Computer firm founder mourned
Friends recall the pluck and compassion of Dan Baker, who started CompServ.
By MIKE DONILA
Published October 12, 2006
When Dan Baker was in high school, he was nearly transferred to another school that had just opened, a move that would have broken up Largo High's football team.
But he found a way to stay. He joined the school's orchestra by learning how to play Mary Had a Little Lamb on the violin.
That kind of thinking would serve Baker well more than 20 years later, helping him form one of Tampa Bay's top computer equipment suppliers.
Baker, known as much for his no-nonsense business drive as he was for his sense of compassion, died on Sept. 29 at the age of 46.
He left behind four sisters, six nephews, six nieces and scores of friends.
He also left behind CompServ, the company he formed in 1998 with a small group of investors, and its 78 employees.
"I told the employees that they'll hear people say that CompServ won't be the same without Dan, and they're right," said Ed Parry, the company's executive vice president and chief financial officer. "CompServ will be the same in delivering services and the quality of its product. But, you can't lose a guy like Dan and not have some gaps to fill."
He said that before Baker's death, the two were talking with another company about selling CompServ, and "that's kind of still in the works." But he declined to elaborate.
Baker's career began after college, when he took a job as a sales representative at Xerox. He worked for a couple of other companies, then joined the St. Petersburg information technology company Bay Resources, where he started in sales and worked his way up to president.
He left there to form CompServ.
"In the 1980s - long before computers were popular, he saw an opportunity while working (at Xerox)," said longtime friend Greg Nelson. "He saw a greater challenge in the computer hardware side."
Baker started the Ulmerton Road business after securing $1-million in investments. He parlayed that into a quick profit, and by 2005, the company's annual revenue jumped to $56-million, his partner, Parry, said.
The company provides hardware and technical resources.
Parry says early on, customers often confused the company with CompuServ, an Internet service provider. "I can't tell you how many calls we got before we eventually established our name," he said.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is still investigating his death, Sgt. Jim Bordner said, and should know more in about six weeks. Investigators don't suspect foul play.
Tina Glagov of Orlando, Baker's sister, called his death a freak accident, saying he fell down the stairs in his Feather Sound Drive home.
Friends and family say they are going to miss Baker, a high school sports star, lifelong Gator fan and overall big brother.
"His cell phone was ringing off the hook - people were leaving messages on it even though they knew he was gone," Glagov said.
A standing-room-only crowd attended his Oct. 4 memorial service at Sylvan Abbey in Clearwater.
The oldest of five children, Daniel Lynn Baker was born Jan. 16, 1960, in Hamilton, Ohio, but he moved to Pinellas before he was 2.
He graduated from Largo High in 1978, competing on the baseball, football and wrestling teams.
He was also very smart, his sister said. His heroes were his friends' fathers - all businessmen.
He never married or had children, "but he was a good uncle," Glagov said.
He attended the University of Florida, and graduated from the University of South Florida in 1983 with a degree in economics.