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Talk of the bay: Quite a catch for DeBartolo's sports agency

By Times Staff
Published April 26, 2007

Jerry Rice is back with the San Francisco 49ers, in a roundabout way. Regarded as perhaps the greatest wide receiver in National Football League history and a former Dancing With the Stars contestant, Rice signed on recently with DeBartolo Sports & Entertainment (DSE), a sports agency owned by Tampa billionaire and former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. DSE will negotiate and manage Rice's endorsement deals, appearances and public relations. Rice, 44, played most of his 21-year career for the 49ers before retiring last year.

RE/MAX International takes over
RE/MAX is returning to its Rocky Mountain roots. RE/MAX of Florida, for 30 years an independent franchise based in Lake Mary, will be swallowed up in June by RE/MAX International in Denver. The deal represents 250 offices and 6,500 agents. You've probably seen RE/MAX signs on hundreds of lawns. Tampa Bay area franchises under the RE/MAX of Florida umbrella number close to 10 and account for thousands of home sales. RE/MAX International also bought former corporate offshoots in California and Hawaii.

Vote advice hardly lauded by Lincare
Lincare Holdings just got some bad news about its May 7 annual shareholders meeting. Institutional Shareholder Services, a Maryland company that helps busy mutual fund and pension fund managers decide how to vote on corporate proxy proposals, says investors should veto the Clearwater oxygen distributor's proposed stock-incentive plan but approve a board-diversity plan that the company's white, male directors oppose. The news is marginally better for Outback Steakhouse parent OSI Restaurant Partners, which meets with shareholders May 8. ISS says OSI investors should approve a $40-per-share offer to take the Tampa company private, mostly because its "deteriorating performance" might otherwise push its stock price south.

Floridians told to avoid annuity seller
Don't do business with the National Foundation of America. Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink issued a warning Wednesday to avoid the Tennessee-based company, which has been selling annuities in Florida without a license.

[Last modified April 26, 2007, 18:24:15]