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Culbreath to leave TECO post
By STEVE HUETTEL © St. Petersburg Times, published March 6, 2001 TAMPA -- Hugh L. Culbreath Jr., one of Tampa's most powerful business leaders as chief executive of Tampa Electric Co. through the '70s and '80s, will retire from the board of the utility's parent company April 18. Culbreath, 79, cited his age and longevity at the utility and its holding company, TECO Energy, as reasons for retiring. "Oh, my goodness, I'm (nearly) 80 years old," Culbreath said. "It was just time. Nothing came up suddenly." A consulting contract with TECO that Culbreath held for 10 years expired at the end of last year. It paid $175,000 in 2000. He also lost secretarial help provided by TECO, and his office at the company's Tampa headquarters "will disappear very quickly," Culbreath said. A Tampa native whose ancestors helped establish the city, Culbreath joined Tampa Electric in 1957 in the financial and accounting side of the business. He became the utility's chief executive in 1972. Culbreath was named to the top job at TECO Energy when the holding company was formed in 1981 and was elected chairman three years later. He relinquished the chief executive job to Timothy L. Guzzle in 1989 and stayed on as TECO chairman for one more year. Culbreath was involved in many Tampa civic causes. He was the primary fundraiser and chairman of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. He presided over Tampa General Hospital's conversion into a private institution and still serves as the chairman of the hospital board. The departure of Culbreath, the longest-serving board member with nearly 30 years of service, was buried inside the proxy for TECO Energy's annual meeting April 18. Just below chief executive Robert Fagan's letter to shareholders in the annual report, the company recognized two board members who retired last year, former chairman Girard Anderson and Edward Flom. TECO officials said Culbreath would likely be recognized in the report for 2001. - Steve Huettel can be reached at huettel@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3384.
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From the Times Business report
From the AP
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