Terri's Fond Farewell...

As most people know, for year's Miss Ohio's Business Manager has been the always bubbly Terri Bednarz (formerly Terri Herlihy Tinsman), daughter of Sharon and the late Paul Herlihy, who are also extremely involved in the pageant. Terri is stepping away from the position and will certainly be missed; to be frank, some Miss Ohio officials are far from approachable, making Terri's smile all the warmer! She sent the following out a few days before Christmas:

Hello everyone!

Well with the holidays so close and 2009 coming to an end that means my job as the Miss Ohio Business Manager is as well. With this said I just wanted to take a minute and thank everyone!

To our Miss Ohio's and all who have competed in this system - thank you all for believing in yourself and in this system! It has helped so many young women not only financially, but also emotionally and has brought so much self-confidence to so many! Please continue to be a part of this system whether you are continuing to help others in this program or still competing - please continue to do so - I'm looking forward to watching you all grow! It has been an honor working with each and every one of you!

To our Local Directors and Committee members - you all bring so much to this organization and to these contestants. Thank you for all of your hard work and endless hours of volunteering and pulling it all together! I'm looking forward to continuing to see you during Miss Ohio week and watching all of the titleholders you bring to the Miss Ohio stage each year! Thank you for supporting me for so many years - I hope I helped to make your job at least a little easier!

To the Miss Ohio Board of Trustees - you all are the rock and backbone of this program. I truly feel that you all are heading in the right direction. Please continue to work together and continue to believe in this system! Thank you all for continuing to believe in me and for all of the support you have given me for so many years!

To the Miss Ohio sponsors - it has been an honor to work so closely with so many of you. Thank you for all of your continued support and for seeing how important this program is. I hope you all can continue to support this so that all of these young women continue to have the opportunity to grow and continue their education.

To the many, many volunteers - I have enjoyed working with all of you - whether you have helped during Miss Ohio week or at fundraisers, etc. - this is all successful because of all of the behind the scenes help and thank you just doesn't seem to be enough! Your countless hours of time and giving of your homes and hearts and your vacation time just proves how much this program means to you! THANK YOU!

To my stage crew and production staff - I'm so glad that I will continue to be a part of this family. The production is one thing I truly enjoy and I'm looking forward to hopefully many more years with all of you! Thank you for all of your dedication - I couldn't do it without each of you!

To my family - mom, Brian and Katelyn - don't even know what to say - thank you for believing in me and for supporting me in all I do. You all are my rocks and your endless love and support keeps a smile on my face and helps me know that what I'm doing is all the right decision! You all are my world and I love you so much!

Dad - I know you're watching down on me and I miss you every single day! But I know you would certainly love what I'm doing with my life and would be a support like no other.

What happens now - well if you haven't heard I'm actually going back to school and start Phoenix on-line classes on Feb. 2nd to continue my schooling and get my bachelors degree. After that my hopes and plans are to serve my apprenticeship at our funeral home and then take state boards to become a licensed funeral director - I'll be the 4th generation at our family owned and operated funeral home and am looking forward to carrying this on.

Again - thank you to each and everyone of you! To those who brought me into this position in 1997 - I thank you specifically from the bottom of my heart because this job has been very special to me and I will miss it. I hope and pray that I at least helped make this program a little better and that it will continue to be such an impact to so many people!

I love you all and truly hope to stay in touch!

I wish you all a happy, safe and healthy holiday season and new year! I'll see you all around at Erica's send-off, in Vegas or on the Miss Ohio stage in June!

Terri

Please comment under this post if you know who has taken Terri's responsibilities and/or when Miss Ohio 2010 is. Thanks!