Mrs. Nebraska 1997
Lisa Gennaro – Louisville, NE
After her reign as Mrs. Nebraska 1997, Lisa (being the entrepreneur that she is) opened up the first full service pageant shop in Louisville NE called Nouveau which she owned and operated for 10 years. During that time she coached countless clients from the Miss USA and Miss America systems in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa, along with contestants competing for Mrs. Nebraska.
Lisa has a long list of state winners in her port folio who have won their state titles. Lisa says, “I really loved being involved in helping a young miss to grow into a wonderful woman. Not just teaching them to walk, but helping them learn life skills that may help them to go into any job and be able to nail an interview.” Lisa recently moved to South Dakota with her husband, Michael.
Lisa and Mike have two beautiful daughters Tabitha and Danielle. Both girls live in Ventura, California and are currently going to college. Tabitha is studying graphic design, and Danielle is studying to be a paramedic. Both daughters are also very involved in their church and mission work when they have free time. They go down to skid row and hand clothes and blankets out to people in need.
Lisa and Mike have also been actively involved in the foster care program and have had two foster kids, Storee and Stacy. Storee came to live with them at the age of 14 and Stacy at age 16. They are now both grown and living on their own. The Gennaros have also had six foreign exchange students. “This helped our girls see what another culture was about and it gave the foreign exchange students the opportunity to see what rural America was about.”
What Lisa enjoys most is, of course, her family! Outside of family, she loves to travel. She enjoys researching the history of each state or country she travels to. Lisa also tries to stay active and in shape. “Being a former Mrs. Nebraska I feel it keeps me motivated to always try and be fit. I will tell you, it is a chore the older I get.”
Since 2003, Lisa has owned a medical supply company called NewStyle Medical Supplier, Inc. “I love this business because once again, it enables me to help people in need. We cover all of Nebraska and Iowa and are looking to expand into other states. Once the medical supply business started to grow, I had to let the pageant shop go.”
One of Lisa’s goals now that her kids are gone, is that she would love to get back into public speaking on the importance of a parent’s role, mainly with a focus on the importance of a “father’s role” in the household. “I would say that winning Mrs. Nebraska sent my life in a different direction than my life may have had. It gave me opportunities to go to high schools and speak about the importance of being a family, as well as the importance of education, and letting minority students know that there is help if they want to go to college. That is something I didn’t know when I wanted to go to college as a minority. I am so glad that I have had the wonderful women in my life that the pageant has brought to me. God has blessed me, and my family, so much with the love he has offered and given. The one verse I would like people to know that have helped me in my life, Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Surround yourself with positive people, it makes life easier.”
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