Bill Donat, warden of the old Nevada State Prison which Gov. Jim Gibbons wants to shut down, will retire Jan. 30.
Donat, who began his career with the state Corrections Department in 1976, was praised Wednesday by Corrections Director Howard Skolnik for helping to meet department goals and lead the prison system to "financial responsibility."
Donat had been criticized by some prison guards for his management style. After taking over the medium-security prison, Donat in early 2006 shut down various programs and projects designed to help inmates stay out of trouble once they're released.
In focusing on security, Donat " who worked for 10 years at the state's maximum-security Ely State Prison " also changed the routines of guards at the prison, prompting mixed reactions.