About Buford Oil Company
William Emmett “Doc” Buford founded Buford Oil Co. in 1931. During the Depression, Doc’s pre-med education was interrupted by financial restraints, so he moved from Texas to California to work for his uncle who operated an appliance store in Fresno. He met Cora Bramblett, a Fresno native; they were married and had two children, Rachel and William. A few years later he moved his young family to Hanford, where he was presented with the opportunity to become a Texaco distributor. Buford Oil Co. was Doc’s business, his life and his hobby. He worked from early morning to late at night with his wife Cora, who for many years worked by his side as the company bookkeeper. Doc’s hard work and dedication turned opportunity into success.
Doc built his business on the belief that customers’ needs come first, even if that meant putting company profits second. He was committed to passing these traits down through generations. Doc and Cora’s son, William Edwin “Bill” Buford worked part-time during high school and college driving a bobtail, just as Doc had done when he started the business. Bill joined the firm full-time in 1956, after serving in the military and completing his BA at UCLA, where he met and married Marcie, his wife of 52 years. Together Bill and Marcie raised four sons, Bill, Mark, John (Randy), and Tom, as they continued with Doc to develop and expand Buford Oil Co. to include 13 service stations and truck stops. In 1980 under the guidance of Bill and Marcie, the business was expanded with the remodel of their first location on Irwin Street in Hanford, from a two-lube service station into a convenience store. Once the business model proved a success, the Armona station was remodeled, and subsequently all the locations became convenience stores.
John Buford represents the third generation to join the family business. As a young boy he helped out by sweeping floors and cleaning barrels. While in high school, he began working in the office assisting with basic bookkeeping. After graduating from UC Berkeley in 1978 with a degree in Business, John returned to Hanford to join Buford Oil Co. as a full time employee. Under the guidance of his grandfather Doc, and his father Bill, John learned all aspects of the petroleum distribution business. Today John Buford is the President and CEO of Buford Oil Co.
Buford Oil Co. delivers unbranded gasoline and diesel fuel throughout Kings, Fresno, Tulare, Kern, Madera and parts of San Luis Obispo Counties, and supplies Shell branded gas in most of the same area. Buford Oil Co. also sells Chevron and Texaco lubricants and delivers a variety of products to many large and small farms as well as other consumers. In this era of volatile oil price fluctuations, John keeps a sharp eye on the market so he can make valuable recommendations to his customers on whether to buy, or wait, to get the best price. It is this commitment to their customers, as well as the Buford family’s deep concern for community, that has kept Buford Oil Co. thriving even through tough economic times.