Mary Therese Friel after winning the Miss USA title in 1979 (left) and today (right). Photo set courtesy of Mary Therese Friel
BY DEB AND TIM SMITH
On Thursday, August 27, 2026, the 75th Miss USA Competition will take place in Miami, Florida, showcasing dynamic, accomplished women who reflect the confidence, diversity, and ambition of modern America. Since 1952, this time-honored event has crowned one woman every year. One of these esteemed titleholders is a woman from the Pittsford-Mendon area, who still calls Greater Rochester her home.
Mary Therese Friel won the title of Miss USA in 1979 and is well known locally for this achievement. Friel parlayed her title into an international modeling career, a company that she founded in Upstate New York in 1987, and ultimately a life’s work as a Goodwill Ambassador, Role Model, and Philanthropist.
“The diamond is a perfect metaphor to describe the spirit of the Miss USA competition,” said Friel. “The pressure of the competition forces contestants to focus on their inner strength and resilience, bringing that inner light out and showing it to the world.”
The Miss USA Competition brings together a select group of women who compete to be their best and shine brightly on a national stage. Thousands enter the preliminary state competitions each year, of which 51 contestants win the opportunity to compete for the Miss USA title (all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia).
Even though the look and presentation changes year to year to stay relevant with the American audience, the structure of the competition has remained consistent over the years. Contestants are scored on their communication skills through interviews with the judges, their ability to answer impromptu on-stage questions, as well as their personal presentation in elegant evening wear and fun swimwear.
In addition to the competition, this year’s Miss USA Diamond Legacy Celebration will feature a special reunion of former titleholders. All of the former titleholders were invited to attend the festivities. A collector’s edition book has also been published to commemorate the 75th Miss USA Anniversary and the pageant’s history.
A presentation of all the women who have won the title since 1952 can be seen here: https://www.thenextmissusa.com/miss-hall-of-fame.
Only four women from New York have ever won the title since the inception of the pageant: (1952 Jackie Loughery, 1979 Mary Therese Friel, 1995 Shaina Moakler, and 1999 Kimberly Pressler). Friel was the second New Yorker to win the title, and she served as personal coach to the two women from our state who followed her in becoming Miss USA.
Mary Therese Friel is the President of The Mary Therese Friel Modeling Agency, a company that she founded in Rochester almost 40 years ago. The company is built on a culmination of her many careers, including: Miss USA 1979, an International Model, a National Spokesperson, a celebrity, a teacher, a radio show host, an author, a mentor, and an entrepreneur.
The remarkable passion and energy that propelled Mary Therese to the highest echelon of her field continues to fuel her entrepreneurial drive and inspire and motivate the people with whom she works. Her mission is to help and encourage others to be the best that they can be.
In all that she does, Mary Therese Friel is committed to instilling in people a sense of pride, purpose, and community. She leads by example, helps people develop confidence in their abilities, and promotes a positive environment in which they can thrive.
