As she approaches a good place to pass the baton, Nancy Tessman says she will retire this summer as executive director of Fort Vancouver Regional Library District.
Tessman, who started the job in July 2012, said she does not have a precise “last day” in mind.
“I am planning to be executive director until the new person is on board,” she said Friday. As far as retirement plans go, “I am excited about the prospects of being a good grandma,” Tessman said.
“We are sorry to see her moving on, but we are excited to be able to offer a plum position,” said Jane Higgins, chairwoman of the Fort Vancouver board of trustees.
A professional recruiter will undertake a national for qualified candidates, Higgins said. The board hopes to conduct interviews in July and hire the new executive director in August.
“We’ve been through this before, and it’s a very manageable process,” Higgins said.
Tessman said she sees the next few months as a good opportunity for a handoff.
“As a district, we made some good strides in three years and set some expansion plans,” Tessman said. “These’s often a moment when you can see what the next stage is, and where there’s a good handoff point.”
The district recently started the process of bringing new libraries to Ridgefield, Washougal and Woodland.
“We hope in the next few months to identify sites and then get into fundraising and further planning,” Tessman said, calling it “a good time for someone else to take the baton.”
Tessman’s tenure has included the opening of The Mall Library Connection and Yacolt Library Express.
In a 4,200-square mile district that includes 13 libraries and three Library Express locations, Tessman noted “progress in reorienting our focus to some outlying districts.”
Higgins sees the job as an attractive position.
“We expect to be looked at by very highly qualified candidates,” Higgins said. “We consider it to be a plum position. In the world of publicly financed public service agencies, we have a stable funding source — property tax — not like some libraries that depend on timber tax. It’s a beautiful area, and we have library patrons who avidly support their branches.”
The new hire also will have the chance to rebuild a management team. Karin Ford, public services director, retired a few months ago. Melinda Chesbro, director of collections and technology, moved with her family to Pierce County.
Tessman earned $135,000 a year.
Tessman was formerly director of Salt Lake City Public Library, which was named Gale/Library Journal Library of the Year in 2006.
She retired in 2007; after six years of travel and consulting work, she came to Fort Vancouver following the retirement of Bruce Ziegman, who had been in the position for 11 years.
