The former president of Spokane Community College was selected Tuesday as the interim president of Renton Technical College.
Steve Hanson was selected 3-1 by the college’s Board of Trustees after discussing the qualifications of three other candidates, who included Marty Heilstadt, Renton Technical’s current vice president of instruction.
Also considered were Judith Hansen, former president of Southwest Oregon Community College, and Lee Thornton, former president of Columbia Basin Community College.
The board seemed to favor Hanson and Heilstadt, who also has expressed an interest in seeking the permanent job as RTC president. The trustees have indicated they are only looking now to fill the position on a temporary basis until a new president is hired, which will take several months.
Hanson’s hiring is effective today, as students go back to class at the Renton Highlands’ school.
Trustee Rich Zwicker tried to convince the board to put off hiring an interim president until October. He wanted the board to try to work out its differences with Don Bressler, whom the board fired as college president last month.
Zwicker’s motion was defeated. The other trustees indicated they wanted a president on board for the start of school to avoid any further disruptions.
Several community leaders spoke to the trustees before they made their decision. Bressler also attended the meeting.
“I am here today because I am concerned that the cost of replacing Dr. Bressler is going to be far more than what has been estimated and will seriously harm RTC and its students,” said Joann Lee, a former president of the RTC Foundation.
The college will pay Hanson $150,000, while paying Bressler $148,000 to cover the cost of this year’s contract.
Board members spoke highly of Hanson. Zwicker, who cast the lone no vote because he had hoped to reconsider Bressler’s firing, said he would work with the new president.
Hanson has more than 30 years of administrative and teaching experience, including significant experience with workforce development, according to the college.
Prior to serving as president of Spokane Community College, he worked at Edmonds Community College as a dean and the executive vice president of instruction.
