On July 1, 2017, District 103 (D103) became an official district within Toastmasters International.
D103 became the second district serving members in Chicago and the Chicagoland areas, after splitting from the original District 30. District 103 serves downtown as well as the greater Chicagoland area south and west of Chicago.
The district mission is to “build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence.”
Below, we recognize and celebrate our top leadership and achievements each year since the inception of D103.
Abbreviations:
• DD = District Director
• PQD = Program Quality Director
• CGD = Club Growth Director
Year 8: 2024-25
DD: Sandra Lane, DTM
PQD: Valerie Smith, DTM
CGD: Trina Oddo, DTM
D103 Theme: Visualize your success: See it! Believe it! Achieve it!
D103 Annual Conference Theme, April 2025: Elevate Your Voice, Empower Your Vision
August 2024: Ivory Gwin, DTM, receives Presidential Citation Award
Past District Director Ivory Gwin, DTM, was awarded the Presidential Citation Award for Toastmasters year 2023-24. He is the first in District 103 to receive this prestigious honor. Recipients are announced each year at Toastmasters International Convention; Ivory’s award was announced in August 2024 at the convention in the Bahamas. The Presidential Citation Award is presented to members who have shown continual support and dedication to the organization. Recipients of this citation are selected at the discretion of the International President.
Ivory joined Toastmasters in 2003. He has held the District Director role in District 30, in 2016-17 (when D30 split into two districts with the creation of D103), and again in District 103 in 2019-20. He’s helped many Toastmasters members achieve their DTM and set them on a path to leadership. We thank Ivory for his continued service and contributions to the Toastmasters organization.
Year 7: 2023-24
DD: Sam Sukumar, DTM
PQD: Sandra Lane
CGD: Shanita Akintonde, DTM
D103 Theme: Keeping it REAL: Recognition, Engagement, Achievement, Leadership
D103 Annual Conference Theme, April 2024: Keeping it REAL: Elevating Communication Excellence
Year 6: 2022-23
DD: Dionne Leggin, DTM
PQD: Sam Sukumar, DTM
CGD: Dushun Mosley, DTM
D103 Theme: When you believe, incredible things happen
D103 Annual Conference Theme, April 2023:
First time D103 achieved Distinguished District status!
Year 5: 2021-22
DD: Gregg Thompson, DTM
PQD: Dionne Leggin, DTM
CGD: Sam Sukumar, VC5, SR5
D103 Theme: Keep Your Foot On The Gas!
D103 Annual Conference Theme, April 2022: Powered By Momentum, Fueled For Leadership
District Word for the Year: Momentum
District Song for the Year: “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”
Year 4: 2020-21
DD: Joe McCarty, DTM
PQD: Gregg Thompson, DTM
CGD: Dionne Leggin, DTM
D103 Theme for Social Media Channels: The Future of Leadership – launched new D103 Toastmasters website and social media channels facelift
Year 3: 2019-20
DD: Ivory Gwin, DTM
PQD: Joe McCarty, DTM
CGD: Gregg Thompson
D103 Theme: P.I.V.O.T. to Pathways – to get club members on their journey to the new Pathways Education Program
Launched Train the Trainer Program for Toastmasters members to take their speaking skills from speaker to trainer
Year 2: 2018-19
DD: Donoley (Don) Williams, DTM
PQD: William (Bill) Morrill, DTM / Ivory Gwin
CGD: Frank Hesser, DTM
The 2018 Toastmasters International Convention was hosted in Chicago. Ramona J. Smith won the 2018 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking (WCoPS) – and Toastmasters International made history: never before had three women won 1st, 2nd and 3rd in WCoPS!
D103 Toastmasters had 3 keynote speakers under one roof for the 2019 D103 Annual District Conference: Ramona Smith, Johnny Campbell and Pres Vasilev.
Year 1: 2017-18
DD: Cassandra Lee, DTM
PQD: William (Bill) Morrill, DTM / Carolyn Arthur, DTM
CGD: Donoley (Don) Williams, DTM
D103 Theme: Express Your G.I.F.T.S. (Goals, Initiative, Focus, Technical Skills, and Strengths)