The WKU Store is looking for a new director.

Tristy Hillestad, former interim director of the WKU Store, no longer holds the position as of last Friday.

Hillestad, who held the position since March, replaced the previous director of the store, Shawna Turner, who resigned. 

Gary Meszaros, assistant vice president of Auxiliary Services, said he contacted the National Association of College Stores for help with looking for a replacement following Turner’s resignation. 

The NACS is a trade association made up of about 3,000 college stores in the United States that represents the collegiate retailing industry. The NACS recommended Hillestad and she was hired as interim director after Meszaros interviewed her, but the search for a permanent director continued.

Meszaros said he was impressed with Hillestad once she came to WKU.

“We worked with Tristy for several months and she was so good and so sharp, that we put the search on hold in hopes that she would decide to stay…,” Meszaros said.

Hillestad, who is also a collegiate retail consultant, decided not to stay with the WKU Store because two jobs would be too much for her to handle, Meszaros said.

The new director will be chosen by a committee of WKU staff members.

The WKU Store director oversees the operation and direction of all the WKU Stores, including the Glasgow, Owensboro and Nashville Road locations. 

Meszaros will run the store while the search for a new director continues. A new director should be hired within the next month.