Four wildlife management officials are in the running to become the top administrator of the New Mexico Game and Fish Department.
The State Game Commission, which oversees the department, announced the finalists on Thursday. The commissioners will name a new director May 15 at a meeting in Albuquerque.
The finalists are Edward "Ted" Koch of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who's been supervisor of its programs in Nevada; Brian Wakeling, who works for the Arizona Game and Fish Department; Alexandra Sandoval and Matthew Wunder, who are employees of the New Mexico game agency.
The director will be paid from $99,999 to $120,000 a year to run a department with a $38 million yearly budget and more than 300 employees.
Jim Lane resigned as director last year.
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