Is Leslie Torres Still The President Of Roosevelt Island Operating Corp - No Official Word From RIOC Yet, But.... - Update, Ms Torres Resignation Confirmed

Image of Leslie Torres Upon Being Appointed RIOC President on August 4, 2010

Speculation arose last night during the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors meeting that RIOC President Leslie Torres may not be President much longer.

During the discussion of the Island House ground lease extension (which was approved), RIOC Director David Kraut asked why the resolution included language that the RIOC President or any Vice President could sign the resolution which is very unusual since historically resolutions were signed by the President. RIOC General Counsel Donald Lewis said that the language authorizing any RIOC Vice President to sign the resolution was included because RIOC was not sure when Ms. Torres would be available to sign the resolution. Mr. Kraut then asked:

Does staff know something that the Board does not about Ms. Torres availability to sign this document

Here's the discussion.



Full web cast of the meeting will be (is) here.

After the meeting, I asked RIOC Chair Darryl Towns and Mr. Lewis if there was any change in Ms. Torres status as RIOC President and if she would be continuing as RIOC President. I told them that in my opinion, the logical conclusion of Mr. Kraut's questions and their answers was that Ms. Torres was out as RIOC President. Both Mr. Towns and Mr. Lewis denied that there was any change in the status of Ms. Torres as RIOC President.

I also asked several RIOC Directors if they were aware of any change in Ms. Torres status. They responded that they did not know.

Earlier this morning, the Main Street WIRE sent out an email

Leslie Torres Said to Have Resigned

Reportedly, President Leslie Torres of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation has resigned. Torres was absent from last night's meeting of the RIOC Board of Directors, the absence unexplained. When the Board approved, 8 to 1, a resolution authorizing extension of the ground lease for Island House, the language indicated the lease could be signed by the president "or any vice president." It was clear from the comments and demeanor of RIOC staffers in the meeting, as well as Chair Darryl Towns, that they were attempting to skirt the issue of why that would be necessary.

The WIRE has learned that Torres has quit the job. More details in the October 8 issue of The Main Street WIRE.

If Ms. Torres is no longer RIOC President, then the very interesting question becomes who will it be and how will the RIOC President be hired - by the RIOC Board as authorized in law but never implemented in practice or by the Governor of NY, which has been the prior custom and practice.

Will the new RIOC President be a competent, experienced manager or a political crony/patron of the Governor's office?

Much more to come.

UPDATE 7:00 PM - Just received this statement from RIOC's Press Spokesperson issued at 6:45 PM Friday evening:

Leslie Torres, president of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) resigned her position effective today, Friday, September 21, 2012. Ms. Torres joined RIOC as president in August 2010. Ms. Torres is pursuing new opportunities. Donald D. Lewis has been named Acting President and CEO by the Chair of the RIOC Board of Directors, Darryl C. Towns.

The RIOC Governance Committee will be meeting in Executive Session (closed to the public) on Monday to discuss the matter:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Governance Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Monday, September 24, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC administrative office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.

AGENDA

Chair’s Motion for Executive Session to Discuss Personnel Matters;

Any Other Committee Business That May be Brought Before the Committee.

UPDATE 9/22 - RIOC Director David Kraut reports he has no comment at this time on situation.

UPDATE 9/24 - RIOC's Governance Committee met this evening to discuss selection of interim and permanent RIOC President. Here's what happened.