SIRTI to begin plan for executive search

The Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute’s board will start planning next week to hire a new executive director, the agency’s chairwoman said Thursday.

Nancy Isserlis said the board has not met to discuss the empty executive director’s position since the resignation of Patrick Tam on Nov. 11.

At next week’s board meeting, SIRTI board members should start defining how long and how wide a search it will undertake in filling Tam’s job.

Tam had been executive director since 2002. He stepped down from the $140,000-a-year job after being placed on administrative leave in September. The leave followed complaints by SIRTI workers over alleged misconduct by Tam. As part of his resignation, Tam was given six months pay and was asked to serve as an adviser to the board.

Isserlis said board members might choose to hire an interim director depending on how wide a search it undertakes for a successor.

In the meantime, SIRTI Director of Finance and Operations Scott Simmons is serving as acting director.

SIRTI is a state-funded agency that provides assistance to regional technology companies.

Isserlis said Tam’s departure has not clouded the agency’s request for funding in the coming biennium. SIRTI’s current annual appropriation is $1.4 million. It’s seeking $2.2 million and $2.3 million in state money in each of the coming two budget years.

“We’ve heard we’re definitely in the governor’s budget,” Isserlis said. After Locke releases a proposed budget later this month, legislators in Olympia will then start examining priorities to decide whether SIRTI gets more or less than it requested, said Simmons.