Georgia Department of Revenue Names New Commissioner

press-releases

Published February 16th, 2026

Detected March 17th, 2026

Summary

Governor Brian Kemp announced the appointment of David Burge as the new Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Revenue, effective February 16, 2026. This appointment follows the confirmation of the current commissioner, Frank O'Connell, as the state's first Tax Court Chief Judge.

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What changed

Governor Brian Kemp has appointed David Burge as the new Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Revenue, with his service beginning February 1, 2026, and officially taking over on February 16, 2026. This transition occurs as the current commissioner, Frank O'Connell, moves to become the Chief Judge of the Tax Court on April 1, 2026. Burge's background includes extensive legal and public service experience, including a partnership at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP, and prior appointments to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs board and the State Ethics Commission.

This is an administrative personnel change within a state government agency and does not impose new regulatory requirements or obligations on regulated entities. Compliance officers should note the change in leadership at the Georgia DOR for any future communications or interactions with the department. No immediate compliance actions are required as a result of this announcement.

Source document (simplified)

ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced his appointment of David Burge as the incoming Commissioner of the Department of Revenue (DOR), following the confirmation of current commissioner Frank O'Connell by the Georgia House and Senate Judiciary Committees as the state's first Tax Court Chief Judge. Governor Kemp officially appointed O'Connell as DOR Commissioner in February 2023 after more than two decades of dedicated work within the Department, and he will officially become the Chief Judge on April 1, 2026.

"Marty and I are truly grateful for Frank O'Connell's years of service to the people of our state and for his great strides in improving the efficiency of the Department of Revenue," said Governor Brian Kemp. "That unwavering commitment to putting the best interests of hardworking Georgians first is why I nominated him to be Chief Judge of the Tax Court, and those values will serve him well as the very first person to serve in this role."

David Burge will begin his service at the Department of Revenue on February 1, 2026, and will officially take over as commissioner on February 16.

"David has spent decades making Georgia's communities and economy stronger, both in his professional and personal capacities," said Governor Kemp. "Marty and I are thankful that he will continue this good work after accepting the call to serve at the Department of Revenue, where he will always prioritize the good stewardship of taxpayer money."

David Burge is currently a partner at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP in Atlanta where he focuses on real estate transactions in commercial lending, corporate, and capital markets; as well as in general leasing, sale, and purchase. Governor Kemp also appointed him to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs board in 2020, where he subsequently served as both Chair and Vice-Chair, providing oversight to the state agency responsible for operating 65 programs and managing nearly $300 million in state and federal funding annually. Burge is also a member of the State Ethics Commission.

Throughout his extensive and accomplished career, Burge has served on many community and statewide committees and civic organizations, including the Georgia Real Estate Commission, the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority Board, the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, the Atlanta Bar Association and the State Bar of Georgia, the board of the Atlanta Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Visitors of Emory University, and the Trustees of Buckhead Christian Ministries. He is a graduate of the Midtown Alliance Leadership Program, the Coverdell Leadership Institute, and Leadership Atlanta.

Burge earned a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University. He and his wife, Sally, live in Atlanta and have two children.

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