About John

---

 John J. Funny, candidate for City Council, District 4, has resided in Brookhaven since 2010. John is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Grice Consulting Group, an internationally recognized city/urban planning, traffic engineering and transportation engineering consulting firm with its corporate headquarter office in Atlanta, GA. With over 30 years of professional experience, John oversees the firm’s day-to-day operations and corporate business-related matters including strategic business development and strategic planning for growth.

John’s long record of community engagement and service to Brookhaven is extensive and well known among community stakeholders. His resume includes his current role as Chairman on Brookhaven’s Social Justice, Race and Equity Commission, a group that addresses diversity and equity in the community including a review of the city’s mission statement, hiring practices, contracting practices and policing practices. John also spent eight productive years on the Planning Commission for Brookhaven which contributed to many of the positive outcomes the city and its citizens now enjoy.
 

This is his first run for public office, but John is no stranger when it comes to interfacing with government. Before he established Grice Consulting Group in 1995, John spent seven years with one of the nation’s leading engineering and planning firms. Assigned to the firm’s Atlanta office, John consulted with government agencies throughout the United States and abroad on city and urban planning, traffic engineering, transportation planning and transportation engineering projects.

John knows the value of giving back to the community and has seen the positive impact that it can have on the lives and wellbeing of others. He has devotedly embraced his charitable and civic responsibilities for decades through leadership and volunteerism. Among his many endeavors, John serves as the National President for the Alumni Association of his alma matter, South Carolina State University, as well as serves on the University’s Board of Trustees. He also serves as Chairman of the Sadie Grice Funny Scholarship Foundation, an organization he founded in 2010 which has provided scholarships opportunities to students who desire to attend college but are unable because of a lack of funds. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over $200,000 to students throughout the southeastern U.S. to nurture a new generation of leaders and create a better society.

His late mother, Sadie, is credited with instilling in John the importance of working hard to obtain the desires of his life and motivating him to go after desires with full attentiveness and focus.

John holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from South Carolina State University, a Master of Science Transportation Planning and Engineering Courses at North Carolina State University and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Policy – Urban Planning at the University of Southern California. 

With his impressive resume, his history of community engagement, and his leadership capabilities, John Funny is ready to get to work in service to District 4.

Memberships

• Member, Impact United Methodist Church, Atlanta, GA
• Member, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
• Member, 100 Black Men of America, DeKalb County Chapter
• Member, Leadership DeKalb – Class of 2010
• Member, Conference of Minority Transportation Official, COMTO
• Member and Past Board of Directors, Institute of Transportation Engineers
• Member, American Institute of Certified Planners
• Member, Intelligent Transportation Systems of America
• Member and Past Board of Directors, Intelligent Transportation Systems of  GA
• Member, Transportation Research Board
• Member, World Congress Intelligent Transportation Systems

Board Affiliations

• Chair, City of Brookhaven Social Justice, Race and Equity Commission (2020 – Present)
• Past Planning Commissioner, Vice Chairman, City of Brookhaven, Georgia (2013 – 2021)
• Board Member, City of Brookhaven Police Department Foundation (2015 – Present)
• Board of Trustees, South Carolina State University (2017 – Present)
• Board of Advisors, South Carolina State University School of Engineering (1990 – Present)
• National President, South Carolina State University National Alumni Association (2017 – Present)
• Board Member, Emory-DeKalb Medical Hospital Authority (2011 – Present)
• Immediate Past President and Board Member, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Eta Lambda Chapter (Atlanta) –      (2014 – 2018)
• Immediate Past National Chair – College Life to Corporate Life, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (2017 –      2021)
• Past Board Member, Piney Woods School
• Past Board Member, DeKalb County, GA Chamber of Commerce
• Founder and Chair, Sadie Grice Funny Scholarship Foundation
• International Board, World Congress for Intelligent Transportation System
• International Board – Chair of Education Committee, International Roadway Federation