Tours by Degrees is owned and operated by Janet Seapker and Ed Turberg.

Janet and Ed have introduced thousands of residents and visitors to the history and architecture of the southern states through teaching, coach and walking tours. They lectured aboard the Royal Viking Sun in 1997 and hosted the shore excursions for its 1999 visit to Wilmington. They have guided shore excursions for Clipper Lines when the Nantucket Clipper was in port and serve the ships of the American Cruise Line and the American Canadian Caribbean Line as well.

Janet K. Seapker received her Bachelor's Degree in American history from the University of Pittsburgh, and continued her education at New York State University's Cooperstown Graduate Program earning a Master's Degree in Museum Studies. In 1971 she joined the staff of the North Carolina Department of Archives and History as an architectural historian in the Historic Preservation Office. From 1978 to 2000, Janet served as director of Cape Fear Museum, North Carolina's oldest history museum.

Ed Turberg is a native of Long Island, New York, where he received his early educational training. A graduate of Adelphi University, he continued studies at the University of Virginia where he earned a Master's Degree in architectural history. In 1972 he joined the North Carolina Division of Archives and History as a restoration specialist. In 1979 he moved to Wilmington, and became a private consultant in historic preservation and architectural history.