Who We Are
Transformation Through Renovation
Our philosophy is simple: the right renovation has the power to transform any space into one of lasting beauty, functionality, and delight.
Our primary focus is renovation. We have completed small and large-scale projects on a variety of homes built in the early 1900s through the 1990s.
Our overriding goal is to bring glory to God through our building practices, our interactions with our clients, trade partners and suppliers, and in our community.
Our guiding principles: We believe in saving and revitalizing well-built structures. We improve functionality while maintaining the home’s original integrity and character. We strive to fully utilize each space and bring a unique charm to the home.
Our values include communication, service, and quality. We treat every home with respect, just as we do our own.
Our Team
About
Charles “Chuck” Hicks, owner of ICON Custom Builders, holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of South Carolina, and an MBA from Ohio State University.
Formerly an engineer with DuPont, and a Director for Sara Lee Corporation, he turned his eye to renovations in 2005, and established his company, ICON Custom Builders. As a gifted builder with a background in engineering, he easily envisioned the potential hidden in older living spaces. He has since brought together a loyal, skilled staff and developed long term relationships with local supply companies and trade partners. Chuck is a Certified Green Professional, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, and EPA Certified Lead Renovator.
Chuck’s aim in working with each client is to take cramped, uninviting, or poorly-functioning spaces and make them beautiful, welcoming, and usable. Integrity, excellence, and clear communication form the firm foundation on which ICON projects are based. As a result, word has spread, and the reputation of ICON Builders has grown accordingly.
Chuck highly values family and community. He has previously served as President of the Remodeler’s Council, member of the Forsyth County Habitat for Humanity Construction Committee, HBAWS board member, and Redeemer School board member, and is currently active in the National Association of Homebuilders Remodeler 20 Club, the Wake Forest Center for Private Business, and the UNC-CH Parents Council.
Chuck’s wife Shawn is a dance and movement educator, who has been on faculty at Salem College, High Point University, Wake Forest, and UNCG. They have one son, Elias, who graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in Spring 2021 and who now works in Charlotte with a wholesale real estate brokerage.
Fun Facts
- Favorite place to visit: Pawleys Island
- Favorite part about living and working in Winston-Salem: It’s a 15-minute drive to anywhere he wants to go.
- When not working, Chuck can be found in the yard – relaxing while doing some chores.
- Hobbies include hunting, skiing, and classic cars.
- Favorite season and why: spring – NC weather is perfect and God’s beautiful creation is visible all around you.
- Likes to start his day with 3 cups of coffee, devotional readings, the Wall Street Journal, and a Peloton bike ride.
- Chuck in 3 words: quiet, approachable, and detailed.
- Motto when working on a renovation project: Execute the project as if it was my home.
- Event he looks forward to every year: Merlefest
- If he could have any superpower, he would choose mind-reading – so he doesn’t have to guess what people are thinking or ask questions.
About
Douglas joins the ICON team as one of our project managers. His responsibilities include overall coordination and management of all on-site activities at his projects. Previously, Douglas owned and operated a local hardware store here in Winston-Salem for over ten years.
Fun Facts
- Favorite place to visit: Bald Head Island.
- Favorite part about living and working in Winston-Salem: The proximity to everything. For work, our projects are not far away. For play, we are close to the beaches and mountains.
- When not working, Douglas can be found spending time with family or working in the yard.
- Favorite hobby: Antique auto restoration
- Favorite season: fall – he loves the change of season and the color change.
- Go-to beverage: Coffee (a cherry or coconut blend) – “I couldn’t start my day without it”
- Likes to start his day with: a workout and then a good cup of coffee.
- Douglas in 3 words: caring, friendly, and positive.
- Favorite saying: ‘Treat others the way you would want to be treated.’
- Motto when working on a renovation project: Treat every project like it’s your own home.
- Favorite song: “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts
- Tradition he looks forward to every year: holiday get-togethers with family.
- If I could have any superpower, I would choose time travel – to have the ability to experience different periods of time.
About
Craig is one of four project managers for ICON Custom Builders. His responsibilities include estimation, overall coordination, and management of all on-site activities of his projects. Craig has a NC General Contractor’s License, which he maintains through yearly continuing education classes. In addition, he has earned his designations as an Accredited Builder and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. Craig previously operated his own renovation company in Greensboro for many years prior to joining ICON.
Fun Facts
- Favorite place to visit: New York City
- When not working, Craig can be found hiking.
- Hobbies include hiking, fishing and baseball.
- Go-to beverage: matcha latte
- Favorite season: spring – temperatures warm up while evenings may still be cooler, and humidity hasn’t increased yet.
- Can be described as: easy-going
- Favorite music genre: 90’s alternative
- If he could have any superpower, he would choose to grant wishes and have them come true.
About
Don joined ICON in 2013 and drives the large white ICON van that is ever-present in the neighborhoods around town. He has incredible carpentry and cabinet building skills, and can resolve most any detailed trim issue that arises. Don is an Air Force veteran and served four combat tours in support of Desert Storm and Desert Shield. He’s a proud father of two sons.
Fun Facts
- Favorite place to visit: North Carolina’s mountains
- Favorite part about living and working in Winston-Salem: its proximity to everything else in the state.
- Hobbies include cooking and hiking.
- Favorite season: autumn – because of its beauty and pleasant weather.
- Go-to beverage: coffee all day, every day
- Likes to start his day with coffee.
- Don in 3 words: diligent, curious and faithful.
- Mantra when working on a renovation project: make it perfect if possible, but settle for straight.
- Favorite music genre: classical
- Favorite musical piece: “Saint-Saëns Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso”
- Events he looks forward to every year: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the whole season
About
A North Carolina native, Melissa moved to Winston-Salem in 2018 and joined the ICON team in August 2022. As the daughter and granddaughter of custom home builders, she spent her childhood growing up on construction sites envisioning what the unfinished spaces would become.
In her design role with ICON, Melissa loves assisting clients through a seamless selection process to bring their visions to reality – whether they’re looking to reimagine a lived-in space or design a new space altogether.
Prior to her relocation to Winston-Salem and joining the ICON team, Melissa curated personalized events and designs through her Raleigh-based business. She has enjoyed serving her community through volunteer work with the Junior League of Raleigh – most recently leveraging her talents as the Chair of the Governor’s Inaugural Ball planning committee in 2017. Melissa holds a bachelor’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill.
When Melissa is not busy designing, you can find her spending time with her husband Chris and two boys Lawson and Rives. Melissa loves traveling, exploring new hiking trails, and trying new cuisines.
Fun Facts
- Favorite place to visit: Spain.
- Favorite part about living and working in Winston-Salem: the community – “having only lived here a short time, the people have been so welcoming.”
- When not working, Melissa can be found outside: hiking, watching her son play soccer, or chasing sunshine on a beach somewhere.
- Hobbies include reading, hiking, and flower arranging
- Favorite season: summer – she loves the sunshine, listing to ocean waves and sitting on a beach somewhere.
- Go-to beverage: unsweetened tea with 1-2 Splenda or a hot chai tea latte.
- Likes to start her day with a 3-4 mile walk around her neighborhood.
- Motto when working on a renovation project: There are no challenges, only opportunities for new and often better solutions.
- Tradition she looks forward to every year: family vacation – wherever they travel and whether with friends or family, she looks forward to that quality time together.
- If she could have any superpower…For work, it would be X-ray vision – to be able to see behind walls would make planning so much easier. In life, it would be time travel – to go back in time and spend more time with those she has lost and re-experience those amazing life moments again with even greater appreciation.
About
Doug is one of four project managers for ICON Custom Builders. His responsibilities include estimation, overall coordination, and management of all on-site activities of his projects. Doug has a NC General Contractor’s License, which he maintains through yearly continuing education classes. He previously operated his own renovation company, Nothing But Detail, for many years prior to joining ICON.
Fun Facts
- Favorite place to visit: the beach
- Favorite part about living and working in Winston-Salem: everything is 5 minutes away…or less!
- When not working Doug can be found with his family.
- Hobbies include mountain biking, trying to keep up with his kids, and cooking really good food.
- Favorite season: fall – it’s the sign of cool weather to come, and things slow down a little, including him.
- Go-to beverage: tall French roast, no cream, no sugar
- Likes to start his day with prayer.
- Doug in 3 words: not very serious.
- Mantra when working on a renovation project: don’t do a remodel for the next buyer, do it for yourself.
- Favorite song of all time: “Pour Some Sugar On Me” by Def Leppard
- Events he looks forward to every year: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and his wedding anniversary.
- If he could have any superpower, he would choose to be able to fly like Superman – the freedom would be amazing, and the views would never get old.
About
Jim joins the ICON team as our newest project manager. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Design and Landscape Architecture, but his heart has always been in construction. He has worked in the industry with various contractors for over four decades, focusing on high-end remodeling projects. He owned his own building and remodeling business in New Hampshire, where he grew up and spent most of his life.
In the spring of 2020, he moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains and has settled into life here in North Carolina. When not working on various ICON projects, he enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his wife, two daughters, and two granddaughters.
Fun Facts
- When not working, Jim can be found enjoying life in the Blue Ridge mountains.
- Hobbies include: hunting, target shooting, and watching movies.
- Favorite season: fall – he loves the cooler weather and the colors.
- Go-to beverage: Arizona blueberry iced tea
- Tradition he looks forward to every year: cooking breakfast on Christmas morning.
- If he could have any superpower, he would choose perfect discernment so he would always know the right thing to do in every situation.
About
Kali manages ICON’s website, coordinates media partnerships and local sponsorships, and designs and schedules all advertising. Kali enjoys sharing about our team, design-build process, and renovation projects. She’s thrilled to bring her talents for content creation and graphic design to the team.
Fun Facts
- Favorite places to visit: Sedona, AZ or Amsterdam – “both of those places have inspired my soul and captured my heart.”
- When not working, Kali can be found enjoying walks around her neighborhood, or checking out a new coffee shop or restaurant.
- Hobbies include traveling, learning Spanish, game nights, and quality time with her husband, friends, and family.
- Favorite season: summer into fall – she loves the weather and the excitement this time of year brings.
- Go-to beverage: matcha latte with almond milk – either hot or iced.
- Likes to start her day with: hitting ‘snooze’ just one more time…then completing a word puzzle (Wordle) and checking the weather.
- Kali in 3 words: creative, adventurous, and thoughtful.
- Her philosophy / mantra: Take care of your tomorrow.
- Traditions she looks forward to every year: Exploring a new place with her husband – wherever it might be – and ‘unplugging’ for a bit.
- If she could have any superpower, she would choose teleportation – “to be able to see the world without needing an airline ticket or experiencing jet lag…sign me up!”
About
Luke officially joined our team in August 2023, after completing a summer internship with us. In his role, he assists project managers and rest of the team with various projects. He graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Business Management in 2022, and then he obtained his MBA from Ohio University.
Fun Facts
- Favorite place to visit: Destin, Florida
- When not working, he can be found on the gold course, or hanging out with friends.
- Hobbies include being outdoors, working out, and watching sports.
- Favorite season: fall because of the cool weather and football season.
- Go-to beverage: vanilla iced coffee
- Luke in 3 words: kind, positive, hardworking
- Favorite saying: Treat others like you want to be treated.
- Favorite song of all time: “Family Tradition” by Hank Williams Jr.
- Tradition he looks forward to every year: Thanksgiving
About
Kathy joined ICON in 2007 as our first team member. She is a certified Quickbooks ProAdvisor and ultimately a certified sanity-saver for Chuck with all the administrative responsibilities.
Fun Facts
- Favorite place to visit: anywhere on a cruise ship
- Favorite part about living and working in Winston-Salem: It’s not too big, it’s not too small, it’s just right!
- When not working, she can be found outside.
- Hobbies include hiking, biking and traveling.
- Favorite season: spring – because everything is fresh and new.
- Go-to beverage: lightly-sweetened tea
- Likes to start her day with walking her fur baby.
- Kathy in 3 words: easy-going, patient, and determined
- Favorite saying: It’s never too late…
- Favorite song of all time: “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin
- Tradition she looks forward to every year: making birthday cakes for her sons
- If she could have any superpower, she would choose to fly like a bird.
About
As a superintendent, Hector visits most of our job sites on a daily basis – ensuring cleanliness, moving equipment, delivering supplies, checking on progress, and coordinating subcontractor activities. He has many years of experience in cabinet installation, finish carpentry, and other construction trades.
About
Amanda has been in the home furnishings industry throughout her entire career. With a degree in textile design from NC State, she has designed residential upholstery fabric, has worked with a 3D rendering software company, and has even sold furniture. She then moved into interior design with a focus on 3D renderings of residential spaces, which led her to ICON. While she’s not designing spaces and creating renderings for our clients, she is pursuing a certificate in residential interior design from the Rhode Island School of Design.
Fun Facts
- Favorite place to visit: “My family’s 100-year-old cottage in northern Ontario draws me back every summer.”
- Favorite part about living and working in Winston-Salem: “I love that Winston is a great size – not too much traffic but still plenty to do. I love the local arts scene and love that the biggest employers are Atrium and Novant – health care professionals are good people to do life with!”
- When not working, Amanda can be found working out with her “FiA friends” (Females in Action), attending local festivals, volunteering with my church and kids’ school, and exploring new places.
- Hobbies include reading, jogging, kayaking, and watching HGTV.
- Go-to beverage: a large mocha or Debeen’s Ironman latte
- Favorite season and why: summer – I love the warm weather, vacations and flexibility in schedules.
- Likes to start her day with a workout, Up First news podcast, daily devotional podcast and coffee.
- Amanda in 3 words: outgoing, creative, and organized.
- Favorite saying: “This, too, shall pass.” It applies to so many scenarios and helps to give perspective.
- Motto when working on a renovation project: “Make it work!” – Tim Gunn
- Events she looks forward to every year: celebrating family birthdays and holidays together.
About
Katherine joined the ICON team in May of 2019. Her primary role is to guide our clients through the project timeline and selection process, helping to make every step of their home renovation easy, seamless, and fun! She assists our clients in navigating the many design decisions in a construction project – paint, tile, lighting, plumbing fixtures, countertops, flooring and overall design coordination. She also manages our ICON Custom Builders Instagram page, so follow along for a behind-the-scenes look at our latest projects!
Katherine grew up in Winston-Salem and currently resides there with her husband, Logan, and new baby Libby. Prior to joining the ICON team, Katherine worked in the nonprofit world with a background in large-scale fundraising events, business development and community engagement.
Fun Facts
- Favorite place to visit: Hilton Head Island, SC – “My family has been visiting every summer since I was little, and now I am able to visit and make special memories with my own family. It is the definition of my ‘happy place.’”
- Favorite part about living and working in Winston-Salem: “It is the perfect little, big town. Big enough to have everything you need and tons of great options for work, shopping, eating and fun. But also small enough to see a smiling familiar face at any given destination. There is such a wonderful network of people and a sense of community.”
- When not working, she can be found spending time with her husband and two little girls – they keep her heart and hands very full.
- Hobbies include: redecorating her own house and others’ homes, walking/exercising, and coming up with ways to entertain her toddler.
- Go-to beverage: “I like to say that my food and drink orders are the only thing plain about me. I keep it so simple!” Black coffee with 2 stevia and a heavy dash of almond creamer.
- Katherine in 3 words: Outgoing, creative, and sincere.
- Favorite sayings: ‘Everything happens exactly how it is supposed to,’ and ‘don’t sweat the small things.’ These have always rang true in both her work and personal life.
- Favorite song of all time: “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston
- Motto when working on a renovation project: “It’s the clients home, I’m just here to guide them. I remind myself of this often while working on a project because at the end of the day if they are happy with the finished product that’s all that matters. I also remind myself what a privilege it is to be invited into someone’s home. I do not take getting to know our clients, their spaces, or their families lightly.”
- If she could have any superpower, she would choose reading minds – “so much of my role, especially during the selection process, is reading clients’ non-verbal cues. I have to say, I’ve gotten pretty great at it over the years but being able to get inside their heads would be extra helpful!”
The ICON team took our vision and utilized their wealth of skills, knowledge, and creativity to add design elements, functionality, and beauty that completely transformed our space. Everyone at ICON is dedicated to perfection, and they cared as much about our project as we did.