#302: Your Club’s Secret Ingredient – The Immediate Past President

[31:52] What happens after the gavel changes hands? In this episode Greg Gazin speaks with Distinguished Toastmaster António Mendes about one of Toastmasters’ most overlooked leadership roles: the Immediate Past President (IPP). Drawing on his experience serving as club president and Immediate Past President four times, António shares why this role may continue to influence a club long after a leadership transition.

António shares how what began as a search for stronger business pitches eventually became a 12-year Toastmasters journey that continues today.

You’ll also hear how encouraging newer Toastmaster Ana Natário to step into leadership helped shape António’s thinking about the IPP role. Watching her grow as club president and later continue supporting the club as Immediate Past President showed him how leadership continuity, encouragement, and a strong club culture can create lasting impact long after a term ends. That experience became one of the strongest examples behind his belief in the value of an engaged IPP.

Listeners will also hear:

• Why António believes leadership does not end when a presidency ends

• Why he compares the IPP to an airbag

• What it means to be a bridge between past and future leadership

• How supporting newer Toastmaster Ana Natário helped reinforce his view of the role

• Why a formal handover meeting can help set new officers up for success

• How clubs can preserve traditions while remaining open to change

You can read António’s article, The Unsung Hero of Toastmasters: Discover the Value the Immediate Past President Can Provide a Club in the July 2026 issue of Toastmaster magazine.

About António Mendes

António Mendes, DTM, has been a Toastmaster for 12 years and currently serves as Immediate Past President of Setúbal Toastmasters Club in Portugal. Over a 46-year career in technology, he worked as an IT manager, consultant, entrepreneur, and business leader and now advises organizations on cloud, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. He has served in multiple club and district leadership roles and helped establish and revive clubs while sharing ideas to help clubs grow and strengthen member engagement.

António Mendes lives in Setúbal, Portugal and can be reached via e-mail: mendes.ajs [at] gmail [dot] com, Instagram: @mendes.ajs, Facebook: mendes.ajs

LinkedIn: ajsmendes.