Annual Awards

Outstanding Toastmaster of the Year

Being named an Outstanding Toastmaster of the Year honors members who embody the Toastmasters core values: Integrity, Respect, Service, and Excellence. A committee reviews and selects Outstanding Area, Division, and District Toastmasters. Being named the Outstanding Toastmaster of the Year (OTMOTY) means that you have taken full advantage of the educational and service opportunities offered through the Toastmasters program. Every District 3 Toastmaster should complete and submit an application, not only for the chance to win the award, but also as a means of measuring their personal performance within the Toastmasters program.

This award is to be presented by District 3 at the Annual Awards Ceremony

Communication and Leadership Award

This award is the highest honor District 3 Toastmasters can bestow upon a non-Toastmaster. It recognizes individuals within our communities who have demonstrated outstanding communication & leadership skills. Any member or club in good standing can nominate someone for this award.

Art Nieto Award for Club Excellence

The 2004 Spring Conference saw the inauguration of a new award—the Art Nieto Award for Club Excellence.  DG Joe De Rico suggested we should not wait until people were gone to recognize their contributions to District 3 Toastmasters and noted that Past International Director and 3 time District 3 Director, Art Nieto, a 30-year member of District 3, has been Club Extension Chair for more than twenty of those years. Joe went on to say that Art was demonstrating exemplary service to Clubs, particularly new Clubs. The DG said this award would be a namesake to the legacy gift of Art Nieto.

The purpose of this award is to recognize a Toastmaster who contributes exceptional service to the Clubs of the District. While Club officers serve their Clubs as part of their position descriptions within the Club, this award aims to recognize someone beyond the Club level who goes beyond the call of duty in service to Clubs.

This award is to be presented by District 3 at the Annual Awards Ceremony

Betty & Bob Gillis Youth Leadership Award

The Betty Gillis Youth Leadership Award was established in honor of Betty Gillis following her death (1995) in recognition of her work through Youth Leadership with the Youth of Tucson.

Betty was a longtime member of District 3. She joined the Eyeopeners in Tucson in 1976 and Catalina club in 1990. During the 1980’s, Betty was an Area and Division Governor and achieved her Distinguished Toastmaster award.

She and her husband, Bob (a past Division Governor), were very active in youth leadership and helped influence many other Toastmasters to get involved with the Youth Leadership Toastmasters Program. Bob and Betty were always present at District 3 Conferences, even as their health began to decline.

This award is to be presented by District 3 at the Annual Awards Ceremony

Club of the Year Awards

This set of awards recognizes the outstanding clubs.

District Service Awards

This set of awards recognizes the outstanding service of district leaders.

Juris Kursulis Spirit Award

The Juris Kursulis Sprit Award is bestowed at each District 3 conference upon the person who demonstrates unusual enthusiasm, dedication, and caring for District 3 and its members. The award is in the name of Past District Governor Juris Kursulis, DTM.

Juris and his wife, Betty, were regular attendees of District 3 conferences for over 30 years. Juris always sported his vest from the 1981 International Convention hosted in Phoenix, and continued to festoon the vest with memorabilia, ribbons, pins, and awards. In 2004, when Juris knew that he had not much longer to contribute to the District, he asked International Director Nancy Starr-Cassidy to take possession of his beloved vest with the promise that it would be used to do something “good for the District.” What better way to honor Juris than to honor those who continue the tradition of caring and giving?

The award is presented at the Hall of Fame Luncheon at the annual District conference. The winner must be present to receive the award and to earn the right to wear the Vest!

Mary Margaret (Dockendorf) Kibler Breakthrough Award

Mary Margaret (Dockendorf) Kibler, DTM, PID (1947-2014) was the first female District Governor of District 3 serving her term in 1983-1984. The District was Select Distinguished under her term. Mary Margaret was the first female International Director serving a two-year term from 1983-1985. While International Director, Mary Margaret served under the first female President of Toastmasters, Helen Blanchard.

MMD as she was often referred to, continued to serve the District beyond her terms of service. She encouraged many of our current and past leaders. She served on many District committees and supported clubs and members as a valued past leader. She was a trailblazer for the women and men of Arizona.

This award is created in her honor and will recognize leaders who have created breakthrough programs, campaigns, and Toastmasters experiences.

This award is to be presented by District 3 at the Annual Awards Ceremony

Mike DiCerbo Excellence in Mentoring Award

Inspired by the creation of an award for July Jubilee 2018 to honor Nancy Goins (a Toastmaster leader who died unexpectedly and had mentored many), the Mike DiCerbo Excellence in Mentoring Award commemorates the service and dedication of District 3’s longest serving Youth Leadership Chair. Mike DiCerbo served as the Youth Leadership Chair for over 25 years and once estimated that he had mentored and coached over 10,000 students in the Scottsdale and Phoenix area.

The recipient should have remained active over the large majority of that time and be active at the time of presentation and have been a member in good standing for a minimum of 10 (ten) years. The outgoing DD, in concert with the outgoing PQD and CGD will select the award recipient. There is no application or nomination process.

This award is to be presented by District 3 at the Annual Awards Ceremony

Outstanding Year Area Director of the Year

Each year, all Area Directors in good standing and completing their term of service are eligible. Congratulations to these past Area Directors recognized for their leadership and service contributions to the District. To submit someone for this award (even yourself), fill out an application form to be reviewed by the committee, and announced at our annual awards celebration.

This award is to be presented by District 3 at the Annual Awards Ceremony

Outstanding Year Division Director of the Year

Each year, all Division Directors in good standing and completing their term of service are eligible. Congratulations to these past Division Directors recognized for their leadership and service contributions to the District. To submit someone for this award (even yourself), fill out an application form to be reviewed by the committee, and announced at annual awards celebration.

This award is to be presented by District 3 at the Annual Awards Ceremony

Russ Backus Distinguished Service Award

The Russ Backus Distinguished Service Award was established in 1991 by the then ELG (LGET) Bill Bristol, DTM, to recognize one individual per year from within District 3 for the distinguished service they had selflessly provided over an extended period—intended to be a period spanning many years (minimum of 10 years or more). The recipient should have remained active over the large majority of that time and be active at the time of presentation.

The outgoing DD, in concert with the outgoing PQD and CGD will select the award recipient. There is no application or nomination process. The award is to be presented at the July Jubilee and/or subsequent Fall DEC. A traveling plaque or trophy will indicate the recipient each year, while the recipient will receive a personalized plaque.

The award is named for its initial recipient, Russ Backus, DTM, and was presented to him by DG Geff Wilson, DTM, on July 27, 1991 at the July Jubilee. Russ distinguished himself over a 40-year period (1952-1995) of Toastmaster service as a club officer, committee member and chair, District Treasurer for two terms (1954-56), DG for two terms (1957-59) and District Parliamentarian (1961-1995). Russ was always a vocal advocate for Toastmasters programs extending them into community activities including Little League and Boy Scouting activities.

Blindness in his later years did not slow Russ down. He attended and participated in all District activities, retaining his position as Parliamentarian until his death in 1995.

It is his spirit and dedication that set the standard for this award. It is intended to be the ultimate long-term distinguished service award in District 3.

This award is to be presented by District 3 at the Annual Awards Ceremony