Christopher Lawrence has been named Vinton's new town manager.

Lawrence, 32, is currently an assistant to Blacksburg Town Manager Marc Verniel and served for a time as Blacksburg's interim planning director.

He has 10 years experience working in local government, starting in 1998 as a development planner and comprehensive planner for Blacksburg's department of planning and engineering.

Lawrence was unanimously chosen for the position by the Vinton Town Council and was the top candidate among 40 applicants for the job, according to a town news release.

Lawrence will be paid an annual salary of $85,000. His first day on the job will be Sept. 29.

"I believe he will fit very well into our town structure, and I'm sure our staff and citizens will enjoy working with him," Vinton Mayor Brad Grose stated in the news release.

In Blacksburg, Lawrence assisted in strategic planning efforts, downtown revitalization projects, parks and recreation master planning and major commercial and residential projects.

In Vinton, he will replace Assistant Town Manager Consuella Caudill, who had been serving as interim town manager since March, when Town Manager Kevin Boggess left Vinton to become Salem's city manager. Caudill will return to her assistant's position.

"It's a great opportunity and a great community," Lawrence said Friday. "My wife and I have been going to special events and holiday parades there for years."

Lawrence has a bachelor's degree in public and urban affairs and a master's in public administration, both from Virginia Tech.

He and his wife, Heather, have two children.