Lee Ritzman
I am retired after a career in public works administration. I was born and raised in Utah, and graduated with a masters degree in civil engineering from the University of Utah. While at the UofU, I met and married Kathleen – we have 5 children and 13 grandchildren currently in three different states.
I had just started as Public Works Director/City Engineer in Newport when two colleagues invited me to attend Toastmasters with them. Kathleen and I both went – she enjoyed it because her public speaking skills were much better than mine – I went along. It was not long before I realized that improvement in my speaking ability could benefit my career. That was in 1994. Other than a 3-year gap, we have both been members of Toastmasters since then.
We have both accepted the opportunity to serve in various leadership positions, including club and district offices. We have also enjoyed District training sessions and conferences, and have participated in speech and evaluation contests. Best of all, we have met some great people.
My experience with Toastmasters has helped me tremendously with public presentations and the ability to think and respond quickly while on my feet. I have also learned that those skills help a lot, but are not a replacement for preparation.
I continue to enjoy the fun atmosphere in the Toastmasters meetings and watching others gain experience and skill as well.
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