This week the Board of Selectmen unanimously chose René Read, Hanson’s town administrator, to become Duxbury’s next town manager.

On Monday, selectmen chose Read over Norwell town administrator James Boudreau. Read, 44, lives on Franklin Street and has served as the town administrator in Hanson since 2009. Boudreau has been town administrator in Norwell for the past 14 years.

Selectmen made their decision after interviewing both candidates in a public meeting two weeks earlier and then investigating the finalists’ backgrounds and speaking to their employees and others who knew them. The town manager search committee visited both Hanson and Norwell and learned that neither candidate had any “skeletons in the closet” and that both were well respected in their towns.

Selectmen also spoke to Duxbury town department heads to get their opinions on each candidate, as town officials had a chance to meet and speak with both Read and Boudreau before their interviews. Town officials said they preferred Read because they liked his leadership style, said Selectman Shawn Dahlen.

“The unanimous view of our current staff was that René Read was the most like (current town manager) Richard and that they felt that he would be the leader of the team and create the same leadership approach that our current town manager uses,” Dahlen said.

Dahlen said he discussed Read with Hanson town officials including a selectman, the fire chief and former town moderator.

“All of them gave René Read glowing recommendations,” said Dahlen. “He did the right thing for the right reasons and he really turned that town around.”

“Clearly through the interviews and the reports we had, René stood out as the candidate I would like to see,” said Selectman David Madigan. “He had more of a genuine team approach and the fact that he’s dealt with the problems that he’s dealt with in Hanson gives us a clear picture that he values the people he works with.”

Selectmen Chairman Ted Flynn praised both candidates saying either would do an “outstanding job” for Duxbury but that he preferred Read.

“Mr. Read is early in his career and is ready to move into a full town manager’s position,” said Flynn. “He’s committed to the job and is certainly committed to Duxbury and I believe we will be well represented by him.”

Read was born and raised in Los Angeles. He and his wife have lived in Duxbury for 10 years and have two young sons. Read has 19 years of experience in public administration, beginning his career as a health agent in Vermont. Before working in Hanson, Read was the assistant town manager in Mashpee and the acting town administrator and finance director in Harwich. Read graduated from the University of Vermont.

Selectmen plan to offer Read the job this week. If he accepts, he won’t start working in Duxbury for at least six weeks, according to Human Resources Director Jeannie Horne, who said that that is the time frame to which Read has committed in Hanson.