Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan appointed University of Maryland alumnus Roy McGrath as the director of the Maryland Environmental Service on Wednesday.

As director, McGrath will serve as the chairman of a nine-member Board of Directors and chief executive officer of the non-profit public corporation. MES provides government and private sector clients with services including recycling, hazardous materials cleanup and wastewater treatment.

​”​The organization has a very good reputation for its both environmental stewardship and its business operations,” McGrath said. ​”​It provides a lot of really important services to communities and municipalities. I want to make sure that those options remain available to those communities​.”

McGrath, who received his bachelor’s degree in government and politics and economics from this university in 1993, has served in Hogan’s administration since the governor’s January 2015 inauguration, according to Wednesday’s news release. He was Hogan’s senior adviser and liaison to the Board of Public Works before becoming deputy chief of staff with a focus on public safety and state business matters in July 2015.

“I can think of no one better suited to lead an innovative organization like Maryland Environmental Service than Roy McGrath,” Hogan said in the news release. “Roy’s business acumen, deep policy knowledge, and extensive experience in the public and private sectors will deliver tremendous results for Maryland and our great companies and governmental organizations that utilize MES’ services.”

McGrath takes over for Deputy Director John O’Neill, Jr. who has been MES’ acting director since Jim Harkins retired in March 2016. ​He is set to start on Jan. 9.​

​”Anything I can do as a Terp to promote the great relationship with College Park, I’m certainly going to do, as well as the University System [of Maryland],” McGrath said.