Chuck Surack: The Founder of Sweetwater Sound Gives Back to the Community that Nurtured Him

If, at 14 years old, Chuck Surack hadn’t met his first girlfriend, he probably would have made Eagle Scout.

He was one pesky badge shy from achieving the rank. But Surack says being a dedicated Scout as a youngster was one of the most influential factors in shaping his character. 

Entrepreneur, musician, businessman, recording engineer, philanthropist, city shaker – Surack is all of these things (plus a helicopter pilot and a car collector), perhaps equal parts, and has managed to lump these skills and traits into a dynamite force. It’s a force that propelled his company to the top in its category, helps many people and organizations, and influences the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

Surack, founder and president of Sweetwater Sound, started as a musician, which led to a recording business that evolved into an audio and retail company, and he is now one of the most influential and involved business leaders in his community of Fort Wayne. He is known for integrating electronic music instrument technology, computers, and traditional music. He has also designed recording studios and provided sound design for the likes of Dolly Parton, Aerosmith, and Stevie Wonder. 

One of the largest music retailers in the United States, Sweetwater has given millions to nonprofits, and Surack sits on many influential boards. 

Surack’s Stadium

His latest? Chuck wants a 4,000- to 6,000-seat arena to be built in Fort Wayne. He’s corralled others to make it happen; a group of enthusiastic business leaders, politicians, and residents. 

“Last spring, the mayor of our city asked me to research if an arena would make it here,” says Surack. “Another 18 people also researched it, and [last month] recommended that we should do it.” 

The unanimous nod to move forward with plans for the arena did not come easily, explains Surack. Still controversial, even members of the 19-member committee (which included board members from the other arenas in the city) weren’t all originally in favor of the idea. 

“About a third of the people who are just go-getters said we should just build it,” says Surack. “A third said we needed to research it and find out what it means, and another third was against it. By the time we got done with the ten-month process, when we voted, it ended up being unanimous.” 

A driving factor toward the decision was the clear win with the Parkview Field baseball park, which became home of the Fort Wayne TinCaps. In 2006, “virtually everyone was against it,” Surack arguing that it wasn’t “just about a ballpark.” Built in 2009, the park has since been voted the best minor league park in the country, hosts events, and spawned a whole bunch of hotels and other businesses. 

“We think an arena would do the same thing,” says Surack. “I was an early supporter. I’m a strong local business leader and believed in it. Young people are looking for things to do.” 

Those against the idea of building a new arena argue that the money could be better spent on homelessness, the riverfront or a variety of other city enhancements. 

“There are a lot of things to spend money on,” says Surack. “You have to have a strong, healthy community to support everything else you do, and it adds to the quality of life. It won’t necessarily make money, but brings five times that amount in private investments such as hotels, restaurants and all sorts of other businesses.”

The board is working to raise the funds to hire a firm that would create an architectural drawing of the proposed arena. 

“We’re discussing the best way to fund it,” says Surack. “We have several different ideas. One thing we didn’t want to do is increase property taxes. It could be an income tax or slight sales tax. There are food and beverage taxes at hotels and restaurants. Or maybe a ticket tax.” 

The Seeds to Sweetwater Sound and Beyond 

Surack toured extensively in the ‘70s, playing keys and saxophone in bands all over the country. He didn’t make much money, and always enjoyed the recording side of playing a bit more. So Surack took what he had – a Volkswagen bus – and in 1979 turned it into a recording studio, which officially launched his company Sweetwater Sound. 

“I’d go on location and record the local choir, speakers or bands,” says Surack. “I’d take the bus and pull it aside the building, mic up everything and sit in the bus with my headphones.” 

When Surack spotted the prototype Kurzweil K250 programmable keyboard at a NAMM show in 1984, it piqued his interest further. As soon as it was available on the market, he bought one, and started programming sounds for it. He became well-known in the music community for the K250’s sound library, as well as his programming skills. Originally a Kurzweil dealer, he expanded Sweetwater as a music retailer. In 1990, he had six employees and moved from Surack’s home to a commercial building. 

Sweetwater now employs more than 1,000 people, and is one of the largest musical equipment dealers in the country, supplying musicians, recording studios, churches, sound companies, schools, and broadcasters. The company sells pro audio equipment that ranges from pianos and keyboards to microphones to mixers to guitars and drums. 

“The biggest part of the business is retail,” says Surack, “but the studio has nice credibility. We have many artists who use it.” 

So many products are selling well for Sweetwater Sound that Surack was hard-pressed to name specifics, but said that digital mixers, electronic drums, Thunderbolt audio interfaces, keyboard controllers and studio monitors all continue to top sales year after year. Last year, the company sold more than 100,000 microphones. Recently, the company added a number of drum brands, including Meinl, Ludwig, and Humes & Berg cases. Also added were Strymon pedals and T-Rex, both of which are doing very well, according to Surack.

“I think [customers] are drawn to the same things that you and I are drawn to,” says Surack, “and that’s good quality gear, and someone they can talk to who is very knowledgeable and really cares about the customer, and gives great advice. That’s what Sweetwater is all about.”

In addition to Sweetwater Sound, Surack owns eight other businesses: SweetCars; Sweet Aviation; All Pro Sound; Indiana Helicopters; Longe Optical; Touch Controls; Corporate Aviation Insurance Group; and Helimotion. 

Success Means Giving Back 

Ever the philanthropist, Surack and his company are well known for his charitable actions. Voted the “Citizen of the Year” in 2015 by the Journal Gazette, in 2014 alone, he and his companies donated $2 million to nonprofit organizations and private organizations. This year alone, he’s donated to 220 charities so far, and he and his wife contribute to some 500 organizations each year. 

“My wife Lisa and I talk about our giving priorities all the time,” says Surack. “We are most interested in supporting music programs in the schools and through arts organizations. We also have a real passion for organizations dealing with disabilities, such as Easter Seals Arc. Economic development and organizations which bring people to Fort Wayne, such as the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, are also priorities. Both Lisa and I grew up in Fort Wayne. The city has been great to us personally and to Sweetwater, helping us to grow and prosper. As a consequence, we feel an obligation, but also a sense of joy, in being able to give back to the community that nurtured us.”

It would seem Surack wouldn’t have time to sleep. But ever the Boy Scout, he is dedicated, successful, and prepared. 

“We’re just really fortunate in how successful we’ve been,” says Surack. “I see all the turmoil around, and see competitors struggling… but we have a model that really works. We’re not like Guitar Center or Sam Ash and we’re not like Amazon – we’re in between.” 

And the artist Surack thinks should open that new arena in Fort Wayne? “John Mellencamp,” he says without hesitation. “We are a conservative town, with lots of manufacturing here. It’s taken our community a lot to figure out how to grow. But if you stand still, you either get better or worse. I didn’t want Fort Wayne to be a city that is getting worse.”