Utah's technical education network has chosen a new commissioner in David Woolstenhulme, a Utah State University vice provost and former president of the Uintah Basin Applied Technology College.
The Utah College of Applied Technology (UCAT) board of trustees selected Woolstenhulme for the position Wednesday.
He was one of four finalists, including acting commissioner Jared Haines, state school board member Stan Lockhart and James King, an applied technology administrator from Tennessee.
Woolstenhulme's selection is subject to approval by Gov. Gary Herbert, as well as approval and confirmation by the Utah Senate.
"It is an honor to be selected by the board," Woolstenhulme said in a prepared statement. "I am grateful for the confidence they have shown in me, and I am excited to be a part of our fantastic statewide ATC system."
Pending confirmation, Woolstenhulme would succeed Rob Brems, who retired as UCAT president in March. The position was changed this year from UCAT president to commissioner of technical education.
Finalists were interviewed by UCAT's campus presidents and the UCAT board of trustees before the board voted unanimously to offer the position to Woolstenhulme.
In a prepared statement, UCAT Chairman Jim Evans thanked Haines for his work as acting commissioner and said Woolstenhulme was selected after a comprehensive process.
"As UCAT looks to a wonderful future," Evans said, "I know that David has the vision, experience and unrivaled dedication to technical education to lead us to great things."
Before Brems' departure, a legislative audit found UCAT inflated and misreported its graduation numbers.
Auditors said the miscalculations, which included short-term training programs and students who dropped out to pursue careers, likely were reported to advance a statewide goal of two-thirds of adults completing higher education by 2020.
The audit's release coincided with the announcement by then-state Sen. Aaron Osmond, the UCAT board's first choice to replace Brems, that he would not accept the position.
Haines said the concerns raised by the audit in large part have been addressed by UCAT administrators.
"Much of that was understanding and clarification at the campuses," he said. "Our board has put some significant effort, as have the presidents and staff, to respond to those issues."
He said he was pleased with the selection of Wolstenhulme and plans to return to his previous position as a UCAT associate commissioner.
"He's awesome," Haines said about Wolstenhulme. "We had some really good candidates, and I'm thrilled for his selection."
On UCAT's future, Haines said "We're in a great spot. We have had and continue to have great things happening at the colleges."
bwood@sltrib.com
Twitter: @bjaminwood