Kylene Barker
Roanoke, Virginia
After her year of service as Miss America, Kylene signed a ten year lease at age 23, and opened D. Kylene Ladies Apparel on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, which she owned and operated for 13 years.
Several corporations and associations, including Clairol, the Manmade Fiber Producer's Association, The Palm Aire Spa and the Made in the USA Council, chose Kylene to be their corporate spokesperson. Drawing from her experience as a writer, producer and editor of her own segments on the "Today Show", Kylene has produced fashion shows for the American Yarn Spinners Association, the America Textile Manufacturers Association and companies associated with the Crafted with Pride Council.
Her television appearances have included frequent reports for NBC's "Today Show", CNN's "Crossfire" (for a debate on issues surrounding the Miss America competition), and "Live with Regis and Kathy Lee." Articles about Kylene have appeared in publications such as "Newsweek", "People", "Time", "USA Today", "The New York Times", "WWD" and the cover of "Travel & Leisure" magazine.
Winning the Miss America title as an acrobatic dancer, Kylene believes fitness and beauty go hand in hand with fashion. Her keen observations as Miss America plus the experience from her Palm Beach boutique were the fuel to write "Southern Beauty: A Total Fitness and Beauty Program for That All American Winning Look." She has also released her own exercise album, "Stamina With Style."
In the early '90s Kylene decided to trade the business world for the golf course and became an avid golfer. She just had her second hole-in-one!
During the 2007 Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas, she married Canadian Businessman Ian McNeill. "We invited family and friends to what they thought was a cocktail party...but surprised them with our wedding. And no, we didn't invite Elvis!"
Kylene was recently appointed to the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors. She resides in her country cottage called the "Muskokas" in Canada and spends the winter months in Naples, Florida.
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