Date: Thursday, January 22
Time: 12:15
Location: Roswell Area Park
Bill Johnson Community Activity Building
10495 Woodstock Road
Roswell, GA 30075

We welcome Commissioner John F. King, Georgia’s Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, as our guest speaker on January 22.  Commissioner King has served as Georgia’s Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner since 2019, following his appointment by Governor Brian Kemp on July 1 of that year. His appointment marked an historic milestone, making him the first Hispanic statewide official in Georgia’s history. He was re‑elected to a full four‑year term in 2022 and continues to lead the agency responsible for insurance regulation, fire safety, and statewide emergency preparedness. The office oversees more than 1,000 employees across divisions including insurance regulation, fire investigations, building inspections, and consumer services.  His work has emphasized updating fired codes, improving rural fire department resources, and strengthening arson investigations.  He has played a visible role in statewide emergency preparedness, coordination during severe weather events, and insurance related consumer protection during disasters.

Before entering statewide office, Commissioner King built a distinguished career in law enforcement. He joined the Atlanta Police Department in 1985, serving in units including Red Dog and Organized Crime/Intelligence, and earned the Chief’s Blue Star after being injured in the line of duty. He later became Chief of Police for the City of Doraville, where he focused on community trust, multilingual accessibility, youth crime‑prevention programs, and pedestrian safety initiatives along Buford Highway. His leadership included partnerships with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and local officials to support small business development and public safety.

Commissioner King also retired as a Major General in the U.S. Army National Guard following his final assignment to NORAD and U.S. Northern Command. King was the former Commander of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and has deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. He served as the Military Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Interior for Security for Afghanistan, who oversaw an agency of over 96,000 police officers. His service earned him numerous military awards, including the Combat Infantry Badge, Combat Action Badge, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star.

Commissioner King holds degrees from Brenau University and the U.S. Army War College and completed executive programs at Harvard University, Syracuse University, the FBI National Academy, and the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange program. He is fluent in Spanish.  We look forward to hearing Commissioner King share insights from his decades of leadership in public safety, military service, and statewide administration.