Page 8 - 2019 April
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COVER STORY
Through his teen years, Cleon had a couple office manager during his tenure.
of close friends but never had a desire to be After several years he was recruited away he returned to Oakland and began a career in
part of a large crowd. He felt he didn’t fit in. by a transportation company in Nevada with “dialing for dollars.” He enjoyed working as
After high school, he wanted to be on his own. He the promise of more money and a company a stockbroker because it gave him plenty of
thought about moving to Idaho and becoming car. “I was flabbergasted. I’d never had anyone opportunities to learn new material. He has
a forest ranger. A career that did not require approach me like that. It felt good. So I jumped always liked learning something new, and he
interacting with people. He felt he could not ship.” Cleon shared that the position only lasted was in his element.
‘hold his own’—people frightened him. Cleon worked as a stockbroker for several
Cleon went to work as an expediter for years before returning to the transportation
Lockheed Missiles and Space in Sunnyvale, field. “I had gotten past my fear of talking
Mark Eaton, Cleon and Gloria Cox - 2011 Spring Conference
California in 1961 and was married in 1962. In to people, and my job wasn’t as much fun
1963, they moved to Idaho for the summer where anymore.” The new job brought him to
he worked as a house painter with his granddad. Portland, Oregon in 1984 where he worked as That exchange spurred Cleon’s curiosity.
With a baby on the way, they moved back to District Manager for Greyhound Lines. Why was Dick suggesting he go? What did that
the San Francisco Bay area where Cleon took While they were still in San Francisco, Cleon’s have to do with anything? He looked up a few
a job in the mills as a janitor. Over time, he wife, Gloria, worked for a large construction firm clubs in the telephone book, attended their
worked his way up to becoming a professional where several employees attended a Toastmasters meetings, and joined Wallmasters in 1994.
welder/pipefitter and mechanical repairman. club. While she was not interested, she suggested Looking back on those days, he realized what
At the time, he thought he had the ultimate job to Cleon that since he liked to talk, he should drew him and kept him coming back was the
“Everyone wanted those jobs, and I got it.” take a look at joining the group. Cleon declined constant learning. “Today, I’m a big advocate of
Cleon started attending college taking one the offer. He had taken speech in college and was learning, I have to learn. It keeps me alive.”
class at a time. He was still not comfortable sure he didn’t need it. Cleon had been leading Job Finders meetings
talking to people or being in large groups. In Greyhound Bus Sign, Corvallis, Oregon After being in Portland for several years and before joining Toastmasters and becoming one
1969, his company went on strike. As a union once again seeking his next opportunity, Cleon of its most avid promoters. He recalls that 99%
member walking a picket line, he decided it was a year. He discovered that the company was in began attending weekly Job Finders Support of the people attending Job Finders were well-
time to move on. He began the next phase of his financial trouble and looking for a buyer. Group meetings in November 1991. It wasn’t educated, had worked—wanted to work—but
career as a supervisor at Greyhound Lines, Inc. He moved back to the Bay area and became long before he was facilitating the sessions. He were struggling. He found that most of them
“As a supervisor,” I asked, “didn’t you have to a stockbroker. “That was my first dealing with has been leading the group for 27 years. lacked interview skills and the ability to present
deal with a large number of people?” informational interviews. It was not something About 10 years after moving to Portland, themselves well. They were comfortable with
“I did. In my supervisory position, during talked about in the 1970s, but that’s what I had Cleon met Dick Warn, a sales trainer, who submitting resumes but not in answering
my 8-hour shift, I had several hundred drivers done. I had gone in to learn some information had been a Toastmaster in his early life. After questions.
below me. I worked with them in dispatching. about the business. The office manager had me telephone conversations spanning a year, he asked “So at that point, I started inviting them to
It was my first entry into management/ interview with his four leaders. He held the Cleon whether he knew about Toastmasters. the club. ‘Why don’t you just come and see this.’
supervision. Unknown to me at the time, it was deciding vote. I was hired.” “Yes.” I talked to them about the benefits of it. Talked
the beginning of my desire to be in leadership.” Cleon completed an extensive training “Have you ever belonged?” to them about the value of it. Then when they
Cleon was eventually promoted regional program in Oakland and New York, after which “No.” visited, talked them into joining.”
“Think about it.” Cleon was very successful at recruiting new
8 ONE COMMUNITY VOICES! | APRIL 2019 9
