After a four-month search, Lakewood has a new city manager.

The city on Friday announced the selection of Jonathan Cain as its new city manager. The selection comes four months after the retirement of Kathy Hodgson, who had served as Lakewood’s city manager for 18 years and was at the time of her retirement the longest-tenured city manager in Colorado.

Cain is currently the town manager of Nederland in Boulder County. He was selected due to his dedication to communities and ability to bring people together, as well as showing he was knowledgeable about issues facing Lakewood, according to a news release from the City of Lakewood.

“I was inspired,” said Mayor Wendi Strom in the release. “Jonathan is the right person for Lakewood, and for me, it has to do with his ability to see things from multiple perspectives, his empathy for others and his attention to detail. He also feels very passionately that government is a service industry.”

Cain said he had previously lived in Lakewood for 10 years.

“I believe local government’s purpose is to help the community solve hard problems with honesty, discipline and trust,” Cain said in the release. “I lived in Lakewood previously for 10 years, and I know the community contains great talent and ideas. I am truly honored to be selected, and I am fully dedicated to continuing to foster that culture.”

Cain is described as an accomplished local government executive with extensive leadership experience in a myriad areas, including fiscal management, economic development and community engagement, according to a biography on the city’s website. During his time in Nederland, he guided the town’s acquisition and transition of the Eldora Mountain Resort to municipal ownership and also led recovery efforts in the town after a downtown fire.

Cain was one of five finalists for the position. His contract with the city will be formally approved at City Council’s Aug. 24 meeting.