CIM Toastmasters Club reaches 7th milestone

The newly appointed Executive Committee for TM year 2015/2016 (from left): Mafaz Ifharm (President), Amila Gunasinghe (Sergeant At Arms), Kasun Pathirage (Treasurer), Gayan Kondasinghe (Secretary), Arshad Mohideen (Vice President Public Relations), Oshan Liyanage (Vice President Membership) and Nadeesha Silva (Vice President Education) 

CIM Toastmasters Club stepped into the seventh successful year by installing its newly appointed Executive Committee for the Toastmaster year 2015/2016 on 5 August amidst a distinguished gathering of invitees from Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Sri Lanka Region and Toastmasters fraternity who adorned the occasion including the Chief Guest, Sanjika Perera Chairperson CIM Sri Lanka Region. Hotel Galadari played host for the event.

The ceremonial Club Officer installation was conducted by Toastmaster Koshal Krishnakumar, Area Director, Area 3, Toastmasters International. The elected office bearers for the Toastmaster year 2015/2016 are Mafaz Ifharm (President), Nadeesha Silva (Vice President Education), Oshan Liyanage (Vice President Membership), Arshad Mohideen (Vice President Public Relations), Gayan Kondasinghe (Secretary), Kasun Pathirage (Treasurer), Amila Gunasinghe (Sergeant At Arms) and Rangani Upasena (Immediate Past President). 

The club recognised the dedication and services rendered to the club by its former Presidents Toastmaster Menaka Wanniarachchi (2013/2014), Toastmaster Rangani Upasena (2014/2015) and former Area Director Toastmaster Niranjan Gunaratne (2014/2015). Speech craft facilitators who assisted the club in conducting its speech craft program, designed to enhance communication and leadership skills of participants at MAS Silueta office in Biyagama were also recognised during the event. The gathering witnessed a spectacular evening, ‘A Night with the Stars’ and it was further enhanced with a toasting for the incoming committee followed by cocktail. 

Chartered Institute of Marketing Sri Lanka Region, the first international branch in the history of the Chartered Institute of Marketing – United Kingdom launched the CIM Toastmasters Club in April 2009 and the club achieved the ‘Distinguished Club’ status in its first year of formation under the leadership of Toastmaster Dayan D.L. Fernando, the Charter President of the club.

CIM Toastmasters Club during its six years of success saw the rising of many talented individuals who were able to refine their public speaking and leadership skills under the guidance of Toastmasters International. The club achieved the Golden Gavel, under the leadership of Toastmaster Menaka Wanniarachchi and her team during TM year 2013/2014. Golden Gavel, the most prestigious toastmasters’ award which has been given annually by Toastmasters International since 1959, in recognition of distinguished communication and leadership skills. 

Adding more value to its endeavour in empowering the members, CIM Toastmasters Club has moved a step further by conducting many speech craft programs, designed to improve the communication and leadership skills of participants and had so far conducted a number of such programs at various organisations in the country. The club members had also won at area, division and district level speech and evaluation contests organised annually as per guide lines laid down by Toastmasters International. The annual visit to the Salvation Army Elders Home is yet another benevolent act of the club which had shed light to many lives during the past years. 

CIM Toastmasters Club has entered the seventh year in its journey towards creating leaders and the new toastmaster year had begun with fresh slogan ‘Realising your star potential’, a testament to its endeavour to provide a platform for members to refine their communication and leadership skills.