Alison McCreary

Last updated
Alison McCreary
Born (1974-06-03) June 3, 1974 (age 46)
Florence, Alabama
Education Samford University
TitleMiss Shoals Area 1994
Miss Point Mallard 1995
Miss Samford University 1996
Miss Alabama 1996 [1]
Beauty pageant titleholder
Major
competition(s)		 Miss America 1997

Alison McCreary Gengelbach (born June 3, 1974) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Florence, Alabama, who was named Miss Alabama 1996. She won the Quality of Life award and was named third runner-up at the Miss America 1997 pageant.

Contents

Pageant career

In November 1993 as a sophomore at Samford University, McCreary was crowned Miss Shoals Area 1994. [2] She performed "Because of Who You Are", a song made famous by Sandi Patty, during the talent portion of the Miss Alabama competition. [3] McCreary was second runner-up for the title and "Miss Congeniality" but the state crown went to eventual Miss America 1995 Heather Whitestone. [4] [5]

In July 1994, McCreary won the Miss Point Mallard 1995 title then, in June 1995, competed in the 1995 Miss Alabama pageant. [5] She was named was first runner-up to winner Leigh Sherer. [6] [7]

In October 1995, McCreary was crowned Miss Samford University 1996 which made her eligible to compete at the 1996 Miss Alabama pageant. [7] Entering the state pageant in June 1996 as one of finalists, McCreary's preliminary competition talent for Miss Alabama was singing the gospel hymn "How Great Thou Art" in a contemporary Christian arrangement. [7] [8] [9] She won the Thursday preliminary talent competition and tied with Christy Booker, Miss Auburn University, in the Friday preliminary swimsuit competition. [7] Her platform was hospice care, emphasizing "grief support among youthful survivors", because of personal experiences with family members who benefited from hospice. [7] [9] [10] McCreary won the competition on Saturday, June 15, 1996, when she received her crown from outgoing Miss Alabama titleholder Leigh Sherer. [7] [11] She earned more than $26,000 in scholarship money from the state pageant. [12]

As Miss Alabama, her activities included public appearances across the state of Alabama, including an "Alison McCreary Day" celebration in her hometown of Florence. [12] [13] On July 27, 1996, McCreary was honored by the Shoals Chamber of Commerce and presented with a key to the city of Florence, Alabama, by Mayor Eddie Frost. [10]

McCreary was Alabama's representative at the Miss America 1997 pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September 1996. [14] [15] [16] Her competition talent was singing the gospel hymn "How Great Thou Art". [13] She was third runner-up for the national title and received a $15,000 scholarship prize. [1] [13] [17] [18] [19] She also won the Quality of Life award and an additional $10,000 scholarship for her community service work related to hospice care. [13] [20] Her reign as Miss Alabama continued until Beth Stomps was crowned on June 14, 1997. [20]

Personal life and education

McCreary is a native of Florence, Alabama, and attended Coffee High School in Florence. [10] [14] Her father is Marc McCreary and her mother is Donna (Fortenberry) McCreary. [10] [21] She has two sisters, Leah and Ashley. [9] [12] As a young child, McCreary got a fortune from a package of Bazooka bubble gum that said, "You will be Miss America." [14]

In February 1989, McCreary won the Miss Coffee High School pageant. [22] In mid-1990, she and several classmates visited the Soviet Union as part of a glasnost -era student exchange program. [23] In December 1990, McCreary was named state champion in original oratory speech during a statewide drama competition. [24] In May 1991, McCreary was elected senior class vice-president for the upcoming school year. [25]

Between her junior and senior years, McCreary participated in the Musical Theater Project of Tampa, Florida, where she received training and instruction from Ann Reinking, Tommy Tune, Stephanie Zimbalist, and other Broadway theatre professionals. [26] McCreary graduated from Coffee High School in 1992. [10]

She spent one year at the Texas Bible Institute in Columbus, Texas, before transferring to Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. [9] She earned a bachelor's degree in human development and family studies from Samford in 1998. [18] [21]

McCreary worked at Eli Lilly and Company from 2000 through 2013. [18] She married Brandom Gengelbach on March 8, 2008. They have two sons, Tyler and William, and reside in Columbia, Tennessee. [27]

Related Research Articles

Deidre Downs

Deidre Downs Gunn is an American physician and former beauty pageant titleholder. Downs was Miss Alabama 2004 and later was crowned Miss America 2005.

The Miss Alabama competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Alabama in the annual Miss America Competition.

The Miss Alabama's Outstanding Teen competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Alabama in the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant.

Caitlin Brunell from Great Falls, Virginia won the Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2008 title in August 2007. In 2014, she was crowned Miss Alabama and represented the state at the Miss America 2015 competition where she was a Top Ten semi-finalist and the Quality of Life Award winner.

Teresa Ann Cheatham-Crosby is a vocal instructor from Wellington, Alabama who was named Miss Alabama 1978 and finished first runner-up at Miss America 1979.

Scarlotte Deupree Kilgore is an American beauty and performer who held the title of Miss Alabama 2002 and was 1st runner-up to Miss America 2003.

Madeline Mitchell Gwin is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Russellville, Alabama. She won the title of Miss Alabama USA 2011 and competed in the Miss USA 2011 competition, where she finished as the second runner-up. She later won the Mrs. America 2015 pageant.

Ann Fowler is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Birmingham, Alabama, who was named Miss Alabama 1969. She would later marry and divorce American television executive Roone Arledge.

Caroline McGowan

Caroline McGowan is an American actress and beauty pageant titleholder from Corvallis, Oregon, who was crowned Miss Oregon 2011. She competed for the Miss America 2012 title but was not a Top 16 semi-finalist.

Crystal Lee

Crystal Lee is a co-founder of the Silicon Valley startup LifeSite. Lee was the first runner-up in the Miss America 2014 pageant, Miss California 2013, Miss Chinatown USA 2010, and Miss California's Outstanding Teen 2008.

Kelly Jones Carr is an American educator and beauty pageant titleholder from Birmingham, Alabama, who was named Miss Alabama 2001.

Julie Smith West is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Birmingham, Alabama, who was named Miss Alabama 1999.

Leigh Sherer Seirafi is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Jasper, Alabama, who was named Miss Alabama 1995. She was a top ten finalist for Miss America 1996.

Amie Beth Dickinson Shaver is an American conservative political activist and beauty pageant titleholder from Shelby County, Alabama, who was named Miss Alabama 1994. She succeeded to the title after Heather Whitestone, the original titleholder, was named Miss America 1995.

Kalyn Chapman James is an American model, television host, and beauty pageant titleholder from Mobile, Alabama, who was crowned Miss Alabama in 1993, the first African American to win the pageant. She competed for the Miss America 1994 title and placed as a top-ten semi-finalist.

Kimberly Marie "Kim" Wimmer is an American actress, singer, and educator from Mobile, Alabama, who was crowned Miss Alabama 1992. She competed for the Miss America 1993 title and won the pageant's Quality of Life Award. She co-starred in the Comedy Central series Strip Mall.

Ellen Bryan is an American television personality and beauty pageant titleholder from Celina, Ohio. She was crowned Miss Ohio 2011 and competed for the Miss America 2012 title. She worked as a reporter for KXAS-TV in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. In March 2016, she left KXAS-TV and moved to Washington D.C. where she began working for WUSA 9.

Mary Katherine Fechtel is an American titleholder from Leesburg, Florida, who was crowned Miss Florida 2015. She competed for the Miss America 2016 title in September 2015 live on ABC and placed in the top 10.

Maggie Marie Bridges is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Brinson, Georgia, who was crowned Miss Georgia 2014. She is the second Georgia Tech student to win the Miss Georgia title. The first Georgia Tech student to win the Miss Georgia title was Tammy Fulwider in 1983 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan_Blake. Bridges competed for the Miss America 2015 title in September 2014 but was not a Top 15 finalist.

Priyadarshini Chatterjee is an Indian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Femina Miss India World in 2016. She represented India at the Miss World 2016 pageant. She is the first northeast Indian to represent India at Miss World. She made it to the top 20 (semi-finalist) and also top-5 in Beauty with a Purpose.

References

  1. 1 2 "Miss Alabama History". Miss Alabama . Retrieved June 11, 2015.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  2. ↑ "McCreary wins title". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. December 5, 1993. p. 4F. Retrieved August 5, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  3. ↑ Pace, Terry (June 14, 1994). "McCreary, Sutton set for Miss Alabama". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. p. 1D. Retrieved August 5, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  4. ↑ "Out and About". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. August 18, 1994. p. 7D. Retrieved August 5, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  5. 1 2 Hightower, Nia (June 15, 1995). "Five contestants with Shoals ties to vie for Miss Alabama". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. p. 7D. Retrieved August 6, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  6. ↑ "Jasper woman named Miss Alabama 1995". The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, AL. June 18, 1995. p. 1A. Retrieved August 4, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Alison McCreary is Miss Alabama". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. Associated Press. June 16, 1996. p. 1A. Retrieved July 28, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  8. ↑ "Miss Alabama gets used to her crown". The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa, AL. Associated Press. June 17, 1996. p. 5A. Retrieved August 4, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  9. 1 2 3 4 Prince, Lucille (July 15, 1996). "Reaching out: As Miss Alabama '96, McCreary fucuses on her devotion to God, family, hospice care". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. pp. 1D–2D. Retrieved August 6, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Out and About". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. July 18, 1996. p. 4D-5D. Retrieved July 27, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  11. ↑ "Miss Alabama settles into her crown". The Gadsden Times . Gadsden, AL. Associated Press. June 17, 1996. p. A6. Retrieved August 4, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  12. 1 2 3 Pace, Terry (July 28, 1996). "Triumpant return: New Miss Alabama back home after winning title". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. pp. 1B–2B. Retrieved August 6, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  13. 1 2 3 4 Maloney, Ann (September 16, 1996). "Back to work; McCreary has a year of appearances to come". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. p. 1A. Retrieved August 4, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  14. 1 2 3 Pace, Terry (September 12, 1996). "Bama's beauty". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. pp. 1A, 5A. Retrieved August 4, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  15. ↑ Maloney, Ann (September 13, 1996). "McCreary assumes role of Alabama's champion". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. pp. 1A, 6A. Retrieved August 4, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  16. ↑ Maloney, Ann (September 18, 1996). "McCreary won many hearts". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. p. 3B. Retrieved August 4, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  17. ↑ "Here she is ..." The Gadsden Times . Gadsden, AL. Associated Press. September 15, 1996. p. A2. Retrieved August 4, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  18. 1 2 3 Barnidge, Noell (June 13, 2002). "High five: Northwest Alabama women in running for title". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. p. 1D. Retrieved August 6, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  19. ↑ "Kansan Takes Crown in Miss America Pageant". Los Angeles Times . Los Angeles, CA. Associated Press. September 15, 1996. Retrieved August 4, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  20. 1 2 "Alison McCreary completes reign". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. June 13, 1997. p. 1C. Retrieved July 28, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  21. 1 2 Dodd, Don; Bartlett-Dodd, Amy (2000). The Free State of Winston. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. p. 56. ISBN   0-7385-0592-7 . Retrieved August 4, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  22. ↑ Randolph, Becky (February 24, 1989). "On Campus: Coffee". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. p. 5B. Retrieved August 5, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  23. ↑ "Students experience glasnost". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. October 10, 1990. p. 8C. Retrieved August 5, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  24. ↑ Eckl, Joe (December 13, 1990). "On Campus: Coffee". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. p. 11B. Retrieved August 5, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  25. ↑ Rowell, Deidre (May 9, 1991). "On Campus: Coffee". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. p. 7B. Retrieved August 5, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  26. ↑ "Bright side". TimesDaily . Florence, AL. July 24, 1991. p. 6C. Retrieved August 5, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  27. ↑ "Brandom Gengelbach, Vice President of Business Development". Mount Pleasant, TN: Smelter Service Corporation. Archived from the original on June 9, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Leigh Sherer 		Miss Alabama
1996		Succeeded by
Beth Stomps
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.