Founder and publisher of The 100 Companies and The Atlanta 100, Chris previously founded PR firm SPR Atlanta in 2002, before selling it in November 2017. Prior to that, he worked at six Southeastern daily newspapers, serving as creative director, promotions director, reporter and editor – winning awards for his reporting and print advertisement design. He established his own chain of Atlanta neighborhood newspapers in 1994, selling them to real estate developer Tom Cousins in 2002.
A fifth-generation Atlantan, Chris is a graduate of Westminster and the University of Virginia and the creator of Moments on SaportaReport.com where he was a founding member. He serves on various community boards and advisory committees when he’s not riding his bike, attending music festivals, traveling the country meeting potential PR firm members or visiting with children, his granddaughter, family and friends.
Email: chris@the100companies.com
As Editorial Director of The 100 Companies, Jan Schroder works with members on developing and producing digital marketing content for their eNewsletters and oversees the editorial and production process. She is an award-winning writer and editor, author of several books and has written more than 1,200 blog posts. She is also the Travel Editor for The Atlanta 100, a weekly publication with a circulation of 35,000.
She has several years of editorial and social media experience at magazines and newspapers and was formerly managing editor at Travelgirl magazine. Her corporate work includes the writing and editing of columns, eNewsletters, magazines, blogs and books for a variety of clients.
Her travel writing also appears in Fodor’s Travel, Orbitz, national magazines, her Girl on the Go site and on “Belinda Skelton’s Atlanta Living” website for the nationally syndicated radio show, where Jan makes guest appearances as a travel expert. She is a native of Atlanta, a graduate of Westminster and the University of Virginia. Jan is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association.
Email: jan@the100companies.com
As The 100 Companies’ executive editor, Caroline writes, edits and assists in the production of the various eNewsletters. Before joining The 100 Companies in May 2015, Caroline completed a public relations and marketing internship with The Reynolds Group in Atlanta. In college, she gained writing and publishing experience through internships with Albemarle Magazine, The Scout Guide and Edible Blue Ridge Magazine.
A native of Tampa, Florida, Caroline graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.
Email: caroline@the100companies.com
Leah Steinberg works as an executive editor for The 100 Companies, checking content for the various eNewsletters. Prior to joining The 100 Companies, Leah worked in higher education, non-profit fundraising, public relations and print media.
A Denver native, Leah graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Colorado. She also holds a master’s degree in Educational Psychology and Research from the University of Kansas. In her free time, Leah enjoys hiking, cooking and spending time with her family.
Email: leah@the100companies.com
As an editor, Sam does fact-checking and editing for The 100 Companies eNewsletters. Prior to joining the team, Sam worked at WordWrite Communications, a strategic marketing and communications firm based in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
Sam attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he wrote for both The Pitt News and Pitt Magazine. He also helped the university communications staff draft speeches for Chancellor Patrick Gallagher.
He currently resides in Pittsburgh’s East End.
Emily Tracy is a production coordinator with The 100 Companies where she produces newsletters on behalf of a number of markets. She also assists the editorial department with proofing content. Prior to production coordinator, she was the creator and writer of the Beer Babe column for The Atlanta 100.
Emily is a native of Raleigh, NC and a graduate of the University of North Carolina. She is currently based in Denver, CO where she spends her weekends camping and hiking.
Email: emily@the100companies.com
As Content and Distribution Coordinator for The 100 Companies, Savanna assists with editing, production, and distribution of the various eNewsletters. Prior to joining the team, Savanna worked in account management and logistics for an international contract manufacturer. She also previously worked part-time for Schroder Public Relations after completing an internship with the firm a couple years earlier.
Savanna received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Georgia State University. She gained writing and editing experience interning for Gov. Nathan Deal’s communications office, as well as through her contributions to the shopping portion of The Atlanta 100 in its early stages.
Savanna was born and raised in Atlanta, where she currently resides. In her free time, she enjoys planning trips, cooking and exploring new restaurants in Atlanta.
Email: savanna@the100companies.com
Chris Butsch is an author, speaker, meditation instructor and “Millennial Happiness Expert.” In 2015, Chris left a career in IT project management to study happiness full time. He has written three books: The Millennial’s Guide to Making Happiness Volumes I & II and ASAP Happiness: 25 Ways to Build a Happier Life (in the Next 5 Minutes). He also writes the Happiness Hacks and Cars columns for The Atlanta 100 and Georgia Followers.
A native of Atlanta, Chris graduated from Westminster in 2009 and Vanderbilt in 2012 with a degree he designed in Engineering Management and Entrepreneurship. In college, he hosted a heavy metal radio show under the now-ironic moniker DJ RAGE.
Email: cbutsch@the100companies.com