As you read this, the Toastmasters International Convention is being held outside North America for the first time – in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Before I became a professional keynote speaker and long before I became an in-demand speech coach… I joined Cable Car Toastmasters in San Francisco. Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network. Who would have guessed how that action transformed my life and opened a career I never would have imagined?
On behalf of my partners in World Champions’ Edge, Ed Tate, Darren LaCroix, Craig Valentine, and the convention’s opening keynote speaker Mark Brown and out over 500 worldwide members, we are full of pride that many World Champions’ Edge members and Fripp Virtual Training members are in Kuala Lumpur competing in Speech Contests at this year’s International Convention. Speech contests are a Toastmasters tradition. Toastmasters who make it to the international speech competition have already won competitions, beginning with club contests and continuing through area, division, and district level contests, in order to reach this elite level of competition. Congratulations and best wishes to our World Champions’ Edge members and Fripp Virtual Training members competing in this year’s International Contests – we know you can keep those judges Frippnotized! As Darren LaCroix, who in 2001 won the World Championship of Public Speaking – and is there to cheer you on – says, “It is not about the trophy, although that is nice, it about the skills and discipline you develop along the way.”
Good luck Edge members. It is an honor to know you.
CONTEST #1
D48 Shawn Rhodes
D72 Kingi Biddle
CONTEST #2
D4 Claudette Good-O’Neill
D10 Terry Begue
CONTEST #3
D46 Marc Williams
CONTEST #4
D9 Lynette Charity
CONTEST #5
none
CONTEST #6
D5 Antwon Lincoln
D29 Tara Emory
CONTEST #7
D13 Donald Michel
D24 Eugene (Gene) Deyoe
CONTEST #8
D34 Claudia Cano
D60 Stephen Grant
CONTEST #9
D26 Rich Hopkins
D42 John Hallett
D79 Abdallah Aljurf
To learn more about the 2014 International Convention and obtain a complete schedule of events, including the Opening Ceremonies, Education Sessions, and the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking, visit:http://www.toastmasters.org/Convention. The public is welcome to attend.
You might recognize three past Toastmasters World Champions – Craig Valentine, Ed Tate, and Darren LaCroix. All three now have successful careers as professional speakers and public speaking experts and all three partner with me to bring you World Champions’ Edge and The Lady and the Champs Speakers’ Conference. Save when you register early!
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Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker Patricia Fripp is hired by individuals and companies who realize that powerful, persuasive presentation skills give them a competitive edge.
Good luck to all contestants, specially the Fripp VT members. I am proud to be a member of the Fripp VT family.
Thanks so much Walt. Hope to see you on the FrippVT User Group meetings.