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It came down to "three excellent candidates" for the newest superintendent of the Fayette County Board of Developmental Disabilities, board members said, but Powell native Fred L. Williams stood above the rest.

Williams, who has over 24 years of management experience in complex health and human services environments, was recently named as the replacement for Steve Hilgeman, who is retiring Aug. 27.

"He (Williams) is just exceptional," said Caryl Bookman, a member of the Board of DD and the head of the search committee. "We were really blessed to have Steve and we are blessed to have Fred come in after him."

The search process began with 12 applicants, nine were interviewed and then it was narrowed down to three - Williams, Lori Horvath of Pickaway County and Teresa Borden of Washington C.H.

"The final three are all such good candidates but we just felt that Fred was the most qualified," said Bookman.

Williams, who could not be reached for comment, will begin his duties on Monday, Aug. 30.

According to the board, Williams is excellent at administering and providing high-quality and consumer-oriented programs in a cost-effective manner. He also has a reputation for transforming struggling agencies into viable ones.

From 2005-09, Williams was the assistant director at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services in Columbus. There, he managed a workforce of over 800 staff members and a budget in excess of $3 billion.

In 2004 and 2005, Williams was a consultant for the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Southwest Ohio Developmental Center in Batavia. He served as interim chief executive officer for an 111-bed residential treatment facility with a budget in excess of $20 million and 200 staff members, during a time of transition.

From 1999 to 2004, Williams was the deputy director for the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities in Columbus. He was responsible for direct supervision of developmental centers superintendents, the capital improvement and housing program, as well as the consumer health and safety unit.

From 1996 to 1999, he was the assistant deputy director at the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Division of Developmental Centers, in Columbus. Williams was directly responsible for program implementation and design for 12 developmental centers in the state. His duties included managing a budget in excess of $12 million annually, overseeing quality systems and conducting investigations as needed.

Williams, a Miami University graduate, was the superintendent of the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities in Dayton from 1983 to 1996. He was directly responsible for an 104-bed residential treatment facility. His duties included managing a budget in excess of $10 million and supervising 200 staff members.