Daisy Charters and Shuttles
Founder and CEO

What do you do?
Whatever needs to be done, which includes supervising 57 employees and covering any desk in the office. I’ve been here 33 years.

What is it that you like best about your job?
The fascinating people I meet — war heroes, basketball stars, famous singers and movie stars and wounded warriors.

Education/Major:
R.N. at Huron Road Hospital, affiliated with Case Western Reserve.

What career path led you to where you are today?
I had opened a cooking school and took my students on different field trips to restaurants, herb farms and cheese factories. I found I liked coordinating
the trip better than the cooking part, so I closed the school and went into the tour and transportation field.

When did you know that you were in the right place in your career?
In 1980, when I started, a woman could not sign for a loan. Her husband had to sign or even an 18-year-old son. I had to work to get that changed. I spent 13 years putting
my husband through medical school, internship and a surgical residency. He was willing to sign, but I refused. This time it would be for me.
After seven years of trying, that law was changed, and I got a $125,000 loan. In the fall of 1987 I knew I was in the right place. I could do this!

Would you encourage your children to go into the same field?
All of our children have college degrees. A few years ago I told them I couldn’t do this forever and gave them three options: 1, I can sell the business and give you the
proceeds. 2. I can hire someone to run the business and give you all of the profit. 3. You can try it for two years and if you don’t like it, go back to offer one or two. They agreed to try it for two years, and that was nine years ago. They love it.

Who were your mentors?
My husband, first of all, was always encouraging, and my friends in NAWBO kept me focused and moving forward.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
In my day a girl had three options: a nurse or a teacher or get married — that covered it! I chose nursing. It got me off the farm and into the city.

What person do you most admire?
Eleanor Roosevelt for her courage to do things women would ordinarily not do. Her ambition, her fearlessness and her resolve to stand by her convictions in spite of all of the criticism.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I am writing a book, You Are Driving Me Crazy, a story of all of the diverse things we have faced along the way.

What is your all-time favorite book?
The Joy of Cooking by Rombauer and Becker.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life, personally and professionally?
Personally: my husband, who always encouraged me but never associated in any way because as a surgeon he had no time. Now he wants to buy stock, but it’s not available.
Professionally: Franklin Roe, my first business partner. He taught me everything I needed to know about the industry, planning the trip and costing it out.

What brought you to San Antonio?
My husband was stationed here at Randolph AFB as a flight surgeon.

What community or not-for-profit groups are you involved with?
NAWBO, National Defense Transportation Association, Go Red for Women, Professional Tour Guide Association, Medical Alliance, Wayside Chapel, Shop with a Cop for disadvantaged children and NAWBO’s Million Dollar Round Table.

Do you have a favorite restaurant?
One of my favorites is Mi Tierra. I love to take visitors there. They love it and ask, “Do you live like this all of the time?” Yes!

How do you find balance in your life — career, community and home life?
I am blessed with an overabundance of energy and love a full schedule, so I find time for everything.

What is the best advice that you have ever received?
From my first business partner, Franklin Roe: “Never lear to drive a bus, give your employees (52 men and four women) something that you can’t do.” True! I need them. It was great advice. I had wanted to learn to drive a bus.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
Most everyone knows I started with $200. Few know that our gross sales this year will exceed
$5 million.