Burrell Ellis
Encyclopedia
W. Burrell Ellis, Jr. is the fourth Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County, Georgia
. Ellis was elected on November 4, 2008 and assumed office on January 1, 2009.
As DeKalb County’s Chief Executive, CEO Ellis is responsible for administering the county’s $1.2 billion annual budget, managing its 7,500 employees and delivering services to its 740,000 residents.
in Washington, D.C.
and later moved to Silver Spring
in Montgomery County, Maryland
, the third most populous county in the state.
At 10 years old, Ellis showed a keen interest in politics
. Ellis’ pastor, the Rev. Channing E. Phillips
, led the presidential campaign of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy
in D.C. in 1968. Later that year, Ellis sat in front of the television, watching intensely as Phillips became the first African American
nominated for president by a major party during the 1968 Democratic National Convention
following Sen. Kennedy’s assassination. By the sixth grade, Ellis' interest in politics translated into a successful bid for class president.
After graduating from John F. Kennedy High School
in Silver Spring, Ellis earned a degree in economics and finance from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was schoolmates with other future notable elected officials such as Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and National Urban League President and former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial
. Ellis went on to earn a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from The University of Texas at Austin. While at the University of Texas, one of our nation’s largest and most prestigious law schools, Ellis was elected to serve as student body president.
He relocated to Atlanta after law school and volunteered on several campaigns while building his law practice, including Jesse Jackson
's 1988 presidential campaign in Georgia
and the re-election campaign of Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson
in 1989. A member of Young Atlantans for Maynard - YAMS -, Ellis chaired the Issues Committee, which drafted several position papers for Jackson.
Ellis is married to Attorney Philippa V. Ellis, a partner with Atlanta law firm Owen, Gleaton, Egan, Jones & Sweeney. The couple have two young children.
for more than 20 years, including as a partner in the national law firm of EpsteinBeckerGreen, where he practiced in the firm’s Real Estate Group. He used his extensive experience to represent clients in connection with the acquisition
, disposition
and development of residential, office, retail, resort and mixed-use projects.
CEO Ellis has taught courses in negotiation
and collaborative problem solving at Georgia State University College of Law
and has been a frequent panelist and lecturer on smart growth
and urban development issues.
During his tenure on the commission, Ellis served five terms as its Presiding Officer, where he led the board through its most extensive reorganization ever, ensuring openness and transparency in the legislative process. His legislative accomplishments include authoring the county’s innovative Local Small Business Enterprise Ordinance and championing Georgia’s first comprehensive Clean Indoor Air Ordinance to protect the health of tens of thousands of DeKalb County citizens from the dangers second-hand smoke.
While on the commission, Ellis was actively involved with the National Association of Counties
(NACo). He also served as chair of NACo's Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC), a bipartisan coalition of elected county officials representing the interests of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan communities on Capitol Hill and before the White House
.
Ellis was a front-runner in a field of 5 Democrats to succeed CEO Vernon Jones
. With no republican on the ballot, the race for CEO was decided during the General Primary. The top vote getter with 46 percent of the vote, Ellis faced State Rep. Stan Watson in the runoff election on August 8, 2008, ultimately winning with 65 percent of the vote.
During his first year in office, Ellis implemented a major restructuring of government by grouping departments by function into the following operating units: development, infrastructure, public safety and administration. This helped to eliminate silos and allowed his administration to work synergistically.
In response to the impact the downturn in the economy had on county revenues, Ellis reduced spending in every office under the supervision of the CEO, and made recommendations for reductions in other county offices and agencies, as well.
On February 22, 2011, Ellis announced that DeKalb County had cut more in spending than any other local government in the Atlanta metropolitan region since he took office.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) decided to put the statement to the Truth-O-Meter test. By comparing DeKalb County’s budgets to other local governments, the AJC found that DeKalb County had indeed cut more than any other jurisdiction in metro Atlanta by slashing $107 million, or 17 percent, from the budget.
In addition, Ellis’ administration absorbed more than $30 million in increased costs from 2010 to 2011.
Ellis has also been resolute in his commitment to ensure the priorities of citizens remain the priority of DeKalb County. Providing citizens a voice in county government and furthering community involvement on a grassroots level in policy decisions and operations, Ellis:
Ellis continues to play an active role in championing issues impacting county government. Ellis currently serves on the NACo Board of Directors and the Executive Committee as the South Regional Representative.
In March 2011, Ellis was elected 2nd Vice President of County Executives of America (CEA). CEA represents nearly 700 counties in 45 states that operate under a “county executive” government structure, and works directly with the principal decision-makers in all areas of the federal government to ensure the concerns of county residents are addressed at the national level.
Honors
Accomplishments
Community involvement
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
. Ellis was elected on November 4, 2008 and assumed office on January 1, 2009.
As DeKalb County’s Chief Executive, CEO Ellis is responsible for administering the county’s $1.2 billion annual budget, managing its 7,500 employees and delivering services to its 740,000 residents.
Background
Ellis was born November 22, 1957 on the campus of Howard UniversityHoward University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and later moved to Silver Spring
Silver Spring
-Places:* Silver Spring, Maryland, USA** Silver Spring * Silver Spring, Pennsylvania, USA...
in Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
, the third most populous county in the state.
At 10 years old, Ellis showed a keen interest in politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. Ellis’ pastor, the Rev. Channing E. Phillips
Channing E. Phillips
Channing E. Phillips was an American minister, civil rights leader and social activist, who made history as the first African American placed in nomination for President of the United States by a major political party....
, led the presidential campaign of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
in D.C. in 1968. Later that year, Ellis sat in front of the television, watching intensely as Phillips became the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
nominated for president by a major party during the 1968 Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
following Sen. Kennedy’s assassination. By the sixth grade, Ellis' interest in politics translated into a successful bid for class president.
After graduating from John F. Kennedy High School
John F. Kennedy High School
John F. Kennedy High School or Kennedy High School is the name of many secondary schools, including:Canada:*John F. Kennedy High School , in Montreal, QuebecUnited States:*John F. Kennedy High School...
in Silver Spring, Ellis earned a degree in economics and finance from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was schoolmates with other future notable elected officials such as Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and National Urban League President and former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial
Marc Morial
Marc Haydel Morial is an American political and civic leader and the current president of the National Urban League. Morial served as mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana from 1994 to 2002. He is married to Michelle Miller, who has won awards as a CBS News Correspondent.- Early life and educations...
. Ellis went on to earn a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from The University of Texas at Austin. While at the University of Texas, one of our nation’s largest and most prestigious law schools, Ellis was elected to serve as student body president.
He relocated to Atlanta after law school and volunteered on several campaigns while building his law practice, including Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
's 1988 presidential campaign in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and the re-election campaign of Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson
Maynard Jackson
Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr. was an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and the first African American mayor of Atlanta, Georgia. He served three terms, two consecutive terms from 1974 until 1982 and a third term from 1990 to 1994...
in 1989. A member of Young Atlantans for Maynard - YAMS -, Ellis chaired the Issues Committee, which drafted several position papers for Jackson.
Ellis is married to Attorney Philippa V. Ellis, a partner with Atlanta law firm Owen, Gleaton, Egan, Jones & Sweeney. The couple have two young children.
Life in the private sector
Prior to assuming the full-times duties as DeKalb County CEO, Ellis practiced lawLaw
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
for more than 20 years, including as a partner in the national law firm of EpsteinBeckerGreen, where he practiced in the firm’s Real Estate Group. He used his extensive experience to represent clients in connection with the acquisition
Acquisition
Acquisition may refer to:* Takeover, the acquisition of a company* Mergers and acquisitions, strategy of buying and selling of various companies to quickly grow a company...
, disposition
Disposition
A disposition is a habit, a preparation, a state of readiness, or a tendency to act in a specified way.The terms dispositional belief and occurrent belief refer, in the former case, to a belief that is held in the mind but not currently being considered, and in the latter case, to a belief that is...
and development of residential, office, retail, resort and mixed-use projects.
CEO Ellis has taught courses in negotiation
Negotiation
Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more people or parties, intended to reach an understanding, resolve point of difference, or gain advantage in outcome of dialogue, to produce an agreement upon courses of action, to bargain for individual or collective advantage, to craft outcomes to satisfy...
and collaborative problem solving at Georgia State University College of Law
Georgia State University College of Law
The Georgia State University College of Law is an urban law school located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1982, is it accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools....
and has been a frequent panelist and lecturer on smart growth
Smart growth
Smart growth is an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in compact walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl and advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-use development with a...
and urban development issues.
DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
When DeKalb County Commissioner Ken Davis made the decision to run for CEO instead of seeking re-election, Ellis threw his hat in the race to replace Davis. In November 2000, he defeated two challengers to serve the citizens in the commission's fourth district, and won re-election in 2004.During his tenure on the commission, Ellis served five terms as its Presiding Officer, where he led the board through its most extensive reorganization ever, ensuring openness and transparency in the legislative process. His legislative accomplishments include authoring the county’s innovative Local Small Business Enterprise Ordinance and championing Georgia’s first comprehensive Clean Indoor Air Ordinance to protect the health of tens of thousands of DeKalb County citizens from the dangers second-hand smoke.
While on the commission, Ellis was actively involved with the National Association of Counties
National Association of Counties
The National Association of Counties is an organization that represents county governments in the United States.The National Association of Counties is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the...
(NACo). He also served as chair of NACo's Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC), a bipartisan coalition of elected county officials representing the interests of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan communities on Capitol Hill and before the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
.
2008 DeKalb County CEO Race
On January 24, 2008, Ellis formally announced his campaign for DeKalb County CEO. Prior to the announcement, he traveled across the county on a listening tour to discern the needs of citizens. As a result of the tour, Ellis developed a campaign platform that focused on efficient government, strong neighborhoods, financial accountability, public safety and a united DeKalb County.Ellis was a front-runner in a field of 5 Democrats to succeed CEO Vernon Jones
Vernon Jones
Vernon Jones is an American Democratic politician from Georgia who served as chief executive officer of Dekalb County, Georgia, from 2001 until 2009.-Early life and business career:...
. With no republican on the ballot, the race for CEO was decided during the General Primary. The top vote getter with 46 percent of the vote, Ellis faced State Rep. Stan Watson in the runoff election on August 8, 2008, ultimately winning with 65 percent of the vote.
The Ellis Administration
Since taking office, Ellis carried forward his theme of accountability, accessibility and transparency to ensure that the priorities of citizens remained the priority of DeKalb County. Ellis remained resolute in his commitment to provide for the services citizens said were paramount: job creation, public safety, code enforcement, neighborhood empowerment, and government efficiency and accountability.During his first year in office, Ellis implemented a major restructuring of government by grouping departments by function into the following operating units: development, infrastructure, public safety and administration. This helped to eliminate silos and allowed his administration to work synergistically.
In response to the impact the downturn in the economy had on county revenues, Ellis reduced spending in every office under the supervision of the CEO, and made recommendations for reductions in other county offices and agencies, as well.
On February 22, 2011, Ellis announced that DeKalb County had cut more in spending than any other local government in the Atlanta metropolitan region since he took office.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) decided to put the statement to the Truth-O-Meter test. By comparing DeKalb County’s budgets to other local governments, the AJC found that DeKalb County had indeed cut more than any other jurisdiction in metro Atlanta by slashing $107 million, or 17 percent, from the budget.
In addition, Ellis’ administration absorbed more than $30 million in increased costs from 2010 to 2011.
Ellis has also been resolute in his commitment to ensure the priorities of citizens remain the priority of DeKalb County. Providing citizens a voice in county government and furthering community involvement on a grassroots level in policy decisions and operations, Ellis:
- Created a neighborhood empowerment initiative - referred to as Our Neighborhood Empowerment or ONE - to bring the government closer to its residents. ONE helps residents solve disputes at a grassroots level, volunteer for community improvement and public safety projects and work to strengthen neighborhood stabilization.
- Launched FOCUSS DeKalb and hosted a series of community forums designed to offer residents, business owners and other stakeholders the opportunity to provide input for the county’s strategic plan. The county appointed a group of 12 DeKalb citizens to engage the community and county employees in the county’s first strategic planning process — FOCUSS (fiscal accountability, opportunity, community, unity, safety and sustainability) DeKalb.
- Established the DeKalb County Code Enforcement Task Force. The task force, which includes community leaders, county officials, and other key individuals, identified and assisted in the implementation of solution-driven recommendations to address code enforcement issues affecting communities throughout DeKalb.
- Launched the Revenue Enhancement Commission (REC), in partnership with the Board of Commissioners, as an initiative to concentrate on innovative ways to identify new sources of non-tax revenue. Chaired by Commissioner Kathie Gannon, the Revenue Enhancement Commission completed a report outlining recommendations to increase non-tax revenues and continue our high level of quality government service.
- Created the Green Commission, under the leadership of Commissioner Kathie Gannon, to help fulfill DeKalb's vision of being the Greenest County in America, by developing sustainable practices and policies that enhance quality of life for all county stakeholders.
Ellis continues to play an active role in championing issues impacting county government. Ellis currently serves on the NACo Board of Directors and the Executive Committee as the South Regional Representative.
In March 2011, Ellis was elected 2nd Vice President of County Executives of America (CEA). CEA represents nearly 700 counties in 45 states that operate under a “county executive” government structure, and works directly with the principal decision-makers in all areas of the federal government to ensure the concerns of county residents are addressed at the national level.
Senior cabinet
Ellis' senior cabinet consists of the following:- Richard Stogner - Chief Operating Officer
- Dr. Jabari SimamaJabari SimamaJabari Simama is an educator, public official, and author. He is currently the for CEO Burrell Ellis, where he currently serves. In 2001 he was the chief architect of a large municipal technology program to bridge the digital divide, The Atlanta Community Technology Initiative where thousands of...
- Chief of Staff - Joel Gottlieb - Chief Financial Officer
- Lisa Chang - Chief Legal Officer/County Attorney
- Burke Brennan - Chief Communications Officer
- William Miller - Public Safety Director
Awards and accomplishments
Offices held- Appointed to the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, 2001-2008)
- Appointed to the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), 2001-present
- Appointed to National Association of Counties (NACo), 2001-present
- Served on the Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) Steering Committee, 2002-present
- Served as Presiding Officer of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, 2003-2007
- Elected LUCC Vice Chair, 2005-2007
- Served on ACCG Board of Managers, 2006-2008
- Elected LUCC Chair, 2007-2009
- Served on the NACo Board of Directors, 2007-2009
- Served on the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), 2009-present
- Elected ARC Secretary, 2009-2010
- Elected Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County, 2009-present
- Served as the Southern Region Representative of the NACo Executive Committee, 2009-present
- Served on the Georgia’s Census Complete Count Committee, 2009-present
- Elected ARC Executive Committee Chair, 2010
- Elected 2nd Vice President of County Executives of America (CEA), 2011
Honors
- Named Champion for Change by the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence, 2009
- Named among 100 Most Influential Georgians by Georgia Trend Magazine, February 2009, February 2010 and February 2011
- Honored by Sen. Emmanuel Jones with a resolution at the State Capital for leadership as DeKalb County CEO, April 2009
- Named Man of Influence by the Atlanta Business League, July 2009
- Recipient of the City of Clarkston’s Citizens Appreciation Award, November 2009
- Named among 100 Most Influential Georgians by Georgia Trend Magazine, February 2010
- Named Most Beloved Elected Official by readers of CrossRoads News, April 2010
- Named among 100 Most Influential Atlantans by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, June 2010
Accomplishments
- Authored the county’s Local Small Business Enterprise Ordinance
- Championed Georgia’s first comprehensive Clean Indoor Air Ordinance to combat the dangers of second-hand smoke
- Established DeKalb County’s Our Neighborhood Empowerment to create a more responsive people-centered government, April 2009
- Hosted first ever Hike & Bike and Greenspace Tour, April 2010
- Implemented the live video stream of DeKalb County Television (DCTV), providing 24-hour direct access to DeKalb County government’s many services, activities and initiatives
- Secured $4.9 million in stimulus funding for DeKalb Workforce Development, April 2009
- Established Board of Transparency and Accountability to investigate allegations of waste, fraud and abuse in DeKalb County, May 2009
- Secured more than $40 million in stimulus funding for DeKalb County transportation projects, May 2009
- Launched the Green Commission in partnership with Commissioner Gannon, May 2009
- Led Capital Hill Rally for Federal Energy Grant Funding, June 2009
- Launched Code RED Emergency Communications to enhance communications with citizens during disasters, September 2009
- Spearheaded census campaign in partnership with Board of Commissioners, September 2009
- Partnered with DeKalb Chapter of National Coalition of Black Women to raise breast cancer awareness, October 2009
- Secured $250,000 Strengthening Communities Fund grant award from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, October 2009
- Established the DeKalb Officers Next Door program to assist DeKalb County Police Officers and First Responders in purchasing homes
- Reduced the number of serious crimes in DeKalb County during the year (ending in November), November 2009
- Secured DeKalb County the designated certification of “green community”, December 2009
- Established Recorder Court Amnesty program, March 2010
- Launched PAL Plus program to enhance youth crime prevention, March 2010
- Launched DeKalb County’s new Customer Service and Employee Incentive Initiative, March 2010
- Recognized community citizens who significantly impact the DeKalb community at a Community Heroes Awards ceremony, April 2010, 2011
- Led a Hike and Bike Green Space Tour to commemorate National Government Week, April 2010
- Secured a $25,260 Five Star Restoration Program grant from NACo, July 2010
- Launched FOCUSS DeKalb strategic planning process to offer residents, business owners and stakeholders the opportunity to provide input for the county’s strategic plan, August 2010
- Established the DeKalb County Code Enforcement Task Force, August 2010
- Established a friendly cooperative agreement between DeKalb County and the Jiandong District of Ningbo City in the People’s Republic of China, September 2010
- Hosted Fall Hike & Bike and Greenspace Tour to mark the grand opening of a new section of the South River Multi-Use Trail, October 2010
- Launched DeKalb County’s Foreclosure Registry to protect blighted neighborhoods, October 2010
- Launched the Great DeKalb Cleanup in partnership with the Board of Commissioners, October 2010
- Supported Decatur Cooperative Ministry’s Project Take Charge by donating holiday food items in an effort to reduce and prevent homelessness among families, November 2010
Community involvement
- 100 Black Men of America100 Black Men of America100 Black Men Of America is a men's civic organization and service club whose stated goal is to educate and empower African American children and teens. As of 2009 the organization has 110 chapters and over 10,000 members in different cities in the United States and throughout the world...
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of AmericaBig Brothers Big Sisters of AmericaBig Brothers Big Sisters of America is a 501 non-profit organization whose mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that try to have a measurable impact on youth....
- Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
- St. Philip AME Church