Colby VanGundy was selected the new director of Parks and Recreation for Victoria. VanGundy will begin work Aug. 5.

VanGundy has 13 years of experience in municipal parks and recreation management and is currently the parks and recreation director for Greenville in north Texas.

"I look forward to working with Colby as we continue to develop parks and recreational opportunities for Victoria," said city manager Charmelle Garrett. "He will spend his first few months learning the operational side of the department, meeting all the parks employees, our parks commissioners and other users of the parks system," she said.

VanGundy graduated from Tarleton State University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise and sports services. He has extensive experience in the management of public recreational programs, facilities and park plan development.

"Colby's broad range of experience also includes recruiting sporting tournaments to Greenville, and I look forward to him applying that experience here in Victoria," Garrett said. "This will increase sports travel dollars that come to our community."

His career in municipal parks and recreation began in 2000 at the city of Burnet, where he served as a recreation superintendent, was promoted to director of parks and then promoted to director of parks and recreation. He joined the city of Greenville in 2007 as parks and recreation manager and was named as director of parks and recreation in 2008.

More than 50 people from around the country applied for the parks director position, which has been open since February, when longtime Director Doug Cochran retired.

The finalists were interviewed by a team of city directors, including Garrett and Assistant City Manager John Kaminski.