Chief Executive of Sync Research Resigns

Sync Research Inc. chief executive Roger Dorf resigned Monday, less than six months after he stepped into the position.

The chief executive’s duties at the maker of computer networking devices will be split between Greg Reyes, chairman of the board, and founder John Rademaker, vice chairman.

“The board and Roger had different ideas about where to take the company in the future,” said William Guerry, Sync’s chief financial officer. “It was decided by everyone that it made the most sense to have Roger hand in his resignation.”

Guerry declined to say how the corporate responsibilities will be divided.

Dorf, a former AT&T; Corp. executive, was hired by Rademaker to become Sync’s president and chief operating officer in 1996. He was named chief executive last May. Dorf could not be reached for comment Monday.

Sync has struggled since its dazzling Wall Street debut in 1995, when its stock soared from $20 to $44 a share on its first trading day. It had climbed to $55.50 a share a month later, but dropped steadily during the next two years.

Analysts said Sync underestimated the resistance of people who use older IBM mainframe computers to make wholesale changes to complex computer information networks using Sync’s technology.

In May, the company laid off an unspecified number of employees and managers as part of an internal restructuring.

Sync had posted a loss of $4.6 million, or 27 cents a share, for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with a net loss of $3.5 million, or 23 cents a share, for the same period last year. Revenue declined 39% to $5.7 million, from $9.3 million.

The stock closed Monday at $3.88 per share, down 44 cents, in moderate trading on the Nasdaq market.