The Bates Technical College Board of Trustees has appointed Lyle Quasim to be the permanent president of the college. The board voted unanimously on the appointment at an Oct. 18 special meeting. Quasim had been serving as interim president of the college since Jan. 19. Quasim brings more than 40 years of government leadership to Bates. He served most recently as the chief of staff for Pierce County under former County Executive John Ladenburg. He served as a board member for the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges from April 2004 until January 2010 and was a Bates Technical College Trustee from March 2001 until April 2004. He was the secretary of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services under Governors Mike Lowry and Gary Locke and served in various posts in that agency from 1973 until 1989 and from 1993 to 1995. He also served as the director of the Safe Street Campaign from 1989 to 1993, and is currently that organization’s board president. He holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from University of Puget Sound, a master’s degree in sociology from Pacific Lutheran University, and is a veteran of the US Air Force. Quasim is married and lives in Puyallup.