Staff

It's a small, hard working group of people that make all the magic happen. Here is a little bit about each of them.

	Doyle "Andy" Perkins Handy Andy fixes everything that breaks on the farm, milks cows, helps with cheese makes and is head of sales and distribution. He left his career as an Audiologist to become a dairy farmer. Maybe not the wisest career choice but one he has come to love. Andy is Co-founder and patriarch of the family and the business. He enjoys a round of Frisbee Golf, ball golf, or any kind of golf when he has time which is pretty much never.
	Jennifer Perkins Co-founder and Cheesemaker, Jen has worked with cow, goat, and sheep milk in the vat and managed those animals on the farm. Her love of working with animals brought her to the business and cheesemaking helped her stay. Her experience includes 20 years in the industry including a stint at Blackberry Farm milking sheep and making cheese. When she isn’t in the cheeseroom, she loves to ride her draft horse on the beautiful trails of Polk County.
	Rikki Giambruno Rikki has found a home in North Carolina and at the Farm Store. Over the past fourteen years, he’s worked in various kitchens in Minnesota and New York. He is a husband and new father to a beautiful daughter. Rikki brings a wealth of food knowledge and a passion for connecting with people. He loves basketball, going to the movies, and exploring his new home.
	Erin Carpin Also known as “The Beast” or Little E. She knows how to get things done. She keeps production of everything on track and is our pickler and packager. Erin has done just about everything from Scuba Diving Instructor to Paralegal to Production Baker in her past life. When she isn’t busy working circles around everyone, she loves to garden, make Pate a Choux, sip bourbon, and play with her dog Bobby Charley.
	Steve DeRouen Steve, born in Louisiana but raised in the sunshine state of Florida, knows his way around a kitchen. He's done everything here but his focus is on cheesemaking, cellar duty, milking, and getting our cheese to market. He has a calm approach to everything which is good for the cows and good for the cheese. Steve is also an AT thru hiker and when he isn’t working he is an avid outdoorsman and an artist in many mediums.
	Spencer Watts As a Farmhand at LGC, Spencer helps with fencing, projects, and keeping the place looking in tip top shape. He is taking welding classes and hopes to work on the Alaska Pipeline one day. He is a former Marine Reservist and when he isn't at work he enjoys hiking and playing the bass.
	Brian Hodges Brian is a renaissance man as well as a recovering California Surfer Dude. He has lived all over including Sweden but now calls upstate South Carolina home where the family farm is located. When he isn't here selling cheese and building beautiful cheese boards, you can find him digging in the dirt growing vintage strains of Tobacco and Tulsi (Holy Basil) among other herbs and plants.
	Max Perkins Max is a little older than Looking Glass Creamery. He grew up amongst the chaos of cheesemaking, farming, and starting this business. In 2023, Max stepped up and took over managing our Farm Store. He also helps out wherever needed whether it's tractor work, milking cows or making cheese. The summer of 2024 he leaves us for a great adventure full of cows and cheese on a mountain far, far away. When he isn’t working, he likes to explore waterfalls, play guitar and basketball, and hang out with friends
	Kai Goldstein You will find Kai behind the counter scooping ice cream or crafting cheese boards. His family was some of our original customers when we first opened our doors in Columbus. He is a budding mycologist and a great musician too. He plays the Didgeridoo, Handpan and much more. He will be heading off to Warren Wilson College in the fall. They will be lucky to have such an engaged, bright young man in their midst.
	Jamie Harbison Jamie is our afternoon milker and finishing up her degree in horticulture while she also works as a server of amazing local wines at Mountain Brook Vineyard just down the road. She wants to be a full fledged farmer one day and she is well on her way. She has a small quail operation right now and is working on starting a regenerative landscape design/homestead advising business in the future. She was a teacher in her former life before switching gears and deciding to focus on plants, land and farming.