Culture // 2 min Read

Local Character: Marie McConnell

Written by Palmetto Bluff

Marie McConnell
Director of Member relations, Palmetto Bluff Club

Where are you from and how did you get here?

I am from Buffalo, New York—born and raised. Go Bills! My husband and I got married at Sea Pines in Hilton Head in 2012 and fell in love with the area. We decided that if we ever had the opportunity to move down here, we would figure out how to do that. So, my husband got a job in Savannah in 2019. I worked at Berkeley Hall Club in Bluffton and then started working here in 2022.

Tell me about your first trip to Palmetto Bluff.

I had heard of Palmetto Bluff and always wanted to check it out. My mom was in town, and we brought the kids and sat outside at Buffalos. It just felt magical. You feel like you’re in this dream world, looking out at the May River through the trees. I thought, Man, how do I end up here?

What goes through your mind as you drive into Palmetto Bluff?

I drop off my three boys at school and have some time to listen to a podcast and enjoy my coffee. The drive in is definitely calming. I always think about how lucky I am to be here, how lucky I am that I get to work with my team and be surrounded by awesome people. For me, that’s what it’s all about.

What’s your most marked characteristic?

Everyone always says that I’m very chill. Nothing phases me. Maybe because I have three kids and two dogs. Well, three dogs now. We just got a puppy. It’s a full boat! I think the other thing people say is that I am honest. I am direct with people, and I like to be myself. 

What is something that people don’t know about you?

I am a registered yoga teacher. I took my two-hundred-hour training during the pandemic. That’s something I am passionate about. I never thought I’d teach, but I wanted to learn about it more in-depth.

What is your favorite spot at Palmetto Bluff?

I like to head down to Moreland Landing along the water during my lunch hour. I love being on that dock and just looking out at the water. It’s quiet there, especially during the day. And I encourage my team to do the same: get out for a twenty-minute walk. We’re surrounded by all of this beauty, and it is so important to take a moment and get some fresh air. 

What inspires your work?

My main goal is to enhance the member experience. Whether it’s specific services or just a smiling face when members come in with their dog—we are focused on making sure that everyone who encounters us has the best experience possible. And I really care about my team. I love coming to work, and I think they would say the same thing, that it’s easy for them to be in good spirits and create good energy in our office.

Architecture & Design
Moreland Village: Laid Back Luxury

Palmetto Bluff’s Moreland Village feels a world away from the more traditional architecture of the iconi...

Jun 2025

Culture
2025 Inspiring the Arts Scholarship Recipients

We are thrilled to introduce the inaugural winners of the Inspiring the Arts Scholarship—three extraordinary young women pursuing their artistic dreams through higher education! Katherine Donahue has been named our first official scholarship recipient, wit...

Jun 2025

Culture
Summer Style in the Bluff: Discover What’s New in Retail

From handmade jewelry to performance wear, the latest arrivals at Palmetto Bluff’s retail spots capture the season in true Lowcountry style. This summer, the Bluff’s shops are full of fresh finds, carefully chosen by our trusted retailers—including FLOW Galler...

Jun 2025

Conservation
Citizen Science

Citizen Science is Thriving at Palmetto BluffDid you know that residents of Palmetto Bluff are playing a vital role in national and global conservation efforts—all from their backyard?Through the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy’s growing Citizen Science programs, c...

Jun 2025

Artist in Residence
Music Mosaic

In October 2024, Grammy Award-winning musician Clay Ross visited Palmetto Bluff as part of The Arts Initiative's Artist in Residence Program. Through storytelling and song, he explores identity, heritage, and the universal language of sound. By Barry Kaufman ...

Jun 2025

Food & Wine
Peach Perfect

Palmetto Bluff Club Executive Chef  Beth Cosgrove and Director of Culinary, Chef Rhy Waddington, Cook Up Four Peachy Recipes for a Summer in the South. Is there anything more iconic than a southern peach? A symbol of summer and Southern heritage, the peach car...

Jun 2025

Culture
Finding Fish

Following the tides and angling for redfish in Lowcountry creeks and estuaries with Captains Brian Vaughn and Will Stephens Story by Sandy Lang It is a sunny morning in October and the water is calm and glassy. The silence is punctuated by a gush of breath f...

Jun 2025
home upkeep checklist

Real Estate
Get Ahead of Spring Cleaning: How to Upkeep Your Luxury Lowcountry Home

7 Ways To Upkeep Your Palmetto Bluff Home As spring arrives in the Lowcountry, the change in season brings more than blooming marshlands and sun-drenched afternoons; it’s also a perfect time to refresh and care for your Palmetto Bluff home. Coastal living mea...

May 2025

Discover the Next Great Chapter in Golf Course Design, Only at Palmetto Bluff

When the land speaks, you listen. And at Palmetto Bluff, it spoke to two of golf’s most legendary course designers—Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. We invite you to watch our newest video, shot this past winter and featuring Bill and Ben, along with South Street P...

May 2025
home renovations 2025

Architecture & Design
Renovations That Will Increase Your Home’s Value in 2025

5 Renovations to Increase the Value of Your Lowcountry Home Whether Palmetto Bluff is your full-time residence or a cherished retreat, deciding to sell is never a quick or casual choice. However, when the time does come, you want your home to be as market-rea...

May 2025

CURIOUS ABOUT LIFE AT THE BLUFF?

Sign up for our newsletter

LIVE
Community Villages
Experience
Palmetto Bluff Club
On The Water
The Arts Initiative
Events
Conserve
About Us