Zavelle Resigns As Coop Manager; New Head Named

In an unexpected late afternoon press conference yesterday, Harvard Coop president Milton P. Brown '40 announced the resignation of Coop general manager Alexander Zavelle.

Zavelle will be replaced by Howard W. Davis, currently vice president for operations of Jordan Marsh Company, the Boston department store. Davis was elected by the Coop's Board of Directors yesterday after they accepted Zavelle's resignation.

Zavelle said last night he resigned as a result of policy decisions, but left amicably.

Last week, after the Coop announced its cuts in rebates, Zavelle was optimistic about the future. "We'll bounce back this year," he said on Oct. 13. "At this time next year we will have a big surprise for everyone."

Brown, professor of Business Administration, declined to name the policy decisions that led to Zavelle's resignation, but said the Coop officers are concerned with "the fate and direction of the Coop."

Davis arrives after a year of disruptions in the Square, business recession, and increased shoplifting have reduced Coop rebates by more than 50 per cent, from seven and one-half per cent on cash purchases and five and one-half on charge items to three and one respectively.

Shoplifting-which increased 40 per cent over the past year-along with errors in record-keeping and inside pilferage cost the Coop $525,000 last year.

At Jordan Marsh, Davis was responsible for cost reduction planning and for using methods to control shoplifting. Shoplifting was cited by Brown as one of the major influences reducing rebates.

Zavelle was with the Coop since 1964, serving as general manager since March, 1968. From 1964 through 1968, Zavelle served as director of the Tech Coop at M. I. T. General Manager is the highest salaried position in the Coop bureaucracy.

Brown said that the Coop's directors want to solve problems which have caused the falling rebates and still "retain the atmosphere" of the Coop.