Sylvester Ford is the owner of Alternative Finance and Business Strategies (AFBS), a commercial finance and a franchise consulting company Black label Franchise based in Johns Creek, Ga. The company arranges funding for business working capital, commercial real estate purchases and refinancing, economic development funding and franchise consulting. Prior to opening his own business, he worked in the housing finance industry for 15 years where he was able to effectively diversify his portfolio. He began his career working with small and midsized businesses, from 1983-1993, as an Account Executive at Bellsouth.
As one of the founders of the Gwinnett County NAACP, he served as both a president and vice-president over a five-year period. He is also an alumnus of the Leadership Gwinnett program. In 2010, he graduated with his MBA from the University of Phoenix and obtained a B.S in Political Science and Public Administration from Georgia College in Milledgeville, GA in 1983. While attending Georgia College, he was elected the first African American student government president and elected the first African American student advisory council president to the Georgia Board of Regents.
Sylvester is currently a member or has been a member of the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Business League, the Council on Quality Growth, the Forest Park Ministerial Association Executive Board, the International Economic Development Council, and the Atlanta Airport Chamber of Commerce, as well as a member and licensee of Franchise Broker’s Association. We sell Franchises and develop Companies into Franchises. Sylvester attends Victory World Church, he lives in Gwinnet County, Ga and enjoys being both a father and a grandfather when he isn’t assisting businesses reach their growth potential. Sylvester Ford was appointed to the Jonesboro Down Development Authority in 2017 and served to 2021. Sylvester Ford was appointed to Clayton County Development Authority in 2019 and served to 2021. Currently Sylvester is a Board Member for Advancing Black Business, an affiliate of the Atlanta Black Chamber. Sylvester is an also a board member at his Alma Mata Georgia, College in Milledgeville.
