VANBROS and Associates Inc. holds the State Licenses for the MISS USA® and MISS TEEN USA® State Pageants in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.

John M. Vannatta, Jr.
President • Executive Director

John M. Vannatta Jr. is President of VANBROS and Associates, Inc., which holds the State Licenses for the MISS USA® & MISS TEEN USA® State Pageants in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. He serves as the Executive Director of the Pageants. During the 2001 MISS USA pageant the Miss Universe Organization recognized John as the Outstanding Director of the Year.

VANBROS and Associates, Inc., acquired the license for Kansas in 1992, Missouri in 1993, Oklahoma in 1997, and Nebraska in 2002. During this time, he has written and produced 4 live telecasts in Kansas, including the pre-recorded prize package, contestant activities, and host city special segments. Under his direction, these four states have produced two national MISS TEEN USA winners, one MISS USA winner, a 1st runner-up to MISS UNIVERSE, two national 1st runners-up, four national 2nd runners-up, four national 3rd runners-up, two national 4th runners-up, one national 5th runner-up, fifteen national semifinalists, and twelve national honorable mentions (11th-15th place, prior to 2003). Of 79 young women who have competed at nationals as a VANBROS girl, 43 have finished somewhere among the top 15. VANBROS titleholders have also brought home national awards for, Teen with Style, Miss Photogenic, Miss Congeniality, Most Beautiful Eyes, and Best State Costume. John has enormous pride in the 80 young women who have been VANBROS titleholders, and he attempts to not only serve as director for his titleholders, but a mentor and a friend.

His goal for the state pageants is that they provide a forum in which young women can gain more self confidence, improve themselves as individuals, and make an impact in their community. He believes that it's important for young women who compete in pageants to be able to feel as though they are better individuals the day after the pageant, than they were the day they decided to enter. John uses the pageant to encourage his titleholders, as well as all the contestants, to become socially aware and active. After it is all said and done, he feels that all of the contestants are winners by virtue of their preparation for, and participation in the pageant competition.

John is a graduate of Jersey Village High School in Houston, Texas, where he was a member of the Varsity and All-District Swim Teams. Following High School, he attended Houston Community College, and Johnson County Community College as an honor student before finishing his undergraduate work at the University of Kansas. He holds Bachelor's Degrees in both Political Science and Sociology, with a minor concentration in History.

Prior to his founding of VANBROS & Associates, Inc., he worked in Real Estate Management. He enjoys reading, swimming, attending baseball and hockey games, and is a huge KU basketball fan. He resides in Overland Park, Kansas.

 

 

 

Jason D. Vannatta
Vice President • Executive Director

Jason Vannatta is Vice President of VANBROS and Associates, which holds the State Licenses for the MISS USA® & MISS TEEN USA® State Pageants in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. He graduated with a degree in Graphic Design from the University of Kansas. Prior to joining VANBROS full time in March of 2004 Jason worked in the Association industry for 7 years as a Creative Director. He is responsible for all visual communication projects including designing and maintaining the VANBROS Web sites. Jason also serves as Creative Director for Greenwood Productions Inc. (TN, GA) and Crown Productions (DE, CT), and does design work for USA state pageants in CA, AZ, IL, MD, MI, NJ, OH and RI. If you are interested in obtaining his graphic design or Web related services he can be contacted through the pageant office.

 

 


 

 

Jennifer I. Vannatta-Fisher
Executive Director

Jennifer graduated from the University of Kansas in 1996 with a degree in Journalism. She went on to work for KQTV as an anchor, reporter and producer from 1996-1998. She left her job as a journalist to pursue her dream of becoming Miss Kansas. On June 6, 1998, that dream came true. Miss Greater Kansas City was announced as the new Miss Kansas! Jennifer was also a Preliminary Swimsuit Winner, the Interview Winner, and received the Tara Dawn Holland Community Service Award for her work with the Kansas City Promise Alliance for Youth.

Jennifer was blessed with the opportunity to represent Kansas in the 1998 Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. During her reign as Miss Kansas, Jennifer traveled nearly 75,000 miles speaking in schools. She shared with over 10,000 children, the importance of living their dreams, and the importance of volunteering in their communities. She's incredibly grateful for the ways God blessed her life through all of her pageant experiences. "Through each experience, I improved my self-esteem, communication skills, and talents. I also learned a lot about my faith, and just how much Jennifer Vannatta can really handle."

Because of the positive ways Jennifer's participation has impacted her life, she desperately wanted to stay involved in pageantry. When she gave up her title in 1999, she joined the VANBROS staff helping her brother John. She and John work as a team to build the program, and make it a positive opportunity for young women all over Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. "This isn't about dresses, heels, jewelry, or the 'stuff' at all. It's about providing young women a way to step out of their comfort zones that will inevitably help them grow. It's about providing an opportunity that helps to enrich their lives, through building more self-esteem, interview skills, friendships, physical fitness, and making valuable contacts. It's about making an impact, and encouraging them to make an impact as well. The "PAGEANT," is just our vehicle in which to do all of this!"

On February 7, 2004, Jennifer married her long-time love J.C. Fisher. They met at the 1997 Miss Kansas Pageant when she was a contestant and he was a featured performer. The wedding was classy, elegant and romantic. It was a wonderful moment for Jen and J.C. who patiently waited for the right time to finally marry. Many friends and family were able to attend the ceremony, including several former titleholders. Jennifer and JC make their home in Overland Park, Kansas. She continues to work for Vanbros while he travels the world as a classical vocalist (www.jctenor.com) When their schedules permit, they love taking trips together.

 

 

Janet Parkes
Executive Operations Coordinator

Janet Parkes has been a part of the VANBROS and Associates Inc. team for the past 10 years. She is involved with daily operations and internal coordination. Janet also serves as Operations Coordinator for Greenwood Productions (TN, GA). Janet has five children and is the proud grandmother of Kala. She is very active in her church and has been married to her husband David for 29 years.

Sherri Litton
Executive Contestant Coordinator

Sherri is the Executive Contestant Coordinator for VANBROS and Associates, Inc. where she is responsible for recruiting, registering and maintaining all the contestant paperwork and correspondence but she considers her most important function to be assisting all the contestants in all five states with any and every question or detail they need to prepare them to be their very best in the pageant!

Sherri has been involved in the pageant industry since 1998 in one facet or another. She started out as a “Pageant Mom” when her oldest daughter Lara Litton-Schneider decided to enter her very first pageant in the Kansas American Coed system and won on her first try. She went on to the national pageant and was the first contestant from the state of Kansas to ever capture the title of Miss American Teen. Sherri then became involved as a pageant judge for several years traveling across the United States judging in multiple pageant systems. Later her youngest daughter, Ashley Renee Litton became involved in pageants as well by competing in the Miss Kansas Teen USA and Miss Missouri USA pageants while in high school and college. Ashley assumed the title of Miss Missouri USA 2004 after Shandi Finnessey won the title of Miss USA. Sherri is the former co-owner of Crown Chic that she started with Ashley, a pageant and prom store and was the official gown sponsor of the Kansas and Missouri USA titleholders. One of her functions also included pageant coaching and working with contestants across the United States. Ashley has since taken over the reigns of the store, coaching and gown sponsorships now called Sassy Chic Boutique as co-owner; as well as the Designer and Owner of A. Renee Designs; a custom design pageant gown business.

Prior to working in the pageant industry Sherri was an Owner/Entrepreneur in the restaurant and executive search industries and as Operations Manager in corporate America. She also worked part time as a Recruiter of New Faces and as a Booking Agent for Millennium Model Management.

Sherri resides in Olathe with her husband Ron of 32 years and hopes to be a Grandma (Mimi) someday very soon!! Her hobbies include cooking, baking birthday cakes for family and friends, party planning, interior decorating and furniture restoration.
She truly loves all things pageantry! Sherri still considers herself a “Pageant Mom”, she just has a lot more “daughters” now throughout the VANBROS pageant states!

Jerry Polston
Social Media Coordinator

Jerry Polston coordinates the Pageant Logistics and Social Media for Vanbros & Associates. After a career in banking and finance, Jerry was managing partner of a real estate investment and management firm. He also served as the field director for a nationally touring dance competition. He has been involved in the world of pageants for over 20 years as a director, judge, volunteer and parent. He has been married to Cathy for 36 years. Together, they have a daughter, 2 grandsons and numerous pageant kids they call their own.