Gateway Names Chief of Finance

Gateway Inc. on Tuesday named John Goldsberry as chief financial officer and said it would resume making PCs in the U.S. next year.

Goldsberry, 51, succeeds Rod Sherwood, 52, who announced his retirement in June, Gateway said. Goldsberry was chief financial officer of EMachines Inc., which Gateway bought in February 2004, for $234.5 million.

The appointment adds another former EMachines executive to Gateway’s top ranks. Chief Executive Wayne Inouye held the same position at EMachines. Goldsberry served as head of operations at Gateway after the acquisition.

Gateway is meeting with state and local officials to select where it will open a PC assembly plant. The company needs the plant to meet rising demand from government customers, spokesman David Hallisey said.

Gateway ceased U.S. manufacturing in 2003 when it closed two factories to cut costs as demand fell.

The new plant will probably be built on the East Coast, and follows Dell Inc.’s decision last year to build a $100-million factory near Winston-Salem, N.C.

Shares of Irvine-based Gateway fell 3 cents to $3.09.

The new plant will make about 30% of Gateway’s computers and the rest will be built by other companies, Hallisey said.