The Winchester Municipal Utilities Commission announced Kenneth “Duke” Dryden as WMU’s new general manager at its regularly-scheduled meeting Thursday.

Dryden had been serving as interim general manager since April following the retirement of former general manager Mike Flynn.

After beginning his career in 1996 as a crewman in the Sewer Collections Department, Dryden has served as an engineering technician, the supervisor of engineering and director of engineering and operations, according to a news release.

The board began its search for a new general manager in May. The final selection was the culmination of a months-long comprehensive search process that included not only local candidates but qualified candidates from across the state, according to the release.