Mathews Quits Cipher Data Jobs in ‘Mismatch of Style’

Charles Mathews resigned Monday as president and chief operating officer of Cipher Data Products Inc., in what officials candidly described as a “mismatch of management style.”

Mathews had held the positions for 15 months. Those responsibilities will be assumed by Cipher Data Chairman and Chief Executive Don M. Muller.

Although the company’s official announcement stated that Mathews had resigned as an officer and director “to pursue other interests,” Muller said in an interview that his management style was incompatible with Mathews’.

“The organization is accustomed to a participative style of management,” said Muller, who joined the Scripps Ranch-based magnetic tape peripherals maker in 1979 as president and chief executive. He was elected chairman in 1980.

Mathews, who could not be reached for comment, “takes a direct style of management,” said Muller. “He provides direction and follow-up; he was the conduit of communications.”

Although that style “works extremely well in certain corporate cultures, I didn’t think it was working here,” Muller said. “My style is more a general approach, to allow a lot of communication. The difference . . . may have created some confusion in the organization.”

There were no ill feelings between the two executives, Muller said. “There was very little disagreement on corporate strategy or tactics,” he said. “We both agree that the company is moving in the right direction.”

For the six months ended Dec. 31, Cipher Data reported net income of $8.5 million, up 64% from the prior year’s period. Revenue increased 62% to $88.7 million.

Cipher Data has 1,700 employees in San Diego, Garden Grove, Mountain View and, through subsidiaries, in Germany, France, England and Singapore.

Earlier this year, it formed Applied Systems Division to design, make and market end-user computer products.