Pageant News Bureau - Chet Welch

The local director is the hero of every pageant system -- the one who quietly cultivates the garden and then stands back when the beauties are in full bloom. Many directors do it for little reward and infrequent thanks. And many do it year after year.

We don't mean to say that every director is perfect. Some are horrid. But the good ones are priceless. They're the kind of people who get too little honor.

Chet Welch came to our attention quite by happenstance. (We weren't looking to profile a director.) But at a recent national pageant, Welch went beyond the call of duty to be helpful to the PNB team.

It wasn't that he was looking to curry favor. He was being equally gracious to everybody. He was the nicest person in the room, a PNB staffer said, "the only one who seemed utterly happy to be there."

Welch is from Ford City, Pa. He directs several events for the Miss Pennsylvania Pageant in the Miss America system -- Miss Armstrong County, Miss Allegheny Valley, Miss Southwestern Pennsylvania and Miss Three Rivers. In his 23 years as a director, he has produced 11 Miss Pennsylvanias. He received the 2005 Volunteer Award from the state pageant organization in 2005.

At this point, because he's the kind of man he is, he would want us to stop talking about him and just tell you about the girls. OK, anything for a hero. But keep Chet Welch in mind.

Tim Fickey, Blaire Pancake, Emily Wills and Chet Welch

From left, Tim Fickey (director of the Miss Tennessee Pageant), Blaire Pancake (Miss Tennessee), Emily Wills (Miss Pennsylvania), and Chet Welch

Before we tell you more about him, he'd like for us to tell you about his 2006 winners. They are Miss Armstrong County -- Shannon Doyle, who was Top 10 at Miss Pennsylvania 2005, a Miss America Academic Award winner at Miss Pennsylvania 2006 and third runner-up at Miss Pennsylvania 2006; Miss Allegheny Valley -- Katelyn Koval, who was a Non - Finalist Talent award at Miss Ohio 2006 and Best Overall Dancer Award at Miss Ohio 2006: Miss Southwestern Pennsylvania -- LauRen Merola, who was third runner-up at Miss Florida USA 2005, Miss Photogenic at Miss Florida USA 2005, Top 10 at Miss Florida America 2006 and Newcomer of the Year award at Miss Florida America 2006 (and a Miami Dolphins cheerleader); Miss Three Rivers -- Lauren Kenny, who was fourth runner-up at Miss Pennsylvania 2004 and Top 10 at Miss Pennsylvania 2005, preliminary swimsuit winner at Miss Pennsylvania 2006 and fourth runner-up at Miss Pennsylvania 2006.

And how about those Miss Pennsylvania winners? Marla Wynne - 1990; Diane Fabiano - 1993; GiGi Gordon - 1996; Mayra Acosta - 1998; Susan Spafford - 1999; Melissa Jeka - 2000; Rosalyn Menon - 2001; Autumn Marissa - 2002; Candace Otto - 2003; Nicole Brewer - 2005; Emily Wills - 2006.