Many young women who compete in the Miss Madison pageants have gone on to become highly successful in a number of fields, including public policy and nuclear engineering. 

Tara Pizer, executive director of Miss Madison, the local pageant that can qualify women for the Miss Wisconsin and Miss America pageants, talked about the organization at the Feb. 12 Waunakee Rotary meeting. 

Tara volunteers her time with the organization, coordinating the pageants and finding sponsors for the scholarships it offers to women. A Waunakee resident, she also owns The Willows, a bed and breakfast and barn wedding venue in Richland Center. And, she’s a pharmaceutical sales rep for Amgen. (See her for drugs to treat plaque psoriasis). 

The Miss Madison, Miss Wisconsin and Miss America programs are more than beauty pageant, Tara said. The contestants are required to give back to the community and are judged by their service. Part of Tara’s job is to prepare them for the competition, as they should be ready to answer questions on a wide variety of topics. 

The Miss America organization is the largest supplier of scholarships, and the local Madison competition just celebrated its 100th year. Tara showed a video from the program’s  anniversary celebration at the Overture Center recently, pointing out one contestant who went on to become a nuclear engineer and another who is the deputy White House secretary. 

Tara competed in college, too, and said it was her extra-curricular. She didn’t win, but the experience helped her with public speaking, she said. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in nursing, Tara earned a master’s in health care administration and was recruited for her sales job. The recruiter said they typically seek out Miss Madison contestants because of their ability to turn a “no” answer to a “yes.”

Right now, Tara is working on finding sponsors for scholarships, along with things like gowns and outfits, and finding new contestants. All the while, she’ll help get the winner of the Miss Madison and Miss Wisconsin competition ready for the next level. 

Tara also spoke a little about the Willows, the home that her great-great grandfather built in Richland Center. The family bought the house and remodeled it, along with the barn, for a wedding venue. 

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Other News:

Paul Knudson is preparing for the Easter Drive-Thru in March. A few days before, volunteers will be needed to stuff 600 bags with candy and swag. If your business has swag you’d like to donate, let him know. Paul is also heading up the Chips & Chips fundraiser in April and will need volunteers for that, as well. 

Coming Up

Feb. 17: Morning fellowship at Grace Coffee, 7:15 a.m.

Feb. 19: Tour of the New Waunakee Middle School.

March 5: Chamber Dinner and Auction

March 28: Easter Bunny Drive-Thru at Ripp Park

April 17: Tri-Con Convention

April 17: Chips & Chips Fundraiser

Guests: ??

 Greeters: Feb. 19 Shelley Moffatt and Todd Schmidt; Feb. 26, Dave May and Austin Maly; March 5, Alex Welk and ???; March 12, Chris Zellner and Roberta Baumann. 

To sign up to greet or to find out when you are greeting, visit: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054CAAAA2CA7F85-44320149-2023#/