Even with a $27 billion budget, Kux is on the prowl for good deals. Her shopping list spans components for everything from light bulbs to defibrillators. Kux, 52, has cut the number of suppliers in half and introduced a program in which the most popular parts are negotiated at super-bulk prices, while individual departments bargain on their own for less commonly used items. Net income has quadrupled since 2003, when Kux was hired.