SCIENCE/ TECHNOLOGY : He Has a Restructured Career--in Advising Firms’ Restructurings

Whatever happened to William Weksel, former chairman and chief executive of MAI Systems Corp., the financially struggling minicomputer company in Tustin?

Weksel, who resigned last November, says he is now head of a New York company, Weksel, Davies & Co., that specializes in corporate restructurings.

In a recent interview, he described his parting with longtime business partner Bennett S. LeBow, MAI chairman, as friendly.

“It was all part of a decision made earlier when LeBow and I broke up our partnership,” Weksel said. “I resigned from the Liggett Group in June, and the major reason was to pursue my own opportunities.” The Liggett Group is a LeBow-controlled tobacco company in North Carolina.

Before leaving, Weksel said, he realized that the nature of the company’s minicomputer business was changing, and he helped put in place its strategy to convert from a manufacturer of computer systems to a reseller of systems made by other manufacturers.

“MAI is in a better position than a lot of its smaller competitors,” Weksel said. “It’s changing with the times, and so am I. This chapter is closed, and you move on to a new chapter.”