When he graduated from Westlake High School and enrolled at Morehouse College, Brian K. Jones intended to work in computer science after graduation. But six weeks into his freshman year, he found the major boring and switched to business with the idea of traveling the country as a consultant.
He ended up working in Public Safety for the Public Information Officer of the Fulton County Police Department and for the Chief of Police. In those roles, he was exposed to local laws that baffled him. Jones expressed his dismay to his mother, who told him, “Unless you’re in politics and can do something to change things, you have to live by the laws” on the books.
That is when the first notion of running for Union City’s City Council entered his mind. A short time later, he told his mother he would go for it. The problem was that qualifying was just two weeks away.
Undeterred, he pressed forward and was so effective that another council candidate, Vince Williams, reached out to him so they could essentially partner in their respective campaigns. Both won. That was 2007. Wiliams went on to become Union City Mayor in 2013.
For the past 19 years, Jones, 47, has been a leader of economic development for Union City. He was a young voice on the council with fresh ideas, like supporting the redevelopment of an old school with $5 million to repurpose it to The Gathering Place, a multi-use 25,000-square-foot indoor facility featuring a gym, theater, and multipurpose rooms.
“It is the central location to the park, with turf fields and trails,” Jones said. “It is the centerpiece for change and shows we are an active community.”
As president of the 100 Black Men, South Metro Atlanta Chapter, Jones finds himself active all the time—too active, in fact. When his presidential term ends in March 2027, he is excited to “spend time with my family,” he said. He’s been on leadership boards his daughter’s entire life. “It may be time to go to the beach without my laptop and just enjoy my family and the ocean.”