Palmetto Carriage Works
Our Staff Charleston, SC
Our Experienced Employees
At Palmetto Carriage Works, we believe that our employees are the reason why our tours are better than the rest. From the ground crew that assists in the carriage loading to the guide that gives the tour, our staff is undoubtedly the most experienced in the industry. The amount of time that each guide has devoted to the business comes across in every tour given. Collectively, the tour guides at Palmetto have more years of carriage driving experience than any in the industry, and we still ask our tour guides to have a license through the city of Charleston to lead our enchanting tours. We invite you to take a tour with us and see for yourself the high caliber of employees we have at Palmetto Carriage Works.
Meet Our Staff
Andrew DiRusso
TOUR GUIDE SINCE 2008
Andrew’s dedication goes far beyond being a punctual employee and a fantastic tour guide. He’s tattooed a team of mules on his leg to show his enthusiasm for his job and devotion to Palmetto (we didn’t make him get it, we swear!) Andrew’s commitment also extends to his country, where he is a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic in the Army Reserve. If he’s got this much heart for job and country, you can be sure you’re going to get a great tour.
Shaun Garrison
TOUR GUIDE SINCE 2003
An aspiring attorney, Shaun is a member of the South Carolina BAR. Shaun loves the Civil War and the pirate history of Charleston.
Jim Brain
TOUR GUIDE SINCE 2002
Jim, or Brain, as he is affectionately called at Palmetto, specializes in Charleston’s early history, and traveling through Ansonborough, Charleston’s oldest suburb, dating back to 1740. If he’s not doing tours, you might see Brain decked out in a tuxedo, driving a white horse and carriage through town with a newlywed couple in the back. When not working, he enjoys sailing in the Charleston Harbor.
Alex Levine
TOUR GUIDE SINCE 2013
Having grown up visiting Charleston, and with a history degree from George Mason University, Alex moved here in 2012 and joined the Palmetto family in the spring of 2013. A certified tour guide and manager at Palmetto Carriage Works, Alex also sits on the board of the Charleston Tourism Association. You can generally find Alex loitering around the front of the barn, ready to talk history, horses or mules.
Jenny
TOUR GUIDE SINCE 1987
Jenny gave her very first carriage tour on March 16, 1987. An animal person at heart, she was amazed that someone would actually let her do this amazing job.. and pay her for it! Jenny graduated from the College of Charleston in 1991 and even managed a competitor for several years. After 15 years, she thought she should grow up and get a real job. She tried it for a while, didn’t like it, and has been part of the Palmetto family since 2011.
Dana Levine
TOUR GUIDE SINCE 2015
Dana was born and raised in Orlando, FL. She taught 8th grade History and Language Arts for three years and was a Professional School Counselor for ten years. Dana has always loved history, theatre and education. Being a tour guide was the perfect combination. It was going to be a summer job over three years ago… but she liked it so much, she’s still here! Combining history, entertainment, people, horses and mules… who could ask for more?
Van Sturgeon
TOUR GUIDE SINCE 2014
Van grew up here. He’s lived other places, including Columbia, MD and Durham, NC; but he’s lived all but 13 years of his life in the Lowcountry. This is Van’s retirement job. Before joining Palmetto Carriage in 2014, he had spent his entire adult life either working for the federal government or in higher education. Van is an avid cyclist and kayaker.
Tim Miller
TOUR GUIDE SINCE 2012
Travel, Music, History are the three words that best describe Tim’s passions. Raised in Rye, NY, Tim has traveled extensively and lived in many parts of the US. He has been involved in the hospitality business for 40 years, including owning his own inns. A highlight of his life was when one of his favorite musicians, Taj Mahal, was a guest at one of his inns. In his spare time, Tim enjoys travel, cooking, and attending bluegrass festivals. He and his wife Paula have been happily married for 34 years.
Barn Staff
Behind the good looking animals at Palmetto Carriage Works is an even better-looking barn staff. With eleven full-time employees in the summer, the experience and dedication of the crew can be seen in how healthy the animals look while working. If you have any animal questions while you’re visiting us, just ask any barn hand and they’ll be happy to tell you about the behind-the-scenes part of our operation.
Allie DiRusso & Angie Arcangeli
ANIMAL WELFARE
Allie and Angie are like HR for our horses and mules (and barn cats). They make sure all the animals are well taken care of, from vacation time out at the farm to visits with our veterinarians, dentist, chiropractor, and farriers. They also keep the barn fully stocked with horseshoes, feed, and other supplies. As a lead barn hand, Angie works with the animals directly every day. Allie handles the mountains of paperwork documenting it all and keeps up a line of communication with the City of Charleston. Allie has also been a tour guide since 2010, and is married to our tour guide Andrew. Angie says she’s married to the job.
Bunny
THE VOICE OF PALMETTO SINCE 1985
Bunny is the Palmetto Carriage Voice on the phone. Bunny handles most of the bookings of our private carriages, group specials, and weddings. Her personal attention to customer service is one of the reasons carriage customers use our services repeatedly. A survivor of both cancer and a near-fatal waterskiing accident, Bunny is a proven odds beater so it’s a pretty safe bet she’ll arrange a great carriage experience for you.
Customer Service Team
Our support staff excels in customer service. In addition to making bookings for our carriage tours, they also offer advice for other great tours and restaurants in the area, give directions around town, help guests onto the carriage, and more. If you have any questions or special needs, find someone dressed in white and you can count on them to make you feel at home! At the end of the day, we all want you to have the best possible experience in Charleston.