CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sunway Charters, a family-owned transportation company that has served the Southeast since 1999, is entering a new chapter as founder and President Lee Helms begins a leadership transition to his son, Jeff Helms.
Helms, 75, launched the business with a single trolley after a career in the restaurant industry, food sales, and event logistics. He expanded Sunway through acquisitions, including the 2011 purchase of Myrtle Beach-based Sunway Charters. Today, the company operates four locations, maintains a fleet of more than 100 vehicles, and employs about 150 people.
“Not many companies in our industry get the chance to pass the reins to the next generation,” Lee said. “We’ve seen so many operators bow out because their children didn’t want to be involved. That’s why this moment is so meaningful.”
Lee’s transition into the transportation industry came when he was 50, after volunteering at large events such as the U.S. Open and managing transportation gates at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Jeff, 40, is following a similar path. After a 25-year career in the grocery retail industry, he is stepping away from his role as a district manager at Harris Teeter, a subsidiary of Kroger, where he oversaw more than 60 stores and 1,500 employees across the Carolinas.
“I want to continue his legacy,” Jeff said. “I’ve seen how hard he’s worked for decades. Keeping the business in the family and honoring what he built while helping it grow – it’s the right next chapter for both of us.”
Learning the business
Though new to the motorcoach industry, Jeff said his experience in logistics, team leadership, and operations prepared him well for the role. He plans to learn the business from the ground up – washing buses, working with mechanics, shadowing drivers, and eventually obtaining his commercial driver’s license.
“I’m not here to make changes on day one,” he said. “I’m here to learn, listen, and understand what makes Sunway successful.”
Jeff officially joins the company this week. The transition will take place over the next six months, with Lee continuing to advise and oversee Sunway’s special events. Lee, who lives in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, said he expects to visit the office about once a week.
“He’s more of a people person,” Lee said of his son. “He knows how to motivate a team and build relationships. And he’s loyal—he stayed with Harris Teeter for 25 years. That says a lot.”
Jeff said the timing felt right to step into the business and that the transition marks a full-circle moment. “When my dad started this company, I was just starting out in my career,” he said. “Now we get to build something together.”
Building relationships at EXPO
To begin making connections in the industry, Jeff plans to attend the United Motorcoach Association EXPO Feb. 11-14 in Birmingham, Alabama, where he will meet other operators, vendors, and industry leaders from across the country.
“I know how important relationships are in this business,” he said. “The EXPO will be a great opportunity to listen, learn, and start building those connections.”
The transition comes when many transportation operators face challenges with succession planning. For the Helms family, the change is both a continuation of a legacy and an investment in the company’s future.
“When I got into this, I never imagined it would grow the way it did,” Lee said. “It’s been a good run – and it’s in good hands.”
