Chris and Tom Fries

CHRIS FRIES

TOM FRIES

Tom Fries was born in Dayton, Ohio to a family doctor and a proud mother of three active boys.  In 1965, after a brief visit to Hilton Head Island, his father William (Bill) Fries built a vacation home in Sea Pines.  Encouraged by Charles Fraser and the clear need for health care, his family moved to Hilton Head permanently in late 1965.  Tom’s love for the low country and the island experience undeniably shaped his life.  His Father “Doctor Bill” was a beloved and founding member of the Island community.

Tom attended Savannah Country Day school, riding the long commute with other Island teenagers in the famous “Green Stretch Checker Limousine.”  He graduated from Auburn University with a degree in International Relations/Political Science.

After college, Tom moved back to Dayton and joined the travel and incentive division of the Kroger Company.  His first job began with a four-year tour of the world as a trip director, leading large groups of incentive award winners to the finest resorts and cities on earth.  After he married Christine and settled down, he rapidly advanced in the company. As Vice President of Sales and Marketing he was instrumental in the growth of that travel business into one of the largest commercial travel companies in the United States, now known as Carlson Wagonlit. 

While residing in Dayton, Tom and his family visited Hilton Head as often as possible.  In 1983, Tom accepted a relocation opportunity to Dunwoody, Georgia, which made it much easier to visit the Island more often.  Tom soon leveraged his experience in reservation call center technology to begin a consulting career bringing solutions to other business sectors. Tom co-founded a technology business that specialized in sales force automation consulting which sold in 1999.

Tom and Christine moved to the North Georgia Mountains to enjoy their love of overnight hikes on the Appalachian Trail. Tom continued to consult and Christine resumed her real estate career specializing in resort community sales. Tom’s consulting included a diverse mix of clientele, including Churchill Downs, Caterpillar Financial, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the U.S. Government. His practice also focused on data mining, infrastructure support and customer experience. Tom has a DOD 2 Secret government clearance.  He also holds a certification as a Professional Project Manager.

His consulting business took him to Columbia, South Carolina which in turn, brought Tom and Christine back home to the Hilton Head area in 2017. Tom joined Howard Hanna Allen Tate where Tom and Christine (as Fries Properties) combine his computer marketing and social media skills with Christine’s lifelong real estate expertise.  

Tom and Christine reside in Bluffton and enjoy playing golf, cycling, walking on the beach and occasionally getting away in their RV to camp and hike in the mountains.  They recently participated in the DragonBoat Beaufort event to raise funds for local cancer patients.  Their two grown children live in the Jacksonville Beach area.