We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Ortiz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I worked under the prior director Will Henderson who has since taken over Miss Texas USA. I learned how to run Miss Dallas and enjoy putting on the production and meeting the ladies competing. So when he was leaving I decided to take over the business.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I have been an insurance broker for nearly 33 years, so I already established a sincere work ethic when I took over Miss Dallas. I believe in hard work, dedication, loyalty, and organization. I believe what sets the Miss Dallas Organization apart from others is that we truly care about the ladies who compete with us and most of them become like family. When the pageant is over or they pass on their crowns they continue to be a part of the Miss Dallas family and many return to volunteer. I also believe in rewarding my staff and showing them as much appreciation as I can. Without their help, the pageant would not run as smoothly as it does. I also try my best to add special touches for all the ladies competing so that their experience is a good one. At the end of the pageant, only one Miss and One teen will be crowned but everyone can have a good time.

In my personal life, I am married and have two children. My daughter Emily graduated from the University of Alabama and currently works at Cook’s Children’s. She is studying to be a nurse and owns the non-profit corporation, Emily’s Smile Boxes. She is our mental care partner with Miss Dallas and is there for our clients for any mental health help they may need while competing. I attended college for Behavioral Psychology and then completed programs to become an insurance agent/adjuster. Emily’s little brother Jude was the inspiration for her charity. He suffered a massive bilateral stroke in utero that caused a host of disabilities. I kept a blog called, “The Diary Of A Baby And A Stroke” to keep our family/friends updated on his illness. The blog became viral and Jude had a very large following. He passed away at 7 years, 7 months, and 7 days old but not before inspiring thousands of people.

I have been involved in the pageant community since 1998 through my daughter’s competitions, judging, and directing. I have always admired the amount of work the ladies put into competing. Sometimes the outside world has no idea just how much dedication, intelligence, and perseverance it takes to win a title or just compete. I am honored to know every competitor that comes to Miss Dallas or Miss Dallas Teen. As an official recruiter for Miss Texas and Texas Teen USA, our ultimate goal is to have one of the ladies on our team secure that coveted title.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am rather boring and I am very much a homebody! I live in Argyle which is outside of Denton and it’s stunning here. I would bring my friend to my house for a wonderful home-cooked meal and a country experience. We also have a small hobby farm so we have lots of animals to play with. In addition, we would have to hit the staples that stand out in our area. We would take a trip to Fort Worth via the train from Grapevine and visit the stockyards. We would eat at Joe T Garcia’s which has always been a family favorite. The next day we would take a trip to Dallas to the JFK memorial and tour Dealey Plaza. I would top off that day with a wonderful meal at Rise off Lovers Lane. Finally, we would spend some time at amazing places near my house. We would eat at the wonderful Barrell Restaurant and then have a drink while we checked out a local band at Marty B’s.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Thank you to the most amazing team of people who volunteer every year to make Miss Dallas a success. Also, a huge thank you to my family who works tirelessly on all the small components leading up to the event and at the pageant itself.

Website: missdallaspageant.com

Instagram: @missdallaspageant

Facebook: themissdallaspageant

Other: The Diary Of A Baby and A stroke: cjengo.blogspot.com

Image Credits
Zac Grimaldo Emily Lites Be Grey Studio Richard McGuire

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.