Executive Shuffle at Top of American Savings

In an abrupt change of plans, Washington Mutual Bank, Seattle, said that Robert T. Barnum, president of its Irvine, Calif., subsidiary, American Savings Bank, would leave it March 31.

Mr. Barnum, who was president of American Savings before it was sold to Washington Mutual last month, had been slated to stay on. In a press release, Kerry Killinger, chairman of Washington Mutual, praised Mr. Barnum for his role in building American "into one of the top franchises in California." The statement said Mr. Barnum would "pursue other business interests" when he leaves American.

Meanwhile, Craig S. Davis, who headed mortgage originations at American before the sale to Washington Mutual and was expected to continue in that role, will move to Seattle with broader responsibilities - and a place on Washington Mutual's seven-person executive committee.

Mr. Davis, 45, will oversee American's mortgage operations in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado. He will also oversee all of Washington Mutual's securities brokerage, mutual fund management, and insurance agency operations. He will report to Mr. Killinger.

In 1989, Mr. Davis formed American's brokerage operation, ASB Financial Services. He ran it until 1993.