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He is a former chairman of the Business Software Alliance, and currently is Chair of the LA Chapter of the Technology Council of Southern California. He has performed this role since the company’s inception after Yammer was spun-out of Geni Inc. (a Prior to his roles at Geni and Yammer, David was the National Manager, Business Development & Business Affairs at LoopNet, Inc. Just a quick note that I'll be moderating a Technology Council Event : Social Networking as a Business Strategy May 19, 2009 - Culver City Social networking media are used on a daily basis to grow businesses and expand career opportunities.

David has a unique perspective on the Southern California technology environment, having been the COO of PayPal before its acquisition by EBay, and having had the full Silicon Valley experience. We sat down with David to catch up on what Geni and Yammer are doing, plus got his insights into entrepreneurship and the Paypal mystique. Thanks David Sacks: As you know, Our interview this morning is with David Sacks, CEO of Geni.com, an online family tree and social networking site, as well as Yammer, the instant messaging startup spun out of Geni.com at TechCrunch50. Thanks

A new, online family tree site has surfaced in Southern California, AppleTree.com , based in Manhattan Beach, which apparently has the involvement of former GoToMyPC founder Klaus Schauser. Tags: appletree geni family tree klaus schause According to AppleTree's web site, it is a publicly viewable, openly editable and global family tree, which allows friends and relatives to collaborate to help fill out their family tree. Schauser, an active angel investor, is listed as a board member of the firm in regulatory filings.

Southern California's top startups showed up in force Friday at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, for the Technology Council of Southern California's annual VentureNet conference. (socalTECH The day started with a keynote by John Suh of Legalzoom.com, and topped off with a pitch from David Sacks -- CEO of Geni.com, and also CEO of Geni spinoff Yammer.com, which recently won the top prize at the TechCrunch50-- plus a question and answer session which had Matt Coffin, founder of LowerMyBills, grilling Internet technology celebrity Jason Calacanis. The

In SoCal we are also leaders in affiliate marketing (Commission Junction), Internet video (Hulu) and bringing local businesses online (ReachLocal).  We Ian is so knowledgeable about the evolution of the digital music business and speaks with a Howard Roark like truth about where it needs to go.  He got this VC talking so effusively about his entrepreneurial instincts that my wife accused me of having a “man crush.”  (I don’t) ExpenseBay Wins Showoff Twiistup 6 has come to an end. 

Last week, one of those never-ending topics of discussion came up at Twiistup on a panel about whether or not Southern California was a good place to put your startup. and David Sacks of Geni/Yammer , who were saying “maybe/no”. The issue, highlighted by Sacks’ announcement that he was moving Yammer to Silicon Valley, was the perception that Southern California firms don’t On one side, you had Mark Suster of GRP Partners and Mike Jones of MySpace who were saying “yes”, and on the other side, you had Jamie Montgomery of Montgomery and Co. ,