Bill Stolz has been chosen as the new executive director of the Historic Wilmington Foundation.

The foundation announced the hiring in its newsletter this week.

"Bill comes to us with a rich background in history, preservation, and library sciences, bringing a wealth of experiene to his new role in leading our efforts to safegaurd Wilmington's historic treasures," the newsletter stated.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Stolz's career began in North Carolina as an employee at the State Library. He has served on historic preservation commissions in Columbia, Missouri, and Bellevue, Kentucky, according to the newsletter.

He holds a bachelor's degree in history from Ohio University, a master's in public history from Wright State University and a master's in library science with a certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Missouri Columbia, the newsletter stated.

Stolz also previously owned a 1928 Craftsman bungalow, "which fueled his love for researching historic properties. Over the years, he has taught countless classes on the subject and conducted extensive research for himself and others," according to the newsletter.

He replaces the previous executive director, Travis Gilbert.