Dallas – Leonard Roberts said Wednesday he is resigning as executive chairman at RadioShack, which still has not replaced the chief executive who left two months ago because of questions about claims on his résumé.
Roberts said his final day will be May 18, when shareholders meet and the board could name an interim or permanent replacement.
He admitted that the timing of his decision could have been better, considering former CEO David Edmondson’s resignation Feb. 20 in the wake of controversy over his résumé.
Roberts, 57, said he had wanted to stay until the company found a new CEO, now an interim post held by chief operating officer Claire Babrowski. But the search by the Fort Worth, Texas, company could last beyond the shareholders meeting.
“I have a problem asking shareholders to vote for someone who has no intention of serving a full term,” Roberts said. “If I thought the search would take more than a year, that would be another situation.”
Some analysts said the news wasn’t a major surprise.
“It does seem odd that the chairman elects to resign when there is turmoil in the executive suite,” said analyst Bill Baldwin.
Roberts served as RadioShack’s CEO for six years before handing the job over to Edmondson last May. He will still serve as a consultant after his retirement, focusing on industry, civic and philanthropic activities, the company said.
