The Columbia school district named Chris Belcher to the position.

Chris Belcher and Skip Deming were the two candidates for the job.

Thursday night, Belcher confirmed he is the district's choice.

Belcher spent four years as the Kearney Superintendent, a district that has around 3,500 students that is about one-fifth the size of Columbia public schools, a district with more than 17,000 students.

But before spending four years in Kearney, Belcher had also worked in bigger systems such as Blue Springs, a district with 14,000 students. Belcher still works as the superintendent in Kearney. He will have to finish that school year before he starts for Columbia.