Adrian Turner:  Paving the way for Australia's next multi-billion dollar industries.  14 March in Sydney. 
Stanford Australia Association is delighted to invite you to the next in the Entrepreneurs Series. This is a discussion with Adrian Turner, founder and CEO of Mocana Corporation in Silicon Valley, the immediate past chairman of Advance Australia, a native Australian. In September 2011, the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland selected Mocana from a field of more than 800 nominees as one of its 25 “Technology Pioneers for 2012”.

• Date: Wednesday 14 March 2012
• Time: Noon arrival for 12:30pm start; finish at 2.00pm
• Where: Commonwealth Bank, Level 19, 201 Sussex St, Sydney
• RSVP: By Wednesday 7 March.  $25 per person.  Please advise of any dietary requirements. 

Mr Turner is in Australia to launch his new book Blue Sky Mining, a prescriptive call to arms for all Australian ecosphere participants to stop being complacent and effect the change this country needs to prosper -- now. It draws on the highest-impact commercial practices that are pervasively used in Silicon Valley. It’s written for government, universities, financiers, entrepreneurs, established business owners looking to expand into new markets and anyone interested in understanding why Silicon Valley has been so successful in creating new industries and commercialising innovation over decades.

In Blue Sky Mining Adrian has highlighted the immense changes that have occurred and are going to occur which are being driven by innovation. He will discuss what this means for businesses, markets, and the challenges and opportunities that will exist.

Most importantly, Mr Turner will explore what Australia needs to do to nurture its next billion dollar industries.  He will discuss his views – including concrete proposals – on how Australia can establish within its borders an “ecosystem” akin to Silicon Valley.  The program will include a brief introduction by Tony Surtees followed by remarks from Mr Turner and a discussion period.

Dear Stanford Australia community,
It is the time of the year when we collect annual membership fees for the SAA.  If you have already paid for your 2012 membership, thank you!  If not, the 2012 membership fee is $60, or you can pre-pay your fees through 2016 (5 years) for $275.  This year we are also asking for a voluntary $40 donation to the Stanford Australia Foundation - this donation is tax deductible - if you are willing to support the Foundation please check the box in the eventbrite system or add the amount to any cheque

In addition to supporting the SAA, the benefits of being a financial member of the SAA are:

• Priority access to events
• Reduced event fees
• Support of the Stanford Australia Foundation – the annual surplus generated by the SAA allows us to make a substantial donation to the SAF
 
There are two options to pay your 2012 membership fee:

1. Use our payment system which accepts major credit cards and paypal                   
2. Send a cheque payable to ‘Stanford Australia Association’ to:

Steve Hawkins
c/o The Benevolent Society
Level 1
188 Oxford Street
Paddington NSW 2021
 
2012 is looking to be another great year of diverse interesting events.  Highlights already planned include:
 

•  Art & Wine – a repeat of the popular social gathering where we enjoy a wine tasting combined with a talk by a prominent Australian artist.
•  Entrepreneurial Series – this year we will host 4 breakfast video seminars and discussions on selected entrepreneurial topics.  More on this shortly.
•  AGM – the gala event for the year will be the AGM in late November or early December.
•  Visiting Professors – we will continue to host smaller events around visiting.
• Other social functions– including events for new graduates and "legends"

We hope you will join us as a financial member, and look forward to seeing you at events this year.
 
 Email the Secretary (Melanie Kansil) for more information.   As always, we welcome your thoughts on how we can continue to improve the SAA.
 
Regards,
 
SAA committee