Sixteen Florida-based companies made the new 2010 Fortune 500 list of big public corporations. Three of those 16 are headquartered in the Tampa Bay metro area. Here they are:

* Tech Data Corp., Clearwater, is No. 3 in Florida and No. 109 on the Fortune 500 list with $22 billion in annual revenues.

* Jabil Circuit, St. Petersburg, is No. 6 in Florida and No. 199 on the Fortune 500 list with $11.7 billion in annual revenues.

* Wellcare Health Plans, Tampa, is No. 12 in Florida and No. 328 on the Fortune 500 list with $6.9 billion in annual revenues.

What's most striking about the Florida companies on the Fortune list is the state's biggest public company nobody ever hears much about, which ranks No. 43 on the 500 list with a whopping $43.6 billion in annual revenues. It's called International Assets Holding-- not exactly a catchy or descriptive name -- based in Altamonte Springs. It's an international metals trading business that enjoyed a big boost in revenues thanks to the soaring price and interest in gold, and also because of a merger with consulting firm FC Stone in 2009. Here's a snapshot from the company Web site that sheds a bit more light on their commodity trading operations.

Here's the complete ranking of Florida companies on the Fortune 500 list:

1. International Assets Holding, 49th, Altamonte Springs, $43.6 billion
2. Publix Super Markets, 99th, Lakeland $24.5 billion
3. Tech Data, 109th, Clearwater $22 billion
4. FPL Group(parent of FLorida Power & Light), 147th, Juno Beach, $15.6 billion
5. Office Depot, 192nd, Boca Raton, $12.1 billion
6. Jabil Circuit, 199th, St. Petersburg, $11.7 billion
7. World Fuel Services, 205th, Miami, $11.3 billion
8. AutoNation(operates as Autoway in Tampa Bay), 212th, Fort Lauderdale, $11 billion
9. CSX, 259th, Jacksonville, $9 billion
10. Winn-Dixie Stores, 306th, Jacksonville, $7.4 billion
11. Darden Restaurants(owns Olive Garden, Red Lobster chains), 311th, Orlando, $7.2 billion
12. WellCare Health Plans, 328th, Tampa, $6.9 billion
13. Fidelity National Financial, 366th, Jacksonville, $5.9 billion
14. Harris, 371st, Melbourne, $5.6 billion
15. Ryder System, 426th, Miami, $5 billion
16. Health Management Associates, 443rd, Naples $4.7 billion

Here's the complete Fortune 500 list. Wal-Mart knocked Exxon Mobil out of the top slot this year to rule the Fortune 500 again at No. 1.

-- Robert Trigaux, Times Business Columnist