Downey Savings & Loan, after some confusion...

Downey Savings & Loan, after some confusion over the roles of new leaders, said F. Anthony Kurtz is the thrift’s president as well as its chief operating officer.

Kurtz replaces Maurice L. McAlister, who had said three weeks ago that he would retire as president sometime early next year.

McAlister said the confusion stemmed, in part, from his dual role as president of Downey and president of its real estate development subsidiary, DSL Service Corp. He will continue in his position at the subsidiary for several months to help sell its real estate holdings, as all thrifts must do under a 1989 federal law.

McAlister will remain, however, as Downey’s chairman.

Kurtz and Robert L. Kemper, Downey’s new chief executive, started working at the S&L; on Sept. 23. Kemper replaced Gerald H. McQuarrie, who retired in July but remains as Downey’s vice chairman.

Kurtz, 50, worked for 21 years at H.F. Ahmanson Co., which owns Home Savings of America, and eventually was the company’s chief financial officer. He and Kemper, 62, served a 14-month stint at Great American Bank in San Diego, where they tried to revive the failing institution. Kemper was chairman and chief executive; Kurtz was executive vice president and chief financial officer.