WRENTHAM - The town is losing a fourth department head in just over a year.

Finance Director Barry Yeaw is retiring the end of this month, and selectmen last week interviewed three finalists for the post. They are now following up on references. The finalists are:

Wendy Graves of Millbury, town treasurer for Princeton.

Cortney Keegan of Uxbridge, finance director for Windsor, Conn.

Karen Jelloe of Walpole, treasurer/collector for Dover. All have various certifications in their fields. "I think we are fortunate," Yeaw said of the caliber of the finalists.

There were about 20 applicants.

The finance director oversees accounting, treasury, revenue collection, investment and data processing, as well as handling financial planning.

Before the interviews, Yeaw advised selectmen to look for a candidate with a good basic financial background, and good knowledge of accounting.

An asset is having financial experience in Massachusetts, Town Administrator Jack McFeeley said.

Yeaw is Wrentham's first finance director, assuming the duties of the former treasurer/collector position, and overseeing a new finance department four years ago.

He did consultant work for small businesses and in the computer field for three years before that, and from 1989 to 2001 was finance director/town treasurer for Coventry, R.I.

"I think Barry has brought us into the 21st century," selectmen Chairwoman Mary Dunn said. "As far as accounting, everything was hand-entered before."

The department is now completely computerized.

The other Wrentham department heads who have changed over the past year are the police chief, fire chief and public works superintendent. STEPHEN PETERSON can be reached at 508-236-0377 or at speterson@thesunchronicle.com.