Renton Technical College announced the hiring of a new president Wednesday afternoon.

The Board of Trustees have selected Dr. Kevin D. McCarthy to lead the institution starting July 1. McCarthy, who is currently the vice president of instruction at Lake Washington Institute of Technology, will replace President Steve Hanson, who will retire at the end of June.

“The feedback we heard from students, faculty, staff, and alumni confirmed the board’s decision,” said Board Chair Susan Palmer in a college press release. “The Board feels confident that Dr. McCarthy understands the college’s needs as well as its resources and is the right choice to lead the college forward.”

McCarthy was the dean of Health Sciences, Education and Wellness Institute at Bellevue College from 2010 to 2013. He also served as the associate vice president of instruction at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Ore. from 2007 to 2010.

McCarthy received his Ph.D. and master’s degrees in American history from the University of Mississippi. He began his career as an educator and administrator at Colorado Rocky Mountain School, (CRMS) in Carbondale, Colo. He also served as an instructor at the University of Mississippi, and a visiting assistant professor at the University of Georgia.

McCarthy is said to have spent many years working on ranches in Montana, during high school and college, which led him to his first teaching experience at CRMS, while also running the school’s ranch program.

This first-hand knowledge of both faculty and student experiences in education, as well as the specific role a technical college must play in an economically strong and diverse community, stood out to the search committee and members of the campus community, the release stated.