CSAC chief Garcia to call it quits

Armando Garcia, Executive Director of the California State Athletic Commission, will resign from his post on Nov. 18 at a public commission meeting. An agenda for the meeting posted on the CSAC's website confirms the change.

An interim Executive Officer will be appointed at the meeting, and an executive search committee will be formed to find a permanent replacement for Garcia.

Garcia was at the helm when the CSAC began regulating mixed martial arts in March of 2006, and anchored many important regulatory decisions in his three-plus years at the post. Most recently, Garcia suspended the promoter's license of ProElite, Inc., parent company of EliteXC, due to gathering evidence they were no longer in a position to hold events. Garcia confirmed his decision to MMAWeekly.com on Thursday, but gave no indication he was leaving his position as Executive Director.

A commission representative MMAWeekly.com spoke to on the condition of anonymity said he recently noticed changes to Garcia's position.

"There were certain changes," the source said. "Certain responsibilities given to other people that I know were Armando's."

Garcia declined comment on his departure, but said he would share his side of the story soon.