Sun Microsystems CFO Steve McGowan will retire at the end of the company's fiscal year after a relatively brief run as top financial officer.

On Nov. 1, Sun will report its first quarter 2006 results, so McGowan will still be around for close to 9 more months. Sun has launched a search for his replacement. The company provided no details on the reason for this move.

McGowan has served as CFO since 2002 when he took over the position from then retiring Mike Lehman and is only his mid-50s.

Sun's PR team cobbled together the standard departure boilerplate and attributed the kind words to CEO Scott McNealy.

"It's been an honor to work side-by-side with Steve over the past several years and I am enormously thankful for his many contributions," McNealy said. "While I am very sad to see truly one of the finest CFOs in the industry depart, I am excited for Steve as he begins a new chapter in his life and have the highest degree of confidence in the world-class Finance, Legal, IT and Global Business Services organization he leaves behind."

McGowan worked at Sun for 14 years. ®