The city of Renton’s chief administrative officer baton is being handed from Jay Covington — who is retiring May 1 — to newly appointed Bob Harrison.

It was announced Tuesday that Mayor Dennis Law appointed Harrison to the position. As the chief administrative officer, Harrison will work with department administrators and coordinate between the mayor, City Council, city officials, governmental agencies and the community.

“I am very pleased to have Bob joining our team,” said Law in a press release. “I am very impressed with his integrity, proven leadership skills and wide range of experience in city government. He is a collaborative leader and where necessary will make tough choices to ensure Renton’s future and success. I am confident that he will be an outstanding CAO.”

Harrison previously worked as the chief administrative officer for the city of Issaquah for eight years and as the city manager for the city of Wyoming, Ohio for 12 years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin.

According to the release, Harrison has been a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) since 1996 and served as their vice president from 2013 to 2016. He also serves on the executive board of the Local Government Hispanic Network and the Washington City/County Management Association (WCMA).