Qureshey Consolidates Power at AST : Computers: Co-founder of Irvine firm takes on added title of chairman. He is already president, chief executive.

Consolidating his control of AST Research Inc., Safi U. Qureshey has taken the post of chairman in addition to his titles of president and chief executive, the company said Wednesday.

At the same time, Carmelo J. Santoro, who took over as chairman from Qureshey little more than a year ago, becomes vice chairman of the Irvine-based computer maker. The pair will continue in their roles as the company’s leaders, with Qureshey controlling day-to-day operations and Santoro acting as an adviser.

The changes send a signal, however, that Qureshey is squarely in control of the company he co-founded in 1981.

“In the last year, there were a lot of concerns expressed by people outside of AST,” Qureshey said. “This clarifies the responsibilities among the executives in the company.

“My role has been to find the strategic direction for the company. Carm has been a great source of information and advice to me, especially in our expansion of our management team, and he will continue in that role. His signing aboard was never meant to be for an extended period.”

Wall Street took the announcement in stride. AST’s stock fell 50 cents a share to close at $20.50 in Nasdaq trading on Wednesday--a day when technology stocks as a whole were lower.

“Qureshey seems to keep moving up,” said analyst Eugene Glazer at securities firm Dean Witter Reynolds in New York. “The title of chairman makes it pretty clear” that Qureshey is in charge, he said.

In a press release, the company heaped praise on Qureshey and characterized his new title as a reward for guiding the company safely through the toughest price war in the history of personal computers.

Santoro took the chairmanship in June, 1992, after co-founder Thomas Yuen resigned. Some observers speculated then whether Santoro would control AST, but both men said that they had an amicable relationship and that Qureshey would be the top decision maker.

Previously, Yuen and Qureshey had shared the chairmanship.

During the past year, Santoro and Qureshey have reorganized and expanded the company, hiring a number of mid-level executives and acquiring the computer manufacturing assets of Tandy Corp.

Barry Bosak, analyst at investment bank Smith Barney in New York, said he sees no signs at AST of any power plays like the battle between John Sculley and Michael Spindler, the top executives of Apple Computer Inc. Sculley relinquished day-to-day control to Spindler and recently resigned altogether.

“Santoro’s role has been viewed more as a temporary thing,” Bosak said. “Safi has been in control of the company.”