Distinguished Toastmaster Merv Jersak loves to travel. He’s seen a lot of the world, including most of the United States and Canada, as well as his favorite countries, Ireland and the Czech Republic. He’s also traveled a long way as a Toastmaster, from joining the Taku Toastmasters in Juneau, Alaska more than thirty years ago, to being an active member in his current club, the Albuquerque Challenge in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Merv became interested in public speaking when he heard a presentation by legendary speaker Zig Ziglar. After having given some presentations at work that he was less than happy with, Merv made the decision to improve his speaking skills by joining Toastmasters. He learned how to make his presentations better – mainly, he says, by not being boring. He emphasizes how much being in Toastmasters has helped him in his career.
Now an independent project management consultant in information technology, speaking and presenting are a large part of Merv’s business. He consults with companies and state governments on large-scale IT projects, from inception to implementation, so he constantly communicates with clients in a variety of ways.
To help build his speaking and consultant business, Merv also joined the National Speakers Association. He stresses that the NSA is not designed to teach people how to speak, but to help professional speakers improve their business, so it complements, rather than competes, with Toastmasters. Merv is excited about being able to regularly bring NSA speakers to Albuquerque at a reasonable cost. The next speaker will be Heather Lutze on Saturday, September 19.
Merv believes that one of the most useful parts of the Toastmasters program is the Competent Communication manual. “For anyone who wants to do anything in front of a room, the manual is sheer genius in how it’s laid out. Each project builds on another.” Merv says peer evaluation is a close second.
As for other interests, Merv enjoys spending time with his grandchildren; he loves to travel; and he enjoys buying and refurbishing houses. He says that he’s slowly starting to retire. “I try to imagine the possibilities of what I can do in my retirement years, and still make a difference in the world.”
Even though he’s a professional speaker, Merv remains an active member of Toastmasters. He says it’s a great place to try out new material, and regular participation keeps him from getting rusty. When asked about the one thing that Toastmasters has taught him, Merv says, “Toastmasters has helped me develop the ability to quickly collect and organize my thoughts. I’m able to deliver presentations with humor and passion, and to keep the audience engaged.”
