Roney Resigns and DeSwert Will Replace Him in Yet Another Dynatem Shake-Up
In the second administrative shake-up at Irvine-based Dynatem in less than a year, president and chief executive Gene Roney has resigned and will be replaced by Eileen DeSwert, company officials said Friday.
Roney’s resignation is “very friendly” and the company is doing well, unlike its condition when Roney took the helm last April, said Fran Daniels, company spokeswoman.
Roney was elected president in the wake of a sizeable loss and dip in sales after Dynatem’s fiscal 1987 third quarter. Daniels said at the time that the company was affected by a slump in the computer industry. Roney replaced Arthur L. Cupples, who resigned. Three new board members were elected at the same time.
“When Mr. Roney took over this post, it was really because Mr. Cupples resigned, and he was next in line,” Daniels said. “He slipped into it. We didn’t query him about if he really wanted it. But he took over and did a fine job. Now he wants to move on to other things.”
Roney will be replaced by Eileen DeSwert, the company’s director of international sales and widow of Dynatem founder C. Youry DeSwert, who died in February, 1987.
“I’ve been with the company since 1981, the founding,” DeSwert said. “I’ve been preparing myself for the role for some time. I’ve been deeply involved in the company in all levels. . . . This is a very natural progression.”
Dynatem manufactures and markets microcomputers and microcomputer-based systems. Although its fiscal 1988 results have yet to be released, DeSwert said the company should post about $2 million in annual sales, and “for the fiscal year we’re hoping to be making a profit.” The company recently won two new contracts totaling more than $300,000, she said.
DeSwert is a principal shareholder, with about 41% of Dynatem’s shares, and Roney currently owns about 10% of the company’s shares. Both are company directors.
Dynatem also announced the election by the board of Costis Toregas as a director to replace Richard Mandel, who has resigned. Toregas is the president of Public Technology Inc. in Washington.
