MARTA names 3 finalists in search for agency's next general manager and CEO

The MARTA Board of Directors has narrowed down the finalists for the next general manager and CEO of the metro Atlanta transit agency to three.

In an announcement on Monday, the board said that it is actively interviewing the finalists, who include the current interim general manager and CEO.

The board named the three finalists as Cleveland Ferguson III, the executive vice president and chief administrative officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), interim MARTA CEO Jonathan J. Hunt, and Leroy Jones, the executive vice president and COO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

"Choosing MARTA's next GM/CEO is one of the most consequential decisions this board will make, and the region deserves a rigorous process. I'm proud of the national search we ran and of the caliber of the three finalists it produced," MARTA Board Chair Jennifer N. Ide said.

Who are MARTA's three CEO finalists?

Ferguson has been with the JTA since 2015 and has been in his current role since 2023. He had previously served as deputy chief administrative officer for the City of Jacksonville and was a professor of law at Florida Coastal School of Law.

Hunt has served as MARTA's leader since August 2025. He joined MARTA's legal department in 2014 and eventually became the agency's chief legal counsel before he was named interim GM/CEO. He has also worked as the senior assistant city attorney for the City of Atlanta, practiced law, and was a project engineer with the Gilbane Building Company.

Jones started at WMATA more than 26 years ago, rising from an entry-level track laborer to the agency's chief operating officer.

MARTA CEO

The transit agency's national search began in 2025 following MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood's announcement that he would retire after three years in the position. Greenwood, who is Canadian, said that his work permit was expiring that year and he was waiting on his Permanent Resident Card.

Out of an abundance of caution and for what he called "personal matters," Greenwood said that he would step down from the role.

"My wife and I have decided this is a good opportunity to take an early retirement and spend more time with our family and friends. I do want to thank the board, the executive leadership team, and everyone at MARTA for their support and their continued work to improve and grow transit service in this region," Greenwood said in a statement.

What's next in the CEO search

The MARTA Board of Directors says that it will hold its next meeting on Thursday and expects to deliberate in its executive session.

At that meeting, the board believes it will select and announce who will become the next permanent general manager and CEO.