International President John Lau talks about the future of Toastmasters at Fall Conference, “The Orient Express.”

by Paul Peterzell, District 84 Reporters Chair

John Lau, DTM
2012-13 International President

The Fall Conference for District 84 held November 9-11 was a great success thanks in large part to our International President, John Lau. He served as Keynote Speaker and conducted some educational sessions.

President Lau is a successful businessman in Malaysia where he is C.E.O. of a business specializing in Human Capital Management. He holds several advanced degrees including a Ph.D. in Marketing. In addition to his educational achievements, he was recently knighted by the Malaysian government.

The following is a synopsis of his question and answer session on his vision for Toastmasters as he has begun his new term.

When asked how to increase our membership, President Lau feels we need to have attractive educational programs. “The two key priorities are how to engage our membership and how our members can spend more time with the program. Additionally, we need to maximize the use of technology for the benefit of membership”, stated President Lau. In fact, President Lau sees how technology will change the way we conduct meetings. A future that includes the use of smart phones and tablets as a tool for speeches and evaluations.

Another questions was asked about the program attracting younger members. “We need to inspire the younger generation interested in Toastmasters. They need to polish the words they use,” according to President Lau. He went on to say that the younger generation needs to treasure their need for face to face communication, especially in a world dominated by reliance on twitter and facebook.

Another area that was addressed was the change in the slogan to “Where leaders are made.” When asked about how he feels about our new slogan, he replied, “Good communicators become good leaders. You have to master communication to develop solid leadership skills.” The program is not only helping to strengthen speaking skills, but President Lau feels that we have an opportunity for improving our leadership skills through the many leadership opportunities at the club and district level.

Everyone seemed so grateful for the insights that President John Lau provided at the conference. Those who had the chance to interact with President Lau felt privileged. The overall experience of the conference was greatly enhanced by his visit. We hope that President Lau will come visit our district again in the near future.

Reflections on the Fall Conference

by Paul Peterzell, District 84 Reporters Chair

Paul Peterzell

There is a certain feeling one gets going to a District 84 Fall Conference. Maybe its a mixture of anticipation for seeing friends you haven’t seen in a while along with the jubilant feeling of being among a large group of Toastmasters who all relish the Toastmaster experience.

This was my second conference and they get better each time. Friday night was the costume contest. It was fun seeing the creativity come out in so many Toastmasters adorned in oriental themed costumes. The Evaluation contest Friday night proved to be a “nail biter” as I watched eight very talented evaluators compete for best evaluation. Probably the most amazing part of the conference was seeing John Lau, our International President deliver a keynote address articulating his beliefs about how Toastmasters contributes so much to our self growth. Meeting President Lau and interacting with him was such a treat. He was funny, offered many anecdotes about his Toastmaster experience and gave advice to our members about enhancing the many programs we offer.

Being among people that are interested in self growth made me feel proud to be a Toastmaster. Not only did I pick up ideas that I can bring back to my home club, but I learned about areas of the program that I were somewhat unfamiliar. I discovered new ways we can attract new members and ways to improve my speeches.

During the DTM walk on Saturday night I witnessed many fellow Toastmasters as they were celebrating their recent DTM achievements and were recognized for accomplishing this great feat. The camaraderie alone was a great reason for me to spend my time at the conference. “It felt like being at a family reunion,” as expressed by Wayne Parker-Blackburn, who is President of the Florida Blue Cross club in Jacksonville and delivered the inspirational message Saturday night. There was something magical about being among over 250 fellow Toastmasters and sharing ideas, success stories and challenges.

The roasting of past District Governor Jim MIller was comical to say the least. I enjoyed the various contributions by the district leadership. Those who worked with Jim expressed their gratitude for being able to work with him last term.

Probably my best memories will be seeing two top rate contests and personally witnessing a fellow member in my home club with 3rd place in the Humorous Speech Contest. Tito Vazquez placed 3rd in the Humorous Speech Contest and he is a fellow member of OMNI Toastmasters and serves as V.P. of Education.

I left the conference with a feeling of increased passion for an organization that has meant so much to me and made a difference in my life. The conference experience is something that I never realized would impact me this much. I will be counting the days until the next conference that will be held in May 2013 in Orlando. I encourage anyone who has never attended a District 84 conference to think about attending.