Director of Idaho Department of Correction to retire at end of 2018

Henry Atencio, who has served as the director of the Idaho Department of Correction since December 2016, will retire at the end of the year, IDOC said in a statement Tuesday.

Atencio spent more than 28 years with IDOC, starting as a parole officer in 1990. He also served as a deputy warden and the deputy director, among other positions. The search for his successor will begin soon, the release said.

“This is the right time for me to begin a new chapter and seek new challenges,” Atencio said in the statement. “I will always be grateful to Governor Otter, Governor-elect Little and members of the Board of Correction for the support they gave me as director.”

This story was originally published November 20, 2018 at 4:16 PM.