The five finalists selected by the Albert Lea City Council Monday to move forward in the city’s search for a new manager are from both inside and outside of Minnesota. While some have worked in larger cities, others have worked mainly in smaller ones.

Brimeyer Fursman President Richard Fursman, who is helping the city with the search, said all five have indicated they are excited to be chosen as finalists and to continue on in the search process.

Finalists are expected to come to Albert Lea March 25 and 26 for a tour of the community, to meet community members and to ultimately be interviewed by the City Council.

The council also chose two alternates, but those people’s names are being kept confidential and will only be released if they become finalists, Fursman said.

The search is under way after former Albert Lea City Manager Jim Norman resigned last fall amid allegations that he misused the city-issued credit card for personal purchases. He was hired last year around the same time.

Here’s a look at the finalists, listed in alphabetical order:

Chad Adams

Adams, the current city administrator for Medina, has worked in his position since January 2003. In Medina, he has six people who report to him directly and 25 employees whom he oversees. He provides recommendations on the final budget to the council.

The budget in Medina includes a $3.8 million general fund, a $3.4 million capital improvements fund and a $3 million utilities fund. Medina has just over 5,000 people in population.

Prior to his time in Medina, he worked from 1999 to 2002 as city administrator of Onawa, Iowa, population 3,000.

Adams received his masters in public policy from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He received his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.

Grant Kleinhenz

Kleinhenz, the city manager of Centralia, Ill., has worked in his position since December 2004. He currently has 13 department heads who report to him directly, along with three administrative staff. There are about 130 full-time employees in this city.

He is responsible for preparing and submitting a full budget to the council there and acting as a budget officer. The budget in Centralia, population 14,136, includes a $37.7 million total budget.

Prior to his time in Centralia, he worked as city administrator in Humboldt, Iowa, population 4,452. He received his master’s of business administration in 2002 from Indiana Wesleyan University in Indianapolis, Ind.

He’s also worked as the assistant town manager in Fishers, Ind., and executive director of the Ripley City Economic Development Corp.

Pat Merrill

Former city manager in Fort Morgan, Colo., through January of this year, Merrill prepared, submitted and administered the operating and CIP budgets for the city. The budget totaled $55 million, including five enterprise funds.

He had eight directors and an executive assistant who reported to him directly during his three-year tenure, and there were 150 full-time and 80 part-time and seasonal workers there.

The population of Fort Morgan is about 11,000.

Before working in Fort Morgan, he worked as community development director in Fort Morgan.

From 2003 to 2007, he worked as community development director in Ironwood, Mich., population 6,200, where he was also interim city manager for six months. He also acted as the assistant city manager on a regular basis.

During that same period, he worked as executive director of the Gogebic County Economic Development Corp. He also worked as an environmental monitor in Crawford County, Mich.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University in 1997 and his associate’s degree from Kirtland Community College in 1994.

David Minke

Deputy county administrator in Anoka County, population 343,000, Minke has worked in numerous positions in city management or county administration.

He has worked in Anoka County since 2008.

Prior to that, he worked as assistant county administrator in Castle Rock, Colo., population 43,000, city manager in Bemidji, population 12,000, and city administrators in Princeton and Glenwood, populations each of about 4,000.

He received his master’s in urban studies and public administration from Minnesota State University in Mankato. He was an armor officer in the U.S. Army from 1991 to 1995, and prior to that, he received his bachelor’s degree in government from St. John’s University in Collegeville.

Greg Withers

Former Princeton city administrator for six years in the 1980s, Withers has worked in administration in numerous fields, including cities, nursing homes, businesses and law firms.

He worked as city administrator and clerk for the city of Osseo, population 2,549 from 2007 to 2010.

In 2005 to 2006, he worked at the Crystal Lake Good Samaritan Center in Robbinsdale as a licensed nursing home administrator. From 2004-2005 he worked as an administrative assistant in multiple departments while taking classes.

He has also worked as Anoka County purchasing supervisor, business administrator at Roseville Lutheran Church, city administrator in St. Croix Falls, Wis., interim city administrator in Young America, among other positions.