Interim County Executive Kurt Triplett was unanimously appointed Monday by the Metropolitan King County Council to serve as King County executive. Triplett will serve until the results of the November general election for county executive are certified.

He replaces Ron Sims, who has been appointed to a top position in Housing and Urban Development in the Obama Administration.

Triplett was one of two nominees recommended last week by a Blue-Ribbon Selection Committee co-chaired by former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice and Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke. The council interviewed Triplett and Royer in depth Monday morning, along with former County Council members Louise Miller and Steve Hammond.

Before his designation as interim county executive upon the resignation of Sims on May 8, Triplett served as Sims chief of staff. He has also served as deputy director of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks, and as senior legislative assistant to former County Council member Cynthia Sullivan.