Lessons Learned from the Toastmaster of the Year: A Profile of Susie Gulick
By Colette Gardner, DTM, PDG, PRO
Her smile is contagious. Her enthusiasm is witnessed easily by all. The 2004–2005
Toastmaster of the Year, Susie Gulick, ATM-B, CL, earned the recognition by
helping at events—whether contests or conferences—and at all levels
from the club to the Regional Conference, where she came early to help set
up. If you attended the Founder’s District Spring Conference, you probably
bought raffle tickets from Susie.
In July 2004, when Susie became the President of her club, Orange County Civic Center 5598, there were 12 members with only 8 attending regularly. She set a goal of making her club President’s Distinguished and started sending e-mails to all the members. Not everyone supported her approach, but she persisted and the results were positive.
Because her name and number were listed on the Internet as the contact for her club, Susie was contacted and invited to attend the County Supervisors’ meeting and tell them about Toastmasters. She went and gave them one of her most enthusiastic speeches. Subsequently, new members joined the Club 5598 roster. By the end of June, the club had the 20 members it needed to make it President’s Distinguished.
Susie is proud to have included the modules “Moments of Truth” and “Close the Sale” at her meetings to propagate the leadership opportunities Toastmasters offers. She also introduced the wearing of the Toastmasters pin at her club as a form of advertising to the community and to encourage members to be proud of belonging to our educational organization.
This Toastmaster has a few mottos. At her club, Susie encourages members to always “Do the best we can” and further reminds them that “It takes a lot of love, encouragement, and persistence to reach a goal.” It is certainly evident by her consistent participation.
Continuing to serve others, Susie welcomed the 2005–2006 term as Area A-1 Governor. All her officers have been trained, not necessarily because they attended the formal sessions, but because she, personally, went to the officers and spent time training them in their duties. She insists that the best experience Toastmasters offers is to be a leader, and she wants her members to take advantage of this opportunity.
Susie has been a member for two-and-a-half years, and she will attain her
Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) by the end of June 2006. Proudly, she says
that she might be
International President someday.