BRIEFCASE PRESIDENT NAMED FOR DOLE FLOWERS.

Byline: - From Staff and Wire Services

WESTLAKE VILLAGE - Dole Food Co. on Tuesday said it has named John T. Schouten as president of Dole Fresh Flowers.

Schouten has been with the Westlake Village-based fruit growers since 1985. In his new position, Schouten will report directly to Lawrence Kern, president and chief operating officer of Dole Food Co.

PacifiCare lowers earnings forecast

SANTA ANA - PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. on Tuesday announced it is lowering its earnings-per-share goals for the second quarter ending June 30 and the rest of 2002.

The company now expects earnings per share of 85 to 88 cents for the second quarter, compared with previous goals of 90 to 93 cents.

For 2002, PacifiCare expects earnings to range from $3.37 to $3.47 per share, compared with the $3.55 to $3.65 it previously expected.

The new figures reflect the impact of higher interest expense and a one- time writedown on bank fees resulting from the sale of $500 million of notes due June 2009.

Gap CEO leaving, calls job too broad

SAN FRANCISCO - Gap Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Millard S. Drexler on Tuesday announced his plans to retire after the board of directors selects a successor.

``I've always loved being close to merchandise, customers and the creative parts of our business. In a company the size of ours, the broader demands of being CEO have pulled me away from the things I'm most passionate about,'' Drexler said in a statement. ``The time is right for me to move on, and for the company to bring in new leadership to take the business forward.''

Gap shares fell 33 cents, or 2 percent, to close at $16 on the New York Stock Exchange before Drexler's announcement, and then plunged more than 6 percent to $14.95 in after-hours trading.

Baby stroller toys subject to recall

WASHINGTON - A Chicago company is recalling about 17,000 toy steering wheel attachments sold with strollers because small pieces can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Kolcraft Enterprises Inc. has not received any reports of injuries, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Tuesday.

The toy steering wheel was sold on Kolcraft's Jeep Cherokee stroller model number 55120. ``Jeep'' is written with yellow, raised lettering on front of the steering wheel base. The model number and ``MADE IN CHINA'' can be found on a sticker on one of the stroller's rear legs.

The safety commission said consumers should remove the toy steering wheels from these strollers. Consumers can receive a free replacement wheel by calling Kolcraft at [phone].

No order to shred, accountant says

HOUSTON - An Arthur Andersen LLP accountant testified Tuesday her boss stressed he wasn't telling employees to ``shred a bunch of documents'' when he reminded them of the firm's records retention policy during a hastily called meeting last autumn.

Patricia Grutzmacher, 32, said her ultimate superior on the Enron Corp. audit team, David B. Duncan, stressed to workers on Oct. 23 they should follow the policy, which calls for the destruction of extraneous or redundant material.

NBC exec Sassa to become adviser

NBC will announce today that Scott Sassa, who has led the network's West Coast division for four years, will leave that post in June to become a special adviser to the NBC chairman, Bob Wright, senior NBC executives said Tuesday.

Without specifying what exact role Sassa will play, one senior NBC executive said his initial job would be to investigate all aspects of NBC's investment in Paxson Communications Corp.

Sassa said he would have no comment on the possibility of his changing positions within NBC. NBC also declined to make any official comment.