Two Ryland executives are leaving

Home builder Ryland Group Inc. said Thursday that two top executives were leaving the company, including one whose promotion was announced last fall.

The company gave no reason for the departures of Chief Operating Officer Kip Scott and Mark Beisswanger, president of the company’s West region. Scott was promoted in October to the newly created post of chief operating officer.

Chief Executive Chad Dreier will take over Scott’s responsibilities, and Bill Butler, head of Ryland’s Denver unit, will succeed Beisswanger, Ryland said. Scott had been with the Calabasas-based company for 14 years.

The departures come as the home-building industry enters a second year of slowing sales. Buyers are delaying purchases of new homes on the expectation that they can buy later at a better price. Ryland last week forecast a loss for the first quarter.

Ryland expects to record expenses of about $65 million in the quarter to reflect declining values of properties in Southern California; Phoenix; Fort Myers, Fla.; and Washington, D.C.

Scott previously was president of Ryland’s north central region, which includes the Midwest and Texas. Scott had been the president and owner of Development Management Services Inc., a new-home development consulting firm, before joining Ryland.

Beisswanger oversaw the company’s operations in California, Denver, Las Vegas and Phoenix. New orders for homes in the company’s West region plunged 55% in 2006, the most among the company’s four regions.

Shares of Ryland rose $1.07 on Thursday to $43.07.