MEETING OF MAY 22, 2003

By Steve Yarbrough
Editor:  Dick Blanding

Bruce Cann serenaded us with soft patriotic music today.  Ellen Yamane-Flanagan led us in the flag salute.  Songmaster Alan Lambert out did “April Showers” with a very nice rendition of “Tally Man.”, otherwise known as “Day-O.” 

Roger Eng presented the thought for the day, paraphrased as: “If I had known that grand children would be so much fun, I would have had them first.”

President Mary noted that several members are off the to the Rotary International Convention: Dude Angius, Lee Lynch and President-Elect Al Traficante. 

Marge Bruno introduced visiting Rotarians and guests.  Among the visiting Rotarians were Marion Tavener’s father-in-law, Sandy, from Marblehead, Mass. 

Ellen Yamane-Flanagan and Joe Corral announced the final tally for the Polio Eradication drive: 

 Ellen and Joe thanked team leaders for great effort:

Thanks went out to Bruce Cann and Kailas Chidambaram for use of the photographs they took during the immunizations in Ghana. 

Joe Corral led the Red Badge club with more than $6,100 in contributions!  Ellen noted that Joe had polio when he was younger and though he speaks with a soft voice, he works hard for Rotary.  Both Ellen and Joe received a standing ovation for their fantastic effort.           

Sam Pesner, chairman of LAREF, announced the nominations for two four-year terms and one three-year term on the LARF board.  The nominees are Bella Berlly, Firooz Ghaffari, Mel Kahn, Seth Manning, Bud Oliver, Bill Rewak, Mary Marley and Lee Lynch. 

President Mary advised that the full art show report will have to wait until June, but said the show was successful. 

Sponsor Kris Casto peeled the Red Badge sticker from Val Carpenter’s badge, and sponsor Marge Bruno presented new member Jean Mordo with his red badge.   Club members welcomed them with a standing ovation. 

The RAP committee needs some help.  President Mary asked that someone volunteer to assist as a webmaster for the group to manage the existing website.  She also wants Rotarians to answer the call when she advises that it time for a book packing party to send off the HIV/Aids educational books.  Volume orders are starting to come in and RAP will need our help soon.  Joanne Byrne has the books for the Nairobi girls school already boxed and ready for shipment. 

Larry Chu very deftly raised lots of money for the club as finemaster, then introduced the speaker, George Koo.  

Mr. Koo is an expert on relations with China.  At Deloitte and Touche he advises clients on issues relating to developing business in China before they make investments there.  Mr. Koo graduated from MIT with a degree in chemical engineering and obtained his MBA from Santa Clara University. 

Surprisingly, Mr. Koo described the changing perception of economic development in China from that of a repressive cumbersome system to a now much more flexible and responsive system open to building a new economy and attracting investment. 

He described China as the sixth largest economy in the world, just behind California, but noted that the Chinese economy is expected to double in the next 10 years.  It is the sixth largest trading nation in the world and the fourth with the U.S. 

More than $600 billion in direct foreign investment in China now exceeds the U.S.  Most of that is in the form of factories and plants, where in the U.S., the direct investment is in the stock market. 

Can you make money in China?  Yes, said Mr. Koo.  Last year $30 billion was taken out – an 8 percent return on investment on accumulated capital.  Coca Cola, for example, has been profitable in China for eight straight years.  Motorola had $4.9 billion in sales in China alone. Phillips saw a 15 percent return on investment.  China is becoming an easier place to do business. 

25 years ago, well-to-do Chinese families owned a bicycle, a sewing machine and a watch.  Today, color TVs, washers, refrigerators, DVDs, microwaves and all the other appliances we take for granted are in many homes.  There are 220 million cell phone users in China – 25 percent market penetration. Five percent use the internet, 30 percent cable TV.  This is so, Mr. Koo said, because they do not buy cars or homes.  They are big savers and have cash to spend when they decide to spend it. 

Taiwan and China are evolving into a symbiotic relationship that is transcending political divisions.  Mr. Koo predicts that the economic relationships that are developing between the island nation and the mainland will bring them together without violence. 

China is fast becoming the factory of the world.  Venture capitalists are bullish on China.  Rapid change is evident.  GM and Volkswagen are selling cars in China.   

The giant sucking sound you hear is coming from China, Mr. Koo says.  It’s the sound of economic development flowing to that huge, populous country.

LAREF ELECTION

The annual election of new directors to the LAREF board will take place on Thursday, June 12, 2003 at the Rotary luncheon. The following Rotarians have agreed to have their names placed in nomination:

Bella Berlly
Firooz Ghaffari
Mel Kahn
Lee Lynch
Seth Manning
Mary Marley
Bud Oliver
Bill Rewak.

There are three seats open: two four-year terms to succeed Marlene Cowan and Jane Reed, who are finishing their terms, and one three-year term to replace Cindy Luedtke, who will become an ex officio member when she becomes president-elect for 2003-04.

The nominations are closed. No write-ins will be allowed.

You may vote for up to three of the above candidates. You may vote by email to me at pesner@aol.com, by fax to me at (650) 941-9980, by mail to me at my home address <573 Carla Court, Mountain View, CA 94040-3731, or by bringing your ballot to the June 12 meeting. There will be ballots available at the June 12 meeting.  If you are voting by e-mail, just write in the names of your selections, and send the e-mail with a subject line of "LAREF Election."

The members of the LAREF board thank you for your support and look forward to seeing you at our annual meeting on June 12, 2003, 12:30 PM in Garden House.

Yours in Rotary,
Sam Pesner
LAREF President

Programs and Events

May

May 29: Scholarship Awards Program

June

June 5:    To be announced
June 12:  LAREF annual meeting
June 19:  To be announced
June 26:  Kickout Luncheon
June 27:  Kickout Dinner

July

July 12 and 13:  Rotary booth at the Los Altos Village Art and Wine Festival
OTHER ROTARY CLUB MEETING PLACES
MONDAY
Palo Alto:  Rickey's Hyatt House, 12:15 p.m.
TUESDAY
Los Altos Sunset: The Echo Restaurant, Los Altos, 7:15 p.m.
Sunnyvale:  Ramada Inn, 12:15 p.m.
Mountain View: Adobe House, Moffett & Central, Mountain View, 12:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Menlo Park: Menlo Park Recreation Center, Menlo Park, noon.
Woodside/Portola: Woodside Village Church, Woodside, 7:30 a.m.
Sunnyvale Sunrise:  Wild Woodys Grill, Sunken Gardens Golf Course, 7 a.m.
Cupertino:  Quinlan Community Center, 12:15 p.m.
East Palo Alto Bayshore: Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula, 2031 Pulgas Avenue, East Palo Alto, 12:15 p.m.
FRIDAY
Palo Alto University: Sheraton, El Camino, Palo Alto, 7:30 a.m.

"Information in this newsletter is intended for the exclusive use of the members of the Rotary Club of Los Altos to facilitate the work of the club and to promote club fellowship. It is not to be used for any commercial or outside, unrelated, non-profit purposes. No publication of material in this newsletter should occur without the express permission of the club President or the Editor of the Rotator."
Copyright 2003 The Los Altos Rotary Club

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