Farm Share Ltd., a Larchmont-based supplier of locally grown organic produce, has found a distributor for its products in the region. Urban Express, a delivery company in Elizabeth, N.J., has agreed to distribute Farm Share’s goods in the New York metro area starting this summer.

The Rockland Economic Development Corporation is accepting nominations for its 8th Annual Forty Under 40 Program.

The program recognizes 40 people under the age of 40 who are making their mark on Rockland County through commitment to growth, development, professional excellence and the community-at-large.

The deadline for nominations is July 17. Those eligible for nominations include anyone who is under 40 as of Dec. 31, 2009 and who lives and/or works in Rockland. The nominee’s activities or contributions also must be Rockland-based.

To learn more about the program, or to submit a nomination, go to www.lohud.com/fortyunder40. Questions can be directed to Liz Cranston at 845-735-7040 or lizc@redc.org.

IBM Corp. said that it signed a contract to build and operate a new $12.4 million computer data center at Syracuse University that will be one of the most energy-efficient in the world.

The 6,000-square-foot data center is expected to use 50 percent less energy than a typical data center through the use of energy efficient computers and cooling technology, according to IBM.

The Armonk-based company said that it will provide more than $5 million in equipment, design services and support for the center. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will invest $2 million in the project.

APS Healthcare, a White Plains-based provider of specialty healthcare services, has been awarded a contract to manage Oregon’s statewide Medicaid disease and medical care management programs.

The program is designed to help Medicaid recipients gain access to health care and improve their health outlook. The services will initially be available to more than 66,000 Oregon residents. Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

A funeral service was held Wednesday for Leonard Newman, a well known Westchester insurance executive for more than 45 years.

Newman founded and expanded the Leonard Newman Agency, a major insurance brokerage based in the Bar Building on Main Street in White Plains from 1950 to 1995. Newman sold the agency in 1995 to Bank of New York and the Arthur J. Gallagher & Sons of Chicago.

He died on Sunday at the age of 90.

In addition to heading his own company, Newman sat on the board of the Douglas Elliman Co. and ran their insurance division. After retiring, Newman worked for the Museum of Modern Art in New York City for a salary of $1 a year, creating an insurance program for their recent expansion and renovation.

Newman, a native of Farmingdale, later moved to Rye, where his father established a tobacco shop. Newman, a graduate of Rye High School, served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force during World War II in the Philippines and New Guinea. He also was part of the occupation force in Japan.

After returning from the war, Newman and his late wife Roslyn lived in White Plains for more than 25 years. They later lived in Bedford until her death in 2005. He is survived by three children.

PepsiCo Inc. said that an organic garden that opened this week at the company’s headquarters in Purchase fits with the company’s goals for protecting natural resources and minimizing its environmental footprint.

The garden, which uses no pesticides and fertilizes plants with used coffee grinds from the PepsiCo cafeteria, is planted with 25 vegetables and 30 herbs.

About 225 company employees will be responsible for tending the garden. The food grown there will be used by the employees or donated to the Westchester Food Bank in Millwood.

“We’re bringing home the idea of thinking globally and acting locally,” PepsiCo Chief Executive Officer Indra Nooyi said in a written statement. “Our employees envisioned this garden as a catalyst to integrate healthful, locally grown herbs and vegetables into their everyday lives. I believe that it will also be a source of inspiration for innovation in our products and operations.”

PepsiCo, a food and beverage giant with 198,000 employees and 2008 annual revenues of more than $43 billion, said that workers plan to open additional organic gardens at other company offices around the world.

MAN SE, a German-based supplier of trucks, buses, diesel engines, has signed a seven-year contract to buy technology services from IBM Corp. and T-Systems. Under the contract, Armonk-based IBM will provide services for workstations and personal computers for MAN. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The Rockland Business Association will hold its second annual Green Council Seminar on Wednesday, June 3, from 8 a.m. to noon at Rockland Community College in Suffern. The program will focus on making businesses more profitable through the adoption of “green” principles.

The association will unveil a Web-based toolkit that will help businesses become more sustainable. Melissa Everett, executive director of Sustainable Hudson Valley, will speak on “Green Jobs in a Green Community: Connecting the Dots.”
A panel discussion will feature George Hoehmann from Camp Venture Inc., John Lorenzo from Instrumentation Laboratory, Arthur Barikyan from Orange & Rockland Utilities, and Ed Gray from Rockland BOCES.
Vendors will demonstrate green technology products and services, and Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef will speak. For more information, call the RBA office at 845-735-2100. Admission is $20 for members and $35 for non-members.

Shareholders of Pepsi Bottling Group Inc. rejected a proposed amendment to the company directors’ stock plan to allow for the issuance of an additional 500,000 shares. The vote took place at the company’s annual meeting today in Somers. Pepsi Bottling had supported passage of the amendment that it said was necessary to continue a stock compensation program for non-employee directors. The plan also helps the company motivate and retain non-employee directors, the company said.
In other business at the meeting, shareholders re-elected the company’s 10 directors and ratified Deloitte & Touche LLP as PBG’s independent accounting firm.

BMW Mt. Kisco will celebrate the grand opening of its expanded and relocated dealership Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

The 75,000-square-foot dealership at 250 Kisco Avenue features showrooms for new and certified pre-owned BMWs that are staffed by client advisors. There also is a 22-bay repair facility that employs BMW factory trained technicians.

The dealership offers a BMW Lifestyle Accessories Boutique, a customer lounge, gourmet coffee, a refreshment area and an outdoor patio overlooking Mount Kisco.

BMW Mt. Kisco is part of The Premier Collection, the operator of numerous dealerships in the region.

As governments around the world enact stimulus programs to jump start their sluggish economies, IBM Corp. seeks to be a major player in stimulus initatives on multiple continents.

The latest effort came today when the Armonk-based computer services giant said that its finance unit will make up to $2 billion available to finance technology initiatives for key economic stimulus projects in Europe and another $1 billlion in Asia-Pacific.

The initiative comes about a month after IBM said that it would make up to $2 billion available to help support U.S. economic stimulus programs that have ranged from clean energy to futuristic vehicles.

“There is a great connectivity among nations,” said John Callies, general manager of IBM Global Financing. “While the various stimulus packages in different countries were designed to keep their own economies on track, it is as joined economies that we can rise from this global downturn together. In this context, IBM Global Financing is extending its stimulus financing program to countries in Europe and Asia-Pacific to help global recovery.”

IBM said that its program is designed help companies secure needed financing so that they can move ahead with technology projects in 2009 as they await government stimulus funding. Benefits for participating companies can include low rates, flexible financing options and deferred payment plans from IBM, according to the company.

IBM said that most of the financing will be targeted at smart technology projects that can include building improved electric grids, improving health care technology and developing “smart transportaion” systems.

IBM’s recent involvement in such projects has included helping to build an improved utility network in Denmark, and rail projects in China, Taiwan and The Netherlands.

Zinio, a New York-based digital publisher, has formed a partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. of White Plains to provide electronic magazines to guests at some Starwood hotels. The “digital newsstands” will be offered to guests at Starwood’s Element and Aloft properties and participating Four Points by Sheraton hotels.

Rockland Economic Development Corp. will hold a free program on how small businesses can obtain contracts with the Hudson Valley Municipal Purchasing Group.
The program starts at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 11 at the Ellipse Room of the Technology Center of Rockland Community College at 145 College Road in Suffern. The program will discuss the local procurement process, what local governments buy, the laws governing the process, and the purchasing group itself and its on-line bidder notification system.
Representatives from Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Putnam, and Westchester counties and representatives from the cities of Yonkers and Poughkeepsie will be present to speak with local business owners. To learn more, contact Pauline Drakopoulos at 845-735-7040 or paulined@redc.org.

Rachele Rose Day Spa has opened at 110 S. Central Ave., Hartsdale. The business is run by sisters Rachele Nicoletti and Rosa Calabrese.

Health care experts from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Westchester Division will present a seminar on the topic “Keeping Your Spirits Up…When Business Is Down” to members of The Business Council of Westchester.

The program is scheduled for June 3 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the hospital’s White Plains campus, Staff Annex II Building, 21 Bloomingdale Road. The session will focus on successful stress management strategies for employers and employees. The cost is $35 per person. Reservations are required and can be made at www.westchesterny.org.

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc., a Purchase-based air cargo carrier, has adopted a takeover defense that could make it more difficult for hostile outside investors to assume a controlling interest in the company.

Atlas said that its board has approved a stockholder rights plan that could kick in a person or group buys 15 percent or more of the company’s outstanding shares.

The rights plan is designed to encourage the fair treatment of shareholders, help the board to protect shareholder interests and curb “tactics that could deny all stockholders the opportunity to realize the full value of their investment,” the company said in a written statement.

Atlas added that it is not adopting the plan because of any present effort to gain control of the company and “that it is not aware of any takeover attempt.”

Under the plan, Atlas would issue one right for each share of stock outstanding on June 5. If a person or group bought at least 15 percent of the stock, each right would entitle its owner to buy shares that have a market value of two times the exercise price of the right. But the rights would not be triggered by any person or group that presently owns 15 percent or more of the outstanding stock, according to the company.

Atlas said that the plan will not affect its reported earnings per share.

Rand Commercial Services is doing business as an independent commercial real estate brokerage after a recent spinoff from the Prudential Real Estate Network.

The company, which has 25 agents in Orange, Rockland and Westchester counties, will serve New York City, northern New Jersey and Connecticut. The company is led by Managing Partner Greg Rand, Senior Executive Director Paul Adler and Director of Operations Gerry Magnarelli.

Rand said the new company was recruiting agents to help service the tri-state area.

“We are seeking like-minded, independent commercial brokers from around the region to join our team of experts and help us continue our expansion,” Rand said.

The Greenwich Chamber of Commerce Business & Culinary Showcase will be held Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency-Greenwich. A fashion show of summer apparel and a “Throwdown Chowder Challenge” will highlight this year’s program that is expected to draw more than 65 exhibitors and 400 attendees. For further information, call the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce at 203-869-3500.

James J. Yarmus of New City will be installed as the first Latino president of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers during the organization’s annual convention in June.

Yarmus, a professional engineer, urban and transportation planner and construction manager, runs a multidisciplinary consulting service in New City. He will be installed for the 2009-2010 term along with other officers.

Yarmus, 67, was born in Cuba and emigrated to the U.S. in 1960. He has been based in Rockland County since 1972 and has more than 30 years of experience as a licensed professional engineer.

“I am exceedingly proud of my Cuban heritage and am deeply humbled to be the first Latino to serve as president of this organization,” Yarmus said. “As a person who represents a diversity of cultures, I feel I am capable of connecting with people from different professions and walks of life.”

Community Mutual Savings Bank recently opened a new branch at 12 South Bedford Road in Mount Kisco. It is bank’s fifth branch and the first in northern Westchester County. The bank’s parent company is CMS Bancorp Inc. of White Plains.