By FCF Staff

At a time of reported falling revenues and after the departure of former executive director George Dodd, the California State Athletic Commission has announced that Andy Foster has been hired to revitalize the ailing organization.

The CSAC sent out a press release today regarding Foster’s appointment as the new Executive Director.

Foster comes to the Commission from Georgia, where he worked as the Executive Director of the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission and that state’s chief regulator of boxing, mixed martial arts (MMA), kickboxing, wrestling and ticket brokers. Under his tenure, the Commission’s revenue increased approximately 70% and the number of regulated shows grew 40%. He has more than 17 years of experience, having been involved in MMA since 1995 and boxing since 1999. He has spent the last four-and-a-half years regulating those sports.

“We’re very pleased to have landed someone of the background and caliber of Andy Foster,” said CSAC Chairman John Frierson. “We are hoping he can do in California what he did in Georgia in terms of increasing both revenue and the number of shows.”

“I’m very excited to be coming to California,” said Foster. “It has a rich boxing and MMA presence with the largest number of shows in the nation, and I look forward to ensuring a regulatory environment that is consistent  and fair based upon contestant safety, public protection, and economic growth.”

Foster will begin his duties November 7, 2012 and attend his first meeting of the California State Athletic Commission the next day.

This past summer, California’s Department of Consumer Affairs announced that the CSAC was insolvent and censured the aforementioned Dodd for not reporting the organization’s financial difficulties. Dodd resigned from the position several weeks later.

The DCA also ordered an audit of the Commission’s financial affairs.