A Toast, Then

Toastmasters International would like to express its gratitude for the exceptional article “Toast of the Town,” March 3.

Southern California is frequently maligned as a cultural wasteland. As your article points out, however, the world’s No. 1 organization dedicated to public speaking owes its beginnings to Santa Ann resident Ralph C. Smedley and the receptive community of Southern California.

Upon Smedley’s death in 1965, Joseph Rinnert, whose sculptured image is prominently featured in the photo accompanying the article, played a major role in guiding the organization toward the international prominence it enjoys today.

Rinnert, a respected member of the Los Angeles legal community for almost five decades, was not only president of Toastmasters International during one of its most critical periods of development, but also served as legal counsel to our organization until his death in 1995. The recently unveiled sculpture by Laguna Beach artist Saim Caglayan is a tribute to Rinnert’s contributions to our organization.

TERRENCE J. MCCANN

Executive Director

Toastmasters International

Mission Viejo