Buford Business Alliance
News & Updates
September 2022 | Issue 1 www.VisitBuford.com
Upcoming Events
Sept. 13, 2022 - 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - BBA Afterhours Event at Dave & Buster's, 5900 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Lawrenceville GA 30043

This month's afterhours meeting is going to be loaded with fun! Make sure you are there!

Click here to register for the event.
Sept. 14, 2022 - 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m. Ribbon Cutting at Edwards Jones, 7378 Friendship Springs Rd, Ste. D, Flowery Branch, GA 30542

The BBA encourages members to come out to Edward Jones to help them celebrate their ribbon cutting.

Click here to register for the event.
Sept. 20, 2022 - 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. - BBA Breakfast at Tannery Row Ale House, 554 West Main St., Buford GA 30518
Click here to register for the event.
2022 BBA Holiday Parade and Festival
The 2022 BBA Holiday Parade and Festival will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 in downtown Buford from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

We are already having people wanting to sign up for the event and it is sure to be our biggest and best holiday event ever!

Space is limited so make sure to sign up as soon as possible to ensure your spot.

If you would like to sponsor the event, become a vendor at the festival or participate in the parade, please contact event coordinator, Barbara Reynolds. She can be reached by email or by phone at 404-247-2449.
BBA Member News
Welcome new members!
The Buford Business Alliance continues to grow. Please welcome our newest members.

  • Berkshire Hathaway (Melissa Mechan)
  • Dtailed Notary & Business Services (Denise Tracey)
  • Excel Federal Credit Union (Larry Benator)
  • Guaranty Mortgage (Nikki Power)
  • Joshua's Voice (Shawnette Good)
  • Keller Williams Realty (Tom Hlass)
  • Silverton Mortgage (Katrina Lucisano)
  • Krishna Patel, Realtor (Krishna Patel)
  • Stonehedge Construction (William Rogers)
  • Marcelle Sells Homes/Peach State Realty (Marcelle Smith)
  • Aimee Gonzalez, Realtor
  • Suzanne Nikol, Senior Living Specialist
The Board voted unanimously to add
two members to the board as a member-at-large.

Meet the new board members.
Hello, my name is Barbara Fabelo-Reynolds, also known as BFabulous, and I am the Owner, Chef, & Event Planner of BFabulous Eats & Events in Metro Atlanta. 

I am originally from The Palm Beaches, but proud to call Georgia home since 1995. I am Married to the Coolest IT Nerd and am a Dog Mom to two Spoiled Pomeranians. 

My Duty and Commitment to the Buford Business Alliance will be to continue my Dedication in Service by promoting the Mission of the Organization, Organizing Events, and Arranging Projects to get the community excited about and invested in the enterprise! 

I also bring over 15 Years of Project Management experience as a Volunteer Project Coordinator, Corporate Relations Liaison, and Volunteer Leader Mentor for the Non-Profit Hands On Atlanta.  

I am committed to the empowering and uplifting of Women in all walks of life and business, as I Co-Lead a Women’s Networking Group ~ Xperience Connections North Gwinnett.  
Thank you for entrusting me with a Seat on the Board as a Member At Large! 

Yours in Service,  
Barbara Fabelo-Reynolds 
Hello, I am Alicia Payne with the North Gwinnett Voice newspaper.

I was born in Duluth and raised in Buford where I still reside with my husband and twin 17-year-old twin boys. My family has been in the Buford area for several generations.

I have been a part of the team at the North Gwinnett Voice since 2017 when the owner/publisher Jessica Wilson hired me as the editor. After being the editor for many years, I have taken on a hybrid role of advertising manager and sports/event writer. Being a part of a small hometown paper has given me a unique perspective and skill set.

The paper has been a member of the Buford Business Alliance since the paper was formed in 2017. I have had the pleasure of watching the BBA grow into what it is today.

I am excited to bring my knowledge of all things Buford to the BBA. I believe that the knowledge and contacts I have gained along with my love of projects, communications/writing, organizing pretty much anything and meeting new people will be an asset to the Buford Business Alliance.

I look forward to serving this organization and building relationships with everyone. I am truly honored to be a part of the Buford Business Alliance.

Sincerely,
Alicia Payne
BBA adds more benefits to membership


Members of the Buford Business Alliance now get more benefits than ever before.

Member benefits include:
  • Two monthly networking events
  • Multiple community events including the Holiday Parade and Festival and the Spring Festival
  • Short social media mention once every six months for each member on alliance's social media accounts
  • Free directory listing on BBA website
  • BBA will promote member's ribbon cutting ceremonies and other special events via social media
  • Members' special events or promotions eligible to be mentioned in the new BBA monthly email newsletter
  • Advertising discounts available with the North Gwinnett Voice newspaper for both print and digital marketing.

For more information contact the BBA at [email protected].
Get your business mentioned in the new BBA monthly email newsletter
Members are eligible to have their special events or promotions mentioned in the new monthly BBA newsletter.

Simply send the information by email to Alicia Payne and she will be able to insert it into the next month's newsletter.

All submissions must be turned in no later than the 15th of each month to make the following month's newsletter.
Fur-bowl-a-thon!
The September BBA Afterhours meeting is a hybrid meeting/event and is being held in conjunction with a fundraiser called Fur-bowl-a-thon.

Enjoy an evening full of bowling, playing pool, eating delicious food and enjoying each other's company all to benefit Bossy Paws Rescue, Inc.

Fur-bowl-a-thon is sponsored by Spraggins Law Firm, Atlanta Payment Solutions, Layla Seymour with Capital City Home Loans, Buford Business Alliance and Dave & Buster's.

While donations of any size are welcomed, BBA members are not obligated to donate to the fundraiser to participate in the BBA Afterhours meeting/event.
Advertising discounts available for BBA members only
Members of the Buford Business Alliance are able to enjoy discounts on their advertising needs through the North Gwinnett Voice newspaper.

The North Gwinnett Voice is offering members 15% off their standard rates for both print and online.

For more information, contact Alicia Payne by email or by phone at (404) 453-5261.
Are you wondering what the real estate market is doing? Are short sales back?
Realtor Freda Kalina has just released her second book titled "Lions, Tigers, and Short Sales. Are they back?" on Amazon.com.

In her latest book, Kalina answers the real estate questions on everyone's mind.

Are we heading to another real estate market crash?
Will there be lots of foreclosures?
Will real estate values decrease?
Will there be short sales?
What is a short sale?

To order a copy of "Lions, Tigers, and Short Sales. Are they back?" click here.
Buford Business Alliance