Michael Bown, DTM

Relevant work experience and how it relates to Toastmasters and your role as a Board Member:

For over 12 years, I’ve worked with my organization to deeply understand our purpose and direction. I collaborate with diverse teams to find innovative solutions to business challenges. I also partner with other leaders to help transform how we deliver services to 1 in 8 residents of our province.

In my current role, as well as both in Toastmasters and as a Board Member I bring:

• Prioritizing and Making Decisions – Using data to guide our choices and what provides the most value to our community.
• Teamwork – Sharing my skills while recognizing each team member's strengths to boost our collective efforts and the positive impact of our work.
• Governance – Keeping up with complex laws and adjusting policies to protect our organization and to improve our communities experience.
• Managing Finances – Protecting our financial resources and ensuring they are spent wisely.
• Creativity – I have lead our divisional continuous improvement program in the endless pursuit of improving the lives everyone in our community.

Outside of my professional work, I have served on numerous committees and supported nonprofit organizations with various strategic initiatives over the past 20+ years

What experience do you have in strategic planning?

I’m lucky to be part of the strategic planning team at my organization, working closely with our senior leadership. We have developed 9-year plans and I help break them down into yearly delivery plans, making sure we hit our goals in manageable 3 year waves. This approach really helps us stay on track and deliver results that matter.

I also serve on a committee for my city council, where I review and make recommendations on the city’s strategic plan and budget for the next 5 years. It’s rewarding to ensure that our final plan aligns with the city’s vision, helping us make smart choices for our community.

What experience do you have in the area of finance?

• Directly responsible for the final review and approval of pension payroll, which serves 240,000 retirees and amounts to approximately $367 million USD every month.
• As person responsible for pension payroll I also a decision maker in identification and management of financial risks.
• Responsible for operational budget for a branch of 100+ individuals where I am engaged in development, review, approval and maintenance of multi-million-dollar budget.
• As a Committee of City Council member was responsible for reviewing and making recommendations on multi-million-dollar budgets related to the delivery of protective services in the city, including First Responders, Building Safety, and Social Services.

What experience do you have in developing policies?

To keep up with new laws and support our strategic goals, I’ve been hands-on in developing and reviewing policies. This helps us make sure everything is in line with both legal requirements and what we need as an organization to provide the best service.

In my career, I’ve led efforts to update our policies and procedures to match our strategic objectives and boost operational efficiency. I work closely with folks across the organization to spot areas that could use some improvement and make changes that enhance our services. I often chat with frontline team members and managers to find any gaps and partner with leadership to create policies that empower everyone to deliver even better service.

My time on the city council committee has also given me great experience in policy development. The proposals we worked on were sent to the council to become law, so I’ve seen firsthand how effective policies can really make a difference in our community.

What lessons did you learn from previous leadership positions?

• REMOVE BARRIERS - We need to eliminate obstacles our teams face, whether they're related to team dynamics, individual challenges, or the work itself. Supporting your team in overcoming these challenges allows them to achieve what once seemed impossible.
  
  
• FOCUS – Begin each day by quickly reviewing your and your team’s progress toward your goals. This daily check-in helps you stay on track and make any necessary adjustments. You may encounter difficulties, but keep your vision in sight!
  
  
• EMBRACE CREATIVITY – Host a team culture where all ideas are welcomed and taken seriously. If something can't be done, explain why. For everything else, make it happen!
  
  
• BRING THE DATA – Let facts guide your decisions. Using data supports you, your team, and your peers to make the best choices while building trust along the way.

What experience and key strengths would you bring to the Board of Directors?

In addition to my core experiences in finances, policy, strategic planning and decision making I bring:

• Curiosity – I have a deep desire to understand how the world works and getting to the root cause of issues. By deeply understanding challenges it unlocks the ability to come up with more creative solutions that address the challenge. This also allows proactivity as I am thinking about what is coming next and am able to take steps to prevent issues or minimize issues.
  
  
• Global mind – Lived in two continents where I have worked and gained a new perspective on culture and volunteering, travelled to 10 Canadian provinces, 43 US states and more than 20 countries. These experiences help me focused on the world as a whole and how decisions impact every member and club differently.
  
  
• Results – I enjoy collaborating with groups to find creative solutions. I bring energy and a unique perspective, but I'm just as eager to hear better ideas. It's all about what’s best for the members and the organization, not about personal recognition.

Why do you want to serve as an International Officer/Director?

We live in a beautiful world. Toastmasters is an incredible organization that unites all of us in a global family committed to continuous improvement within ourselves. Having been fortunate enough to be called on to support Toastmasters in places like Vietnam, Oman and the United States it has opened my eyes the incredible diversity of this organization and how it has changed lives around the world. We have just reached 100 years of life changing moments and I would love the opportunity to work with our global community to work towards 200 years!

Having had the chance to work on several campaign teams, I have had a front row seat to the growth every candidate receives going through the experience. We are all here to learn – so I am buckling up and ready to learn along this journey.

What volunteer experience do you have outside of Toastmasters?

In addition to serving on committees as a volunteer, I’ve been involved in various volunteer activities, including:

• Creator of an anti-drug film for students
• Producer for amateur theater productions
• Canvasser for the Heart and Stroke Foundation
• Member of various local community action groups in Canada and previously Hong Kong

Have you worked with other Boards of Directors outside of Toastmasters? If so, describe your experience.

• President of Strata Council for 70 individual houses responsible for long term planning, operational issues and budgeting.
• Protective Services Committee of Council for the City of Langford, British Columbia, Canada where we reviewed and approved all things related to protecting people and property including policing, fire, paramedics, social services, building inspections and bylaw enforcement.
• Human Welfare Services board member for a Non-Governmental Organization supporting South Asian expatriates in Hong Kong following their move to the territory.

In your opinion, what are Toastmasters International’s major objectives and how would you work to achieve them?

Toastmasters has stood the test of time over the past 100 years. Despite recent challenges, we remain a thriving, diverse global community dedicated to personal and professional growth. To ensure an even better future, I believe we need to focus on the four goals in our 2024 strategic plan: Club Excellence, Member Achievement, Awareness and Engagement, and Operational Effectiveness.

While all four goals are critical, I feel most empowered to contribute to our Operational Effectiveness goal. What excites me about this goal and where I hope to contribute is the opportunity to explore new revenue sources, create mutually beneficial relationships, and empower our headquarters team to deliver optimized processes. This will enable us to achieve better services without increasing costs which will also support the other three goals at the same time.

I envision a future where every club has the knowledge, tools, and abilities to excel, and the program is accessible to everyone worldwide, regardless of their location, meeting preferences, abilities, or financial means and I am excited at the prospect of being part of that future.

Additional information about candidate:

I grew up near Victoria, BC, Canada, where my curiosity about the world blossomed. At 17, I embarked on my first solo overseas trip and never looked back! I spent five years living and working in Hong Kong, where I learned to speak Cantonese and spent weekends exploring countries around Asia and Oceania.

After completing my contract in Hong Kong, I returned to Canada with a commitment to continue exploring the world. Wish I could offer one favorite place to go – but each place is so unique – haven’t found a place I didn't like!

Currently, I live just a 10-minute drive from where I grew up, with my wonderful wife Jojo, who is my rock, and inspires me to grow every day.