by Jamie Pickering DTM PDD Past Regional Advisor
“Have you met Chris?”
This simple question was my go-to opener for three days in Philadelphia, as I played the role of on-site campaign manager for my good friend and fellow Toastmaster, Chris Raneri. He was running for Toastmasters International Director from Region 3, and our bond, forged as District 25 Trio members, was now a strategic partnership on a national stage.
My primary mission was multifaceted: manage his time, create a buffer from distractions, and, most importantly, connect him with voters. Chris is an Ironman, so I didn’t have to worry about the basics like making sure he ate or went to bed on time. Instead, my focus was on managing his time and creating a buffer. I became an expert “bouncer,” politely stepping in when I saw people trying to snag him for an impromptu chat.
To keep everything running smoothly, I developed a detailed schedule and created what I called the “Project Adrian” notebook—a nod to the movie Rocky and our Philadelphia location. This was the playbook for our campaign, detailing his meetings and interviews in Candidate’s Corner. Our most important maneuver was a pre-planned signal. Interviews were limited to 15 minutes, and at the 12-minute mark, I would subtly walk to his side and hand him a couple of business cards to give to the interviewers. This was his cue that he had three minutes to wrap up the conversation. The system was so seamless, it looked like a well-choreographed dance.
Working the campaign also gave me a chance to reconnect with leaders I had trained as a Region Advisor. The hugs and smiles filled my soul. The best part of all was being there when the final results were announced. After a tense second ballot, the victory was ours. Seeing him succeed was an incredible moment.
They say Chris and I act like brother and sister—we give each other a hard time, but it’s all out of love. I’m just grateful I was able to help him out. It’s a good thing he had me there, though; otherwise, he might have spent the entire convention talking to people on his way to the bathroom.
