Richmond Hill Resident receives Toastmasters International Education and Leadership Award

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Sept. 3, 2017 - PRLog -- Karim Premji, a member of the Fluid Communicators & Leaders Toastmasters club in Richmond Hill, ON and Advanced 60 Speakers in Toronto, ON received the Toastmasters International Presidential Citation for his outstanding achievements in representing the goals and ideals of Toastmasters in Southern, Central and Northern Ontario.

The prestigious award, of one of Toastmasters' highest honours was presented to Premji by the 2016-2017 International President of Toastmasters International, Mike Storkey, DTM at the 86^th International Convention in Vancouver, Canada on August 24, 2017.

Premji, a seven - time Distinguished Toastmaster Award achiever, was recognized for his continual and selfless support and dedication to Toastmasters International. He held 64 officer positions since he joined Toastmasters in 2004, serving as a club executive officer in multiple clubs, a District 86 executive officer and support officer.  Premji also enhanced his communication and leadership skills in his Toastmaster journey, earning 117 Educational awards.

Premji reflected on his achievements on receiving the news about the award. "I was encouraged to set goals; learn and be inspired by Toastmasters in the District and especially read the manuals from Toastmasters", he said. "Fortunately, I learned the hidden secret of Toastmasters quickly – Leadership".

Storkey, a Toastmaster International veteran of over 25 years also shares Premji's ideology. "The skills I developed in Toastmasters—from helping others, working as a team and developing a vision in order to reach a common goal—have made me better equipped to tackle leadership opportunities both in my private and professional life."

Premji's tireless dedication has helped in the creation and development of 26 Toastmasters clubs in Ontario, Canada. He has presented over 500 speeches and has lead over three dozen workshops in which he continuously and freely shares his communication and leadership skills. His success story is based on a quote from Muhammad Ali, "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room on Earth".

His Worship Premji serves as a Justice of the Peace for the Province of Ontario, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario in 2010. He is also a recipient of the Richmond Hill Volunteer Achievement Award and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his extensive volunteer service to Toastmasters and his community.

Other recipients honoured for their contributions alongside Premji included Vitaliy Fursov, Immediate-Past District 86 Director for his contributions in making Toastmasters District 86 Distinguished, Cathy Herschell, current District Director 86 who received the Excellence in Program Quality Award, Glynis D'Souza, Immediate-Past Club Growth Director who received the Excellence in Club Growth Award and Randie Jacobs, a member of Markham's Talk of the City Toastmasters who received the Presidential Citation Award for her contributions to Toastmasters in Toronto, Durham and Eastern Ontario.

For an interview to learn more about this achievement or Toastmasters membership, contact the Public Relations Manager.

About Toastmasters District 86

District 86 is one of 102 districts in the world. It was formed in 2008, representing the heartland of Ontario and comprising over 245 community and corporate clubs, with over 5300 members, from Timmins 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 District 86 Toastmasters website (http://www.toastmasters86.org/).

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit 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 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 www.toastmasters.org (http://www.toastmasters.org/). Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.