APEC to include virtual business expo

The Hawaii Virtual Business Marketplace has been launched by the APEC 2011 Hawaii Host Committee and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii as a vehicle for businesses to market products and services to the 21 APEC economies and mainland companies.

The online marketplace at www.apec2011hawaii.com/virtual.html is akin to an expo where exhibitors pay for booth space. In this case booths cost $525, a price that is subject to change following APEC Leaders Week, Nov. 7-13.

“Companies will be able to easily upload their information to build their virtual booth,” which APEC delegates will be able to access from their own laptops or via tablets available at the Hawai‘i Convention Center, said Peter Ho, Hawaii Host Committee chairman.

Interested businesses may email virtual@apec2011hawaii.com.

Sopogy shows new solar thermal technology

Honolulu-based Sopogy Inc. unveiled Monday the latest version of its patented solar thermal technology that generates energy from the sun’s rays more efficiently than the company’s previous systems.

The new SopoHelios solar thermal collectors are larger than ones used on Sopogy’s older SopoNova system, thereby reducing the number of collectors needed to produce the same amount of power by 33 percent, the company said. Sopogy announced the new product at the Solar Power International Conference in Dallas.

“Requiring fewer collectors reduces engineering and construction costs and speeds up the solar field assembly,” said Darren Kimura, Sopogy president and chief executive officer. “SopoHelios maximizes the efficiency for our solar thermal systems and significantly improves the system paybacks.”

Sopogy’s “MicroCSP” technology features mirrored troughs that use solar energy to create steam, which in turn spins a turbine to generate electricity. Sopogy will use the SopoHelios solar collectors at a planned 5-megawatt solar energy project in Kalaeloa.

Small-business award nominees sought

Nominations for the 2011 SBA Small Business Awards are being accepted through Nov. 10 by the U.S. Small Business Administration Hawaii District Office.

SBA honors the accomplishments of entrepreneurs and small-business owners from a variety of industry segments.

Award categories include the Home-Based Business Champion Advocacy Award, Veteran Small Business Champion Advocacy Award, Family-Owned Business of the Year and Small Business Person of the Year.

Any individual or organization can submit a nomination. Required nomination forms and detailed information on each category can be downloaded from www.hisbdc.org. The SBA office also can answer questions at 541-2990.

Apple sells 4 million new iPhones in 3 days

NEW YORK » Apple Inc. said Monday it sold more than 4 million units of the new iPhone model in three days, meaning it is selling more than twice as fast as the previous model did when it launched last year.

Apple and its phone company partners started selling the iPhone 4S on Friday in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Britain. They are coming to 22 more countries by the end of the month.

When Apple launched the iPhone 4 last year, it sold 1.7 million in the first three days.

There are two more launch countries than last year, and more service providers sell the phone. In the U.S., Sprint Nextel Corp. is new, joining AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless.

IBM ups guidance but revenue falls short

SAN FRANCISCO » IBM raised its full-year guidance again on Monday, offering fresh evidence of the company’s ability to wring profit from technology services and software contracts. But questions about growth reared up as IBM’s third-quarter revenue fell slightly short of Wall Street’s target — a disappointment for a company that usually exceeds expectations. Net income was $3.84 billion, or $3.19 per share, up 7 percent from $3.59 billion, or $2.82 per share, a year ago. Excluding one-time items, it earned $3.28 a share, 6 cents more than the average estimate from analysts surveyed by FactSet. Revenue rose 8 percent to $26.16 billion, slightly less than the $26.26 billion analysts had expected.

Citigroup earnings rise 74 percent

NEW YORK » Citigroup Inc.’s third-quarter earnings rose 74 percent as more of its customers paid their bills on time, leading to lower losses from loans. An accounting gain also boosted income.

Monday’s results reflected Citigroup’s seventh straight quarter of income growth. Citigroup was one of the biggest recipients of taxpayer support during the financial crisis. It received $45 billion in bailouts funds and was partly owned by the government until December 2010.

The New York bank’s net income rose 74 percent, to $3.8 billion, due to lower losses from loans and an accounting gain related to the valuation of the bank’s own debt. Citi is the nation’s third-biggest bank measured by assets.

ON THE MOVE

Environet has named Thomas McCabe as its chief executive officer. He will oversee more than $125 million in government and private-sector contract capacity. McCabe was previously a senior vice president with Parsons Corp. and program manager for the $350 million U.S. Navy unexploded ordnance cleanup of Kahoolawe.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has appointed public relations specialist Jessica Ferracane as its chief media contact. She has 10 years of experience in public relations, including serving as president of Irondog Communications, the primary public relations contact for the Big Island Visitors Bureau, and public relations director for the Fairmont Orchid in Hawaii, as well as a print journalist.

Windward Mall has welcomed back Katy Villiers as specialty leasing manager. She will oversee and direct the specialty leasing program. Villiers’ experience includes serving as a strategic partnerships rep for a property management company, managing the alternative revenue for properties acrosss the Hawaiian Islands and working as a specialty leasing rep for Windward Mall and in retail advertising for The Honolulu Advertiser.