AST Hires Executive for Notebooks Unit

Continuing to fill the management gaps created when a top officer abruptly resigned last week, AST Research Inc. has hired Chet Pribonic as vice president and general manager of its notebook computer manufacturing unit.

Pribonic, 37, will leave his current job as director of engineering at LTX Corp. of Westwood, Mass., a manufacturer of component test equipment, where he has been responsible for product development and applications.

Pribonic will take over from Kirby Coryell, who was promoted to assume some of the duties of James L. Forquer after the senior vice president of worldwide operations resigned Wednesday.

Forquer’s departure followed AST’s announcement earlier this month that it would shut its Fountain Valley plant and cut 700 jobs--including 440 in Fountain Valley--from its worldwide employment and that it expects to report a first-quarter loss of up to $40 million.