The Atlanta Community Food Bank has named Jon West, currently vice president of partner relations, as its 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 through Nov. 1 and stay on in an advisory role through Nov. 12 to support the transition.
West’s appointment carries significant implications for one of the largest hunger-relief organizations in the Southeast. As interim CEO, he will lead day-to-day operations, support staff and the leadership team, steward key community relationships, and keep strategic priorities moving forward while the Board of Directors searches for a permanent leader. Programs, services, and commitments to neighbors and partners will continue without interruption, a critical assurance given the Food Bank’s scale: it works with more than 700 community-based, nonprofit partners across 29 counties, distributing over 110 million meals each year.
West is not an outsider. He has spent 17 years at the Food Bank, starting in a role that included painting food drive barrels. As vice president of partner relations, he leads the team that collaborates with the Food Bank’s vast partner network. Previously, as senior manager of strategy and innovation, he led development of the organization’s 10-year strategic plan, setting the vision for 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 is selecting a search firm to guide a thoughtful, thorough search for the 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.”
Waide, who has led the organization through a period of significant growth, expressed full confidence in West. “Jon is one of the leaders I have relied on most, and he is the right person for this moment,” Waide said. “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.”
West said, “It is a privilege to serve the Food Bank in this role. 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.”
The transition comes at a time when food insecurity remains a pressing issue across metro Atlanta and north Georgia. The Food Bank’s ability to maintain uninterrupted operations is crucial for thousands of families, children, and seniors who rely on its network. With West’s deep institutional knowledge and the board’s measured search for a permanent leader, the organization signals stability and a continued focus on its mission to end hunger.
