Featured Friend: Meet Tom Hanscom
What Tom loves most is being out in neighborhoods, getting to know people, and bringing them together. Publishing STROLL Five Points, STROLL Inside the Gates (Reynolds Lake Oconee), STROLL The Georgia Club, and BeLocal Georgia’s Lake Country magazines with the N2 Company allows him to do just that. While some of you have met Tom and know him well, we hope this article helps more neighbors get to know him better — and make a new connection. He is truly a hardworking, community-minded, and endlessly positive person.
Early Life
Tom was born in Akron, Ohio, and attended Hoover High School in North Canton. He later earned a Marketing degree with an Advertising minor from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. His career began in Houston, where he served as Marketing Director at the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE). After several years, he transitioned into the Yellow Pages industry. Selling ads eventually led him to establish his own media company, producing phone books and magazines in Tennessee and Georgia. As he likes to say, “I actually work in the field that I went to college for!”
Tom’s wife, Lisa, was born in Birmingham and later moved to Decatur, Alabama. She attended Danville High School, North Alabama College, and Pellissippi State Community College. She has spent her entire career working in Human Resources at various medical facilities across Alabama and Georgia. Lisa is currently the Director of HR Services at Abbey Hospice in Social Circle.
Tom and Lisa met by chance as condominium neighbors in Decatur. The story goes that Lisa had a washing machine and dryer, and in exchange for using them, Tom had to iron all the clothes! The arrangement soon turned into love, and they married 35 years ago. Today, they have two beautiful daughters — Jasmine and Bethany — two treasured grandchildren, Raley and Ayden, and two wonderful sons-in-law, Jeremy and Reid.
Jasmine, who holds a doctorate, teaches master’s-level nursing at an online university and lives with her family in Tuscaloosa. Bethany, who lives in Atlanta with her husband Reid, is the Lead PA on the Cardiothoracic Surgery team at Emory Healthcare, performing heart and lung transplants.
Discovering N2 and the Stroll Community
Tom’s journey with the N2 Company began when a friend forwarded him a social media post about N2’s Area Director opportunity. The timing was perfect — he was planning a move into what would become his first STROLL community. “Worst-case, I figured I’d get to know some neighbors,” he jokes. Of course, it became much more than that.
Twelve years later, he credits N2 not just with professional fulfillment but with helping him shape a life he loves. The flexibility of the work has allowed him to enjoy time with his children and grandchildren and to travel the world with Lisa — especially to their favorite destination, Italy. Though he enjoys seeing new places, Tom has no plans to slow down anytime soon. Inspired by his 96-year-old father, who worked well into his later years, Tom says, “As long as I can, I want to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Tom’s personal motto says much about who he is: “Get up every day, put your bootstraps on, and go to work. You can always find a reason not to do what’s needed, but if you show up consistently, you’ll succeed.”
His consistency has paid off. Tom has received numerous awards with the N2 Company, including the Culture Award and six consecutive years in the Founders Club. For nine years, he has ranked among the top 10 franchises in the country across 600+ publications. Most recently, he received the prestigious “Big Dog” Award, honoring the top publisher in the nation. He also serves on the N2 Executive Advisory Board.
Tom’s passion for community extends far beyond his magazines. He is active in the Rotary Clubs of Greene and Putnam Counties, where he earned the Rotary W. Lee Arrendale Vocational Excellence Award. He serves on multiple chambers of commerce and even sits on the board of the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce.
His “Volunteer Spotlight” series in the magazine shines a light on local service work, and he is especially proud of his involvement with Alliance for Smiles — an international nonprofit providing free medical care for children with cleft conditions. Tom even traveled to Myanmar to support their mission firsthand.
“That’s probably been the most rewarding thing,” he reflects. “Seeing how we’ve benefited people. Our community, our neighbors, our foundations raise money for some great causes. That really makes you feel good about what you’re doing.”
Continuing a Legacy in Five Points
Tom and Lisa lived in the Athens area for years before moving to Reynolds Lake Oconee. Their children attended Athens Academy, and the family loved living, working, and raising their daughters in the community.
When Ted Jones, the original publisher of STROLL Five Points, passed away following a heroic battle with cancer, Tom spoke with business partners and residents. It quickly became clear that no one wanted the magazine to disappear. Tom stepped in, and the publication continues to thrive today.
“I love the Five Points community and have many friends who live in the neighborhood,” Tom says. “I wasn’t going to let them down. I’m honored to continue this great magazine in Ted’s memory.” His mission remains to enhance the neighborhoods he serves, make a difference in the lives of residents, and support the nonprofits and foundations that strengthen the community.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t give a sincere thank-you to all the people who have made the STROLL publications what they are today — the residents who participate, the advertising partners who make it all possible, and my amazing team,” Tom says. “I hope Five Points residents are enjoying STROLL as much as we enjoy producing it for you.”
Please reach out and introduce yourself to Tom! He’d love to meet you, hear your stories, help you advertise your business, promote your events, support your causes, and so much more.
