Signature Tours was founded in 1992 by Jan Newmark and Mary Beth Stone—two women who were born and raised in and around New York City and had spent all their adult lives there. Our ongoing mission has been to translate our passion for New York City into a vehicle for connecting with people, lifting their spirits—and bringing a little more love into the world.
The name “Signature” grew out of an afternoon spent in Central Park collecting signatures for a friend who was running for office. As it happened, the people encountered were much more interested in getting directions to the Met or finding out about why the Sheep Meadow was so named (yes, there were once sheep grazing there!)—than in signing the petition. That was the “aha” moment…
Encouraged by long-time mentor and very dear friend, Rev. George E. Soroka, to make that moment into a business, we remain ever grateful to him.
So…what started as not much more than a hobby became a thriving business—today we welcome clients from around the country and all over the world, happily introducing them to the special energy that is New York City.
