Biz Buzz

LONG ISLAND

Toys R Us to add 100 LI jobs

Toys R Us stores across Long Island are gearing up for holiday hiring as part of the company's goal of taking on more than 40,000 seasonal workers nationwide. As of yesterday morning, the company's stores on the Island listed more than 100 open jobs, including four store manager positions, at its locations from Valley Stream to Riverhead. Hiring begins this week and continues through November. The jobs are for shelf stockers, assemblers, sales, receiving and "asset protection." The company is even looking to hire human resources staff, who in turn will help hire others. In addition to Valley Stream and Riverhead, the chain has stores in Lake Grove, Huntington Station, Holbrook, Commack, Bohemia, Bay Shore, Deer Park and Shirley in Suffolk County. There are stores in Massapequa, Massapequa Park, Oceanside, Hicksville, Carle Place and Westbury in Nassau County. -- Joseph Mallia

Fundraiser for furry friends

The Plainview car dealership Ferrari of Long Island will be a warm and fuzzy -- or, furry -- place tomorrow, when it hosts a benefit breakfast for Little Shelter, a no-kill animal rescue group in Huntington. "Yes, it's a meet-the-animals-that-need-homes at the Fur-Rari Rally to the Beach at the dealership's showroom," Ferrari of Long Island said in a news release. The event starts at 9:30 a.m. The dealership wants to raise money for the shelter and to give it some publicity, "and even more importantly to help [find] these abandoned animals a home," the company's publicist said. The dealership will also collect donations of unopened pet food and feeding bowls, blankets and toys. Those attending are invited to bring their pets. Ferrari of Long Island is at 65 South Service Rd. in Plainview. -- JOSEPH MALLIA

Rechler named to PA board

Long Island developer Scott Rechler was named yesterday as vice chairman of the board of commissioners for the Port Authority. This comes three months after Rechler was appointed to the board by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. He replaces Stanley Grayson, who resigned this week and was an appointee of the previous governor, David A. Paterson. Rechler is head of RXR Realty in Uniondale. He'll also be vice chair of the board's construction committee and a member of the capital programs and agency planning committee. -- ELLEN YAN

Open Book closing ahead

The Open Book, an independent bookstore in Westhampton Beach, is closing after 13 years in business. "Sadly, the difficult economy, the rise of the popularity of e-books and the arrival of another bookstore down the block have combined to form a set of circumstances that will result in the closing of The Open Book by the end of the year," Terry Lucas, the owner, says in a post on her blog Bookmama's World. The Glovers Lane store will stay open a few more months, and Lucas plans to sell off her books, chairs, shelves and window decorations. -- JOSEPH MALLIA

NATION

HP names Whitman new CEO

Hewlett-Packard has named Meg Whitman, the former eBay CEO and California gubernatorial candidate, as its new CEO, pushing aside Leo Apotheker after just 11 months on the job. Whitman got the top spot because there are few available people with the experience to run complex technology businesses, a source familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Apotheker is being removed because the board lost confidence in his ability to lead the company long-term. The management shake-up represents yet another turnaround strategy at one of Silicon Valley's oldest but most publicly dysfunctional firms. Since Apotheker joined HP in November, his strategic decisions had been drastic and did little to inspire confidence. -- AP