Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 31

0 TO CONTACT US By phone: (727) 893-8160 or (800) 333-7505, ext. 8160 By fax: (727)892-2327 Mon-Frl: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. By e-mail: biznewssptimes.com SECTION THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2006 THE TIMES Dow 30 industrials 40.34, 11,129.97 1.55, 1,288.12 Nasdaq 4.33,2,314.68 A Russell 2000 5.68, 747.77 A 10-year U.S. note 0.06,4.98 A Gold $2.30, $597.50 Oifper barrel $0.36, $68.62 A Dollar vs.

Euro 0.0022, 0.8262 Dollar vs. Canada 0.0034, 1.1479 IN BRIEF Tech Data thinks small to regain passion Chairman Steve Raymund is working to create an environment that makes the vast company act like an upstart By HELEN HUNTLEY Tlmw Staff Wrlfr pany is No. 107 on the Fortune 500 list and has nearly 8,000 employees. But Raymund said being big isn't enough. "We believe the best companies have a distinctive culture without which they wouldn't be as successful," he said, citing Southwest Airlines and Jabil Circuit Inc.

as examples. Raymund is a director of Jabil Circuit, a St Petersburg electronics manufacturer with in revenue last year. Raymund said Tech Data is embark ing on a campaign to build what he calls a distinctive "winning culture." He said the campaign will, be modeled after the lean principles that guide Toyota's production systems. A major goal is improving areas of waste and inefficiency, he said. "We are undertaking a complete renovation of our culture," he said in a speech to business community supporters of the YMCA of Greater St.

Peters-Please see PASSION 2D Tech Data Corp. chairman Steve Raymund demands "a complete renovation of our culture." more bureaucratic, we've lost some of-that winning spirit," Raymund said. "We've lost the passion for being the 1 best and having accountability." With more than $20-billion in revenue, the computer products distributor is by far the largest company headquartered in the Tampa Bay area. The com Tampa Bay's biggest company has "lost the passion" and needs to overhaul its corporate culture, Tech Data Corp. chairman Steve Raymund said Wednesday.

"As we've gotten bigger and a little 'mu Who should profit from Marilyn's face? Anna Strasberg has for years. But now, families of men who photographed the icon want a bigger cut. THE INSIDER, 3D PURSUING THE DREAM A7v uo ED UP IN Home insurers file for asks ff or TECIHI RA PD1Q1D! Gov. Jeb Bush's efforts have Florida making steady progress toward becoming a research mecca. It is among the 10 leading states.

By KRIS HUNDLEY Tlmi Staff Wrlt.r fleidbilify It wants the state to loosen rules so it can offer discounts such as bill credits on landline phone service whenever it chooses. Florida's fixation to become a biotech hub reached a milestone this week as Gov. Jeb Bush joined 12 other governors scrapping for exposure and newfound business at the annual Biotechnology Industry Organization convention in Chicago. The convention attracted a record attendees while its exhibit hall in McCormick Place was bursting with 1,700 exhibitors, including 35 countries and 42 states, vy By LOUIS HAU TIm Staff Wrtttr ing to be the next biotech mecca. "This is a vision for the long-term future of our state," Bush said Tuesday.

Acknowledging growing competition for biotech com- As its competition with cable TV operators and other phone carriers heats up, Verizon Communications wants to become the first major phone company in Florida to offer discounts on landline phone service whenever it wants. Florida requires dominant phone carriers such as Verizon, BellSouth and Sprint to submit a public filing to state regulators 15 days before they launch any promotional offer that affects the cost of local landline calling packages. Long-distance, high-speed Internet access and wireless services don't face the same restrictions. St panies, the governor said ag- ing baby boomers will only increase the demand for K7ma um" Ca new drugs. FLORIDA AND BIOTECH Florida moved up to 10th place from 11th, edging out Washington in state ranking based on the number of biotech companies In each state.

The top nine are California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New York, and Texas. Average annual wage of U.S. bioscience workers was $65,775 in 2004 vs. overall average of $40,000. Revenues of public biotech companies surpassed $60-billion in 2005 for first time in sector's 30-year history.

Gov. Jeb Bush has proposed $630-million in economic aid to help biotech businesses, though he opposes stem cell research. Several states, including California, Connecticut and New Jersey, have committed public money to support stem cell work. Sources: Ernst Young Global Biotechnology Industry Report and wire reports Under its proposal, Verizon would be free to offer bill credits, gift cards or other promotional incentives worth up to an average of $55 per customer per year. Through its proposed change, Verizon is seeking the same pric INSIDE'; Verizon case offers a peek at the world of -executive 6ay consultants.

ID "I don't view it as a zero-sum game," Bush said. "This base of economic activity is one that's going to grow propulsively over a long period of time." Florida, a new Ernst Young report notes this week, has edged out Washington state to break into the top 10 states ranked by the number of biotech "This base of economic activity is one that's going to grow propulsively over a long period of time." GOV. JEB BUSH 1 fc vi Oct hefty rate increases Six homeowners insurance companies, whose policies include more than 20,000 property owners in the Tampa Bay area, have filed for double-digit rate hikes with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Owners Insurance Auto-Owners Insurance Southern Oak and Southern-Owners Insurance Co, each want to raise homeowner rates an average of 24 percent statewide; Omega Insurance Co. is seeking an average 22.2 percent statewide hike; and Amex Assurance Co.

wants to raise rates an average of 14.9 percent. Omega of Gainesville has more than 8,300 policies in the Tampa Bay area, while Michigan-based Auto-Owners has about 5,300 area policies. The remaining four companies each have 2,000 or fewer local policies. Sports Authority fined for illegal calls Sports Authority Florida Inc. has been ordered to pay a record $1 12,500 judgment against a Florida company for calling consumers on the state's Do Not Call list state officials said Wednesday.

The sporting goods store chain was accused of making 77 calls to state residents on the list and playing a prerecorded message to many of the consumers who answered. Under Florida law, it is a separate offense for a telemarketer to play a prerecorded message when a consumer answers his or her phone. U.S. trade deficit improves in February America's trade deficit showed a bigger-than-expected improvement in February as the politically sensitive imbalance with China dropped to the lowest level in nearly a year, The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that the deficit fell to a 4.2 percent decline from January's record of Even with the improvement the February trade gap was the third highest ever. Lastyearthe U.S.

deficit hit an all-time high of Many analysts said the deficit probably would rise in the coming months, perhaps to another annual record. RadioShack chairman to step down in May Leonard Roberts said Wednesday he is resigning as executive chairman at RadioShack, which still has not replaced the chief executive officer who left two months ago because of questions about claims on his resume. Roberts said his final day will be the May 18 shareholders meeting, when the board could name an interim or permanent replacement. He said the timing of his decision could have been better considering former chief executive David Edmondson's resignation Feb. 20 after allegations about his resume.

Roberts, 57, said he had wanted to stay until the company found a new CEO, now an interim post i held by chief operating officer Claire H. Babrowski. But the 1 search could last beyond the shareholders meeting. ing flexibility enjoyed by other companies offering phone service, including cable TV companies such as Bright House Networks and Knology and other alternative phone companies, spokesman Bob Elek said. Its goal is a simple one: retaining customers.

Verizon has about 2-million customer landlines in Florida, down from about 2.4million in 1999, Elek said. Verizon has long been the dominant phone carrier in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, Manatee and Sarasota counties. "For folks who think there's no competition (for phone services), they ought to come off that argument because it's just not true," Elek said. The Florida Public Service Commission is scheduled to vote Tuesday on Verizon's proposal. The PSC staff recommends that the commission approve it, with the added requirement that Verizon file reports in July and January that track its promo- But while Bush was trying to attract biotech jobs, which pay an average of more than $65,000 a year, the difficult work of making such jobs a reality was playing out in government offices in West Palm Beach.

Palm Beach County officials reported Tuesday they had reached a stalemate on contract terms with Scripps Research Institute that could threaten the La Jolla, institute's long-awaited expan- sion into Florida. -fA -7 Please see BIOTECH 2D At right, a model of a DNA helix Please see VERIZON 2D UNITEDHEALTHCARE'S DAVID LEWIS CEO: Time to take reality pill VJ I J. mm Locally, the name won't change. Elsewhere, the logo at right will stress the Africa theme. TAMRf BAY.

FL David Lewis says we must tackle the health care "affordability crisis." One way to ease the pain: pill-splitters. David Lewis is the new CEO of the company's Central and North Florida el -n Logo's crux: Parks are continents apart affordability crisis in this country, and we're on a path where health care costs are going to exceed corporate profits. How do you convince people who think the affordability crisis might be linked to insurers' record profits? There are those people who will be supportive and those who aren't, but everybody's got to play. Employers will be passing along a level of costs that aren't manageable at the employee level. Almost every existing or prospective customer is requesting a proposal for one of the various consumer-engagement products.

There's no obvious opportunity to mitigate the cost trend other than having the health care consumer have an interest in-the value The message: Tampa's Busch Gardens isn't a clone of Virginia's. Some folks beyond the bay area need clarification, data show. David Lewis, 48, new chief executive officer of Uni-tedHealthcare's Central and North Florida division, talked with the Times on Wednesday about his new post. Whaf the biggest change you've sen after 25 years in the health insurance business? Until two years ago, when I enrolled in an HSA (health savings account), I had less financial exposure for health care services than I did when I was 22 years old. The way the benefits industry has evolved, it has continued to insulate the end user from the realities of health care.

But it's time for that to end. We have an proposition, both from a quality and cost standpoint Give me an example of how "consumer-engagement" might work? If you're on a medication that can be prescribed in a double dose, then split, you practically cut your out-of-pocket expenses in half. So if we see members with maintenance drugs, we send out paper and e-mail reminders about how much they can save by pill splitting. And we say, "And, by the way, may we send you a pill-splitter?" KRIS HUNDLEY, Time itaff wrtter ture ride names Kumba, Gwazi and SheiKra were culled from Swahili. Rather, Busch Entertainment Corp.

executives were dismayed by research showing that potential visitors think the Tampa park is a clone of Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. Va. "We're not rebranding the park, but we are marketing ourselves as Busch Gardens Africa to clarify what we are in places where there may be confusion," said park spokesman Gerard Hoeppner. "In the Northeast we heard people say they were not visiting our park because they had been to the Please see BUSCH 2D By MARK ALBRIGHT Tlmi Stiff Wrtttr TAMPA Busch Gardens is reaffirming the theme park's connection with Africa. It's not that the theme ever changed at this park where the animals are African and where the signa.