Dr. Alice Bussey

Visionary/Organizer of Atlanta's First Black Trade Mission 32 years ago by Ambassador Andrew Young to Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, and Barbados with the support of her late husband James L. Bussey, II, Founder of Bussey Florist in 1962.

SUPER TUESDAY VISIONARY

A Day of Celebrating Black Women Business Owners and Professionals Dr. Bussey was born in South DeKalb County, grew up in the County Line/Ellenwood Community, and attended DeKalb County Public Schools. She graduated as an honor student and the Valedictorian of her class at the age of 16 years. She received numerous academic scholarships. Dr. Bussey attended several colleges and universities both in Atlanta and Los Angeles, California, having received undergraduate degrees in Business Administration, Sociology, Government and Urban Studies, Master’s Degree in Public Administration, and an Honorary Doctorate of Business  Administration from her Alma Mater City University Los Angeles. Dr. Bussey is a lifetime member of Poplar Springs Missionary Baptist Church in South DeKalb County.

Over 50 years ago, James Bussey, her late husband started Bussey Florist & Gifts while a student at Morehouse College. Bussey became the first African American FTD (Florist Transworld Delivery) Florist in Atlanta, expanding its operations from a local retail shop to the international marketplace such as Africa, Europe, Bahamas, South America and the like. Bussey Florist is known to take on challenging projects such as building a premier all glass flower shop building at the entrance of Underground Atlanta on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, hosted an International Flower show during the 1996 Olympics, and created the African Heritage Guide for the 1996 Olympics in collaboration with the Atlanta Convention and Business Bureau. We were selected as the Florist for the 10 year Annual Convention of the National Minority Development Council held at the Georgia World Congress Center. We were also selected as the Florist for the televised Trumpet Awards. We were selected as the Florist for Ambassador Andrew Young and Xernon Clayton children’s weddings.

Dr. Bussey is an exceptionally skilled and politically sophisticated business woman. She is internationally known for training small businesses. She has helped create more than 20 new businesses.

Prior to becoming a full-time business woman, Dr. Bussey worked for more than 16 years with U.S. Department of Labor, both in Atlanta and Los Angeles in various positions ultimately becoming the First Black Federal Representative over the State of Georgia. She managed and distributed millions of dollars and expanded Georgia’s budget. She also was the Federal Women Program Manager for the eight states in the Southeast Region. Dr. Bussey helped create and write today’s Federal Women Program Manual for the Department.

Under her outstanding leadership as the First Female President of the Atlanta Business League (ABL), Dr. Bussey improved the infrastructure for ABL, to become the premier business organization it is today. She made it more inclusive by creating (1) A Day of Celebrating Black  Female Business Owners and Professionals naming it SUPER TUESDAY while showcasing 100 Black Women of Influence (2) Re-established the student Business League with the National Business League, (3) Created the International Trade Committee and the First Black Trade Mission by selecting the businesses, solicited the countries’ participation, and recruited Ambassador Andrew Young to lead the Mission to Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados in the Caribbean Islands. Bussey Florist was its headquarters and primary sponsor. 

The Busseys have received numerous awards for their community service, such as, ABL’s Business Hall of Fame Inductee, ABL’s TOP Woman of Influence, History Makers Interview placed in Library of Congress, received Ernst & Young Accounting Firm’s Entrepreneurial Award, former Federal Women Program Manager for U.S. Department of Labor Region IV, first Black to represent the U.S. Department of Labor for the State of Georgia, Leadership Atlanta Graduate, Elected as a Georgia Delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business in 1986 and 1995, received the Millennium Pacesetter Award for Super Tuesday and received special member recognition in 2016 from Poplar Springs Mission Baptist Church. 

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Bussey is an active volunteer. She has served on the Boards of several organizations such as: Georgia Council of International Visitors, DeKalb Community Council on Aging, Atlanta Private Industry Council, Research Atlanta, Ron McNair’s Scholarship Foundation, Atlanta’ Black Tourism Network, and International Florists Association (IFA). Dr. Bussey currently serves on the Boards of the Boys & Girls club, Metro Atlanta OIC. The Minority Business Enterprise Legal Defense and Education Fund (Washington, D.C.), Vice Chair of Atlanta Business League, President of Columbia High School Magnet PTSA, and a Board Member of Concerned Black Clergy, where she chairs the Economic Development  Committee. In 2016, she was appointed to DeKalb County SPLOST Citizen Review Advisory Committee and 2018 appointed to DeKalb County SPLOST Oversight Committee, and member of 2020 Super Tuesday Committee.

The Busseys have three children: Prez, James III and Alicia; three grandchildren: Thaddius Prez Bussey, Jr. (“TP”), Jamese and Casey Lowe; and son-in-law, Roderick.