Sun S&L; Board Fires Eichten; ‘Vendetta’ Seen

Sun Savings & Loan Assn.’s board has fired David R. Eichten, Sun’s senior vice president and chief legal counsel who became embroiled in last summer’s ouster of former Chairman Daniel W. Dierdorff.

Eichten was fired on a 5-3 vote following a special Sun board meeting Sunday morning. One Sun source characterized the action as a “vendetta” by Dierdorff’s allies on the board.

Eichten had been named interim president last Aug. 24 after the board voted to oust Dierdorff. His presidency was short-lived, however, when a Superior Court judge voided Dierdorff’s firing three days later.

Political Dispute

“It’s a vendetta; Dierdorff may be pulling the strings,” one Sun source said.

However, another Sun source said that Eichten was fired because he “got involved in one side of a controversy--he got involved in politics and stayed involved in politics.”

Eichten, who could not be reached for comment, will likely be hired as Sun’s outside counsel, according to several Sun sources.

“We have no problems with that, as long as he’s outside of the office and doesn’t get involved in politics again,” said one Sun board member who voted to fire Eichten.

Voting against Eichten’s dismissal was Chairman William McElroy, Allan Koljonen (who was removed as chairman of the board’s audit committee) and John M. McEwan, Sun’s newly appointed president and chief executive.