Who
Chris Schroder • President & Founder
Chris is a fifth-generation Atlantan who began his career with six Southeastern daily newspapers, serving as advertising director, creative director, promotions director, editor and reporter – winning awards in several states for his reporting and print advertisement design.
He then launched and served as publisher of his own family of Atlanta neighborhood newspapers in 1994, selling them to real estate developer Tom Cousins in 2002. He then launched his first PR firm, which he sold to The Wilbert Group in November 2017. He was the creator and producer of Moments on SaportaReport.com where he was a founding member. He then launched and continues to publish dozens of newsletters and websites across the U.S. with his digital publishing firm he founded, The 100 Companies. He and Richelle joined forces to re-launch Schroder PR in 2021.
Chris is a graduate of Westminster and the University of Virginia. He spends his spare time with friends, hiking, biking and golfing – and his favorite activity – visiting with wife Jan their four children, three granddaughters and grandson.
Email him at chris@schroderpr.com
What
PR firms say they’re entrepreneurial. We are entrepreneurs. We’ve started several businesses, sold two – even lost one.
Chris launched his first business in high school: the Buckhead Bricklayers. His slogan was: We Lay for Less. He never wanted for business for four college summers – all built on a one-page flier delivered to the shadiest yards in Atlanta. He continues to enjoy remarkable brand recall, decades later. You’d laugh. He later started and sold a neighborhood newspaper group and a PR firm.
Chris learned something important that drives his team today: the best communication is simple, straight-forward – and clever. So in 2002, when we launched Schroder PR, our slogan said it all: Clear Messages in a Cluttered World.
• Branding
• Crisis management
• eNewsletter publishing
• Media strategy
• Speech prep
• Video production
• Website design
Custom teams built as required.
Why
Prepping a top developer client for a media interview, we probed his first inkling he enjoyed building things. He dodged our question, finally took a sip of coffee, recalled a high school coach who took a personal interest in him, dragged him into a dusty shop class and introduced him to his life’s passion.
“Did you ever thank him?” we asked. He shook his head. “Call him,” we urged. “Today.”
Months later, our client called. “I never told you that I made the call that day to my old coach and I later visited him and took the newspaper article that credited his guidance in my life.” Pausing, he added, “I’m calling now because … I just returned from his funeral.”
That’s why we ask clients lots of questions. We mine for stories that define you, inspire your team, close a client or solve a crisis. We can tell your story well … in media, video, online … or over a cup of coffee.
Following the coronavirus pandemic, communications and media will never be the same. To prevail in this new workplace, you’ll need breakthrough strategies, innovative ideas and – most of all – thoughtful messaging delivered to targeted audiences.
We’ve crafted campaigns for international law, real estate, financial, medical, healthcare, construction and architecture firms – also for one-location restaurants, solo practitioners, non-profits and online stores.
We’ve helped clients communicate and grow. We’ve won awards. We’ve won hearts. That’s what we do. What do you do? How can we help?
Please view our video reel to see famous Atlantans we’ve interviewed.
How
When financial CEO Kip Caffey wanted to launch a Southeastern financial advisory firm to fill the gap left by big firm acquisitions, he called Schroder PR. We helped Kip’s team with the name, Resurgent Advisors, the logo, the website, videos, brochures, PPTs, you name it. Kip often calls us from the road, recruiting financial advisory firms that needed better structure, more capital, less administration – and more marketing. (That’s where we came in).
Gary Hammond bought a beautiful old mill in Greensboro, GA with a dream to develop cool homes for hard-working folks. Then two neighbors had different ideas and started a war. So Gary called Schroder PR. We visited Greensboro often, placing full-page ads, opinion columns, websites, videos and hosting lunches for local public officials at Yesterday Cafe. (Gary won.)
When a Midtown Atlanta parking deck collapsed, Fifth Street Management called Schroder PR. We immediately arranged a meeting onsite with our property manager client, engineers, architects, owners – everyone involved (except the construction firm that went their own way). We worked closely with Atlanta’s reporters, arranged frequent press briefings, providing accurate and detailed information. Our client was cleared of any wrongdoing. Thankfully no one was injured, though 36 cars were scrapped. The parking deck was repaired and the crisis subsided.
When developer Hines neared completion of its iconic 1180 Peachtree tower for King & Spalding, they wanted to present the international law firm with a housewarming gift. Schroder PR developed an award-winning display that still hangs in the firm’s Atlanta main reception area today: a three-inch tree slice — preserved from the same basswood tree planted in 1892 by founder Jack Spalding at the same high-profile Midtown Atlanta corner — covered by plexiglas panels with notable moments from the firm’s and Atlanta’s history pointing to correlating annual growth rings. Watch the case study video here.
When international architecture firm Perkins+Will was ready to raise its media profile, it called Schroder PR. We developed history and sustainability pages for its website as well as media coverage for many of its designs, including Blythewood SC High School. Placements include the coveted cover of Architectural Record and development of a video that won Gold Hermes and Aurora awards.
Milestones such as the 25th anniversaries of Atlanta’s iconic Murphy’s Restaurant and New South Construction deserved more than a customer party. Both called Schroder PR. We named, wrote the owner’s introduction and provided creative guidance to New South’s book, Bricks & Mortar. For Murphy’s, we wrote, designed, photographed and published a beautiful 178-page history – complete with recipes – that has been reprinted twice since.