Miss Minnesota Contacts

 Miss Minnesota 2010 Sponsors

Diamond ($5,000-$9,999)

Edina Eye Physicians

YoungQuest Fitness

Gold ($1,000-$4,999)

Crutchfield Dermatology

Loffler

Morrie's Subaru

Paeonia Floral

Paula Preston, Photographer

Rodney Alfred for Karishma

Stacie McBride-Cox

Walter Billboards

Wes Urich, DDS

Silver ($500-$999)

Around Town w/Carla Beaurline

Brunswick Zone-Eden Prairie

Dazzle Me Jewels

Eileen Clift, Arbonne Consultant

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Glaceau Vitamin Water Zero

Gunner's Garage

CoCo & Chloe

Stevie Ray's Improv Company

Glitz! Gowns

Minnesota Zoo

Nystrom Signs

Wipfli

Thank you for donating food to the Miss MN organization during pageant week

Buca di Beppo-Eden Prairie

Chianti Grill

Chipotle

Crave

Fuddrucker's-Bloomington

IHOP-Bloomington

McCormick & Schmick Seafood Restaurant

Original Pancake House-Eden Prairie

Panera-Eden Prairie

Panera-St. Louis Park

Santorini

Starbucks

Subway

Wilfire

Max's Chocolates for the judge's gifts

McCormick & Schmick Seafood Restaurant for the judges dinners.

Bebe Shopp (Hopkins)

Miss Minnesota 1948

Miss America 1948

http://www.missamerica.org/our-miss-americas/1940/1948.asp

BeBe serves with the distinction of being the first Miss America crowned in an evening gown

after the pageant was resurrected in 1935.

She has served the Miss America program on a local, state, and national level for over fifty years,

being an avid supporter with a lifelong commitment

to the scholarship program for young women.

BeBe has focused on many volunteer and

professional interests over the years including

raising four daughters, promoting drug abuse prevention, supporting VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), being active in her local church as a licensed lay minister, occasionally performing on the vibes and piano, and now enjoying her ten grandchildren.

What She's Doing Now As a singer with a group called “Share the Music”, Bebe performs in a local dinner theater production. The two-hour show consists of solos, duets and ensemble works. She also stays busy attending all the sporting and musical events of her nine

grandchildren.  

Dorothy Benham (Edina)

Miss Minnesota 1976

Miss America 1977

http://www.missamerica.org/our-miss-americas/1970/1977.asp

Dorothy has stayed actively involved in the Miss America program since her year of service. She is a celebrated soprano, whose voice has blessed many preliminary shows as well as several telecasts with her beautiful grace and strong music abilities.

Dorothy made her Broadway solo singing debut in 1989 in "Jerome Robbins' Broadway". Dorothy is a mother of six who has toured with live orchestras using her beautiful soprano voice to enthrall audiences everywhere.

She has appeared numerous times as a musical guest on the national television broadcast "The Hour of Power."

Dorothy has now released 3 CD recordings, including her most recent entitled, "from the heart," a collection of her favorite Broadway love songs. You can check out her personal website at

http://www.dorothybenham.com 

Gretchen Carlson (Anoka)

Miss Minnesota 1988

Miss America 1989

http://www.missamerica.org/our-miss-americas/1980/1989.asp

Gretchen graduated with honors from Stanford University in 1990 with a self-designed degree in Organizational Behavior. She also studied at Oxford University in England. Her first love was the violin. Gretchen started playing when she was six years old. Her dream was to one day become a famous concert artist and perform at Carnegie Hall. Gretchen studied with Dorothy DeLay at the Julliard School of Music in New York City, and became the first classical violinist ever to win the title of Miss America.

Gretchen has an extensive career as a television journalist. She has joined the Fox News Channel based in New York City as a weekday anchor. Before achieving this goal, Gretchen criss-crossed the nation building her career as an Anchor/Reporter in Texas, Ohio, Virginia, and Minnesota.

Gretchen's broadcasting awards and honors include the National American Women in Radio and Television Awards for her 30-part series on Domestic Violence, and for her "Day Care Investigation" in 1997. She also received two Emmy Awards.

Although Gretchen did not choose to make music her career, she continues to be a strong advocate of the arts, especially as it relates to children. She believes music builds discipline and self-esteem in kids and gives them the confidence to be successful in whatever career they choose.

Gretchen currently resides in New York City with her husband.

Gretchen is proud of her Swedish heritage. She remains a huge fan of the Minnesota Vikings Football Team and is proud to say she grew up in Minnesota.

What She's Doing Now

An award-winning television anchor and reporter, Gretchen has joined the Fox News Channel based in New York City as a weekday anchor. Previously, Gretchen was the co-host of the Saturday Early Show and news correspondent at CBS News in New York.  She also serves as a National Celebrity Spokesperson for the March of Dimes. She and her husband, Casey, are the proud parents of two children, and reside in Manhattan.