Washington superintendent top choice for Washoe County job

Jim Hager was the school trustees' unanimous choice on Thursday over two other finalists to succeed Mary Nebgen in Reno.

He currently oversees a 26,000-pupil district. In Nevada, he'll be in charge of nearly twice that many pupils, 51,000.

Three district trustees will go to Washington to see how he works there. Talks also will begin over his salary. He makes $134,000 a year in Washington, not counting benefits. Nebgen made $105,000, plus benefits.

"He personifies what we want in a leader," said Fred Boyd, chairman of the citizens screening committee that interviewed the five initial candidates.

School Trustee Dan Coppa agreed.

"He's a force to be reckoned with, not just in Washoe County, but the state. And that's not a role we have occupied for any period of time," he said.

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