Bon Voyage

As chief of Gov. Pete Wilson’s blue ribbon panel to improve California’s business climate and keep firms from moving out of state, Peter V. Ueberroth no doubt has an Olympian-scale task ahead.

But one business relocation scheduled this summer hits especially close to home: Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Co.’s 125-employee reinsurance business from Los Angeles to Charlotte, N.C. Turns out Ueberroth is a director of its parent firm, Transamerica Corp. in San Francisco.

The move represents only a tiny part of the 8,000-employee Transamerica operations that remain in the state. But a statement issued by Transamerica last month explaining why Charlotte was picked--issued the same week Wilson named Ueberroth to the panel--served as a sharp reminder of the kind of complaints state officials hear from firms that move.

Transamerica said relocating to Charlotte “will help us maintain our competitive advantage,” offer workers cheaper housing and provide for “reasonable taxation.” The company also lauded Charlotte for its strong “pro-business environment,” implying that California doesn’t have one.

Ueberroth was vacationing last week and unavailable for comment. But a Transamerica spokeswoman said it is unlikely that he and other directors were consulted because it is a relatively small move for the company.

Gateway to Somewhere

Cities and counties trying to attract business inside California have something increasingly in common: gateways.

Oxnard for years has called itself the “Gateway to the Channel Islands,” while San Bernardino County promotes itself as the “Gateway to Southern California.”

Gardena is more modest. It’s merely the “Gateway to the South Bay.”

Rerun Out of Sync

A Milli Vanilli comeback? No, a rerun.

The Disney Channel last week featured a encore presentation of an episode of its modern “Mickey Mouse Club” that featured a question-and-answer session with the once-hot group. The 1990 show was taped just before the duo confessed they had lip-synched their hits.

Since then, Milli Vanilli’s attorneys have battled a courthouse full of lawyers suing to collect damages for people who bought their records. The more than 25 Milli Vanilli lawsuits that were filed after the scandal broke came to symbolize for many--including Vice President Dan Quayle--how far out of hand the legal system has gotten.

Ironically, Milli Vanilli’s Fab Morvan was asked in the television interview by a fan what he would be had he not turned to singing. His answer: a lawyer.

Briefly. . .

Perfectly clear hype: Former President Richard Nixon’s new book, “Seize the Moment: America’s Challenge in a One Superpower World,” is being touted for its “incredibly timely analysis.”. . . One Thumb Up: The CompuServe computer network is offering on-line reviews, interviews and essays from film critic Roger Ebert and a promise that members may “even talk to Roger himself via electronic mail.”. . . Diet fad in the making?: Former MGM-Pathe chief Giancarlo Parretti went on a hunger strike in an Italian jail last week to protest his arrest for allegedly failing to pay more than $200 million in taxes.