VIAGRA FOR MR. MOTO

Rumors circulated last week that Qwest CEO Richard Notebaert was in the running to replace Christopher Galvin, the departing chief of Motorola. The move would bring Notebaert back to the Chicago area, where he was chairman and CEO of Ameritech and later president and CEO of Tellabs. Notebaert is perfect for the job. He's articulate in expressing the multiple strategic directions of big companies and how it all fits together. He needs a big stage and, despite not having “Terminator” dialogue to fall back on, uses it as effectively as a certain new governor of California — it was Notebaert, remember, who called 1999's SBC/Ameritech merger “Viagra for competition.” Motorola could use some of that right now. Mike Zafirowski is the internal favorite to replace Galvin, but many investors want a big-name outsider. Some observers say Notebaert is more interested in leading a Bell company like Qwest, where he has been for the last year and a half. But the stink of financial ruin still lingers at Qwest, as the SEC continues its investigation of fiber swap deals the carrier conducted with Enron and others more than two years ago. Back when he was at Ameritech, the Chicago Tribune ran an adoring profile of Notebaert that featured a photo of him jogging at sunrise along Lake Michigan. It was a photo of a man in his element before someone acquired his element out from under him. Being in charge of a troubled but legendary communications company would give it back to him.