee since 2019
Jason Murphy started at ATS in 2019 as the Winston-Salem warehouse lead and driver before being promoted to facility manager in 2020. His introduction to the world of turf came in 2006 when he began working at a golf course on his days off from his manufacturing job. It wasn’t long before he fell in love with the industry and decided to make a career change, becoming the assistant superintendent of his golf course within two years. He later took a superintendent position at another course before joining ATS. Along the way, Jason earned four certifications from three different universities: two from Ohio State and one each from the University of Georgia and Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School.
Jason is proudly born and raised in Mocksville, North Carolina, just twenty miles west of Winston-Salem. He and his wife, Jill, will celebrate twenty years of marriage next May, and they have two daughters: Katelyn, who’s fourteen, and Cara, who’s twelve. Both girls are active in Taekwondo, sharing their dad’s passion for physical fitness. As a self-described “workout freak,” Jason goes to the gym four or five times every week. He enjoys spending time with family, grilling, golfing when he has the chance, and rooting for the Duke Blue Devils—although he’ll watch any college football game he can. He also coached youth football for eight years.
It’s no surprise that one of Jason’s favorite parts of his job is the team aspect. Although it’s a small team, he enjoys the people he works with and their daily interactions. “I work with three great sales reps, and I can’t say enough good things about Justin Thompson,” Jason shared. He’s also been impressed by the camaraderie among green industry professionals throughout the Carolinas, especially within the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association. Jason has been a member of the association himself since 2012. As for the work ethic that drives him, Jason credits his dad with setting an example and teaching him the value of hard work from a young age.
Justin Thompson
Warehouse Associate
Employee since 2020
Justin Thompson joined Jason in September of 2020 as a warehouse associate. He has spent most of his career in the turf industry, starting at a golf course when he was still in college. He attended Appalachian State University and stayed in Boone, North Carolina, for a few years after graduation until moving back to his hometown of Mocksville. Justin did some landscaping and residential remodeling work but has now found his place in green industry distribution at ATS.
Justin and his wife, Cellie, have been together for about ten years and have a one-year-old daughter named Georgia. They’re grateful to live near his parents and siblings, often spending time together at his family’s mountain house near Sparta, North Carolina. Naturally, Justin loves to golf, but his coworkers may be surprised to know he also plays disc golf. Like Jason, he’s a big sports fan, pulling for the Braves, Panthers, Duke basketball, and App State football. Justin also plays guitar in a local band and enjoys going to concerts and music festivals.
Since starting at ATS, Justin has learned a lot and credits Jason with being a big part of that. “He’s been very helpful with learning the process and teaching me everything. And it’s kind of second nature now already, even after just a year,” Justin shared. He appreciates the teamwork they have and how smoothly the warehouse operates with support from their sales reps. His colleagues motivate him to work hard and continue learning, creating a positive environment. “I go home happy every day,” Justin said.
