Report of the District Leadership Committee

Dear Patti Walter, DTM, District Director, and to the District —

The District Leadership Committee has completed its work.  I would like to thank the committee members — Richard Frantz, Jr, Steve Lanning, Sharon Mercado, Dave Pelland, Beth Van Kempen —for their dedication and serious attention to the work at hand.

Each year, the District Leadership Committee’s members, representing each of District 53’s Divisions, evaluate the qualifications and interview candidates for the elected roles for the coming program year.  As committee chair, I am expected to moderate deliberations and debate, and call a vote on each candidate who is presented — but not to influence the committee’s decision.

The District Leadership Committee interviewed the following candidates, and qualified them to run immediately for these roles as Nominated Candidates (links to their photos and biographical forms here):

  • for District Director
    • Bettyann Peck
  • for Program Quality Director
    • Rick May
    • Mohan Padamati
  • For Club Growth Director
    • Jackie Kessler
  • for Division A Director
    • Melanie Lee
  • for Division B Director
    • Scott Davis
  • for Division C Director
    • Rick May
  • for Division D Director
    • Stephanie Roy
  • for Division E Director
    • Elizabeth (Liz) Keeling

The committee met all its deadlines and requirements, with the exception of nominating two (2) candidates for the Club Growth Director role; this makes the report valid but incomplete. As a result, interested floor candidates who meet the requirements of the role, may present their paperwork to the District Director for the role of Club Growth Director in 2024-2025, provided that they do so prior to April 4, 2024 at noon.

All nominated candidates listed in the previous section will be listed on the District website at https://d53tm.org/district-officer-candidates/ by March 10, 2024, along with their photographs and Biographical Information forms.

Respectfully submitted,
Andrew B. Watt, DTM, PDD
interim chair DLC 2023-2024

Call for Nominations

Greetings to all of you from the District Leadership Committee!

This notice serves as the official Call for Candidates as mandated by Protocol 9 of Toastmasters International Governing Documents. District 53 seeks qualified candidates for the following offices:

  • Five Division Directors, one or more candidates for each Division: A, B, C, D, and E.
  • Club Growth Director, two or more candidates
  • Program Quality Director, one or more candidates
  • District Director, one or more candidates

Time is of the essence. Nominations are open now. Nominations shall close at 11:59 pm (EST) on February 15, 2024. Please read Form 450b, the Official Toastmasters Call for District Officer Nominations

All nominations, including incomplete nominations, received after this date and time shall be considered to have been received late and will not be evaluated nor scheduled for interview by the DLC. 

Any Toastmaster who self-nominates or is nominated by another Toastmaster after this date and time MAY have the option of running as a Floor Candidate. There are limiting criteria for running as a Floor Candidate. Don’t delay: submit your nomination today!

A complete nomination will include the following five items:

  1. Candidate Application Form
  2. District Leader Nominating Form
  3. Officer Agreement and Release Form
  4. District Leader Biographical Information
  5. Headshot image (JPG, 225 x 150 pixels)

Be sure to read the role descriptions for District Officers, and the core competencies learned in these roles, in the District Leadership Handbook.

Call for District Candidates

If you are interested in leading your District in building new clubs and supporting all clubs in achieving excellence, watch this video from 2023-2024 International President Morag Mathieson.

Please direct all questions to me at either nominations@D53tm.org or to IPDD@d53tm.org.

Yours in Toastmasters service,
John J. Hogan, DTM, IPDD
Chair – District Leadership Committee

First Call for Nominations

“The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things.”

Through The Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll, 1871

Dear Toastmasters of District 53:

Lewis Carroll may have been poking fun at monarchy, religion, nonsense as reason, or myriad other subjects, but my intent is clear. It is time to begin the conversation for District 53 Leadership in the 2024-2025 program year!

“What’s that, Hogan? We’re barely through the first quarter of THIS program year!”

To maintain continuity of leadership and member services, developing our district’s leadership is an ongoing endeavor. District Director Walter has asked me to chair this year’s District Leadership Committee (DLC), and I have enthusiastically accepted her request. The DLC will seek qualified candidates for several offices:

  • Division Director – there are five vacancies; all five must be filled.
  • Club Growth Director – at least two candidates are required; more are welcome.
  • Program Quality Director – at least one candidate is required; more are welcome.
  • District Director – at least one candidate is required; more are welcome.

Perhaps you have been considering one or more of these roles for some time. NOW is the time to throw your hat into the ring and take decisive action. Perhaps you are saying to yourself, “I don’t know if I am qualified to run for one of these offices.” If this is you, I have a great opportunity for you! Join me for one of two Meeting for Future Leaders of District 53 events. These sessions will be on Zoom, and they will be 30 minutes in duration.

  • Saturday, October 21, 2023 – 9:00-9:30 am.
  • Thursday, October 26, 2023 – 7:00-7:30 pm.

Use this link for both: https://tinyurl.com/Future-Leaders-of-District-53

In the meantime, feel free to drop an email with any questions to IPDD@d53tm.org

Thanks for reading this message to its end, future District Leader!

John J. Hogan DTM
Immediate Past District Director 2023-2024