Leaders Who Made Their Mark

Dr. Ralph C. Smedley started it all. The founder of Toastmasters, he contributed profoundly to the organization for many years. He guided Toastmasters as it found its footing, oversaw planning as it expanded, wrote reams of early educational materials, edited The Toastmaster magazine, advised executive leadership for many years, and chronicled the history of Toastmasters’ first 35 years in a book.

Yet he never strove to profit financially from the far-reaching impact of his brainchild. Smedley assigned all his rights and claims back to the organization he founded, and ensured it would remain a nonprofit. “I would rather be rich in friendship than in money,” he said.

Joe Rinnert, DTM, was hugely influential to Toastmasters' long-term stability and success. The 1946–1947 International President served as the organization’s legal counsel for more than 40 years. During that time, he was also consultant, committee member, and parliamentarian at the biannual Board of Directors meetings.

Rinnert became a Toastmaster in 1939, after earning his Harvard law degree. By 1953, after opening his Los Angeles law firm with a fellow Toastmaster, he became the organization's legal counsel.

Tributes flowed after Rinnert’s death in 1995. John Latin, DTM, 1984–1985 International President, said, “Quite simply, Joe Rinnert was the world’s most dedicated Toastmaster.”

After becoming one of Toastmasters International’s first official female members, Helen Blanchard, DTM, led the way in leadership as well. She was the first female International Director and then became the organization’s first female International President in 1985.

She was also the first female member to earn Distinguished Toastmaster status.

Blanchard said the communication and leadership skills she gained in Toastmasters were vital to her professional success. She had a long career at the technical information division of the Naval Ocean Systems Center in San Diego, California.

The devoted Toastmaster was fond of saying, “If you get out of Toastmasters all that there is to get out of Toastmasters, you’ll never get out of Toastmasters.”

In 1986, Ted Wood, DTM, became Toastmasters’ first Black International President. He played a pivotal role in helping the organization take a more inclusive approach to membership, advocating for more minorities to become Toastmasters, and championing the benefits of the program to groups like senior citizens, police officers, firefighters, and paramedics.

Wood also organized the Black Caucus, an informal group who gathered at the International Convention to discuss ways to encourage Black individuals and other minorities to pursue leadership positions.

“Just as there have been advocates for the advancement of women, Ted was that for Black members,” said Tim Keck, DTM, the 1999–2000 International President.

John Fauvel, DTM, was Toastmasters’ first International President from outside of North America. The Auckland, New Zealand, resident served in the role in 1987–1988, a particularly important time for an organization that was forging an increasingly large international presence.

Fauvel joined Toastmasters in 1963, only one year after the first club in New Zealand had chartered. (1997–1998 International President Len Jury, DTM, hailed from the same club in Auckland as Fauvel.) Fauvel became passionate about building clubs and about international growth. In his presidential term, he set a record by traveling 10,000 miles by air to visit 10 Districts in the United States and four in New Zealand and Australia. His term also saw a record-breaking 683 new clubs chartered.

Many other Toastmasters leaders—at all levels—have put their own stamp on the organization. In the 21st century alone, International Presidents have deftly navigated such challenges as supporting a growing international membership, updating the organization’s branding, transitioning to a new education program, and adapting in the face of COVID’s public health risks.

International Presidents in this century have also reflected Toastmasters’ increased global diversity: Eleven of them have been from outside North America.

As the highest-ranked officer on the Board of Directors, the International President is Toastmasters’ top leader. During their term, they visit Districts around the world, write the International President’s Message in each issue of the Toastmaster magazine, and preside over meetings of the Board, among other responsibilities.

Visit the International Presidents page to see a list of all who have served in the role, including the first one: J. Clark Chamberlain in 1931–1932.

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