George Marshall, DTM

Relevant work experience and how it relates to Toastmasters and your role as a Board Member:

I have a strong background in both technology, marketing, and as an entrepreneur. I have served in five different Silicon Valley startups in the networking and telecom space, in increasingly responsible positions, culminating in successfully starting a company. Each of these positions required strong analysis skills, as well as the ability to work with a team to set goals and execute a plan.

What experience do you have in strategic planning?

All of my startup roles required conducting due diligence, working with the team, and determining what products and services we would deliver. I was the lead on defining and bringing to market several different product lines in the networking and telecommunications space. As part of that effort, I also helped, or led, the efforts to get the products funded, and in the case of the company I founded, planning the funding strategy to obtain venture capital backing.

What experience do you have in the area of finance?

In my later startups, i was a key contributor in determining the resources needed, including equipment purchases and staffing, in order to establish a budget and secure funding. I also tracked current and projected expenses & revenue to determine when and if we needed additional funding. My years on the Trio added additional experience in creating and managing a budget for a non-profit.

What experience do you have in developing policies?

As a senior manager, later founder and C-level executive, I worked with my team to set policies in multiple areas, including expenses, relationship issues and how our employees should represent the company and our products.

What lessons did you learn from previous leadership positions?

I learned the importance of gathering information and listening to other team members to hear all sides of an issue. I also improved in learning the value of decision-making based on information available, in order to take timely action.

What experience and key strengths would you bring to the Board of Directors?

My career has been one of increasing responsibilities, first in development, later in marketing and general management. I have been recognized by my employers as a valuable asset to each organization, with strong analysis and communications skills. I was assigned substantial responsibilities important to the success of the company. I was quite often the spokesperson for my product line, or the company as a whole.

Why do you want to serve as an International Officer/Director?

My experience in Toastmasters has been very positive, not only from improving my communications skills, but also new challenges from the many roles I held in the district. I want to serve on the board in order to help shape the future of the organization, and provide more opportunities to others.

I feel that my years of volunteer work in understanding and summarizing information for others has given me a good perspective on how the organization operates, and my career in technology, marketing and entrepreneur roles has prepared me to productively help on the board in crafting future directions for Toastmasters.

What volunteer experience do you have outside of Toastmasters?

I have assisted non-profits with technology and marketing, in the form of consulting and operations regarding their websites, advertising campaigns, and positioning of their companies.

Have you worked with other Boards of Directors outside of Toastmasters? If so, describe your experience.

I worked with the boards in my later startups to help guide the company and secure funding from venture capitalists. To do that, we had to review both market demands, and our own ability to perform, to considerable detail, obtain consensus, and adjust the organization's direction accordingly.

In your opinion, what are Toastmasters International’s major objectives and how would you work to achieve them?

Toastmasters is a unique organization, devoted to helping people improve themselves.in communications and leadership, which often translates to the opportunity for professional advancement. We are challenged right now, both by external forces, such as the pandemic, and by less than outstanding results of our own making in some areas. We need to rapidly respond to the changes around us, and improve our own execution.

Additional information about candidate:

George Marshall has had a successful career in the high-pressure environment of Silicon Valley technology companies. He is happily married to his wife of 52 years. They have two sons and six grandchildren.

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