The Buckhead Coalition and Buckhead Community Improvement District (CID) announced today the upcoming retirement of Jim Durrett, a respected civic planning, transit, and sustainability leader in Atlanta. After a distinguished 40-year career, Durrett – who has served as Executive Director of the Buckhead CID since 2009 and President & CEO of the Buckhead Coalition since 2020 – will step down in early 2026, opening the door for new leadership.

A search committee comprised of Buckhead Coalition and Buckhead CID board members has retained executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates to lead the recruitment process for Durrett’s successor. The firm will begin engaging with candidates nationwide throughout the summer and fall of 2025.

“Our next leader will have big shoes to fill, so it’s essential to balance deep stakeholder and community development experience with the passion and vision to lead both organizations and champion economic development in Buckhead,” said Eric Tanenblatt, co-chair of the search committee and immediate past chair of the Buckhead Coalition. “We are eager to build on Jim’s legacy while continuing to shape a vibrant future for Buckhead in the heart of metro Atlanta.”

Durrett has supported the work of metro Atlanta’s CIDs for nearly two decades, serving as Executive Director of Buckhead CID for 17 years and serving as the founding Executive Director of Livable Communities Coalition, a not-for-profit organization to promote smart growth development in the Atlanta region. While President & CEO of the Buckhead Coalition, Durrett led the transformation of the organization after founding President & CEO and former Atlanta mayor Sam Massell retired in 2020.

His accomplishments have spanned beautification, accessibility, and safety for the Buckhead area with efforts to fund and launch vital projects, including securing $52 million in local, state, and federal funds for key Buckhead infrastructure projects and spearheading the initial concept for HUB404, a nine-acre highway-capping park over Georgia 400.

“Jim has shaped Buckhead in ways that will be seen for generations. He’s been a steady, visionary force – always thinking ahead, bringing people together, putting the community first,” said Thad Ellis, immediate past chair of the Buckhead CID and co-chair of the search committee. “We are deeply grateful for his decades of civic work and wish him all the best as he embarks on a well-earned retirement.”

Throughout his career, Durrett has held leadership roles spanning the Georgia Conservancy, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Urban Land Institute Atlanta. He currently serves on the MARTA Board of Directors, the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Transportation and Air Quality Committee, and the HUB404 Conservancy.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve Buckhead and the greater Atlanta community over the past four decades,” said Jim Durrett. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together – from transformative infrastructure projects to strengthening Buckhead’s voice in the region. As I prepare for this next chapter, I’m confident that the foundation we’ve built together will support a bold and visionary future for both organizations and Buckhead.”

Durrett’s successor will lead both the Buckhead Coalition and Buckhead CID, cultivating strategic relationships with stakeholders across metro Atlanta to continue to position Buckhead as a vibrant and welcoming community for businesses, residents, and visitors.

For more information on the search process, please visit the posting here, or reach out to the Russell Reynolds team leading the search here.