When you think of IBM, you think of computers, not rice bowls. But for the billions of people around the world who rely on rice as a staple food, a new initiative by Big Blue could mean heartier meals.

A worldwide network of computers created by IBM will be tackling the looming rice shortage by helping [...]

Two businesses in the Lower Hudson Valley have placed the low bids on construction work at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, the state Office of General Services said. Southeast Plumbing Corp. of Brewster was the apparent low bidder, out of seven companies, with a bid of $262,000 to replace a domestic water system in [...]

SmartWatt Energy Services, a Clifton Park, N.Y.-based company that helps businesses reduce their energy consumption and expenses, has opened its third office on Mamaroneck Avenue in Harrison. Pete DeMartis of Somers is the general manager. The company has a third office in Rochester, N.Y. For more information on the company, visit www.smartwattinc.com.

White Plains-based ConEdison Solutions has acquired Custom Energy Services LLC of Overland Park, Kan. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal is part of a ongoing corporate expansion strategy as ConEdison Solutions seeks to become a nationwide leader in energy services and energy commodity marketplaces. Custom Energy Services will give the firm a Kansas office [...]

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. said that a new Four Points by Sheraton has opened in Tempe, Ariz. Four Points by Sheraton is one of the White Plains hotel giant’s brands, which also include St. Regis, Westin, W and Le Meridien. The new hotel, which is owned and operated by Twenty4Seven Hotels Corp. has [...]

Centro Properties Group has sold The Mall at Cross County in Yonkers to a holding of Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp. in Manhattan for $80 million.

The Mall at Cross County, at 750 Central Park Ave., has 20 stores and 264,000 square feet. It is separate from, and unrelated to, the much larger Cross County Shopping Center nearby.

Centro, [...]

Two women entrepreneuers, a nonprofit chief executive, a family business and a giant energy company are the winners of the Business Council of Westchester’s 2008 Business Hall of Fame awards.

The small business honoree is Co-Communications, a Mount Kisco-based public relations and marketing company owned by Stacey Cohen. The 10-year-old company serves clients primarily in the [...]

USA Bank of Port Chester lost $4.3 million, or 75 cents a share, for the year ended Dec. 31. A year earlier, the company lost $4.5 million, or $1.11 a share. Assets at Dec. 31 were $169.9 million. USA Bank opened in December 2005 and has a branch in Port Chester at 601 N. Main [...]

Hudson Valley Holding Corp. of Yonkers said its board of directors has approved a plan to repurchase up to 250,000 shares of stock for $52.75 per share. The offer expires May 27. The stock last traded at $59.50 on the Over the Counter Bulletin Board. Hudson Valley is the parent company of Hudson Valley Bank, [...]

Purchase-based PepsiCo will promote its SoBe soft drink brand in Times Square with a new presentation on video walls in the historic outdoor venue. The SoBe Lizards will also be promoted on a huge billboard at the intersection of New York City’s 7th Avenue and 47th Street. The campaign follows the Super Bowl ads for [...]

The board of directors of Armonk-based IBM Corp. today authorized an additional $15 billion to buy back shares of the company’s stock. The sum adds to the $400 million left at the end of February from a previous authorization. IBM plans to spend up to $12 billion of the money on stock buybacks this year. [...]

The Dannon Company Inc. of White Plains is facing a potential class action lawsuit accusing the company of falsely claiming health benefits for its Activia and DanActive yogurt. A Los Angeles law firm yesterday filed the suit in federal court on behalf of plaintiff Patricia Wiener and “tens of thousands of consumers� who have purchased [...]

Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. has received a U.S. patent for its Seasonique extended-cycle oral contraceptive that will expire in January 2024. The company received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for Seasonique in May 2006. The drug followed Barr’s 2003 introduction of Seasonale, another oral contraceptive intended to extend a woman’s cycle.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. of White Plains plans to sell three hotels in Italy $229 million to  EST Capital, an asset management company. Under the deal Starwood would sell the Westin Excelsior and the Hotel Des Bains in Venice Lido and the Villa Cipriani in Asolo, as well as some office, retail and [...]

PepsiCo, the Purchase-based purveyor of Diet Pepsi, Lipton Iced Tea and Tropicana juices, is working to ensure that people around the world have safe water to drink by granting $6 million through its PepsiCo Foundation to the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

In many parts of the world, the water supply is under stress. The result [...]

Fortune magazine is again ranking the “100 Best Companies to Work For,” and several of the best have operations in the Lower Hudson Valley, including: Starbucks (No. 7); Whole Foods (16); Container Store (20); Stew Leonard’s (26); Nordstrom (36); Bright Horizons Family Solutions (89); and FedEx (97). The No. 1 best company to work for? [...]

D’Agostino Supermarkets is extending the deadline to Feb. 29 for college students to enter its contest to design a new, recyclable D’Ag Bag. Students can enter the contest by visiting the Web site. A panel of judges will pick the best four entries, and the public will be invited to vote for a favorite between [...]

The Rockland Business Association will host a women’s forum titled “Mind Your Own Business: Planning for a Great ‘08” from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 30. The free event will be held at Dominican College, Hennessy Center, Holt Room, 495 Western Highway in Blauvelt. For more information, call (845)735-2100.

Chocolate lovers and Valentine’s Day shoppers take note — the Chocolate World Expo is coming to the Palisades Center in Nyack on Feb. 10 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The expo, which will cost $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and children, will feature chocolates, wines, cheeses and related foods from more than [...]

The White Plains law firm of Gravett & Gravett will host a “pre-nup/post-nup” marital planning workshop at 6 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the firm’s offices at 445 Hamilton Ave., Suite 1102.

Matrimonial and family law attorneys Willem and Margaretha Gravett as well as Daniel Timins, president of T&D Financial, will host the event.

The [...]