Barbados Today

The Barbados Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators will be hosting a breakfast seminar on “The Art of Speech Writing” on May 31, 2013 at The Island Inn Hotel, Aquatic Gap, St. Michael.

“Speech writing is indeed an art onto itself and as with every artform a natural hint of talent is a plus but it is practice, guidance and critique that leads to mastery,” said President of the IABC Barbados, Dr. Sharon Marshall.

Presenters will be principal of Clarity Communications, Richard Thomas, and former Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, Avril Gollop. Both presenters have a wealth of experience in the field of communication, having to apply their art of speech writing on numerous occasions on behalf of members of both the private and public sector respectively.

Thomas is an award-winning corporate writer and editor. He has written speeches for senior executives in several different industries, and served a year-long stint as resident speech-writer to the Ontario Minister of Labour in 1988-89. Thomas is also a long-standing member of the International Association of Business communicators and his work has earned him the association’s prestigious Gold Quill Award of Excellence and the Gold Quill Award of Merit. He is a founding member of the IABC Barbados chapter and served on its board for three years.

Gollop has provided guidance to heads of Government, Members of Parliament, other Government ministers and officials. She brings to the seminar a depth of working knowledge in the areas of protocol and would be speaking from a point of real-life experience.

The seminar is open to all interested business professionals who are called upon to write and/or deliver speeches. Breakfast will be served from 7:30 a.m. and the session will run from 8:15 a.m. until 11 a.m.