Atlanta Community Food Bank Appoints Jon West as Interim Chief Executive Officer

The Atlanta Community Food Bank has announced the appointment of Jon West as interim chief executive officer, effective November 2, 2026. West, who currently serves as the organization's vice president of partner relations, will replace outgoing president and CEO Kyle Waide. Waide is departing the organization to accept a position with Downtown Atlanta Inc. The board of directors has initiated a search process to identify a permanent successor to ensure the continuity of the food bank's regional hunger relief operations.

The transition in leadership at the Atlanta Community Food Bank occurs as the organization continues to manage a network of over 700 nonprofit partners across 29 counties. By selecting an internal candidate with 17 years of tenure, the board of directors aims to maintain operational stability and preserve existing community relationships during the executive search. This approach reflects a common strategy in the nonprofit sector, where maintaining consistent service delivery and donor confidence is prioritized during periods of management turnover. The interim appointment ensures that the organization's strategic objectives remain focused on regional food distribution and partner coordination without disrupting established programs.

From an organizational management perspective, the shift highlights the importance of internal succession planning within large-scale charitable entities. As the food bank manages the distribution of over 110 million meals annually, the ability of an interim leader to steward high-level relationships and daily logistics is critical to maintaining institutional effectiveness. The board's decision to utilize a search firm for the permanent role suggests a commitment to a methodical recruitment process. This transition period serves as a case study in how major regional social service providers manage leadership changes while balancing the high-stakes demands of food security and stakeholder management in an evolving economic landscape.