Page 34 - February 2020

FIELD NOTES

BurnsMasters Toastmasters: 90 days to Charter Status (Part 1)

Marv Serhan, DTM

When Marv Serhan was asked to serve as the sponsor for a new corporate club in Vancouver, Washington,

he elected to apply a project management focus on how that club establishment and charter process
would take place. This is the first of a four-part Voices article that will outline many of the key tasks,
milestones and deliverables that helped the BurnsMasters club achieve charter status in less than 90
days. All projects are team efforts and this club-charter initiative was certainly that with Patrick Locke,
DTM, Bob Hall, EH5, and Greg Hawkins, MS3 coming aboard as co-sponsor and mentors to support

this new-club launch initiative.

BurnsMasters Toastmasters club #7482328 is a having a lot of FUN! I could feel the positive vibe. I
new corporate club that has been established came away feeling that this club will be around for a
here in District 7, Area 84. From start to finish, long while. What a great example of a newly chartered
the club was chartered in approximately 90 days. club! Kudos to the sponsors and mentors! They did a

The District 7 Trio took the time to travel to fantastic job organizing and mentoring this club!”
Vancouver, WA, to attend the charter dedication Emilie Taylor, DTM, District 7 Director
meeting that took place on 9 January 2020. Their

observations follow: Reaching charter status in 90 days—Yikes! I’m
sure that will generate some questions within
The new BurnsMasters club is amazing. If we D7 such as:
hadn’t been there to present them with their new club • What was the key to this timely club charter
banner, you would never guess that they were anything success?

but a very experienced, well-run club.” PJ Kleffner, • What specifically did the Sponsor/Mentor
DTM, D7 Program Quality Director team do to create this type of energy,
organizational commitment, and self-
“The enthusiasm I experienced in this meeting was investment to yield a favorable outcome

electric!” Eldred Brown, DTM, D7 Club Growth at BurnsMasters?
Director • Will this success be sustainable long term?

“I was impressed with BurnsMasters. I heard it In the following 4-part series of articles, I’ll

was their 5th meeting, and yet it appeared to me that address those questions by sharing some of
they have been in existence for quite some time. The the key activities and priorities that led to
meeting was organized, and it was clear they were this favorable outcome. Keep in mind, that

34 ONE COMMUNITY