The chair of Manatee County's planning commission is set to take on a new role.

According to our partners at the Bradenton Herald, Richard Bedford has been named the new vice president of planning for Schroeder-Manatee Ranch Inc., developers of the master-planned Lakewood Ranch community.

Bedford will start in his new position on Monday. He served on Manatee's planning commission for 22 years, half of those as chairman.