Hayleys Group Toastmasters Club celebrates third installation ceremony

• Renews efforts to drive communication and leadership excellence amongst employees

The Hayleys Group Toastmasters Club held its third installation ceremony on 27 September, welcoming the new Executive Committee for 2012–13 and renewing its drive towards communication and leadership skill building amongst its membership.

The installation ceremony was attended by Hayleys Group Chairman and Chief Executive Mohan Pandithage along with Co-Patrons of the Club, Rizvi Zaheed and Sunil Dissanayake, both members of the Hayleys Group Management Committee. Toastmaster Yusuf Jeevunjee, LGM District 82 was the Guest of Honour at the event.

In attendance were several key members of the Toastmasters fraternity including TM Balraj Arunasalam – DTM International Director, TM Zameen M. Saleem – DTM Immediate Past District Governor 82, TM Sunil De Silva – Governor Division A, TM Ajantha Jayawardena – Immediate Past Division Governor-A, TM Sudash Liyanage – Past Division Governor-H and TM Keith De Silva, Area Governor – A 3.

The keynote address was delivered by TM Dananja Hettiarachchi, a semi-finalist of the World Championship of Public Speaking for two consecutive years.

The Competent Communicator designation is the first milestone in the Communications Program – the heart of the Toastmasters curriculum. To achieve this, a Toastmaster is required to make ten speeches spanning varied techniques, from mastering the ‘Ice Breaker’ to inspiring an audience. At the event, Toastmasters Nandalal Perera – immediate Past President of the Ex-Co, Eric Vandendriesen and Manohari Abeyesekera were felicitated for their achievement of the Competent Communicators designation. The club also felicitated the outgoing President and Executive Committee for two successful years of growth and progress.

For the first time since inauguration, Hayleys Group Toastmasters will actively integrate leadership track award progression into its educational programs. The club’s theme for 2012-13 is ‘Dedication to Excellence,’ which encapsulates the conglomerate’s drive towards the personal and professional advancement of its members – employees of the Hayleys Group.

In his address at the event, Dharmasiri Karunaratne, newly elected President of the Hayleys Group Toastmasters Club described the progress as steady and encouraging. “We will proceed with renewed vigour and give our members every opportunity for progression and recognition. It is our mission to become a presidential distinguished club by this time next year. We are confident of achieving this standing through the dedication of our members.”

He added that Hayleys Group Toastmasters would seek to evolve into a more inclusive and engaging force through a series of initiatives. In addition to regular activities, the Club disclosed plans to conduct open speech and quiz contests and will train members to conduct the blue-chip conglomerate’s speech crafter programs, which have already seen over two hundred employees graduate, since 2010.

The new officers of the Hayleys Group Toastmasters Club were installed by Toastmaster Keith De Silva. The newly elected Executive Committee comprises of Dharmasiri Karunaratne (President), Ajitha Perera (Vice President Education), Dayan Ganegoda (Vice President Public Relations), Prasanjith Abeypala (Vice President Membership), Daminda Malawiarachchi (Secretary), Gishan Mendis (Treasurer) and Rukshan Cooray (Sergeant-at-Arms).

The Hayleys Group Toastmasters Club was installed in December 2010, when employees embarked on a mission to harness the power of effective public speaking for personal and professional advancement, becoming part of the world’s leading communication and leadership-skill building organisation.

Established in 1878, the Hayleys Group employs more than 30,000 people, and accounts for 2.51 per cent of Sri Lanka’s export income.