Publicity-Shy Firm to Make Big Splash With Pricey Party.

For a company that seems to shun publicity, Znetix Corp. has an interesting way of showing it.

The Seattle-based firm is spending somewhere in the realm of $500,000 to throw a party on New Year's Eve at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Among the 700 invited guests are people like businessmen Lee Iacocca and Kirk Kerkorian, Olympic champion sprinter Michael Johnson, race car driver Danny Sullivan and ex-NFL star Eric Dickerson.

It promises to be a bash that calls to mind the excesses of lots of now struggling Internet content companies. On tap are food stations brimming with ethnic cuisine and champagne, massive floral arrangements, and entertainment including Guess model and singer Tyrese.

For all the resources being put into hosting the gala event, Znetix officials aren't exactly hyping their business. In fact, not only do they not want to talk about the party' they don't want to talk about their company either, which is odd given the exposure they are likely to generate from their fete.

"They don't want to talk about themselves," said local businessman Grady Sanders, who is working with the company in its local dealings. "This is a branding opportunity. There won't be any selling, I don't think you'll even see the Znetix name, except perhaps on the invitations."

Even the company's business is hard to pigeonhole. It bills itself as an integrated health services company that has developed proprietary software technology for blood testing of athletes. Privately capitalized at somewhere between $30 million and $40 million, Znetix is buying health clubs as part of a plan to set up a network for its services. It sponsors powerboat racing in the Pacific Northwest as well as ticket packages for seniors for Seattle Mariners baseball games.

"We are interested in people's well-being," said co-founder Eddie Sato, a retired Nevada businessman. "We're developing everything from exercise equipment to integrated health care, and setting up a computerized health care data base."

Sanders, who is best known for his unsuccessful attempt to revise Chasen's restaurant, said the company is negotiating to buy a couple of health clubs in Los Angeles. It is also moving its marketing operations here, and is in negotiations to lease 21,000 square feet of Century City office space. A few Znefix billboards have begun to spring up around town.

"They are moving into Los Angeles," he said.

The company, which is only a couple of years old, is the brainchild of founder Kevin Lawrence, who declined to be interviewed. Lawrence worked at Morgan Stanley as an investment banker for several years before starting the company. Sato, who has little to do with day-to-day operations, said that while the company hasn't sought out venture capital, it may in the future.

One local prominent venture capitalist knew nothing about the company but was amused to hear about the details of the New Year's Eve party, which apparently will take up half of the first floor of the Four Seasons.

"I haven't been invited, but maybe I'd like to," he said.

Contributing reporter Anita Talbert provided information for this article.