Jeffrey Parker, executive director and general manager of the Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), died by suicide on Friday, after standing in front of a train to be crashed at the East Lake station in Decatur, Georgia, reported the board of directors of the city’s transportation service.
The information was confirmed by Bill Floyd, member of the MARTA board of directors , and by the organization’s president, Rita Scott, who confirmed that Parker’s cause of death was suicide.
“As president, and on behalf of my fellow members of the MARTA board, we are devastated by this loss, as we value Jeff’s leadership and look forward to making his transit vision a reality, Scott said. “The entire metro Atlanta region owes him a debt of gratitude for his transformational efforts, and we will not stop working to build on the foundation he created.”
He added to the statement that while they struggle to understand the complexity of the tragedy, he sends condolences to his wife, his daughters, the whole family, Jeff’s friends and MARTA staff.
For his part, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp joined in condolences for Parker’s death after sending a tweet on Saturday honoring CEO for his “incredible mind for transportation and logistics“, his “heart for the people”, adding that he will be greatly missed.
“We are saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Jeffrey Parker, General Manager and CEO of MARTA,” said Kemp. “In addition to a remarkable career in the public/private sectors, Jeffrey was known for his civic engagement and support for the advancement of his communities.”
From According to the MARTA website, Parker had over 35 years of experience in both the public and private sectors of the transportation industry, assuming in March 2018 the position of executive director and general manager. He stood out for helping MARTA to take on a more ambitious traffic modernization and expansion program since its foundation more than 40 years.
Following Parker’s suicide, the Marta board of directors unanimously elected Collie Greenwood as the new general manager and interim executive director of the agency. Greenwood began his time at MARTA in 2019 as chief of bus operations, being promoted to assistant general manager of operations in January 2021, according to a press release from the agency.
With information from People
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