Steven C. Boone has resigned as president...

Steven C. Boone has resigned as president and chief executive of Cost Plus Inc., after helping revitalize the Oakland-based retailer of moderately priced, somewhat exotic housewares, gifts and food. Boone, 41, will assume the same positions at booming Personics Inc. of Redwood City, which builds automated systems that allow record stores to put together cassette tapes from song catalogues.