CSAC appoints interim leaders

LOS ANGELES -- The California State Athletic Commission on Tuesday began the search for a new Executive Officer in the wake of Armando Garcia's sudden resignation from the post.

Garcia was not present at the public meeting. A motion to accept his letter of resignation, received by the commission on Nov. 6, passed unanimously. No members of the public commented on his departure.

In a subsequent motion, the commission appointed staff analyst Bill Douglas to oversee administrative functions of the state office and assist chief inspector Dean Lohuis, who will now oversee its field operations.

Lohuis previously served as interim Executive Officer of the CSAC before Garcia's appointment in 2005.

Douglas worked closely beside Garcia since California began regulating mixed martial arts in March of 2006. Douglas told MMAWeekly.com he has applied for the position of Assistant Executive Officer, which would formalize his interim duties until a new Executive Officer is named. A decision on that post could come within a week, according to CSAC legal counsel Anita Scuri.

The commission set a date of March 2009 for the appointment of a new Executive Director.

In his short letter to the commission, Garcia gave notice he was leaving the post, but did not go into detail about the reasons for his departure.

Douglas and CSAC chairman Timothy Noonan said they could not comment on the matter.

"I'm not even allowed to talk to him," Douglas said. "The last two weeks have definitely been interesting."

Repeated requests to Garcia for comment have not been returned.