Scotch College

What they're doing now ...

In a recent email to the Old Boys' Office, David Anstee ('86) wrote:

As the dot com phenomenon swept across Europe faster than a good dose of foot and mouth, excitement ran quicker than a Ducati on nitro. Who wanted to be left out of this ride? What would you say to your children when they asked, 'Daddy, what did you do during the birth of the new economy?' Buckling under tons of temptation,

I co-founded ihavemoved.com, an online address change service, straight out of an MBA at London Business School. Managing to get funding before the gravy train hit a very solid wall, we had an intense year - lots of press attention, many happy users, overseas expansion and now a big strategic partner to help us through the next phase. With thirty employees, and ten in Hamburg, Mr Wood's German classes have paid off, and I'm now not missing that many important points in negotiations on the continent (never mind the details). While our Hamburg office is keen to push into Poland, people now say profitability is important, so we'll have to keep an eye on that over the next little while. One thing this technology renaissance has taught me is that in a world that is getting smaller every day,a pint is still 568ml. Cheers.

E. David Anstee '86

david@ihavemoved.com

Rodney Benjamin OAM ('47) attended Scotch '36 - '47 and was in the 1st VIII and a probationer in 1947.

His business career was with Edward Lumley & Sons, Insurance Brokers, from 1938 to 1981 and at the time of his retirement, because of ill health, was Managing Director of Lumley Victoria and Director of Lumley Australia.

He was a mature age student at the University of Melbourne from 1982 attaining BA(Hons) 1985, MA(Hons) 1987 in history, PhD 1992 in economic history. Other qualifications were Associate Australian Society of Accounts 1953, Fellow Australian Insurance Institute 1957. He also established a consulting business in general insurance in 1983 which continues. His current appointment is Director, Professional Indemnity Insurance Company Australia Ltd.

Amongst a number of charitable organisations which he has served over the years, the longest involvement was with Australian Jewish Community Services for over thirty years including four years as President, and as President of the Federation of Jewish Community Services.

Publications have included Paths to Professionalism, A History of Insurance Broking in Australia, Craftsman, Melbourne, 1988. The Australian Insurance Industry 160 Years On, (ed.) Australian Insurance Institute, 1992, A Serious Influx of Jews, A History of Jewish Welfare in Victoria, Allen & Unwin, 1998.

He was awarded an OAM in June 1999 for services to the insurance industry and to the Jewish community.

Rodney has been married to Carmel Benjamin AM since 1951 and has one daughter, Suzanne, and sons Philip, Paul and Ric attended the school. There are also seven grandchildren.

Graham Cox ('70) In a letter last year to Campbell McComas, Graham wrote:

'I made my debut in the Berlin Philharmonie, conducting the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin and members of the Deutsche Sinfonie-Orchester in Bach's St John Passion at Easter. It was my audition for the position of Director of the Choir. In November the Choir will vote and if I'm successful I'll be conducting the Messiah on December 19 again in the Philharmonie. (The most famous previous conductor of the Sing-Akademie was Felix Mendelssohn - quite a buzz really - pity they have more tradition than money!!). Quite obviously, were it not for George Logie-Smith, I would not be here doing what I am doing. (My main job by the way is as a repetiteur and conductor at the Deutsche Opera, Berlin, the former West Berlin Opera House).'

Simon Starkey ('95) last year achieved First Class Honours at Sydney University in B.Sc.Vets. for his research into feline diabetes. He was awarded the H.R. Carne Medal and prize for excellence, having achieved the top mark. This year he resumes his final year B.V.Sc. and has just been selected to attend a ten-week course at Cornell University in NY State. He is one of twenty-four veterinary students world-wide to be invited to participate. In 2000 he was invited to take part in four radio talk-back sessions, whilst working in Melbourne for a local vet.

To prove that it is not all hard work, he took up Judo last year and helped Sydney University attain the Gold Medal at the Inter-Varsity Games, whilst achieving a Silver Medal in the men's individual event.

To support himself through university he is working at the SCG, where it is his great pleasure, for the third year running, to cater to the Australian Cricket Team.

Harry S. Wragge AM ('48) spent the early part of his childhood on a farm at Cranbourne, about forty kilometres southeast of Melbourne. He was educated at Devon Meadows Primary, Scotch and Melbourne University from where he graduated with the degrees of Bachelor of Engineering in 1954 and Master of Engineering Science in 1955. During that time, he also undertook a PMG Department Cadetship. He then entered the PMG Research Laboratories (later Telecom Research Laboratories) in 1955 and where he was responsible for introducing research into switching and signalling topics as Section Head and later a Branch Head. In 1981, he was seconded to a team which had the charter to review the future development of telecommunications in Australia (the Davidson Inquiry). On completion of the secondment in 1983, he was appointed Assistant Director of Strategy Development in the Business Development Directorate.

In March 1985, he returned to the Research Laboratories as Head. He retained that position until December 1992, when he was promoted to the position of Chief Technical Consultant to the CEO.

While in the Research Laboratories, he attended meetings of the International Consultative Committee for Telegraphy and Telephony (CCITT) in Geneva from 1969 to 1981 and participated in the early development of digital network technology, finally chairing the group which produced the initial recommendations for digital switching. This work provided the technical basis for the ISDN now available for the Internet service.

He retired formally in 1993, but retained a consultancy with Telecom until June 1994 for activities in the scientific and academic research communities. He has been a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering since 1987 and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Institution of Engineers, Australia for services to engineering by the Council in 1991.

He was made a Member of the Order of Australian in 1989 for services to telecommunications technology and was awarded the prestigious Kernot Medal in 1990 for services to engineering and engineering education.

Within the University of Melbourne, he has held the position of Chairman of the Committee of Convocation and has been a member of Council.

Since retiring, he has been active in the national and international aspects of engineering accreditation and science awareness. He has also chaired the boards of two co-operative research centres and one advanced engineering centre as well and the Institution of Radio and Electronic Engineers' Society.

Other interests have included sailing (including service as Commodore of Frankston Yacht Club and Vice President of the Victorian Yachting Council) and woodwork.

He was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Engineering by Monash University in 1999, to be conferred on October 19. He will deliver the Graduation address.