After a long and extensive search, the Mozilla Foundation Executive Director position has finally been filled. Mitchell Baker writes, “I’m thrilled to announce that Mark Surman is joining the Mozilla Foundation as our new Executive Director. Mark joins us after a long period of getting to know — and being known by — Mozilla contributors. This includes many, many hours of discussions with Mozilla contributors, Mozilla Foundation Board members and search committee members, an Air Mozilla broadcast, extensive discussions with current Mozilla Foundation personnel, and more hours getting to know Mozilla at the Firefox Plus Summit. It’s a rare candidate who can transit such a prolonged and open process. Many thanks to everyone who participated.” Mitchell’s post goes on to thank Frank Hecker, who has been the Mozilla Foundation Executive Director since 2006 and who will remain with the Foundation to continue working on projects towards expanding the open web.

Mark has also posted about his move, writing, “I am totally psyched about this. Mozilla is a new kind of foundation, one with with participation, transparency and innovation at its very roots. It’s not just about giving out grants or making bold statements (although these are useful things to do), but also about getting large numbers of people involved in making things. In particular, things that make the Internet more open. For someone obsessed with reinventing how foundations work, there could be no more exciting job than this.”

Mark will be officially starting his work with the Mozilla Foundation on September 22nd, 2008.