Chris Auman

Chris Auman is the Founder and Managing Partner at Sanctuary. He's a veteran entrepreneur with over 3 decades of experience in all aspects of marketing and business management. 

Chris currently focuses his time on Sanctuary's culture, innovation, and growth. That includes everything from marketing and partnerships to acting as the protector and ambassador of Sanctuary’s brand and values. He’s energized by the process of running, improving, and growing the company every day. His relentless curiosity and love of learning, combined with his passion for continual improvement, ultimately guide the company in the pursuit of delivering world-class marketing services.

Chris has WAY too many interests and hobbies and is an unrelenting and exhausting busybody at work and at home. At work, he's always working on the next big thing in his mind or actively working on a project to drive the company forward. He also writes, hosts, and produces our podcast over at The Academy! If you'd prefer to read his thoughts, you can subscribe to his weekly newsletter, Marketing Brief.

Outside of work he's always looking to plan fun activities and adventures with friends, family, parents, and his brother Drew. His favorite part of the whole year is his annual family beach trip, where he'll play beach games with his family and actually sit and do nothing for a little while. But that doesn't last long...

Chris creates abstract art, and he's very passionate about the local arts community. He currently serves on the board of ArtsInStark and The Canton Culture Collective, as well as doing what he can to support other key art, music, and cultral organizations in the community.

He dabbles with photography, rides his bike, walks, and hikes with his family, works on home improvement projects, and has a never-ending to-do list. He cultivates his garden in the summer, and battles with board games and his house plants in the winter. He loves listening to podcasts, audiobooks, and reading non-fiction books on business, music, biographies, and history. He's very passionate about cooking and eating, and he's actually been known to read cookbooks cover to cover. He knows how to make authentic sushi and can craft a mean Margarita and Old Fashioned.

He's an obsessive music nut that, his wife says, could never live without music in his ears 24-7. Favorite music genres include 80's hair bands, hard rock/heavy metal, guitar-driven blues, and classic rock and pop. He attends live music events whenever possible. Chris has played drums since he was 7 years old and continues to play to this day.

His family are dedicated Cleveland Browns, Cavs, and Guardians fans and try to attend games in person every year.

To round it all out, Chris is a husband (30 years in 2026!), and father of two wild boys and one amazing daughter. He lives in North Canton, Ohio. He also lives with Sofie, his best buddy, who walks him on a daily basis. (Instagram @thecockersofie)

Strengths: Learner | Intellection | Achiever | Futuristic | Relator
Education: The University of Akron - BFA Graphic Design, Minor in Illustration
Fun Facts: Explorer. Drummer. Paint. Photos. Wasabi.
Fave Quote: “Find a good idea and stick with it.” —Walt Disney