Melissa Witek
Encyclopedia
Melissa Witek is an entrepreneur and beauty queen who competed in the Miss USA
pageant and appeared on the reality television
show Treasure Hunters.
and was given the key to the city in August 2004. A sister of Delta Delta Delta
Sorority, she graduated from the University of Florida
with a degree in Public Relations in 2003, the third consecutive University of Florida alumna to win the Miss Florida USA
crown. From 2003 to 2005, Witek was CEO and President of her own builders' supply company, Ampex Granite, which she discussed during her live interview for the Miss USA 2005
pageant.
pageant held in Hollywood, Florida
and broadcast live throughout the state. Witek won the crown and numerous other prizes, including cash, a wardrobe and use of an apartment in Hollywood
during her reign.
On April 11, 2005, Witek represented Florida in the Miss USA 2005
pageant broadcast live from Baltimore, Maryland on NBC
. She placed fourth-runner-up to Chelsea Cooley
of North Carolina
, her state's highest placement since 1987.
. In April 2006 it was announced that Witek was among the cast of the new NBC
reality television series Treasure Hunters
that aired June 18, 2006. She teamed up with fellow Miss USA 2005 delegates Kristen Johnson
of Kentucky
and Kaitlyn Christopher
of Indiana
for the competition, which was taped during September and October 2005. Their group, Team Miss USA, came in as fourth runnerup on the show.
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
pageant and appeared on the reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show Treasure Hunters.
Biography
Witek grew up in Pamona, New York with her cousins and parents. She later moved to Cocoa BeachCocoa Beach, Florida
Cocoa Beach is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,482 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2008, the city had a population of 11,920...
and was given the key to the city in August 2004. A sister of Delta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta , also known as Tri Delta, is an international sorority founded on November 27, 1888, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. With over 200,000 initiates, Tri Delta is one of the world's largest NPC sororities.-History:...
Sorority, she graduated from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
with a degree in Public Relations in 2003, the third consecutive University of Florida alumna to win the Miss Florida USA
Miss Florida USA
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
crown. From 2003 to 2005, Witek was CEO and President of her own builders' supply company, Ampex Granite, which she discussed during her live interview for the Miss USA 2005
Miss USA 2005
Miss USA 2005, the 54th Miss USA pageant, was held in Baltimore, Maryland in April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 2005...
pageant.
Pageantry
Witek's first pageant title was Miss Florida Gator which she won in February 2002. With this title, she competed at Miss Florida 2002 (in the Miss America system), but did not place. Her first Miss USA system title was Miss Florida Panhandle USA, which she won in March 2004. In May of that year, she competed against forty-seven other contestants in the Miss Florida USAMiss Florida USA
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
pageant held in Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
and broadcast live throughout the state. Witek won the crown and numerous other prizes, including cash, a wardrobe and use of an apartment in Hollywood
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
during her reign.
On April 11, 2005, Witek represented Florida in the Miss USA 2005
Miss USA 2005
Miss USA 2005, the 54th Miss USA pageant, was held in Baltimore, Maryland in April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 2005...
pageant broadcast live from Baltimore, Maryland on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. She placed fourth-runner-up to Chelsea Cooley
Chelsea Cooley
Chelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title....
of North Carolina
Miss North Carolina USA
The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group....
, her state's highest placement since 1987.
Reality television
Months before her state pageant win, Witek had made the semi-finals of reality television show The Bachelor but was cut because of the possibility of her knowing the Bachelor, former University of Florida football star Jesse PalmerJesse Palmer
Jesse James Palmer is a Canadian-born sports commentator and former college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League for four seasons in the early 2000s...
. In April 2006 it was announced that Witek was among the cast of the new NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
reality television series Treasure Hunters
Treasure Hunters (TV series)
Treasure Hunters is a reality television series on NBC and Global Television in which ten teams of three solve puzzles and complete challenges in hopes of solving the ultimate puzzle and winning the grand prize. Teams travel across the United States and Europe in search of seven "artifacts" which...
that aired June 18, 2006. She teamed up with fellow Miss USA 2005 delegates Kristen Johnson
Kristen Johnson
Kristen Lynn Johnson is a beauty queen who has represented Kentucky at both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.-Miss Kentucky USA:Before Johnson returned to the USA pageant stage, she competed and won the title Miss Model of Kentucky....
of Kentucky
Miss Kentucky USA
The Miss Kentucky USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. The current director for the Miss Kentucky USA and Miss Kentucky Teen USA titles is Connie Clark Harrison. Mrs...
and Kaitlyn Christopher
Kaitlyn Christopher
Kaitlyn Marie Christopher is a beauty queen who has held the title Miss Indiana USA and competed at Miss USA.Christopher was crowned Miss Indiana USA 2005 on November 14 2004. She was the first Miss Indiana USA to hail from Kokomo, Indiana since 1979...
of Indiana
Miss Indiana USA
The Miss Indiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Indiana in the Miss USA pageant.Nine Miss Indiana USA winners previously competed at Miss Teen USA. The state currently holds the record for the most Miss Teen USA state winners to win a Miss USA...
for the competition, which was taped during September and October 2005. Their group, Team Miss USA, came in as fourth runnerup on the show.