Interview with our District 84 Governor, Jim Miller, DTM

ST - Is there an aspect of the Toastmaster mission that motivated you to want to be a District 84 Leader?

Jim Miller, DTM at
International Conference - Las Vegas

Jim - It honestly had nothing to do with the Toastmasters mission. Leadership in Toastmasters is something I stumbled into, and I'm glad I did. It's an incredible learning experience, it's a lot of fun, and it keeps me off the streets at night.

ST - What are your personal goals for this experience?
Jim - Toastmasters essentially gives us our goals - to be a "distinguished district". Personal goals? I would like to leave the district in better shape than it is right now. I look at our club base, and we have far too many with low membership. Low member clubs just aren't fun. Our focus has to be on increasing and retaining members.

ST - Tell me about other volunteer experiences you've had.
Jim - Well, a lot of the jobs I've had seemed to think I was volunteering (current one included). I don't do a lot of volunteer work, but there's something about Toastmasters. I might need therapy...

ST - What have you enjoyed most about previous volunteer leadership positions?
Jim - Not volunteering.

ST - If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional with whom would it be?
Jim - A week makes that a very unfair question. I could probably stand being Brad Pitt for a week.

ST - What was the last movie you have seen?
Jim - The Tourist with Johnnie Depp and Angelina Jolie. The critics were right; it wasn't all that good.

ST - What is your favorite movie/song and why? Favorite movie.
Jim - Hmmm... put me down for the Matrix (the whole trilogy) I suppose, or maybe Interview with a Vampire. Song? We'll I love music, which makes it hard to pick out one song. I would say that Sacred Fire by Santana is the best rock album ever.

ST - What is the silliest prank you ever played on someone?
Jim - Well, three of us dumped a bunch of sand crabs down a friends trunks once when we were surfing at Pacifica in California. That was good for a laugh. That's enough of that!

ST - Were you named after anyone?
Jim - My grandfathers (both of them)

ST - What's your favorite hobby or diversion?
Jim - It used to be surfing. Now a good nap is enough excitement.
ST - What's something you know you do differently than most people?
Jim - Well, I think differently than most folks. Right now, I think that's enough questions.

Interview with our Lieutenant Governor of Education, Dennis Wooldridge, DTM

ST - Is there an aspect of the Toastmaster mission that motivated you to want to be a District 84 Leader?

Dennis Wooldridge, DTM

Dennis - I believe in paying it forward, helping people in their personal and professional growth. It's the motivation for my business and my involvement with Toastmasters from the club level to the District leadership.

ST - What are your personal goals for this experience?
Dennis - To learn. Nothing teaches you to swim like jumping into the middle of the lake. Nothing really prepares you for the amount of different skills and jobs you face as part of the trio, so you jump in and learn as you go. Oh, yeah, and the pay is really good too!

ST - Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
Dennis - I would rather be a joyful genius, but I likely fall somewhere in the middle of those two.

ST - What have you enjoyed most about previous volunteer leadership positions?
Dennis - The times when you really see a change in the lives of those around you.

ST - If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
Dennis - “The Joyful Genius” or “Where are My Keys?”

ST - What is your favorite book and why?
Dennis - Novel: “The Stand” by Stephen King. Great story of the struggle between good and evil. Biography: “Einstein” by Walter Issacson. Great depth into the life of an extremely interesting character, warts and all. Non-Fiction: “Lost in the Shadow of Giants” by Me. It's the book about the people caught in the World Trade Center Marriott during the 9/11 attack. You put this many years into something it had better be your favorite!

ST - What song best describes you when you first wake up in the morning?
Dennis - “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” - Don't ask!

ST - Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
Dennis - Every day. You have obviously read my biography, “Where are my Keys.”

ST - How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
Dennis - About 20...old enough to know better but young enough not to care.

ST - What's your least favorite chore?
Dennis - Anything that can actually be describe with the word chore!

ST - How would you describe yourself in three words?
Dennis - "Curiouser and curiouser." (to borrow from Lewis Carroll)

Interview with our Lieutenant Governor of Marketing, Dee Melvin, DTM

ST - Why did you want to be the District 84 Lieutenant Governor of Marketing?

Dee Melvin, DTM

Dee - Toastmasters has given me so much and I thought this would be a way to give back. Also I am passionate about Toastmasters and this gives me another opportunity to promote and represent our organization.

ST - What are your personal goals for this experience?
Dee - My personal goals are to learn and grow as much as possible. A Past District Governor tells me that I will get over being nervous at some point and I always ask him “when”.

ST - Describe a typical day for yourself.
Dee - I always try to have a balanced day that allows time for Toastmasters and family. Now that I'm retired I don't have to make time for a career. I have to admit I'm not always successful. I know there are days my husband, Ken feels neglected. I am thankful he is so supportive of my Toastmaster addiction.

ST - Tell me the story of how your chose your Toastmasters career path?
Dee - I can honestly say I did not choose Toastmasters a Toastmaster chose me. My friend, Debra Levy, asked me to join and would not take “no” for an answer. Those who know me know I have an inability to say “no”. I finally joined just to get her to quit asking. I never had any intention of ever giving a speech. I thought everyone in the club was just a little nuts. After all, who would want to torture themselves that way? All I can say is “Thank you Debra. Look at me now.”

ST - Do you think District 84 members have certain expectations of you? What do you think they are?
Dee - I think the members expect me to do the job they elected me to do to the best of my ability. I also believe they expect me to help lead the District to President's Distinguished. That is a very tall order, but the District leadership is working hard to accomplish that goal.

ST - Would you read the book before or after seeing the movie? Why?
Dee - I always like to read the book first. Sometimes the movie does not live up to the book and is a disappointment. If you read the book first, you will always have had that enjoyment. I just read The Help and then went to see the movie. I'm glad I read the book first.

ST - If you were written about in the newspaper, on the front page, what would the headline say?
Dee - Dee Melvin, Toastmasters Lieutenant Governor Marketing – who would have believed it. She was always so shy.

ST - If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be and how long would it take you to spend the $10,000?
Dee - I would use it for a down payment on a BMW for my husband. It would take me about 30 seconds.

ST - What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What's holding you back?
Dee - I would love to go to Australia. The reason I have not is it is just so darned expensive.

ST - Would you bungee jump?
Dee - Never. After all I am the person the Air Force had to help over a fear of heights just so I could stay in.

ST - How would you describe yourself in three words?
Dee - Motivated, Passionate and Determined

And the Winner Is: Pat Hoyt!

by Paul Peterzell, District 84 Reporter's Chair

Pat Hoyt

If you had attended the August 2011 Humorous Speech Competition at Southside Toastmasters Club in Jacksonville, Florida, you would have cheered as Patricia Hoyt won first place. You may have cheered just a little louder had you known Pat's journey to success.

When she was very young, Pat suffered a serious fall that fractured her skull and damaged the speech center in her brain, causing her to stutter. While others may have been discouraged by the trials she faced, Pat was undeterred. Growing up in Long Island, she refused to let her speech impediment hold her back.

Now she lives and works in Florida in the information technology field, where she still faces challenges.

When asked about her greatest challenge today, Pat's answer is straightforward.

“Having to compete on a daily basis in a high-stress, male dominated environment,” she says, adding, “I work in the field of information technology, and have worked up the ranks to mid-manager and senior-manager levels. It's been tough as I stutter; it's hard in meetings to make myself be heard.”

Still, Pat wants to be heard. She has always wanted to make something of her life, seeking to develop communication and leadership skills to further her career. She found what she was searching for when she joined Toastmasters International.

She has been attending Southside Toastmasters in Jacksonville for 19 months, and says that her experience with Toastmasters has been transformational.

When asked why she joined Toastmasters, Pat remarked “I've always been terrified of public speaking. I have been brave in other areas of my life, but not in public speaking. My fear of public speaking has held me back in life. I don't fear it as much anymore. I practice all the time. I've devised a way to write out a speech and memorize it—where to pause and where to breathe. I'm a lot more fluent and can give an entire speech and not stutter.”

Pat's Toastmasters experience has also benefited other areas of her life. For example, she is an accomplished writer and has been published several times.

“I love to write, and my first novel was published in May, 2011,” Pat said.

Captured Souls is a science fiction novel about a teenage girl abducted by aliens, published under the pen name ‘Ann Castle'.