Who will be Topeka's next city manager? City council will choose from among these finalists.

Stephen Wade, the city of Topeka's administrative and financial services director, is among four finalists to become Topeka's next city manager.

The others are Abbe Yacoben, deputy finance director and treasurer for the city of Las Vegas; Mike Harmon, former city administrator for Fairfield, Iowa, and Spearfish, S.D.; and David Johnston, former city manager for Covington, Ky., and Maple Valley, Wash., and former village administrator for Rantoul, Ill.

Gretchen Spiker, communications director for Topeka's city government, announced the names of the finalists in a news release late Tuesday afternoon, saying they'd been chosen by the city's mayor and council.

What's happened so far with the selection process?

Former Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran has served as interim city manager since Brent Trout left at the beginning of this year to become county manager for Harnett County, N.C.

The mayor and council earlier have been assisted by Topeka-based Kansas Personnel Services Inc., doing business as Premier Employment Solutions and Key Staffing, as they've sought to recruit Topeka's next city manager.

Forty candidates applied, including 13 that have ties to Kansas.

All four finalists are white. Three are men and one is a woman.

What happens next?

The four finalists will be in Topeka on Aug. 30 to meet with two interview panels, Spiker said.

One will consist of the city's mayor and council, while the other will consist of community stakeholders, she said.

The finalists will also appear at a public "meet and greet" from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 30 at the Bishop Professional Development Center, 3601 S.W. 31st, Spiker said. Light refreshments will be served.

Those present will be able to provide feedback about the candidates to the mayor and council by filling out comment cards at the meet and greet or by emailing comments to cmsearch@premierks.com.

Who is Stephen Wade?

Wade lives in Topeka and graduated from Shawnee Heights High School. He's on the board of directors for the Topeka Community Foundation, and formerly served on the boards for Go Topeka and the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce.

Wade spent 30 years in the media industry, and formerly was publisher of The Topeka Capital-Journal and general manager at The Augusta Chronicle in Augusta, Ga.

Wade has a master's degree in public administration from the University of Kansas and a master's degree in business administration from the Florida Institute of Technology.

Who is Abbe Yacoben?

Yacoben has served the city of Las Vegas the past five and a half years. She has nearly 20 years of municipal government leadership experience, having held roles in Arizona, Illinois and her home state of Maine.

Yacoben is a certified public finance officer. She has a master's degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, with a concentration in finance.

Who is David Johnston?

Johnson has more than 25 years of local government management experience. He is a credentialed manager with the International City Manager Association.

Johnson has a bachelor's degree from the University of  Notre Dame and a master's degree in public affairs from Indiana University. He also has a certificate of economic development from the University of Oklahoma.

Who is Mike Harmon?

Harmon has more than 24 years of state and local government experience, including having been a police officer in Pierre, S.D. He is currently chief operating officer for an electric utility in Wyoming.

Harmon has a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Northern Iowa and a master's degree in public administration, with a concentration in state and local government administration, from the University of South Dakota.

Tim Hrenchir can be reached at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka city government announces names of 4 finalists for city manager