WorldGate CEO Krisbergh Resigns

Video-phone manufacturer WorldGate Communications announced Monday that CEO Harold Krisbergh has resigned.

His departure comes after telecommunications services provider ACN acquired a controlling interest in WorldGate last December, and said it would buy more than $50 million worth of WorldGate's video phones over two years.

In a statement, Krisbergh said: "The last 14 years at WorldGate have been a rewarding experience for me, both personally and professionally. The talented and dedicated people of WorldGate have built a strong brand in the video phone market and under the Company's new leadership, are well positioned for a successful future."

In addition, WorldGate general counsel Randall Gort has resigned his position, the company said Monday.

Robert Stevanovski, chairman of both ACN and WorldGate, said in a statement that a new management team for WorldGate is expected to be announced in the next 30 days. WorldGate is looking for new office space close to its current headquarters in the Trevose, Pa., according to Stevanovski.

The company also Monday announced three new board members: Anthony Cassara, president of Cassara Management Group; Richard Nespola, chairman and CEO of The Management Network Group; and Geoffrey Boyd, former chief financial officer of Eschelon Telecom. They join board members Stevanovski, ACN chief operating officer David Stevanovski and ACN president Greg Provenzano.

WorldGate originally started as an interactive TV company and until 2003 had been a partner in TVGateway, an interactive program guide consortium formed with Comcast, Cox Communications, Charter Communications and Adelphia Communications.

After the company shifted to video phones, Motorola signed a deal to distribute WorldGate's Ojo video-phones in 2004 but the partnership was abandoned two years later.