Toastmasters Past International President named Keynote Speaker at District Conference

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - March 30, 2018 - PRLog -- Past International President of Toastmasters International, Jim Kokocki will be the Toastmasters District 86 Keynote Speaker at the upcoming Spring Conference scheduled from April 27-29, 2018 in Hilton Meadowvale, Mississauga, Ontario.

Participants in the three-day conference, themed "Pathways to Excellence" will enjoy educational workshops, engaging presentations, award presentations and quality speeches.

Cathy Herschell, District Director, Toastmasters District 86 shared her views on the upcoming conference "Our Annual District Conferences has tremendously helped Toastmasters members become more confident and empowered", she said. "This year's conference will be historic as it coincides with our District's 10th year anniversary."

Jim Kokocki's keynote speech and workshop will center on the core qualities of Toastmasters. "Toastmasters International provides our members opportunities to practice and develop transferable communication and leadership skills that enable them to be more effective in their jobs, their families and their communities", he says.

Kokocki, a dedicated Toastmaster for 28 years, is an entrepreneur and business consultant residing in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. As a volunteer, he is a member of the board at L'Arche Saint John, which is part of a worldwide network of communities for people with intellectual disabilities.

In addition to having held a number of high-profile leadership positions within Toastmasters, Kokocki also attained the Distinguished Toastmaster designation—the highest level of achievement in the organization.

Kokocki previously worked for 30 years at telecommunications provider Bell Aliant and its related companies. He recently completed a master's degree in business administration at the University of New Brunswick, Saint John. Kokocki has also worked with other volunteer organizations, including the Saint John Board of Trade where he served as co-chair of its Business Education Committee. For other organizations, he delivers presentations on leadership, protecting self-esteem, managing conflict, business modeling, and public relations and marketing.

Conference attendees will listen to inspirational speeches during the District Finals of the Evaluation and International Speech Contests. Ten finalists will compete for honors in both contests. The Winner of the International Speech Contest at the District level contest will represent the district at the 2018 World Championship of Public Speaking Contest taking place in Chicago, USA in August 2018.

About Toastmasters District 86

Toastmasters District 86 represents the heartland of Ontario comprising 248 community and corporate clubs, with over 4,400 members, from Sault Ste Marie in the north to Welland in the south, from Sarnia in the west to Markham in the east - and all communities in between - except Toronto. To learn more about District 86 please visit: http://www.toastmasters86.org/

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a worldwide non-profit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, the organization's membership exceeds 352,000 members in more than 16,400 clubs in 141 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.