Symmetricom has named David Côté president and chief executive officer, effective Aug. 3.

Côté was CEO and president of Packeteer from 2002 to June 2008, when it merged with Blue Coat. From 1997 to 2002, Côté was general manager and senior vice president of worldwide marketing for IDT . Previously, he held various positions at ZeitNet, SynOptics and Apple Computer.

Côté fills a position left empty by the departure of Tom Steipp, who tendered his resignation in February, shortly after the company announced a layoff of about 11 percent of its workforce.

“I am excited to be joining Symmetricom at this time,” said Côté. “The company’s strong financial and market position, backed by its world-renowned timing technologies and expertise, offers a stable yet dynamic and opportunity-rich environment, which is an ideal combination for success. The company’s aggressive efforts to reduce its cost structure and enhance its business model over the last year provide a solid foundation to achieve profitable growth and a larger global footprint over the coming years.”