Greg Emanuel, a U.S. Air Force veteran with a long engineering background, will take over as director of the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services in August, the county announced Monday.

The Department of Environmental Services, which has more than 700 employees, manages the county's infrastructure and the critical areas of transportation, the environment and capital investment, according to a county news release.

Emanuel joined Arlington County in 2006 as director of what was then the Engineering and Capital Projects Division, the release states. In March 2012, he was promoted to deputy director of the department.

County Manager Barbara Donnellan on Monday named Emanuel director effective Aug. 13, 2012. He succeeds William F. O'Connor, who will retire this month. Emanuel has played a leadership role in several major construction projects, including Fire Station No. 3 on Lee Highway, the Arlington Mill Community Center on Columbia Pike, Fire Station No. 5 in Aurora Hills and the Shirlington Library/Signature Theater.

Emanuel served 21 years with the U.S. Air Force, holding several engineering leadership positions around the world, the release states.

Emanuel is a fitness, cycling and swimming enthusiast. He resides in Arlington with his wife and three children, the release states.