The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority’s (MARTA) board announced that its GM/CEO Jeff Parker died by suicide.

“He was an outstanding leader and steward of MARTA whose passing leaves us all heartbroken,” said board Chairwoman Rita Scott in a statement. “As Chairwoman and on behalf of my fellow MARTA board members, we are devastated at this loss as we valued Jeff’s leadership and looked forward to him bringing his vision for transit to fruition. 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.

“As we struggle to understand the complexity of this tragedy, we grieve with and for his wife Erin, his daughters, and all of Jeff’s family and friends, as well as his MARTA family. As we continue to grieve, we want you to know that suicide is preventable, and help is available to you.”

In a unanimous vote, the board named Collie Greenwood as interim GM/CEO at a specially called board meeting on Saturday.

An experienced transit professional and former chief service officer with the Toronto Transit Commission, Greenwood joined MARTA in 2019 as the head of Bus Operations and was promoted to deputy GM, operations, last January.

(If you or a loved one need help, it is available through the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at (800) 273-8255.)