JULY 2014

Welcome to the first issue of The Leader Letter for the 2014­2015 program year at Toastmasters International.

Coming Soon: Improved Website The Toastmasters website is being redesigned, and the new version will soon be ready to launch. Stay tuned for updates.

Time Is Running Out to Register for the Annual Convention The International Convention, the most anticipated Toastmasters event of the year, will be held August 20­23, 2014, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Don't miss this truly global event filled with seminars, speech contests and celebrations with members from all over the world. A limited number of discounted hotel rooms remain available, so book your room today. For convention updates, follow us on Instagram @toastmastersinternational, on Twitter @toastmasters, like our Facebook Fan Page, and join the Facebook members­only group. Don't forget to use the hashtag #TIConv14.

Don't Miss the Convention's Golden Gavel Award Presentation Toastmasters International has named Dato' Rohana Binti Tan Sri Datuk Haji Rozhan the recipient of the prestigious 2014 Golden Gavel award. Dato' Rohana is chief executive officer of

Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad, a media entertainment group. She has led the company to become one of Southeast Asia's leading producers of local and international media programming. To hear her speak at the popular Golden Gavel Award event on Friday, August 22, register for the International Convention.

Congratulations to New Districts Five Toastmasters districts have grown so large that on July 1 they reformed into two districts each. We welcome District 96 in British Columbia, Canada; District 95 in Continental Europe; District 91 in the United Kingdom and Ireland; District 92 in India and Sri Lanka; and Provisional District 97 in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. They reformed from Districts 21, 59, 71, 82 and 80, respectively. See the updated district maps.

Enjoy the Toastmaster Magazine on Your Tablet Why wait for the print edition to arrive when you can read the Toastmaster magazine on your iPad, Android or Kindle Fire tablet? The free app is easy to download and offers interactive extras including videos, slideshows, podcasts and web links. For instant access, download the Toastmaster Magazine app from the Apple, Google Play or Amazon app stores. Please note: It is not currently available on smartphones.

Fantastic season opening with the officers team complete!

President Orlando Selenu

VPE Luminita Butuc VPPR Katia Burdet Treasurer Sara Iuliano

VPM Gonzalo Alcaraz & Sergent at Arms Secretary Monica Melniciuc IT Support Federico Pisanu

. During this month we had the District officers Training in Milan and 2 fantastic meetings full of emotion. Congratulations to Monica for her Ice Breaker!!!!! Next 19 of July, will be the first PR event at Superga; for more details see the attached brochure. Sara Iuliano has shared the treasurer Radiant Rhetoric spreadsheet (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HBaw13Mf1At4vvE4udw5_GPAngot4te5X9DiVY_R9fw/edit?usp=sharing) All recent news are published on our web site : www.radiant­rhetoric.org

Tips for New Club Officers Need help setting club goals and tracking progress? The Distinguished Club Program and Club Success Plan is the place to start. Also, be sure to visit Club Central where you can add new members, pay dues and submit education award applications.

Important Legal Notice The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has placed sanctions on certain countries where Toastmasters clubs exist, or may be chartered. To ensure compliance, all club officers in the countries listed below must verify that no club members appear on the Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN). Please

review the SDN list if your club is, or will be, in one of the following countries: Western Balkans, Belarus, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen and Zimbabwe. Please email legal@toastmasters.org if you have questions, or if a member appears on the SDN list.

Restock Your Ribbon Supply Club ribbons make members feel recognized and guests feel welcome. July special: Receive a 10­percent discount on a club ribbon pack when you use the promo code RIBBON at checkout.

Assign Your Club Proxy Toastmasters clubs hold the most important voting power in the organization. This month, club presidents and secretaries will receive proxy information via email for the Annual Business Meeting held at the International Convention. Make sure your club collaborates to determine who will carry its vote to the meeting. District governors should follow up with club leaders and encourage them to designate their proxies.

How Many Members Will You Sponsor This Year? Contribute to your club's long­term success by participating in the Annual Membership Program. For details, please visit toastmasters.org/membershipcontests and click on "Individual Awards." District leaders can recognize participants who sponsor three new members with a governor's award ribbon.

Reporting Requirements Due July 15 District governors (DGs) must fulfill certain reporting requirements by July 15 to access the reserve account and place supply orders. Please send an email to districts@toastmasters.org as soon as possible with the following information:

A list of incoming district leaders A direct link to your district online calendar of events Area and division alignment changes (In June, DGs received a template from District Services for

submitting alignment changes.)

Please send an additional email to districtfinancialreports@toastmasters.org with the following:

A signed District Signature Form Copies of all related signatory documents required by your bank

District Treasurers: Remember to Send Your Year­End Audit Report Please send your 2013­2014 Year­end Audit Report and supporting documents to World Headquarters by August 31. Email questions to districtfinancialreports@toastmasters.org.

Welcome, New Leaders Be an informed leader by reviewing Toastmasters resources. See the District Leader E­Toolkit for valuable tools and information. The District Leadership Handbook and the Toastmasters International District Recognition Program will also help you get off to a good start in the new program year.

Get Ready for District Leader Training Attention incoming district governors and lieutenant governors: District Leader Training will be held August 18­19 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, prior to the 2014 Toastmasters International Convention. Please arrive no later than Sunday, August 17, and be ready to begin on Monday morning. To help you get the full benefit of your training experience, you will receive details about pre­work this month.

District Treasurer Training

Once your district appoints a treasurer, the District Finance team will email the treasurer helpful training materials. Webinars, e­learning and personalized instruction are also available. Please direct questions to districtfinancialquestions@toastmasters.org.

Thank You, 2013­2014 Region Advisors Congratulations to the 2013­2014 team of region advisors for completing the program year. Thank you for your dedication and support to district officers. You helped drive their districts to achieve success.

Region Advisor Application Process Opens July 15 Do you want to be considered for the role of region advisor, or would you like to encourage another member to apply for this volunteer position? Online applications for the 2015­2016 program year will be available on the Toastmasters International website beginning July 15. Only electronic applications will be accepted.

District Governors: Place Your Orders at the Convention Incoming District Governors (DGs) will be invited to an exclusive preview of the Convention Store in Kuala Lumpur, before it opens to all members on Wednesday. Although orders may not be placed in advance for pickup at the convention, DGs may place district orders during the preview and also on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. To promote other club or district events, visit the PR Corner for a variety of fill­in­the­blank news release templates.