Art McMaster serves as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Miss America Organization. He works closely with the Organization’s Board of Directors to lead and manage all organizational operations including finance, administration and production. Additionally, McMaster oversees the fifty-three state scholarship programs and serves as executive producer of the Miss America Pageant.
McMaster brings more than 20 years of international financial and executive management experience to his position. He joined the Miss America Organization in 1999 as Controller, and then was promoted to the position of Vice President of Finance in 2000, Acting President / CEO in 2004 and Permanent President & CEO in 2007. Prior to joining the Miss America Organization, McMaster served as Senior Planner for the Saudi Arabian Oil Company in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Previous to that, he served as Controller for the engineering firm of Day and Zimmerman and also served as Field Administration Manager for Raytheon Engineers, Philadelphia. In both capacities, he was involved in corporate strategic planning, the development of hundred million dollar budgets and the creation of financial management and reporting systems.
McMaster earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. Active in his community, McMaster serves as a Eucharistic Minister with the Holy Family Parish and is a member of the Knights of Columbus. McMaster resides in Sewell, New Jersey, with his wife Theresa. He has three daughters and two grandchildren.
Sharon Pearce, Director of Communications
Sharon Pearce is the Director of Communications for the Miss America Organization. She is responsible for handling all internal and external communications efforts for the Miss America Organization, as well as securing publicity appearances for the current Miss America. She is also responsible for creating sponsorships on the national level and overseeing the web site for MAO.
Pearce is a casino resort industry veteran who worked in Atlantic City for the last 22 years. She most recently held the position of Regional Vice President of Advertising and Public Relations for Caesars Entertainment, where she managed an $11 million annual budget as well as overseeing the in-house media buying efforts for 22 markets in the Eastern and Mid-South regions of the country. In that position she oversaw all public relations and advertising operations for Bally's, Caesars and Hilton Casino Resorts.
She resides in Ventnor, New Jersey with her husband and daughter.
Kirk Ryder, Director of Field Marketing and Head of the Las Vegas office
Kirk Ryder serves as the Director of Field Marketing and Head of the Miss America Organization’s Las Vegas office. He is responsible for working with all 53 State Organizations on fundraising efforts, focusing particularly on our platform partner, Children’s Miracle Network. Kirk is a 20-year veteran of the entertainment industry who most recently held the position of Talent Relations Manager for Showtime Networks in Los Angeles, California. While there, he oversaw every aspect of celebrity appearances for the network. For five years prior to that, he worked in the William Morris Agency’s Television Talent and Packaging departments.
Kirk is an honors graduate of The Julliard School in New York City. He has danced all over the world – as a guest artist with Japanese ballet companies, as a featured adagio couple in the Closing Ceremonies of the Barcelona Olympics, as a soloist with Netherlands Dance Theater, and as a featured dancer in the latest hit Broadway revival of “Guys & Dolls!” – just to name a few highlights.
Marc Angeli, Director of Field Marketing
Marc Angeli serves as the Director of Field Marketing for the Miss America Organization. He is responsible for working with all 53 State Organizations, focused on assisting the growth of their programs. A graduate from Temple University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, Marc has a marketing background with a successful track record for building brands, developing products and improving sales.
Marc previously worked as Marketing Director for a software company, where he oversaw marketing budgets, advertising strategy and sales support. Marc has also worked at QVC in West Chester, PA where he implemented strategies that launched and grew brands across several product categories, including beauty, health and fitness. He began his career with a 70-store retail chain where he consistently increased sales and improved operational efficiencies.
Marc currently resides in Turnersville, NJ with his wife and two children.
Doreen Gordon, Controller/Scholarships
Doreen Gordon serves as the Controller/Scholarships executive for The Miss America Organization. She is responsible for overseeing and administering the tens of thousands of scholarship awards that are won by Miss America contestants every year along with all of the scholarships that are paid through the Community Fund of New Jersey on the state and local level. Doreen is also responsible for all the accounting needs of the Miss America Organization.
Doreen received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from Pace University in White Plains, NY. After relocating to Southern New Jersey in the late eighties, Doreen was employed in the Atlantic City casino industry in the finance departments until she joined the Miss America Organization in 2000 as the Scholarships Administrator.
Doreen is passionate about being involved in her community with local animal rescues. Doreen currently resides in Linwood, New Jersey with her two children, her husband Bob, and their two dogs.
