The Atlanta Community Food Bank announced that Jon West, the organization's vice president of partner relations, will become interim chief executive officer effective Nov. 2, 2026. West succeeds Kyle Waide, who announced on Sept. 14 that he will become president of Downtown Atlanta Inc. on Dec. 1. Waide will remain president and CEO of the Food Bank through Nov. 1 and will stay on in an advisory role through Nov. 12 to support the transition.
As interim CEO, West will lead day-to-day operations, support the Food Bank's staff and leadership team, steward key community relationships, and keep the organization's strategic priorities moving forward while the Board of Directors conducts a search for its next long-term leader. Programs, services, and commitments to neighbors and partners will continue without interruption.
West has spent 17 years at the Food Bank. As vice president of partner relations, he leads the team that works alongside the Food Bank's network of more than 700 community-based, nonprofit partners in 29 counties which together distribute more than 110 million meals each year. Previously, as senior manager of strategy and innovation, he led the development of the Food Bank's 10-year strategic plan, setting the vision for the organization's future operations.
Before joining the Food Bank, West worked with an agricultural relief and development organization, in higher education, and as a youth mentor in Botswana. He holds a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary and a bachelor's degree in English literature from Mississippi College.
"Jon knows this organization inside and out, from his first role here painting food drive barrels to building the partner network that puts food within reach of neighbors across our 29 counties," said Althea Broughton, chair of the Atlanta Community Food Bank Board of Directors. "The board has complete confidence in his ability to lead the Food Bank through this transition. Our team is strong, our strategy is clear, and our commitment to neighbors does not change."
The Board of Directors is selecting a search firm to guide a thoughtful, thorough search for the Food Bank's next president and CEO.
"We are committed to finding a leader who embraces the Food Bank's values and keeps neighbors, partners, volunteers, donors, and staff at the center of this work," Broughton said. "We will share updates at appropriate milestones as the search moves forward."
"Jon is one of the leaders I have relied on most, and he is the right person for this moment," said Kyle Waide, president and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. "He understands our mission, our partners, and our people, and he helped build the Food Bank we have today. I have every confidence in Jon and in the team he will lead."
"It is a privilege to serve the Food Bank in this role," said Jon West, incoming interim CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. "Our mission is urgent, our team is exceptional, and our partners are the reason food reaches neighbors across metro Atlanta and north Georgia. My focus is on our neighbors, our partners, and keeping this work moving forward."
For more information about the Atlanta Community Food Bank, including ways to help, visit acfb.org or follow the Food Bank on Facebook or Instagram.
The leadership transition matters because the Food Bank works to end hunger with the food, people, and big ideas needed to ensure neighbors have the nourishment to lead healthy and productive lives. Through more than 700 community-based, nonprofit partners in 29 counties, it helps thousands of families, children, and seniors get healthy food every year. The organization's goal is that all hungry people across metro Atlanta and north Georgia will have access to the nutritious meals they need when they need them. In 2023, the Atlanta Community Food Bank distributed its one billionth meal.
