Antonio Adams has served in multiple roles during his 17-year tenure at the City of Memphis, including EEO/Labor Relations and ADA Compliance Coordinator, Deputy Director of General Services, General Services Director, Interim Total Rewards Officer, and Deputy Chief Operating Officer before being elevated to the position of Interim COO.  

Some of Adams’ career highlights include leading the Joint Memphis-Shelby County Joint COVID Taskforce Emergency Response Team (ESF-7) responsible for PPE & other essential logistics to first responders, healthcare workers, government employees, and other essential employees; leading the installation of Continuous Improvement and Lean Process methodology for cross-functional teams; successfully aligning business planning and financial processes with performance improvement and business risk-management activities; collaborating with the division’s labor unions to create entry-level positions, training protocols, and performance standards with the goal of succession planning; leading the efforts to adaptively reuse the former State Office Building (170 N. Main), Walter Simmons Housing projects, and the former Coke bottling facility, which are now serving as city facilities, and the efforts to replace the deteriorating facade on City Hall.

Adams holds a Bachelor of Science degree from East Tennessee State University, a Master of Science in Sociology from Middle Tennessee State University, and a Juris Doctorate from Thomas Cooley Law School.