Tracy Thomason of Lubbock, Texas, USA, was elected to the Board of Directors of Toastmasters International, a worldwide non-profit educational organization dedicated to the development of communication and leadership skills. Thomason assumed the two-year role of International Director during the 86th annual International Convention held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. As a member of the Board of Directors, Thomason will guide the strategic vision for more than 345,000 members in over 15,900 clubs in 142 countries.
Thomason brings strategic planning experience from his roles as Board Member of The Cotton Network, Lubbock .Net User Group and Texas Tech University CS Department External Advisory Board. Thomason also brings over twenty-six years of experience in the technology industry beginning as a developer and webmaster and growing into a leadership role as Development Manager for Tyler Technologies.
As a member since 2005, Thomason has filled many roles and served in several leadership offices, previously culminating as a Distinguished District Director in the 2015-2016 Toastmasters year for District 23. Around District 23 Thomason has become known as the go-to-guy. We asked Kyle Word to tell us about it:
An old saying states that if you want to get something done, give it to a busy person. That’s certainly true of DTM Tracy Thomason. The Lubbock native has long been a resource for Toastmasters as well as his co-workers at Tyler Technologies. Any conversation with him is liable to be interrupted by someone asking for either his help or his opinion on something.
Tracy, who preaches the philosophy of Servant Leadership, is always happy to oblige. He readily admits that one of his biggest flaws is his inability to say no to someone who asks for his help. That’s certainly been the case in his decade-plus career in Toastmasters. Countless Toastmasters can testify to his ability to provide both help and mentorship.
DTM Kerry Mobley – “Tracy has a unique way of pushing you outside your comfort zone without your even realizing it. The great thing about Tracy being your mentor is that he is there every step of the way, encouraging, listening, and supporting you. Every major accomplishment I have had in Toastmasters is because Tracy encouraged me to do more. He encouraged me to be a club president, and Area Governor, and then to serve as Administrative Manager the year he was District Director.”
DTM and Immediate Past District Director Natalie Waters – “Tracy has been helpful throughout my Toastmasters career by taking the time to answer many questions about different district leadership roles and by providing timely feedback. Tracy epitomizes the core values of Toastmasters International through his actions and positive attitude.”
DTM and current District Club Growth Director Cliff Colvin – “I met Tracy at Llano Estacado club in Lubbock. I had seen him give many speeches, and he was an energetic force in the room that allowed everyone to know that this is right where they needed to be, and things were going to be great! Whether I am seeking advice for work, life, or Toastmasters Tracy has always been not only a great sounding board, but also a wise friend that I can count on for sound advice.”
DTM Jef Conn – “Tracy and I have served on conference committees, been part of clubs together, and I was honored to serve as his Finance Manager during his District Director Year. He always gives positive feedback, not just in Toastmasters, but in life. He helped me figure out how to obtain my DTM and encouraged me to never give up. Tracy’s ability to mentor and give back is unmatched.”
As these testimonials attest, Tracy has been and continues to be the mentor of choice for many Toastmasters. He’s truly the “go-to” guy for those seeking guidance.
Photo features (Row 1, left to right) Daniel Rex, Lark Doley, Mike Storkey, Balraj Arunasalam, Deepak Menon, Monique Levesque-Pharoah, Tracy Thomason; (Row 2) Derek Wong, Matt Kinsey, Mary Morrison; (Row 3) Reginald Ford, Radhi Spear, Morag Mathieson, Vera Johnson, Richard Peck; (Row 3) Don Bittick, Michael Osur, Jim Kohli, David Fischer
Author: Kyle Word