In October 1924, a group of men assembled by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley met in the basement of the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, U.S.A., forming a club “to afford practice and training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings, and to promote sociability and good fellowship among its members.” The group took the name “Toastmasters.” We are a local chapter of Toastmasters International.

Today, Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization which gives its members the opportunity to develop and improve their public speaking abilities through local club meetings, training seminars and speech contests. The organization now has nearly 250,000 members in more than 12,500 clubs in 106 countries.

If you are like most people, public speaking is not your favorite pastime. Yet survey after survey shows that presentation skills are crucial to success in any work place. The person with strong communication skills has a clear advantage over tongue-tied colleagues – especially in a competitive job market. Many people pay thousands of dollars for seminars to gain the skill and confidence necessary to face an audience. But there’s another option that is less expensive and held in high regard in business circles – Toastmasters International. This organization has been around for nearly 80 years and offers a proven (and enjoyable!) way to practice and hone the communication and leadership skills of its members.