After less than three years on the job, Kelli Reese has resigned from her position as general manager of the North Coast Co-op. The reasoning for her sudden departure remains opaque — to us, anyway. Ron Sharp, a 36-year co-op employee now serving as acting general manager, told the Outpost only that Reese “has chosen to resign.”

Reese herself could not be reached for comment.

Reese took over for former GM David Lippman early in 2013. According to a North Coast Co-op newsletter published shortly thereafter (pdf here), Reese got the job after a nationwide search. Before taking that job she was the Arcata store’s general manager for three years. She moved to the area from Colorado, where she was the general manager of Durango Natural Foods Co-op.

Shortly after taking the general manager position at the North Coast Co-op, Reese navigated through the most tense union labor negotiations seen at the co-op in recent memory.

Sharp said the co-op’s board of director’s will likely conduct a search for the next GM, though he’s not sure where the board currently is in that process.

The Outpost sent an email to the board but has yet to hear back.