Compaq’s Worldwide Sales Manager Quits

Compaq Computer Corp. said Senior Vice President Michael Heil resigned less than two weeks after the ouster of Chief Executive Eckhard Pfeiffer, as the No. 1 personal computer maker restructured its sales operations. Heil, 51, resigned as general manager of worldwide sales effective immediately, the Houston-based company said. CommcoTec Corp., a newly formed data network company in Stamford, Conn., said it hired Heil as chief executive. Heil’s departure comes after Pfeiffer’s removal April 18 by Chairman Ben Rosen and other directors. Compaq said executives in charge of sales worldwide now report to Rosen and two other directors who are serving as acting chief executives. “We’ve decided that our major geographic regions and international marketing will report in to the office of the chief executive,” Compaq spokesman Jim Finlaw said. Pfeiffer’s ouster followed lower-than-expected first-quarter earnings, which the company blamed on weak demand for its PCs, falling prices and sluggish sales of its big servers and workstations. The company’s shares have lost 46% of their value this year. On Thursday, shares fell 88 cents to close at $22.81 on the New York Stock Exchange.