Welcome to the fabled history of District 60 contests and participation on the world stage.
Below you’ll find lists of winners for each of the contests held by District 60, along with recognition of multi-winners and those members who have been in the finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking.
For the years 2020 to 2022, due to the Covid pandemic, only the International Speech Contest was held. All three years were conducted online.
The District Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contests were traditionally staged during the autumn conference, the last of which was held in 2017. The District Table Topics Contest was revived in 2023, along with our District Evaluation Contest.
District 60 International Speech Contest Winners:
2024 Fanar Hakami – Goodyear Toastmasters
2023 John Andrews – Keynote Speakers Advanced
2022 Mthabisi Mhlanga – 1 For U KSS Toastmasters
2021 Steve Beckford – Ebony Toastmasters
2020 Steve Beckford – Ebony Toastmasters
2019 Said Muhammed – Keynote Speakers Advanced
2018 Sethu Kotharamath – WaterPark Speakers
2017 John Andrews – Goodyear
2016 Ted Lyberogiannis – Trinity
2015 Andrew Clumpus – Toastmasters at TD
2014 Stephen Grant – Toronto Business
2013 Mary Ann Stumpf – Les Beaux Parleurs
2012 Yan Li – Podium
2011 Stephen Grant – Toronto Business
2010 Ted Lyberogiannis – Trinity
2009 David Matoc – Toronto #1
2008 James Ng – Brampton
2007 Steve Hopkinson – York-Simcoe
2006 Stephen Grant – Toronto Business
2005 Heather Haigh – Liberty Village
2004 Rob Nickel – Grand River
2003 David Hooker
2002 David Matoc – Toronto #1
2001 James Ng – Markham
2000 Robert Sayers – First Class
1999 Ray Pons – Towns of York
1998 David Matoc – Toronto #1
1997 Ray Pons – Towns of York
1996 Ross Mackay – Towns of York
1995 Ross Mackay – Towns of York
1994 Ross Mackay – Towns of York
1993 Vince DeCosta – Thornhill
1992 Majorie Hesk – Steeltown
1991 Raghbir Dhillon – Joie De Vivre
1990 Richard Maraj – Hamilton #1
1989 Andrea Melnychuk – Trillium
1988 Bill Chadwick – Towns of York
1987 Douglas McCarthy
1986 Arabella Bengson – World Champion
1985 Bill Chadwick – Towns of York
1984 John Roberts
1983 Unknown
1982 Arabella Bengson
1981 Shirley Smith
1980 Sandra L. McCabe
1979 Douglas McCarthy
1978 D.V. Rowledge
1977 Tom Newby
1976 Alex Eves
1975 Unknown
1974 Reg Hillory
1973 Bob Franklin
1972 Tom Stinse
1971 Unknown
1970 Andrew Keogh
1969 P. Ruttiman
1968 Unknown
1967 Henry Shannon
1966 Martin Gammack
1965 Kennith J. Hazelden
1964 Robin Elliot Bateman
1963 Jack Punter
1962 McLean Anderson
District 60 Evaluation Contest Winners:
2024 Brian Fernandes – WaterPark Speakers
2023 Dave Bachan – TGIF Advanced
2019 Andrew Mertens – Blossoming Voices
2018 Oliver Posada – Shellbusters
2017 Meaghan Johns – Grosvenor
2016 Peter Balasubramanian -Confidence Speaks
2015 Matthew Kleinosky – St. Vladimir
2014 Andrew Wood – New Horizons
2013 Sara Newman – Rainbow
2012 Stephen Grant – Toronto Business
2011 Stephen Grant – Toronto Business
2010 Brian Madden – King Street Speakers
2009 Gordon Wilson – Podium
2008 Harold Williams – Lindsay
2007 Harold Williams – Lindsay
2006 Lori-Ann Jakel
2005 Tany Thompson – Mohawk
2004 Jamis Daly – Simcoe Speakers
2003 Tony Nelson – Podium Pros
2002 Shawn D. McEwen – Markham
2001 Andrea Harvey – Peterborough
2000 Karen Martin – Bowmanville
1999 Ray Pons – Towns of York
1998 Liz Pearson – Podium Club
1997 Ray Pons – Towns of York
1996 Sandra Wolfe – Hershaw
1995 Sandra Wolfe – Hershaw
1994 Adrian Murphy – Consumers Gas
1993 Sharon Chandler – Bay St. Breakfast
1992 Chris Ford – Mississauga Valley
1991 Kathleen Murphy – Forest City
1990 Kathleen Murphy – Forest City
1989 Laura Lindberg Queens Park
1988 Joan Graham – Trafalgar
1987 Jennifer Bunting Napanee Valley
1986 Elaine Crabtree – Trafalgar
1985 Gloria Payton – Bards Orators
1984 Cameron Campbell Ontario Hydro
1983 Dave McFarlane – Thames Valley
1982 John Campbell – Oshawa
1981 Tom Francis – West Toronto
1980 Elaine Crabtree – Trafalgar
1979 Rob Peck – Scarborough
1978 Neil Flannery – Oakville
1977 Tim Francis – West Toronto
1976 Bill Potts – Toronto Business
1975 Ken Gardiner – Forest City
District 60 Humorous Speech Contest Winners:
2017 Sethu Kotharamath – Waterpark Speakers
2016 Murphy To -Downtown Achievers
2015 Assata McKenzie – Ebony
2014 Paul Gibson – Manulife Financial
2013 Brian Bridgeman – Ajax Pickering
2012 Michael Orrett – Transitmasters
2011 Matthew Kleinosky – St. Vladimir
2010 Wenbo (Ace) Zhao – UTET
2009 Thomas Kovacs – Uptown
2008 Bruce Lindsay – Good Morning
2007 Eddie Burton – Lindsay
2006 Pat Wright
2005 Ash Gulati
2004 Marian Timmermans – Bowmanville
2003 David Hooker – Whitby Intrepid
2002 Timothy B. Fuchs – Trillium
2001 Peter Seemann – Towns of York
2000 Judy Suke – Wolfdale
1999 Gerry McCombs – First Class
1998 Ann Moser – Manumax
1996 Kai Rambow – X
1995 Felix Forshtendiker – New Horizons
1994 Peterson Stephen – Podium
1993 Karen Elliott – Queen’s Quay
1992 Tom Hewitt – Port Credit
1991 Bob Armstrong
District 60 Table Topics Contest Winners:
2024 Janet Heidker – TGIF Advanced
2023 Dianna Lloyd – Keynote Speakers Advanced
2017 David Matoc – Toronto #1
2016 Danish Ahmed – Grosvenor
2015 Teresa Lines – Change Makers
2014 Phil Tasci – Keynote Speakers Advanced
2013 Louis Rogers – Speaking From Experience Advanced
2012 Pat de Valance – Top of Toronto
2011 Alvita Bennett – P&G
2010 Bill Deneault – Podium
2009 Brian Patrick – Naturally Speaking
2008 David Matoc – Toronto #1
2007 Deborah McGrath – Northern Lights Advanced
2006 Jacqui Blanchard – Voice of Experience
2005 Garvin Clarke – Whitby Intrepid
2004 David Matoc – Toronto #1
2003 Kevin Mooney – Royal City
2002 Patrick Mathieu – Toronto #1
2001 Unknown
2000 Peterson Stephen – Podium
1999 Denise Marek – Bowmanville
1998 Karen Martin – Bowmanville
1997 Dawn Frail – Front Street Speakers
1996 Kai Rambow – X
1995 Harry Ansara – Trillium
1994 Pauline Duncan- Forest City
1993 Bill Ramsden – Westmount
1992 Chris Ford – Mississauga Valley
1991 Joann Hall-Clark – Blue Water
1989 Maggie McIvor – Ajax-Pickering
Multi-Talented Winners:
A few members have won the District speech contests in more than one category, including:
Chris Ford
Stephen Grant (5 wins)
David Hooker
Kai Rambow
Ray Pons (4 wins)
David Matoc (6 wins)
Matthew Kleinosky (2 wins, 6 top 3 … in all 4 contest types)
Members of District 60 have competed at the Toastmaster finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking many times. Two have won the coveted title of “World Champion”.
2017 John Andrews
2004 Rob Nickel
1995 Ross Mackay
1990 Richard Maraj
1988 Bill Chadwick
1987 Doug McCarthy
1986 Arabella Bengson (World Champion)
1985 Bill Chadwick
1984 John Roberts
1983 Arabella Bengson
1979 Doug McCarthy
1978 Denis Rowledge
1963 Jack Punter
1960 Glenn Carroll (World Champion)
