Chief Executive of Mentor Quits

Breast implant maker Mentor Corp. warned Thursday of lower-than-expected fiscal second-quarter earnings and said its chief executive has resigned for personal reasons.

Santa Barbara-based Mentor said Chairman Christopher Conway has assumed the positions of president and CEO after the resignation of Anthony Gette as an officer and director of the company. Conway had been CEO since the company was founded in 1969 until July 1999, when Gette was appointed president and CEO.

In its fiscal second quarter of 1999, Mentor earned 24 cents a share. Analysts on average expect the company to earn 31 cents a share in the same 2000 quarter, according to First Call/Thomson Financial.

Mentor rose 59 cents to close at $19.59 on Nasdaq. The stock has lost about 24% of its value this year.