New Executive Director Announced
12/20/2011 - The Miss America Organization Announces New Texas Leadership

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Letter from the Chairman

December 24, 2011

Pageant friends and family,

My name is David James, and I am honored to serve as chairman of the board of the new leadership team that has been granted the license from Miss America to operate the Miss Texas program. While we have our work cut out for us, we are excited to do everything within our power to make the Miss Texas program truly shine.

First, I'd like to extend our appreciation to the outgoing Miss Texas leadership. Please join me in thanking them for all the time and resources they've committed to building an organization that has helped so many young women and citizens of our great state. We are grateful to have this as a starting point, and we look forward to building on this legacy.

For those who don't know me, please allow me to introduce myself. My wife and I live in Texarkana, where I'm a partner in the law firm of Miller, James, Miller & Hornsby, L.L.P. Until now I've mostly been a pageant observer, albeit a very close one. My daughter, Stacy James Mayo, held the title of Miss Texas 2001.

We will unveil more details including the dates and location of the Spring Meeting and the 2012 Miss Texas Pageant in the weeks that come. Until then, please help me welcome the new board of directors, who are already well underway putting the infrastructure in place to have the most successful state pageant in the nation.

Michelle Martinez Metzger, State Director
With 14 years of experience as a marketing professional, Michelle Martinez Metzger has the perfect set of skills to take the Miss Texas Organization to the next level. Michelle served as Miss Texas 1996, and soon after got involved with the Miss Dallas Organization, where she served seven years as Executive Director. She has held numerous executive positions in marketing, public relations and communications, which culminated in her launching her own PR and marketing firm, Metzger & Associates, in May 2011.

John Dodd, Vice Chairman
As President of Honors Academy, John Dodd's career includes wide variety of leadership positions including serving as the Mayor of Farmers Branch, leading the Republican Mayoral Delegation with his Democratic counterpart, Diane Feinstein. John also served on the board of the DISD and has led many community efforts to help provide quality educational opportunities for young people.

Brian Brode, Treasurer
Brian Brode is a vice president with Merrill Lynch and served as a volunteer with the Miss Dallas Organization for seven years. He also is a triathlete and most recently ran the New York City marathon. Brian is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and was a Captain in the U.S. Army.

Carol Potter, Secretary
A veteran of the fashion industry in both Dallas and New York, Carol Craig Potter is the owner of Fashion Source, LLC. Previously, she was Vice President of Public Relations for Source, Inc., where she promoted and marketed special events for the telecommunications company. Her extensive volunteer experience includes serving as a board member and traveling companion for the Miss Texas Organization, as well as chairing various committees for Junior League of Dallas.

Jamie Story, Board Member
A graduate of Rice University, Jamie Sue Story was selected as Miss Texas 2004 and went on to make the Top Ten at the 2005 Miss America Pageant - the last one in Atlantic City. Jamie has a background in management consulting and public policy, including three years as the president of a free-market think tank in Hawaii. She recently returned to Texas and accepted a position as president of the Citizen Leader Alliance. Jamie resides in Austin.

Bo Chandler Boyd, Board Member
After serving as Miss Texas 1993, Bo Chandler Boyd attended the University of Houston Law Center, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. With 14 years of experience practicing law, she is currently Vice President of Law for Energy XXI in Houston. She won the Houston Business Journal General Counsel of the Year Award in 2009.

In addition to the Board of Trustees, we already have dozens of volunteers and sponsors who have stepped forward to ensure the new organization's success. We will update you as soon as the slate of committees is finalized. You'll recognize many of the names, and I know you will be thrilled with the caliber of people who are getting involved. Please let Michelle know if you'd like to take part.

While our first priority right now is ensuring that Kendall is completely prepared to win Miss America in January, several of our team members are already busy at work making arrangements for the 2012 Miss Texas Pageant. Please stay tuned for some exciting announcements, including an open board meeting during pageant week next summer. Rest assured that we appreciate your need to make plans in advance, and we will work to be as transparent and timely with information as we can.

Thank you for being part of the Miss Texas Organization. Our mission is to develop the leaders of tomorrow by providing young women with a vehicle to further their personal and professional goals, while instilling a spirit of community service through a variety of unique statewide community-based programs. As an organization, we will strive to exemplify the four points of the Miss America crown - Scholarship, Service, Success and Style - while ensuring a most positive experience for our contestants, franchise holders, sponsors, and volunteers. Thank you in advance for your invaluable support. We couldn't do this without you.

Kind regards,
David James, Chairman
 

Copyright © 2011 Miss Texas Organization