Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Announces Three Key Appointments to the City of Atlanta

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the appointment of three executives to key leadership positions for the City of Atlanta. Airport General Manager Roosevelt Council, Jr., has been named Chief Financial Officer, Interim Fire Chief Randall B. Slaughter has been permanently promoted to the role of Fire Chief of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, and human resources executive Marian Y. Woods has been appointed as Human Resources Commissioner.  

“There are few roles more important than Chief Financial Officer, and we are fortunate that Roosevelt Council has agreed to continue with our administration in this new capacity,” said Mayor Bottoms. “Our ability to achieve our goals with regard to affordable housing, economic development, quality education, safety and overall service to our citizens is directly tied to the effective management of city finances.  He has done an incredible job managing one of Atlanta’s most important assets and he will now play an even greater role in our city’s success.”

“I am truly excited about the impact that I believe each of these appointments will have on their respective departments and as a result the City of Atlanta and the people we serve,” continued Mayor Bottoms.  “Randall’s nearly 30-year career with the fire department has included numerous leadership roles as well as direct experience with each of its divisions. As interim chief, he has demonstrated both his unparalleled experience and his clear commitment to the safety of our city. I am honored to offer him this well-deserved promotion.”  

“Likewise, Marian Woods brings to this position extensive experience and incredible leadership skills that she has developed over three decades in the corporate and non-profit sectors. As we seek to attract and retain a talented workforce to serve our citizens and effectively conduct the business of one of our nation’s leading cities, her knowledge and expertise will be an invaluable resource. We are fortunate to have someone of her caliber in this important role,” concluded the Mayor.     

Roosevelt Council, Jr., has served as General Manager of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport since 2017 and prior to this was the airport’s Deputy General Manager and Chief Financial Officer.  His 25 years of experience in the financial sector include terms as Interim Chief Financial Officer for the City of Atlanta and Chief Financial Officer for the Georgia Technology Authority.  He is also an active member of the Atlanta community, serving on the boards of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Atlanta Technical College. 

The national search for the position of Airport General Manager was announced by Mayor Bottoms earlier this year, and is still underway.  Airport Deputy General Manager Balram Bheodari will serve as Interim General Manager until the search is complete.  

Randall B. Slaughter began his career as a firefighter/EMT with the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department in 1990 after completing an active tour of duty with the United States Marine Corps.  A native Atlantan and graduate of the Atlanta Public School System, he was named First Deputy Fire Chief in 2015 and Interim Fire Chief in February 2018 after the retirement of Chief Joel Baker.  He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and has authored numerous fire service publications.   

Marian Woods most recently served as Vice President of Human Resources for Summit Container Corporation, where she led efforts to bring human resource management in-house and improve workflow productivity.  Prior to that, she was Vice President of Human Resources for Maxum Specialty Insurance Group, where, among other achievements, she led diversity and inclusion initiatives. 

All three appointments are effective as of Monday, June 11, 2018, and will require Atlanta City Council confirmation.