Page 9 - May 2019 Voices

Outisde of Toastmasters, Alexis sings those were the only three words he uttered
in the Marshallaires Senior chorus, plays before sitting down. But he persevered and
clarinet in the Beacock Concert Band, went on to earn his DTM.
performs with Young at Heart senior theater, Getting bored with making glass, he went

loves to garden and knit, write, has a 5th to another winery and took an entry level
grade penpal, volunteers at a homeless position. One year later he became their
shelter, drives Uber, and just has fun. Training Manager.
While there he met and married Cathy.
Colin McKechnie, DTM (Colin says that she has now put up with him

International Speech Champion for 20 years, and that she deserves a medal).
Colin was born in a castle in Scotland—no After 10 years at the winery, he became
his parents were not royalty. During World their Corporate Training Manager, but

War II, Hitler’s bombers tried to destroy the did not like the way some of the senior
Scottish shipbuilding facilities, and failed management treated the employees. So in
so they tried to wipe out the shipbuilders 1999 he started his own one person training
and their families. One out of every three company, going from company to company

houses were flattened to the ground. The teaching their people different skills to
castle with it’s three foot walls, became the make the place Productive, Profitable and
maternity ward. Pleasurable to work at.
He had both Dyslexia and ADHD so education He taught a variety of topics including

was no fun for Colin. He left school at 15 without Stress Management, Communication Skills,
a high school diploma, and joined the military. Conflict Resolution, and many others. Silicon
After serving all over the world, he was Valley loved his FUN loving approach that
glad to settle down, and got a job working in a achieved a positive working environment

glass plant in Doncaster England. Three years with vastly improved production gains.
later was promoted to Technical Training At many of these organizations he
Officer, and soon was being hired out all over encouraged them to start internal
the world to teach other glass manufacturers Toastmaster clubs.

how to improve their processes. That lasted In 2010 he retired—it lasted three weeks.
ten years. Colin says it drove him crazy. . . and he
E. & J. Gallo Winery brought Colin drove Cathy even crazier. So back to work
to California to become their Training he went, but did slow down a little. In June

Manager. He attended night school, gained 2018, they moved to Oregon to be near their
his high school diploma, then went on to gain grandson and bought a home in Swisshome
a degree. During this time he also joined on a creek with steelhead. (Colin says so far
Toastmasters and is proud to say that in his the fish are smarter than he is. But he has

icebreaker he only had three Ah’s. Of course, high hopes of outwitting them one of these

VOICES! | MAY 2019 9