Joel Gottlieb

Joel Gottlieb is the Finance Director / Chief Financial Officer for DeKalb County.  As Finance Director, Joel oversees the daily operations of the county's Finance department.

Joel joined DeKalb County in 1996 as Assistant Finance Director.  Joel began his finance career as a financial analyst for the City of Atlanta, where he served in various capacities for more than 20 years.  His extensive finance background includes directing the City of Atlanta's benefit administration, covering more than 8,000 employees and retirees and directing insurance, pension and payroll operations.

Joel is active in the business community, serving as trustee of the Georgia Shakespeare Festival and a member of the Georgia Finance Officers Association (GFOA).  He served as the former chair of the Atlanta City Employees Credit Union's Supervisory Committee.  Joel is also a 2009 Leadership DeKalb graduate.

Departmental Summary – Finance Department

The Finance Department directs the financial affairs of DeKalb County by providing advice to the CEO and Board of Commissioners on fiscal affairs; provide financial and legislative information to elected officials, citizens, bondholders, customers, employees and other stakeholders; and provides timely and accurate invoicing for Water & Sewer, Commercial Sanitation, Business Registration and Alcoholic Beverage License, and other customers, while maximizing the collection of revenues.  The Finance Department pays all vendors on the due dates while maximizing offered discounts; maximizes the return on the county's investments while adhering the county's investment policies.  It prepares, analyzes, and administers the various county budgets within legal restrictions and internal policies and procedures, including submission of proposed budgets to the governing authority and facilitating public review, and provides an independent appraisal of county operations to ensure compliance with laws, policies, and procedures.  It minimizes the adverse effects of risk exposure to the county and its employees, and administers the county's surety, liability, employee insurance, and benefits programs.  The Finance Department provides active and retired employees the pay and benefits to which they are entitled, in an efficient manner.