AIA TMC, Installation, 11th July 2019

On the 11^th July 2019, AIA Toastmasters Club held its Installation Night, for its 16^th ExCo.  It was also a celebration of AIA Toastmasters Club being a President’s Distinguished Club since its inception, having achieved this accolade every single year since – 15 years in a row.

This would not have been possible without the support of AIA’s executive management, including our CEO, Patrick Teow, who himself set the example by being a member of the club.  This would not have been possible without the support of the Toastmasters community in Singapore, who turned up in force to support us.

Our toastmaster of the evening was the peerless Jackie Lin Feng, who sets the standards for the role.  He was charming, witty, borderline irreverent, and always lively.  This is a man who makes a living thinking on his feet, and making everybody around him look good.

Our language evaluator was John Sih, who is the master of word play and the rhetorical faux pas.  He is the language evaluator’s evaluator, in an audience replete with accomplished language evaluators.  He certainly had to be at the top of his game when we had such luminaries of the field as Gerald Yong Kim Heong, Richard Sng and Penny Anne Radcliffe in attendance.

Our Immediate Past President, and the true Toastmaster of the Year, Eric Tan Shi Wei, took the stage to address us for the last time as president.  It was a poignant moment. It is not often emphasised how warm, magnanimous and humble he is.  He could have listed off a litany of accolades the club accomplished under his steady leadership, and he would have been right about it.  Instead, he took the opportunity to explain what made us great – family.  He took the opportunity to share with everyone, from all the different clubs, on how they are part of this journey.  He took this opportunity to tell each and every one of us to step up.  And he said it with understated humour.

We pay tribute to the creative team of Margrette Lo Foong Quan, Joy Chow Jie Lin, and Cindy Gan Chia Ee for all the audiovisual work.  They spent sleepless hours getting the montages done, and that work of love showed.

The Installing Office was none other than our Toastmasters International District 80 Director, Ernest Chen.  This is a man who has more than double the time in Toastmasters than our club has been around.  He has seen the scene change, and he was one of the forces shaping it to the better.  He lends gravitas and dignity to a carnival of words.

Our President, Jack Sia Cheong Ghee, gave his inaugural address. In it, he shared the challenges he will face, living up to the traditions and accomplishments of previous presidents.  He expressed his confidence in his team, his club, and the wider Toastmasters community.  We wish him the best in this journey, and we give him our support.

Kenneth Ng, from NTU Toastmasters Club was our table topics master.  His table topics was in the form of an interactive PowerPoint presentation.  Marshall Cooper won Best Table Topics.

Additionally, the following awards were given out:

Recruiter of the Year: June Lee;

Newcomer: June Lee; and

Toastmaster of the Year: Myself.

Triple Crown Achievers:

Joy Chow Jie Lin, Eric Tan Shi Wei, Ivan Lee Kuan Seng, Jack Sia Cheong Ghee, June Lee, Margrette Lo Foong Quan, and myself.

Finally, we had a rousing speech by the Director, Division G, the incomparable Tony Lim Tong Lee.  He set forth the lessons we can learn from each other.  Lim Tong Lee is a friend and has been a great supporter of AIA Toastmasters Club.

We also acknowledge the following for support us with their presence at our installation:

District Director, Ernest Chen, DTM;

Program Quality Director, Ng Cher Khim, DTM;

Club Growth Director, Jackson Chua, DTM;

Past International Director, Patrick Oei Kian Seng, DTM;

Past International Director & Toastmasters International Presidential Citation Award Recipient 2019, Poh Kim Siong, DTM;

Past District Director & Toastmasters International Presidential Citation Award Recipient 2011, Patricia Lum, DTM;

Division G Director, Tony Lim Tong Lee, DTM;

And all district and club officials, past and present.

The new ExCo (2019-2020)

President: Jack Sia Cheong Ghee;

Vice-President, Education: Terence Kenneth John Nunis;

Vice-President, Membership: Ivan Lee Kuan Seng;

Vice-President, Public Relations: Cindy Gan Chia Ee;

Secretary: Joy Chow Jie Lin;

Treasurer: Frances Goh Qing Kang;

Sergeant-at-Arms: Mandy Poon Sin Man; and

Immediate Past President: Eric Tan Shi Wei.

We also acknowledge the efforts, and support of the following:

Stage Manager: Linda Lee;

Timer: Gordon Kwok Jun Wei;

Ah Counter: Lim Jun Song, Nee Soon South Toastmasters Club;

SAAs: Ng Hua Yi & Alfonso Tang;

Photographer: Hakeem Jeffrey; and

Decoration Team: Zhuo Shu Zhen, Tiffany Choo N. Y., & Thuy Pham, Tampines Changkat Advanced Toastmasters Club.

Personally, I would like to thank AIA Toastmasters Club, for voting me Toastmaster of the Year.  Without the support of then-President, Eric Tan Shi Wei; then-VPE, Jack Sia Cheong Ghee; and then-Area Director, Lim Tong Lee, I would not have been where I am.