Newport Beach-based semiconductor maker Mindspeed Technologies announced this morning that it Chief Financial officer, Bret W. Johnsen, has resigned. According to the firm, Kristen M. Schmidt, currently Executive Director, Finance, has been appointed Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mindspeed said that Johnsen is leaving the firm to become CFO of a private company outside of the semiconductor industry. Johnsen had been at the firm since July of 2008.