The county received more than 45 applications for finance director and the commissioners, CPAs from the finance department and Reese met over the past few weeks to pare the list down to the final two most qualified candidates: Bobby E. Young, former vice president for finance at Clark Atlanta University and Edward C. Holloway, chief accountant for the city of Macon's finance department.

Reese said he and the other officials on the hiring panels were looking for skilled financial experts who also displayed strong leadership skills. The finance director is in charge of monitoring the annual budget, leading the finance department and keeping the chairman and commissioners up-to-date on the county's financial matters.

Reese said the panels chose Young as a finalist because he had a history of strong leadership, including positions as a financial leader at multiple higher educations institutions. Young is vice president for finance and business at Clark Atlanta University, the school he previously brought out of a financial crisis, Reese said.

Holloway was chosen as the other finalist because of his solid financial background and experience in a variety of settings, including local government. He wasn't the top financial officer at the places he worked, such as Coca-Cola, but he was usually the second or third most important financial official, Reese said.

Chairman Richard Oden recently interviewed the finalists and he will make his recommendation to his fellow commissioners soon. Reese said he hopes a decision will be made in the next week, but the official appointment will take place at a public meeting sometime in May.