Donna Sulligan: Blue Ridge Tours' Biggest Heart

We have all heard the saying, "Behind every successful man is a great woman." Well, at Blue Ridge Tours, that sentiment is proven time and time again with our owners, Steve and Donna Sulligan. While Steve's vision and leadership is behind the success of  Blue Ridge Tours, Donna continually adds to that success with her big heart and never ending dedication to the students year after year. 

Ocean Drive Elementary in Charleston, SC

"Remember, it's all about the kids," is a phrase that you hear all the time from Donna - it is her mantra. Everything she does at Blue Ridge Tours is focused on the students. From working long hours in the office making sure that each trip goes smoothly to leading groups to places like New York City or Washington, DC, Donna's heart shines through. Donna has endeared herself to so many children and teachers over the years with her kind heart, fun games, and silly songs. She knows the best ways to have fun, but she also always knows when a kid just needs a big hug and a bit of encouragement.

The first time you meet Donna, you can not help but smile and know that you have met a lifelong friend.  Her smile is as bright as the midday sun, and it envelops you with its warmth. Looking into her sparkling eyes, you just know that she is going to tell you a good story or let you in on a little secret about the place you are about to visit.

Donna always sees the good in people, and she always wants to make sure that everyone succeeds and gets the very best that the world has to offer.

As co-owner and vice-president of Blue Ridge Tours since 2006, Donna oversees the day-to-day operations in the office. From planning the itineraries for each destination to auditing every expense, she guarantees that each group receives the most educational and economical trip.  Her attention to detail and her desire to making sure the job is done right is evident in every trip from Blue Ridge Tours. Donna will literally work around the clock to make sure that every student, teacher and adult experiences a trip that they will remember forever. Donna has also created a scholarship program so that no student has to be left behind for lack of ability to pay. Additionally, Donna and Blue Ridge Tours award teacher grants every year to help offset the cost of classroom or trip expenses such as t-shirts or video dvds.

Donna with her kids

Before Donna came to Blue Ridge Tours, she owned and operated a successful home cleaning business in the Upstate for over 15 years. Donna has two grown children who have her same smile and happily share her big heart with all of Blue Ridge Tours' kids.

Even though Steve and Donna met and married later in life, you would think that they have been together forever. They live each and every day to the fullest with love, happiness and service. They both love to travel, and Blue Ridge Tours is one way they share their love with others.

Our Owner, Steve Sulligan: A Life of Service

Meet Steve Sulligan, the founder and owner of Blue Ridge Tours.

When he was a young boy growing up in New Jersey, Steve always wanted to be 3 things: a fireman, a policeman, and a bus driver.  He accomplished all of them and more!

Steve became a volunteer EMT with his local fire department while he was still in high school.  He worked along side the fire and rescue crew providing on-site emergency and medical care.  He enjoyed his work and service immensely, but after graduating high school, he decided to continue his education in college and move on to his next goal of becoming a police officer.

After two years of college in New Jersey, Steve moved to Columbia, South Carolina to finish his degree at University of South Carolina.  He graduated from USC in 1980 having already reached his goal of serving as police officer, and he became a South Carolina State Trooper shortly afterwards.

Steve spent 25 years in law enforcement servicing and protecting the citizens of South Carolina.  He also served on the protective detail of many national and state dignitaries, and he was selected as part of the FEMA law enforcement response unit to New York City in the days after September 11, 2001.

Steve is still active in law enforcement, and he makes it a point to meet with police officers wherever he travels.

While serving as a state trooper, Steve decided to fulfill his final dream, and he became a trained and licensed commercial bus driver. But he didn't stop there. Because of his love for New York City and traveling, many of his friends started asking him to help them plan trips to experience and learn about new places. Steve so enjoyed planning the trips, working to find new places to explore, and educating the groups about the history of the different destinations; he opened Blue Ridge Tours in 1988.

27 years later, Blue Ridge Tours has grown into one of the largest locally-owned educational tour company in South Carolina.  Steve still drives buses for Blue Ridge Tours' trips and for numerous sports teams in the area (he has been the driver for the NC State baseball team for over 6 years).  But, Steve still continues to plan itineraries of fun and educational trips, and he guides many groups to New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.

Steve in front of another company's bus

Steve's dreams have led him to a lifetime of service, and he is still serving students and adults through Blue Ridge Tours today.

Traveling with Blue Ridge Tours starts in Travelers Rest, SC

Welcome to Blue Ridge Tours' blog.

Known as the "Heart of the Foothills," the quiet and friendly town of Travelers Rest, SC sits at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the early 1800's, settlers coming over the mountains needed a place to rest before continuing on their journey. The beauty and location made the area a perfect resting place. The Town of Travelers Rest was formed as a hospitable stopover place. Today, Travelers Rest is a quaint city of about 5,000 residents and it is the home of Blue Ridge Tours.

It is easy to see why this natural area full of trails, streams and mountain passes is the inspiration behind Blue Ridge Tours. The beauty and joy of experiencing new places whether it is just in your backyard or halfway around the world is one of the key reasons we travel.  To share these experiences, particularly with students, is the "Heart of Blue Ridge Tours."