New Peachtree Corners Business Association Forming

Local leaders are hopeful that a Peachtree Corners business association will be operational and meeting before the end of this year.

Business broker and long-time Peachtree Corners resident James Welch is working with United Peachtree Corners Civic Association President Mike Mason and others to form the organization. 

Welch is a Sr. Business Broker at Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro Brokers and is also president of his small business consulting firm, Bottom Line Business Consulting, Inc.

“We’re looking for business leaders who want to be involved in this new Peachtree Corners business association,” Welch said. ”We’re in the very initial stages of talking about the planning of this, but we’re going to do it. It’s just a matter of getting ourselves together.”

Becky Human, the Fifth Third Bank's new manager for the Peachtree Corners branch is also involved in forming the new business association. In the near future, as many as a dozen key local business leaders will be asked to serve on a panel to help develop objectives and goals for the new association.

"I'm excited about being involved," said Human whose branch is located on the corner of Peachtree Corners Circle and Holcomb Bridge Road. "For me and the bank, it's very exciting to be on the ground level of setting up the new business association."

Once this early planning is complete, a meeting will be set up this fall where all local businesses will be invited to share their thoughts on what the group should accomplish.

Ultimately, it is possible the association will gather for quarterly lunch meetings featuring high-profile speakers addressing local concerns. The format and frequency of these functions as well as the amount for annual dues are yet to be determined.

For the Peachtree Corners effort, Welch is drawing on his own corporate experience and involvement in forming another association out of state. He said success will rely on providing something valuable to participating business people, including networking opportunities.

“As a small or large business owner, people don’t have time to go to just a social event – it has to be meaningful for them,” he added. “Everybody who owns a business won’t join the business association, but hopefully we’ll get a good reason for them to join.”

Welch said one advantage to conducting outreach now is having the opportunities to answer questions about this year’s city incorporation vote, among other important topics.

“We need to start building a group of business people who are in business in this area,” Welch said. “Their livelihoods are made in this area, and these people are concerned about the future. Most peoples’ retirement, if they own a business, is their business.”