Greetings from Toronto!

This is the second report from us on the Toastmasters International 74th Annual Convention.

The major event of the 3rd day was the Annual Business Meeting and Elections where delegates gathered to elect International Officers and Directors and to vote on the 3 important proposals.

Our past District Governor, DTM John Lau, contested as a candidate for the International Director (ID) for "Districts Not Assigned To Regions (DNAR)". The 76 Districts in the World are organized into 9 Regions. There are 14 Districts outside of the US and Canada and these 14 Districts are grouped under the DNAR as a region. There are only 2 IDs for each Region; each ID serves for 2 years. Therefore, only one ID position is available for contest each year. The 18 IDs, the 3rd VO, the 2nd VP, the Senior VP, the President, the immediate past IP, the Executive Director, make up the highest decision body of TI, the Board of TI.

We will like to congratulate John Lau as he was successfully elected as the ID for our Region. In addition, John is the First Malaysian to be elected as an ID for our great organization.

We will also like to thank the outgoing ID for our Region, DTM Maimunah Nathasa, for her tremendous contributions to Toastmasters International during her two years of service as the ID for our Region.
The results of the elections are:
1. International President : Dilip Abayasekara, DTM (unopposed)
2. Senior Vice President, Johnny Uy, DTM (unopposed)
3. Second Vice President, Chris Ford, DTM (unopposed)
4. Third Vice President, Jana Barnhill, DTM (elected)
5. International Director for Districts Not Assigned To Regions: John Lau, DTM.(elected)
6. ID for Region I - Michael Notaro, DTM (unopposed)
7. ID for Region II - Ann Hastings, DTM (elected)
8. ID for Region III - Ralph Wallace, DTM (unopposed)
9. ID for Region IV - Cliff Heinsch, DTM (unopposed)
10. ID for Region V - Charles Albright, DTM (elected)
11. ID for Region VI - Tammy Miller, DTM (unopposed)
12. ID for Region VII - Chris Emond, DTM (elected)
13. ID for Region VIII - James Fair, DTM (elected)

The results of the 3 proposals are:
1. Dues increase - There were lively debates on the issue, finally, a vote was taken and proposal was carried with 9,735 votes for, 2,815 votes against. Hence, dues increase will come into effect from 1st-Oct-2005.
2. Electronic Technology - carried, unopposed.
3. Disciplinary Proceedings - carried, unopposed.

Well, that is for the moment, until our next Report from Toronto.
Signing off with the Power to Change!

Low Yat Seow
26-8-2005