BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) – It’s lonely being the Maytag Repairman, but a Virginia man is going to give it a try.

Whirlpool Corp. announced Monday that it has selected Clay Jackson of Richmond, Va., as the character promoting the reliability of its Maytag brand of large appliances.

The Benton Harbor-based company conducted a nationwide search for the “new face of Maytag.” Whirlpool bought Maytag of Newton, Iowa, last year.The company said that at least 1,500 people participated in the two months of auditions.

Clay had been a real estate agent in Richmond, working for his family run business. He said he decided to enter the contest “on a whim” and attended an open audition in New York. He acted in college and then professionally.