Nov 27, 2012

The Butler Group to Celebrate Silver and Gold Anniversaries this January

The Butler Group Inc., a sales organization representing wholesale manufacturers and importers of home decorative accents, personal accessories, and general gifts, is gearing-up to commemorate two major achievements: the company’s 25th anniversary and Ed and Betty Butler’s 50th wedding anniversary. In honor of these momentous occasions, Butler Group employees, including the couple’s three children, who are all involved in the business, will be hosting a Silver and Gold Anniversary Party in the company’s AmericasMart Showroom (Bldg. 2, Suite 1212) on Saturday, January 12 from 6PM – 8PM. All are invited to join the festivities, which will include cake, champagne and other delicious hors d’oeuvres. In addition, the agency will be running vendor specials that will only be available during this event.

“We are so incredibly lucky and thankful that we have been able to both build a business and a life together over the past 50 years,” said Ed and Betty Butler, owners of The Butler Group, Inc. “We are humbled by and grateful for the loyalty, love, and appreciation that we continuously experience from our friends, our family, our colleagues, and our customers. We certainly wouldn’t be here without their support.”

The Butler Group, Inc.

After more than 25 years in executive retail management and the real estate field, Ed and Betty Butler left the corporate world to pursue a business of their own. In 1988, the Butler’s purchased a 20-year-old sales agency, Bryce Griffin & Associates, located in Building 1 of Atlanta’s AmericasMart. It only took a couple of years and a handful of trade shows before shoppers were seeking the Butler’s to fulfill their shopping needs.

With that, the company rebranded itself as The Butler Group, Inc. and moved into Building 2, Suite 1212, the same location it resides in today. As part of the “new” Butler Group, they focused on developing a quality-based, diversified product offering to appeal to a variety of buyers. Over the years, their strategy has paid off. The company’s space has doubled in size and they’ve roughly quadrupled the amount of lines the Butler team originally started with. The staff has also grown from two to more than 25 employees.

Even though The Butler Group has grown into a full-fledged family business, that wasn’t always the plan. “Our children always told us that they wanted to find their own career, and we respected that decision,” commented Ed and Betty. However, it wasn’t long before all three children – Paula, Greg and Christy – came to realize what an incredible thing their parents had built.

“I was determined to work for someone else and make it on my own,” said Paula Butler-Kay, vice president of sales for The Butler Group, Inc. “Once my siblings and I had some real world experience, all of us started re-evaluating our earlier convictions. Working here, we’re able to really get involved in the evolution and direction of the business. That’s something that isn’t always possible when working for another company.

All of us, along with our amazing staff, have been able to come together and strengthen the agency over the years. The experience of working together has made us closer as a family, which is apparent to those we work with. I couldn’t be more proud to be part of the family business!”

Paula and Greg partner together daily to build The Butler Group. Greg is responsible for the entire showroom, plus daily operations, while Paula spearheads communications with sales representatives and vendors.

In addition, Christy manages sales representatives across the country as Vice President of Maison Chic, a unique baby gift collection that is one of two import companies the family has launched under the umbrella of The Butler Group. “It’s very exciting to build a company working under my parents. They have so much knowledge and experience to pass along,” noted Christy.

The Butler’s – Their Story

Before The Butler Group, there was simply Ed and Betty. The two have known one another most of their lives, since their parents were close friends, but had never thought of each other romantically until their late teens. Other girls and boys had come and gone. The two started dating the summer after high school. Not much time went by before both realized true love was right under their noses. They were married only a year later, while still teenagers.

The Butler’s family has expanded with their children’s marriages, along with the blessing of six grandchildren. To celebrate this iconic anniversary, the entire family will depart on a much needed vacation to the Caribbean after the 2013 winter show season.

Before the family ships out to sea, be sure to come celebrate with them at The Butler Group’s Silver and Gold Anniversary Party, Saturday, January 12 from 6PM – 8PM (Bldg. 2, Suite 1212).

To learn more about The Butler Group, Inc, please visit www.butlergroupgifts.com or call 404-577-6941.

Company Info: The Butler Group, Inc.
230 Spring Street NW, Suite 1212
| Atlanta, GA | 30303
Ph: 800-241-9533 | Email: info@bultergroupgifts.com

Media Contact: Jillian Lambert; Bultema Lambert Communications
616.656.7500; jillian@bultemalambert.com

About The Butler Group, Inc.
: The Butler Group, Inc., established in 1988, is a family-owned and operated sales organization representing wholesale manufacturers and importers of home decorative accents, personal accessories, and general gifts. The Butler Group, Inc. is committed to providing customers with a diverse line package, focused and professional sales representatives, and extraordinary customer service. The organization operates a 11,000 square foot showroom in the Atlanta Gift Mart (Building 2, Suite 1212) and covers the Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia territories. The Butler Group, Inc. can be reached via phone at 800-241-9533. For more information on The Butler Group, Inc. visit www.bultergroupgifts.com.