Osmel Sousa
1968-1981 - designer, coach, publicity director in Miss Venezuela
1982-2017 - president of the Miss Venezuela Organization
Cuban-born Osmel Sousa began his career in the Miss Venezuela pageant in 1968 as a graphic and fashion designer. At the time, the pageant was owned by Edwin Acosta-Rubio, a Cuban-Venezuelan businessman, who obtained ownership back in 1962.
By 1969, Edwin appointed his brother-in-law, Ignacio Font-Coll, as the director of the Miss Venezuela Organization and Osmel began working for the pageant's publicity while continuing his work in providing training and gowns for the pageant contestants and winners. Ignacio Font-Coll died in 1981 and Osmel was appointed the president of the Miss Venezuela Organization.
Under his leadership and mentoring, the Miss Venezuela Organization obtained 32 placements in the Miss Universe pageant, including a 23 consecutive year streak that occured from 1983 until 2003 and 5 victories, most notably the rare back-to-back victory in 2009. He served as the organization's president until his resignation in early 2018.
Because of his valuable contribution in the beauty pageant industry, the Venezuelan media has dubbed him "The Czar of Beauty".
Genevieve de Fontenay
1954-1981 - secretary, designer, coach of the Miss France Committee
1981-2010 - president of the Miss France Committee
In 1954, Genevieve Mulmann was working as a cosmetologist and beautician when she became the partner of Louis Poirot, the organizer of the Miss France pageant at the time.
Adopting the pseudonym "de Fontenay",
the couple became active in promoting the Miss France pageant. Genevieve became secretary of the Miss France Committee and took on multiples roles such as chauffeur, steward, coach and costume designer, while Louis was in charge of communications and presenting the election. Louis died in 1981 and Geneviève became president of the Miss France Committee.
During her presidency, the Miss France Committee obtained 5 placements in the Miss Universe pageant. She served as president until her resignation in 2010.
She is affectionately dubbed as "The Lady in the Hat" by the French media for always wearing a hat during her public appearances and her distinct fashion of wearing black and white color pallette.
Stella Marquez-Araneta
1964-present - chairperson of Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc.
Stella Marquez won the title of Señorita Colombia 1959 and had the opportunity of representing Colombia in the Miss Universe and Miss International pageants in 1960. She is inaugural winner of the Miss International pageant and soon married Jorge Araneta, a Filipino businessman, in 1962.
In 1964, her father-in-law, Jesus Amado Araneta, who led the Araneta Group of Companies at the time, obtained the Philippine license for the Miss Universe pageant. Because of her experience in the pageant industry, Stella was appointed by her father-in-law to organize the national pageant, Binibining Pilipinas (Miss Philippines), to choose the Philippine representative for the Miss Universe pageant.
Under her leadership, the Binibining Plipinas organization obtained 22 placements in the Miss Universe pageant, including a 10 consecutive year streak that occured from 2010 until 2019 and 4 victories. At the end of 2019, the Miss Universe organization did not renew its license with the Binibining Pilipinas organization.
She is affectionately called "Madame Stella" among pageant candidates and fans in the Philippines.
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