After an executive shakeup amid controversy, SONICblue Inc. sought to get
back on course by naming a new chief executive and financial officer.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based maker of 'ReplayTV' digital-video recorders and
MP3 devices appointed L. Gregory Ballard to the CEO post. Ballard had been
serving as the interim CEO since Aug. 8, when Ken Potashner was dismissed after
he demanded that the company board members repay $500,000 in personal loans.
Ballard will also serve on the board of directors for the company.
It also gave interim chief financial officer Marcus Smith the permanent
post.
'Greg and Marcus have done a tremendous job in their interim roles, and the
board of directors is impressed with the leadership they have provided during
this critical transition phase,' said Jim Schraith, a SONICblue board director,
in a release. 'We are confident that they are the right leaders to move the
company through its next phase.'
The company still faces a challenging market. Last month, it cut 25 percent
of its staff, including senior vice president of sales Roger Hackett and chief
technology officer Andy Wolfe. It also announced that it will close down its
Scottsdale, Ariz., plant and its audio business in Tigard, Ore.
With stock now trading at 23 cents per share, the company also faces
delisting from the NASDAQ index because its share price has sunk below $1 for
more than 30 consecutive days.
