By Erin Lopez and Chelsea Hall
We are very pleased to announce that Salter just celebrated 50 years of business in October! To mark the milestone, we hosted an anniversary party at the AIASF Center for Architecture + Design, and it was such a great opportunity to come together and celebrate. We found it especially meaningful to bring all of our offices together for the occasion and share in the joy and accomplishment of reaching our golden anniversary. Looking back, we reflected on everything that brought us to this point—from Charles Salter starting our firm in 1975 to where we are as a company today. At the same time, we’re also looking forward with excitement for what comes next, ready to continue growing and making an impact in the years to come.
Who is Salter?
We are a team of acoustical, audiovisual, telecommunications, and security consultants who work on over 900 projects around the world each year. Our headquarters is in San Francisco, and our three branch offices span the western side of the United States in San Jose, Honolulu, and Seattle. Over the course of 50 years, we’ve grown from Charles Salter bringing on Tony Nash as the first employee, to a team of 50 with expertise across acoustics and low-voltage technology. We still strive to bring Charles’ motto to everything we do; be better every day.
With this spirit driving us we continue to contribute to award-winning projects across a variety of project types with technical excellence and a collaborative mindset. Our team includes Professional Engineers, LEED Accredited Professionals, Certified Technology Specialists, Registered Communications Distribution Designers, and Fellows of both the Acoustical Society of America and the Audio Engineering Society. With advanced and interdisciplinary degrees in fields like architecture, music, linguistics, business, and forensics, we bring a unique perspective to every challenge. We’re proud of the legacy built over the last half century and we’re just as focused on what comes next.
Our Distinctives
We are engineers, but beyond that we are people seeking to help others. Our work goes beyond technical expertise; we focus on clear communication, thoughtful collaboration, and strive to deliver solutions all people can understand. We ask questions in pursuit of clarity, let respect and understanding guide our efforts, and offer design options grounded in real-world experience. We strive to do this all with a personal element.
With backgrounds spanning art, music, technology, and engineering, we’re always learning and growing through internal development and shared knowledge. Charles Salter still starts each day by greeting the team and checking in on their projects—a reflection of the supportive culture he built. Salter feels like family because we show up for each other, driven by a shared commitment to dedication, creativity, and fun.
Projects
Obviously, with over 900 projects a year we have a great many projects we could choose to highlight, but here are just two local examples of Salter projects.
Sunnydale HOPE SF – Block 7 Affordable Housing & Recreation and Community Center
Sunnydale HOPE is a multi-block community development in San Francisco, part of a larger rehabilitation of four Housing Authority neighborhoods. The project is designed to foster a vibrant, healthy, and inclusive atmosphere in the Sunnydale neighborhood. This project also holds personal meaning for our team, with both our Project Manager and Marketing Coordinator having familial ties to Sunnydale and a shared commitment to seeing the community prosper.
The new 28,000-square-foot Community Center (now open) features a daycare, Boys and Girls Club, multipurpose and administration areas, and a recording studio, alongside an 11,500-square-foot recreation center with a full-length basketball court and flexible activity space, already serving local community members.
Sunnydale Block 7, a four-story residential building with approximately 70 affordable apartments, is currently under construction and will include a community room, offices, and an entry lobby. We’re honored to support this transformative project and proud to help create spaces where people can live, gather, and thrive.
The American Institute of Architects, San Francisco – Center for Architecture and Design
The American Institute of Architects, San Francisco (AIASF) new headquarters for the Center for Architecture + Design is located on the ground floor of the historic Hallidie Building. As fellow occupants of the Hallidie Building, we were able to approach our acoustics, audiovisual, telecommunications, and security consulting for the project with a prior familiarity of the space.
The 10,000-square-foot center includes a naturally lit public café, bookstore, gallery, double-height lecture hall, offices, and meeting rooms. The design features exposed concrete pillars complemented by warm wooden panels, creating a welcoming environment for community engagement and educational programs. The mezzanine level houses AIASF's offices, while the ground floor spaces are dedicated to public interaction. This new center serves as a cultural hub, extending the reach of AIASF and the Center for Architecture + Design by providing a venue for lectures, events, and film screenings.
Salter and SMPS
We are proud to have been a sponsor of SMPS SFBAC since its inception! Our team has enjoyed participating in all of its many events and programs over the years. There are so many great opportunities for professional growth and connection with peers in the industry that our marketers find valuable. One event that stands out for us is the NextGen Marketing Academy—previously known as the Marketing Bootcamp. It was exciting to see it come back, and we’ve always found it to be a fantastic way for our team to hone new skills and stay up-to-date with the latest trends.
Another highlight for us has been attending the Topaz Awards. The Topaz Awards are particularly meaningful to us, because these awards were the vision of our late friend and former Marketing Director, Katie Spurlock. These awards underscore why we value our connection to SMPS and the impact it has on both our team and the industry as a whole.
Erin Lopez, Marketing Manager
Erin has been with Salter for more than 13 years and currently serves as Marketing Manager. She has been an active member of SMPS for 12 years. As head of the marketing team, she leads proposal and qualifications efforts, oversees multiple projects, and manages a talented team of marketing professionals.
Chelsea Hall, Marketing Coordinator
Chelsea is a Marketing Coordinator at Salter and has been with the firm since 2017. Her work includes proposals, copy for the website, and creative projects like Salter’s annual holiday video.
