By James Pilcher
Enquirer staff writer

The chief financial officer of Wilmington-based air freight operator ABX Air Inc. has been placed on leave with pay after telling his superiors that he is under investigation by federal regulators for activities at his previous company.

Duane Kimble, the former CFO for Madeira-based eye care center operator Sight Resources Corp., told ABX officials that he could face litigation from the Securities and Exchange Commission over his role at Sight Resources.

"We took action as quickly as practical," said ABX Air president and CEO Joe Hete. "He brought it to our attention that they had contacted him, so we did the prudent thing and removed him from a position where he would have to attest to the validity of our statements."

Kimble had served as CFO and briefly as CEO for Baldwin Piano and Organ before signing on with Sight Resource, a manufacturer and distributors of eyewear. Baldwin declared bankruptcy in 2001 and its assets were eventually sold to Gibson Guitar.

SEC officials would not comment. . Kimble did not return a phone call to his home in Ross Township. A message left at his office also was not returned.

Kimble left Sight Resources and signed on with ABX Air in December. ABX operates DHL's largest domestic hub in Wilmington.

Sight Resources filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on June 24, saying it was also under an "informal investigation" by the SEC. The company has not filed year-end financial statements for the past two years, saying in SEC filings that internal reviews found that its financial reporting was not adequate.

Accounting firm KPMG, Sight Resources' former outside auditor, quit in July because of lack of payment. In previous filings, the firm told Sight Resources that it had discovered major accounting problems, and questioned reliance on statements made by Kimble.

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E-mail jpilcher@enquirer.com