Ross D. Bulla

Intellectual Property Acquisitions and Business Leadership

Ross Bulla is the founder and president of The Treadstone Group, Inc., and an industry authority on negotiating, acquiring, assigning, and transferring intellectual property rights. Over nearly thirty years, he has acquired tens of thousands of trademarks, domain names, and social media handles on behalf of undisclosed clients.

For nearly the same period, Ross managed complex global investigations into intellectual property infringements that threatened public health and the U.S. economy. This work required overseeing or supporting investigations conducted in nearly every country worldwide, including the Middle East and North Africa, where he managed a long-term investigation into dangerous, low-quality counterfeit automotive parts tied to an estimated $1 billion illicit market.

In May 2022, Ross divested the investigations division of his business and now concentrates exclusively on anonymous intellectual property acquisitions.

Ross is also a co-owner of Burners Tobacconist & Gentleman’s Goods in Denver, North Carolina, a locally operated retailer specializing in premium cigars, pipes, tobacco, accessories, and distinctive gifts.

Security, Risk, and Violence Prevention Advisory

Concurrently, and for more than four decades, Ross advised policymakers and stakeholders on preventing, intervening in, and responding to targeted violence, terror threats, active assailants, civil unrest, and other security vulnerabilities. His clients included high-net-worth individuals and public figures, multinational corporations, landmark and symbolic facilities, domestic and allied foreign governments, nongovernmental organizations, and major media organizations.

Either in-house or under contract, Ross assessed and managed threats, drafted security protocols, and instructed law enforcement officers, security professionals, and organizational personnel before and during major events, concerts, and National Special Security Events, including presidential nominating conventions and the Olympic Games.

Under contract with the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Office of Overseas Protective Operations, Ross instructed tactical Surveillance Detection teams responsible for identifying and reporting hostile surveillance and suspicious activity targeting U.S. embassies, missions, consulates, and personnel. These teams were also responsible for initiating emergency responses to safeguard life and property.

Ross appears frequently as a television commentator on breaking news and feature segments involving national and local law enforcement, security, terrorism, and public safety. His appearances include WSOC-TV in Charlotte, Spectrum News, and other regional and national media outlets.

Public Service, Standards, and Certifications

Appointed by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and subsequently reappointed by Governor Josh Stein, Ross served as a commissioner on the North Carolina State Emergency Response Commission. The commission advises the Governor’s Homeland Security Advisor, the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, and the Division of Emergency Management on emergency planning, preparedness, and hazardous materials matters.

Internationally, Ross is among a small number of professionals to have held two accredited board certifications: Certified Protection Professional and Physical Security Professional. He is now retired from both certifications.

Ross was appointed to the technical committee that authored the Active Assailant Supplement to the ANSI/ASIS/SHRM Workplace Violence Prevention and Intervention Standard. The supplement addresses security design considerations, protocols, detection, vulnerability assessment, and response strategies specific to active assailant events, expanding upon the original standard’s focus on prevention and intervention.

Ross also served on the committee that developed the Facilities Physical Security Measures Guideline, which assists organizations in identifying appropriate physical security measures to protect their assets. The guideline received a U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation for its role in mitigating the effects of terrorism.

Philanthropy and Community Impact

Ross is a dedicated philanthropist who has donated and raised significant funds for organizations serving children and underserved and underrepresented communities. He is the creator and host of Cigars, Bourbon & Benefactors, which has grown into one of the Lake Norman region’s most prominent charitable fundraising events.

To date, Cigars, Bourbon & Benefactors has raised more than $1.15 million for the Lincoln County Child Advocacy Center, including $355,000 raised in a single evening in 2025. These funds support services for children who are victims of physical and sexual abuse while helping strengthen accountability for offenders. Through additional fundraising efforts, Ross has raised another $50,000 for the Child Advocacy Center.

In 2023, Ross donated the funds necessary to purchase and train three narcotics detection dogs, establishing the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office narcotics canine team.

Through cash and in-kind contributions, The Treadstone Group, Inc. has provided more than $600,000 in support to local charitable organizations, private foundations, schools, and public safety initiatives. Beneficiaries have included the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Post and Cadet Program, the Boy Scouts of America, East Lincoln Rescue Park, Valle Crucis Conference Center, and the Episcopal Church of St. Peter-by-the-Lake for disaster response equipment and supplies.

Ross currently serves as president of the Denver/Lake Norman Rotary Club. He is also a Paul Harris Fellow and a Major Donor to The Rotary Foundation.

Board Service and Honors

Ross formerly served on the boards of directors of the Lincoln County Coalition Against Child Abuse, Inc. and Child Advocacy Center, the Partnership for Children of Lincoln and Gaston Counties, and the United Way of Lincoln County.

The Child Advocacy Center dedicated its child forensic interview room, “The Ross Room,” in his honor. United Way of Lincoln County recognized Ross as its 2019 Community Hero.

Ross previously completed a six-year term on the board of directors of the Valle Crucis Conference Center, where “Ross Bulla’vard” bears his name.

His additional prior service includes the East Lincoln Rescue Squad, where he attained the rank of chief; the Gaston College Foundation board; the East Lincoln Rescue Park Management Committee; and the East Lincoln Betterment Association, which honored Ross as Grand Marshal of the 2023 Denver Christmas Parade.

Ross was named the 2024 Lincoln County Man of the Year and served as Grand Marshal of the Lincolnton Christmas Parade. His additional honors include recognition from Lincoln County Sheriff Bill Beam in 2023, the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award in 2021, the Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award in 2019, and the Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Small Businessperson of the Year Award in 2018.

Ross was always amused to hear patrons order “The Ross,” a rare roast beef sandwich once featured on the menu of a local deli before its closure, which Ross likes to believe was not due to any lack of enthusiasm for the sandwich.

Child Advocacy and Forensic Interviewing

Ross is certified as a Child Forensic Interviewer and conducts interviews with children suspected of being victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse, or trafficking, as well as children who may have witnessed violence in the home.

The interviews are conducted using structured, developmentally appropriate protocols designed to elicit accurate and truthful information in a neutral and non-leading manner while minimizing the risk of re-traumatization.

Education and Personal

Ross holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, with a second major in Psychology, from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is an Eagle Scout.

Ross is also a Certified Bourbon Steward, a designation he pursued purely as a personal interest driven by his appreciation of cigars and bourbon. These interests remain firmly in the category of hobbies rather than profession, although friends and colleagues will confirm that he takes a well-balanced Old Fashioned seriously and appreciates establishments that do the same.

Ross holds a credited character role in the 2001 film Shallow Hal as “Shanahan Estate Well Wisher,” although Ross will tell you that the correct title is Shallow Hal, starring Jack Black, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Ross Bulla.

He is married and has a son adopted from Ukraine. He shares his home with a dog and two cats.