ALSO. . .

Epson America, a Torrance-based marketer of computer printers, scanners and electronic items, awarded its $20 million advertising account to DDB Needham, Los Angeles. Needham beat three agencies competing for the creative work and two agencies vying for the media portion of the business. The account had been handled by Ammirati Puris & Lintas of New York since May 1995. Ammirati resigned the account over geographic and philosophical differences.

* Phoenix-based Ugly Duckling Corp. said it will close its 83 Champion Financial Service offices, fire 400 employees and take a charge of $4 million to $6 million this year. Champion Financial purchases high-risk finance contracts from other car dealers.

* The Teamsters union’s election overseer said he needs two more weeks before he can say how much longer his investigation into James P. Hoffa’s campaign financing will take. Michael G. Cherkasky told U.S. District Judge David Edelstein he needs that long to “assess the time needed to complete the investigative work” and set a schedule for the much-delayed election to select the next union president.

* Amid mounting protests from pro-organic groups, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said that enactment of new national organic labeling rules would be postponed for 45 days to allow for more public comment. The Agriculture Department has already received more than 4,000 comments on the rules, many of them objecting to the possibility that irradiation, genetic engineering and sewage-sludge fertilizer could be involved in organic foods.

* Procter & Gamble Co. sold its Duncan Hines cake-mix business to closely held Aurora Foods Inc., the maker of Log Cabin syrup, for about $445 million, according to an SEC filing.