Nobody joins Toastmasters dreaming of being Secretary or Treasurer. But these two officers keep a club in good standing, and when they do it well, nobody has to think about it. Here's what each role needs, the dates that matter, and how Toastmanagers keeps your records out of one person's inbox.
What the Secretary does
The Secretary keeps the club's records, including meeting minutes, membership attendance, officer lists, and past club records.
Minutes that are actually useful
Record decisions, not conversation. For each item, write what was decided, who will do it, and by when. Share the minutes soon after the meeting, while people still remember.
Attendance
Paper sign-in sheets are easy to start and hard to keep. In Toastmanagers, officers mark each role Present or Absent right on the schedule, so attendance builds up as a by-product of running the meeting, and the Members tab shows each member's attendance rate.
The officer list
After elections, the president or secretary reports new officers through Club Central. The deadline is June 30 for annual elections, and June 30 and December 31 for semiannual ones. Submitting the officer list on time is part of Distinguished Club Program Goal 10.
What the Treasurer does
The Treasurer manages the club's money, collects dues, and pays bills. The club's good standing depends on paid memberships.
The dates that matter
- October 1: dues for the six-month period starting in October
- April 1: dues for the six-month period starting in April
For Goal 10, one round of dues must be paid on time with at least eight members, including three renewing.
A simple renewal plan
- Six weeks out, announce the amount and how to pay
- Four weeks out, message each member individually
- Two weeks out, phone anyone who hasn't paid
- Submit payment in Club Central ahead of the deadline
Offer one easy way to pay. Every extra step loses someone. Our email templates include wording you can adapt.
Keep clear accounts
Keep a simple record of what came in and what went out, give a short report at officer meetings, and keep receipts. Having two people able to see the club's account protects everyone.
Keep the roster accurate
Secretary, Treasurer, and VP Membership all rely on the same list of members. When that list is a spreadsheet with three versions, someone is always wrong. In Toastmanagers, officers can add a member, import a CSV, or mark someone inactive, and the schedule follows. Inactive members stop being assigned roles, without their history being lost.
Protect the club's history
Too many clubs have lost years of records because they were in someone's personal email or a Sheet in a former officer's Google Drive.
Toastmanagers keeps the schedule, attendance, and archived meetings in the club's account, not in one officer's personal files. And officers can download the club's data at any time as a ZIP of CSV files covering members, schedule and assignments, and attendance. Keep a copy with your end-of-year records.
Keep Club Records Where Everyone Can Find Them
Attendance from the schedule, and a full data export whenever you need it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need to keep paper records?
Keep what your club's constitution and your local rules require. A regular export gives you a dependable copy of your operational data.
Can one person be both Secretary and Treasurer?
Check your club's bylaws and the current Club Constitution before combining any offices.
Who should be able to see club data?
Officers who need it. Toastmanagers lets you decide who has officer access.